“She started crying. It was awful.”
I try to hold back, but the horror on his face is too much for me, and I burst into laughter. He narrows his eyes, clearly not amused.
“I’m sorry! I really am, but you should have seen your face.”
“It was obviously a mistake to try to talk to you.”
“No, no.” I cover my mouth and force myself to calm down. “I’m sorry. Tell me more. What did you do next?”
“I left her alone.”
Now, it’s my turn to be horrified. “Logan, your girlfriend started crying and you left her alone? That’s terrible. Tears are not the kiss of death.”
“I didn’t know what to do.”
“Well, take a page out of the Nick Bennett playbook and go get her something nice. Surprise her with it. Tell her you’re sorry and truly mean it.”
He truly looks like a lost boy, so I try to think of something to help him out.
“I got it!” I snap my fingers and turn to the computer. When I find the email, I forward it to his work address.
“Want to fill me in?”
“Yep, when we were at the game, she mentioned wanting to get familiar with the art world a little more, to know about our business since you are so involved. I got an invitation this morning to view some pieces going on display at a gallery downtown. The artist wants us to consider him for next year. I wasn’t going to be able to go because it’s the weekend I’m going to Jacksonville. You should go and take Melanie. You can show her a little of what we do.”
He doesn’t seem overjoyed at the idea.” I don’t know, Grace. That’s more your scene. You’re better at that.”
“Bullshit. You’re great. You pulled it all together when I was still in school, and look at the masterpiece we did with both our styles.” I wave my hand to the room.
He glances around and starts to nod. “Yeah, okay. I’ll ask her to go with me.”
“Great!” I jump up and down clapping, completely satisfied with my meddling. I like Melanie, and even if she’s not the one for Logan in the long run, I’d hate to see him lose her for being a dumbass.
“And besides, I need to get back into practice. I’ll have to be the point person when you’re gone.”
Confusion hits me. “Gone?”
“Gone for the apprenticeship, or whatever you call it in that program.”
Ugh, that damn program. I had to finesse my way through questions from my family all weekend about the waiting process. They’re convinced I need to call and follow up since it will start in less than two months. If accepted, I’ll have very short notice to get things in order.
The truth is, I’m not convinced it’s what I want to do anymore. My apprehension has grown stronger and stronger each day. Thinking about leaving Nick for any period of time makes my stomach roll. But it’s not only him. I love my job and my life in Miami. Going away doesn’t appeal to me as much now, even if it is only for a few months.
I’m not ready to have this conversation with Logan, so I smile politely and start placing the gifts back into the picnic basket. “I sent you that email. You should call Melanie now and invite her so you can RSVP.”
“Good idea.”
As soon as he’s out of the room, I hug the jersey to my chest and think again about Nick’s notes. Then an idea pops in my head, and I grab my phone before I lose my nerve. In order to pull this off, I’ll need some help. I find the number and press send, thankful that Nick made me save all his family’s contact information.
“Shaw Bennett’s office, this is Gail.”
“Hey, Gail, it’s Grace Monroe.”
“Grace dear, how are you?”
“I’m great. How about you?”
“My only complaint is my boss.”
I giggle, knowing she and Shaw have an excellent relationship. “You should demand a raise. I hear Shaw’s been in a generous mood lately.”
“You heard about that, huh? It’s quite an extravagance.”
“Bizzy came by on Tuesday and showed me. She tried to act nonchalant, but I could tell she was beyond excited.”
I’m referring to the brand new car Shaw surprised Bizzy with over the weekend. To me, it was a luxurious, sporty convertible, but Nick explained the 911 C4 Cabriolet is so much more than a ‘sporty convertible’. It is a top of the line, specially ordered, high-end car meant to make a statement. He may have known Shaw was buying it, but seeing it was a different story. Bizzy said she swears he started drooling.
“She’s always said that Shaw…”
“…has more money than sense.” I finish the statement for her, Bizzy telling me the same thing.
