"Oh, I know him," I laugh softly to myself as I reach over and stroke Laurie's hair. She tried so hard to stay awake to watch her daddy play, but she nodded off during the third quarter. With all of the ads and play stoppages, even a late afternoon start is too late for a child her age. "I know him very well."
I turn my attention back to the television as the analysts continue to sing Troy's praises. "Yeah, Tom, it was right about this point that he just took over," the one guy, a former player himself, said. "I mean, right here when . . . BOOM! He just rocks the running back here, driving him down for a loss and setting the tone that he'd keep up for the rest of the game. I tell you, guys, he put the fear of God in that man's heart with that hit."
"It's too bad that the Hawks couldn't have cloned Troy Wood," the lead talking head says, segueing into the bad. "Because with the loss of their best receiver and right tackle in the third pre-season game, their own offense was nearly as inept as the Cardinals were when Wood was in the game. The Arizona defense picked off the Hawks three times, returning one of those for a touchdown, which proved to be the difference in the game, as the Cardinals go on to win the first game of the season fourteen to ten."
The analysts go on to review the other games of the weekend, and I turn off the TV, picking up Laurie and carrying her to the bedroom. "You're getting heavy, little girl," I grunt as I carry her. "You take after your father. You're going to be six feet tall at this rate."
"Want some help?" Mom asks as she comes out of her room, and I stop, only slightly startled. "Sorry, I heard the TV switch off and thought you could use it."
"Thanks, Mom, but I've got her," I say, carrying her the rest of the way to the bedroom and putting her on the bed. I tuck Laurie in and give her a kiss goodnight, then Mom follows. "I thought you'd have gone to sleep. Don't you start work early in the morning?"
"I do, but I'm not sleepy yet," Mom says. "Share a bowl of ice cream with me, maybe?"
I consider it, then smile. "Sure. Just remind me to go for a jog in the morning or something."
Mom snorts and we go into the kitchen, where she pulls out the carton of vanilla ice cream, scoops out two scoops and puts them in the same clear glass bowl that we shared when I was a little girl. "You still use chocolate sauce?"
"Sorry, kinda outgrew the Hershey's," I say.
Mom smiles and brings the bowl over before going and getting two spoons and setting them in the bowl. "Dig in. It's been a long time since we did this."
"Five years," I agree. "I'll be honest—these past six weeks have been pretty awesome. It's good to be home."
"It's good to have you home, sweetie. Actually, it's those five years I'd like to talk to you about."
"What about? I thought you and I cleared the air about that long ago. I don't hold any ill will toward you, and I thought you didn't toward me about going to Europe."
Mom shakes her head and takes a bite of ice cream. "Actually, I was thinking more along the lines that I need to clear the air with Troy. If it wasn't clear enough already, your little public announcement at Dani Barkovich's wedding reception made it clear you two are back together."
"It wasn't an announcement. It was a dance. And yes, a kiss. I'm twenty-three now. I think I can kiss my man in public, can't I?"
"Of course," Mom says, defensive until she takes a breath. "It's just . . . well, I would have liked to have been let in that you were going to tell Laurie about her father. It caught me by surprise when she came in going on about meeting her daddy after you two went to the zoo."
"I'm sorry about that. Troy and I discussed it, but the exact time was a bit sudden, and when I got back from the reception, you were already asleep with her, and you had early work the next day."
"It's okay, just it was surprising. But what I've been thinking about is that you and Troy . . . is it serious? Like permanent, maybe?"
"Maybe. We're taking our time on making that formal, but I know what my heart says."
Mom nods and takes another bite of ice cream. "Okay then. Maybe we should have him over one night for dinner. After you left, I was pretty cold to him. And I don’t want a bad relationship with him if he's going to be your . . . man, and Laurie's father. Do you think you can set that up?"
"I'm sure we can find a time.”
As it was, because of travel schedules, work schedules, and just general life, it was six days before Mom, Troy and I were able to sit down for a family, clear-the-air dinner. Laurie, who had gotten the vibe that tonight's dinner is going to be very important, got showered and dressed without me having to remind her too many times that she needed to dry off fully or to put her socks on and not just wear her shoes barefooted. Instead, it's now exactly six fifty-eight in the evening, and Laurie is sitting on the bed in her best pair of jeans and new, most favorite Hawks t-shirt, waiting for Troy.
"Mama?"
"Yes, Laurie?" I ask as I carefully apply the last bit of my lip gloss. I'm not going overboard. After all, this is a family dinner and not a romantic date, but I do want to look good for Troy, putting on an emerald brocade blouse and a black skirt that I sometimes have used for business, but is loose enough that I can relax and move around in if I’m in the mood, sexy but not too sexy with my casual flats. I have news for him as well, after all.
"When Troy gave me the football, did he know that he is my Daddy?" Laurie asks. "I asked Grandma to read me what he wrote again, and I'm not sure."
"No, sweetie, I didn't tell him that you were his baby girl until a couple of days later. You guys actually played together first before I told him, but as soon as I did, he was so happy that he nearly broke my ribs, he hugged me so hard."