“Well, it’s certainly a surprise to hear from you. What’s going on?”
“That’s why I’m calling. I need Shaw to help me with a surprise. Is he available?”
“He sure is. I’ll get him.”
She places me on hold, and I start to have doubts. This is one of the craziest ideas I’ve ever had.
My stomach plunges when the noise starts on the other side of the door. Thunderous footsteps fill the room as the men rush in. There’s a lot of loud banging, which kicks my already frazzled nerves up a notch.
What the hell was I thinking, runs through my head for the twentieth time since I made the call to Shaw. Then I start to consider how this could go terribly wrong.
This is by far the boldest idea I’ve ever had in my life.
Please, God, don’t let me throw up.
Conversations grow louder as the men shout back and forth across the locker room.
I hear water running as they start the showers, and I realize for the first time how many women would die to be in my shoes—standing less than twenty feet away from an entire football team as they strip down.
Sweaty, dirty, naked men… hmmmmm. My insides start humming for a totally different reason. Sexy, X-rated visions fill my head.
My ears perk up when Nick’s voice grows closer. He’s on the phone, and I know its Shaw secretly leading him to me. He hangs up right as he opens the door, expecting to meet with a trainer.
The look of shock on his face when he spots me shoots a thrill throughout my entire body. He stops, his eyes meeting mine for a brief second before traveling slowly down, taking in my outfit. I purposely chose the skimpiest skirt I own to go with the jersey. But what sets off the outfit is the shoes. I know I’ve accomplished the desired effect when he lets out a low whistle.
“Fucking cowboy boots.”
The mood in the room changes when he looks back at me. He stays quiet, turning to shut the door and locking it. Then he spins around, tossing his phone on a chair. His blue eyes pierce mine with dark burning desire.
“Surprise,” I croak, my mouth dry from the fierce vibes he’s sending.
My knees start to wobble as I take him in. He’s shirtless, his torso still shiny with sweat. There are streaks of dirt on his forearms and covering his athletic shorts.
I lick my lips, trying to remember my plan that has inconveniently flown out of my head.
“You came to surprise me?”
I nod and decide to wing it. “I actually came to thank you for the gifts.”
“You didn’t want to wait until tonight when I got to your place?” His voice is deep and husky.
I begin to feel braver, taking a few steps toward him. “I could have waited, but then I read your note again, the one that said you would imagine me wearing this. I didn’t want you to have to imagine it, so I decided to come down here and show you myself.”
“Shaw in on this?”
“He told me where to hide, made sure the room was empty, and got you to me.”
“That explains why he was being so cryptic.”
I close the distance between us, feeling the heat radiating from his hard body. Rising on my tiptoes, I wrap my arms around his neck and put my mouth to his. “This is more of a going away present. Maybe to help ease your dread of road games.”
He parts his mouth slightly, sliding his tongue along my
lips. “I’m pretty sure your plan backfired. Seeing you in this sexy as fuck outfit, waiting for me, makes me never want to leave you.”
His hands circle my waist, hoisting me until I’m completely wrapped around him. My skirt hikes up, pooling at my hips, the cool air on my bare ass sending a shiver up my back. Our eyes stay locked as he lowers one hand, finding the thin string of my thong and snapping it.
“Nick! What are you doing?”
“I think you know the answer to that.” He slides a finger into me.
“You have to stop tearing my underwear.”
“Stop wearing them when you know you’re driving me wild, which is all the time.”
“We can’t do this.” I squirm. “There are people on the other side of that door.”
“We’ll be quiet.”
“We can’t,” I repeat, my eyes fluttering closed when he applies pressure to my clit.
“What did you think would happen when I walked in here and saw you in this getup?”
“We’d make out.”
“Make out, make love, fuck… Call it what you want, but it’s happening.”
He twists, pressing my back to the wall and shifting his hips, his shorts falling. In one swift movement, he fills me. His face is now masked with undeniable desire.
“Oh my God,” I moan, feeling every inch of him stretching me. My head falls back, clunking into the wall.
He kisses me deeply, covering my moans as he starts to thrust. He sucks on my tongue, slowing his movements. His hips start to grind in the same rhythm as his tongue, sending waves of urgency through my veins.
My fingers thread through his short hair, gripping tightly. Without words, I’m begging him not to stop. My body is full of Nick, and I still crave more.
What has he done to me?
Coiling starts low in my stomach and spine, both tingling when he swivels his hips again.
“Please,” I plead into his mouth.
He drives faster, giving me exactly what I need. I’m close, so close I break away, knocking my head back into the wall again. My breathing starts to come in pants. His lips skim over my throat, leaving a trail of heat that singes my skin.
“Now, Grace,” is all he has to say and I explode, squeezing my eyes tight and holding back a scream.
He lets out his own low moan, pumping once more, then stills. His cock pulses inside of me, each tick hitting my sensitive skin. Neither of us moves as we fight to regain our breath.
I finally come back down from my high, releasing his hair and putting my forehead to his.
“Three minutes, that’s all I could hold out.” He grunts. “And it still didn’t take the edge off.”
“But it was a great three minutes.”
“You make fantasies come true.”
“I’m not the only one.”
“Grace, I need your eyes on mine.”
I slowly open my eyes, only to be stunned breathless again. He’s staring at me with a look I recognize.
It’s the look Shaw gives Bizzy.
The look my dad gives my mom.
And the look Grandpa gave Grandma.
I know this look well because, in my mind, I’m retuning it to him.
“I love you, Nick,” slips out of my mouth before I can stop it.
His eyes start to shine a crystal blue, and he nips gently on my lips once more. “You stole my line.”
“I did?”
“You did. So I need to steal it back. I don’t only love you; I’m in love with you. You are my world. If someone asked me who my soulmate is, I’d describe you down to the fucking pink polish on your toes. Every single thing that makes Grace Rae Monroe is what I was put on this earth to love. When I was fourteen and fighting for my life, there were some really hard times. But I’d gladly go through them again and again, knowing that I’d be here with you in my arms eleven years later.”
My heart starts to ache, and the damn burst, tears flowing freely down my face. He kisses them away, pressing close.
“Now, we’re going to go home and find a bed, so I can show you how I feel. And I can promise you it’ll take a lot longer than three minutes.”
“Charmer.” I smile through my tears.
“Only for you, Sweet Peach. Only for you.”
Chapter 21
Nick
Losing sucks.
Losing to Buffalo on the road, then facing the week of scrutiny before another road game fucking sucks.
Coaches, trainers, reporters, and league personnel—all of them want some kind of answers. And they expect me to give them. I’ve had a week of playing the ‘woulda, coulda, shouda’ game. Coaches may pretend to shake off a loss with the standard statement, “We’re looking forward, not backward,” which is a lie.
Because if that were true, I’d be with my family right now in a nice hotel, instead of sitting in this room. Better yet, I’d be with Grace.
“Anything you can add, Bennett?” our defensive coordinator asks.
“Nothing more than I’ve already told you. Reed Matthews had already graduated when I started on the team. He’s quick and has chemistry with the quarterback. Defense needs to be ready.”
Eddie and Gade both give me fist bumps, knowing we have the same chemistry on the field. It’s also a show of support.
Reed Matthews also played football at FSU, training and learning from the same coaches who taught me. So, naturally, the team has questioned me about his techniques. Since Jacksonville isn’t a conference game, this is the first time we’re meeting on the field since I was drafted.
Coach finally calls the meeting, reminding us we’re under curfew and lockdown tonight.
I press send on a text message I’ve been waiting to send for the last thirty minutes.
We’re done. Meet me at my hotel.
SP- On our way! Love you
We all shuffle out, going to our respective rooms to do God knows what until we leave for the stadium tomorrow. An eight p.m. curfew leaves a lot of downtime tonight. Luckily, I’ll have my family to help pass the time. Shaw, Bizzy, Mathis, Claire, and Grace all flew in this morning and checked into a different hotel.
Fucking Shaw. This is where the line between brother and agent is drawn. He knew we were going on lockdown and made sure Grace couldn’t be a distraction. I was pissed. I wanted her at least in the same hotel, but she agreed with him, promising me a full night of celebration once we got home. I had no choice but to accept the decision.
On the way to the elevator, a group of us pass the restaurant, which is packed with traveling fans. Heads turn, recognizing us, and the shouts start.
“You got this!”
“Get out there and show ‘em how it’s done!”
“Gunslinger!”
“We love you, Sexy Six!” comes from a chorus of women, and I hang my head, giving them a wave.
On the ride up, there are a few murmurs, but mostly everyone is quiet as we start the mental preparations for tomorrow.
Grace Space pops in my head, thinking about her term for when she spaces out.
“You good?” Eddie pats my shoulder when the elevator opens to our floor.
“Yeah, the family is coming over. We’ll probably watch some football, shoot the shit for a while.”
“Grace coming?”
“Yep.”
“Think she misses me?”
“Not a bit.”
“Maybe I’ll come down and hang for a bit. Nothing like a pretty girl to get the motivational juices flowing.” He flashes a bright smile, wiggling his eyebrows. “Maybe show her the Jarvis—”
“You itching for a fight?”
“Whatever it takes to get you riled up.”
“You mention showing my girlfriend anything of yours, I’ll show you riled up.”
“Good, man, catch ya later.” He slaps me on the shoulder again and disappears down the hallway.
I let myself into my room, taking in the dismal surroundings. I hope to God Shaw got something nicer for Grace. I want her
to enjoy this trip, because next year, I’m going to demand she travel with me. A lot of the wives do it, so she won’t be alone.
I hear them before they even get to the door. Claire is howling in the hallway, singing the Miami theme song off-key. I open the door and step out, noticing the scowls on my brothers’ faces. In contrast, all three women are smiling wide.
“What’s going on?”
They file into my room, Grace stopping at my side with a short kiss. “I think we’ve pissed off the Bennett brothers.”
“Pissed off is an understatement.” Shaw slices his eyes to Claire.
“What happened?”
“Shaw’s overreacting and being a jealous twerp.” Claire announces.
“Claire, stop antagonizing him,” Bizzy scolds her, not hiding her smile.
“Sweet Peach, what are they talking about?”
“Claire joined Tumblr.”
“So? Why is that so infuriating?”
“Because she’s gotten hooked on the world of Tumblr porn. Since we got in the car to leave this morning, these girls have been locked in the world of social media pornography,” Mathis answers in an aggravated tone.
Grace’s eyes are shining as she bites her lip, watching my face for a reaction. “You’ve been watching porn all day?”
“Not all day.”
“I’m not going to lie. The thought of you watching other people have sex surprises me.”
“Some of it is HOT,” she says low enough for only me to hear. “You should see some of the blow job techniques.”
My cock stirs, and I wish like hell there wasn’t a room full of people behind us.
“And get this! My identifier is ‘BennettBabes2017’. Isn’t it brilliant?” Claire’s proud of herself.
“Once again, why the faces?”
“I’ll give you five minutes of being around Claire watching that shit. Then you’ll understand,” Mathis explains.
I imagine the whole experience was slightly less painful than getting sacked by a mammoth-sized lineman. But the opportunity to remark is too easy. “Maybe she’s trying to give you a hint on how to satisfy your woman.”
Mathis’s mouth narrows in a tight line, his eyes flaring. Claire snuggles to his side, throwing her arms around his shoulders. “I’m very satisfied.” She plants a sloppy, lip-smacking kiss on his cheek, and I cringe.
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