The doorbell rings, and Laurie's on her feet in a flash, running for the door. I hear the door open, and the delighted squeal as Laurie throws herself into her father's arms. "Daddy!"
I leave the bedroom and see that Mom, who has been busy in the kitchen for the past hour, has also come out to greet Troy. He's wearing charcoal dress slacks and an open-throated, checked dress shirt, his muscles still bulging against the cotton of his shirt. Maybe it's because the door is open, but I swear it just jumped five degrees inside the house.
Laurie, who’s hanging from Troy's neck and refusing to let go, gives Troy a big, smacking kiss on the cheek. "Kissy-kissy!"
"And a kissy-kissy for you too," Troy replies, kissing Laurie on the cheek and neck loudly, giving her a hug. "How was school today?"
"Great! I got to tell everyone about what my daddy's going to be doing this weekend, and I drew a picture, too.”
"Oh really? And what did you tell them?"
"That my Daddy's going to beat Pittsburgh.”
"Well, the entire city of Pittsburgh is a little difficult, but I'll try to start with the Warriors." Troy laughs. "Just remember, I need all my teammates to get the job done."
Laurie allows herself to be set down, and Troy does the right thing by instead of coming over to hug me, he turns to Mom and offers his hand. "Ms. Nelson. Thank you for having me."
Mom stops moving and then sighs, shaking her head. "Come here, you big oaf. And for God's sake, call me Patricia or Patty."
Mom gives Troy a quick hug, then steps back. "So I hope you're hungry, and the team didn't fill you up already."
"Nope, that's tomorrow." Troy laughs. "Saturday night, we get to eat and live on our own, as long as I'm at the stadium by nine tomorrow morning."
"Why so early?" Mom asks, leading Troy over to the table. "Don't you have a four o'clock kickoff?"
"No, that's four Eastern time," Troy says. "The network bumped us back because of some stuff that happened around the league in the pre-season, so we've got a one o'clock kickoff. If it was still at four, I'd have to be there by eleven. But nine is a good time. It gives everyone a chance to eat, relax, get warmed up and get ready to go come game time."
Mom nods and goes back to the kitchen, and I hear the sound of pots and pans moving around. "Can I help you, Mom?"
"No, honey," she calls, "but
if I could get a little help from a certain granddaughter of mine, I think we can get these plates out on the table in under three minutes. What do you say, Laurie?"
“Coming!” Laurie calls, going into the kitchen area. It's not totally cut off. I can see over the kitchen island as Mom scoops up plates of spaghetti, but only from her shoulders up.
"Whatever it is, it smells great, Ms.—sorry, Patricia," Troy says, sitting down next to me. "What am I in line for anyway?"
"Whitney's favorite when she was in high school, linguini with a tomato and Italian sausage sauce. Laurie here has helped me tweak it to make it more authentic, but still American enough for our taste buds. You don't mind having a lot of carbs before a game, right?"
Troy shakes his head and gives me a look, and the warmth inside me is definitely not due to the ambient air. We both want each other, but we know we need to get the air cleared with Mom first. "No, Patricia, that sounds great. Do me a favor, though. If you have any plans for dessert, hold off, please? I can handle the pasta, but if I load up on ice cream or cake or something like that, I tend to crash down from the sugar high and then I'm sluggish in the morning."
"What do you eat on game days?" Laurie asks as she emerges with the first plate, which she carefully sets in her place next to me before going back into the kitchen area. "You know, to play so well."
"No secret formula," Troy says, and he reaches over to take my hand, the touch of just our fingers thrilling me. "I like to eat a lot of vegetables, some beans for the slow energy, and a few eggs with breakfast. Nothing too heavy or fatty for an early game. Do you like eggs, Laurie?"
"I do, Daddy,” Laurie says, and I see Mom look up before snorting and shaking her head, smiling as she hears Troy being called Daddy again. "But beans? Ewww."
"I just need to introduce you to the team catering staff," Troy says, giving Laurie a kiss on the forehead when she comes out with his plate. "They make a black bean salad that is so delicious I bet even you'd like it."
"I don't know," Laurie says, and Mom comes out with the other two plates, setting one in front of me before sitting down. As soon as she sits down, Laurie folds her hands, and Troy follows suit, while Laurie says grace in her sweet little voice. "Okay, let's eat!"
We had a great dinner, Mom and Troy seeming to bond after apologizing to one another. Now, Mom and Laurie are in the living room having dessert and watching a Disney movie.
We sneak our way to my bedroom, and as soon as we’re inside, our passion and desire give way. “You were kind, insightful . . . there's a reason I love you," I say in between kisses. "And a reason you’re the perfect man for me."
Troy smiles and brings his hand up to cup my breast, stroking my nipple through my bra with his thumb. Sparks cascade through my body with every rotation of his thumb, and I'm soon breathless, desperate with need. "Troy."
"I want you so badly, but we don't have time," Troy says, still not moving as his hand keeps up its amazing ministrations. "And I'm sorry, I didn't plan for this. I don't have a condom on me."
"Then I get to engage in a fantasy," I say with a smile, getting down on my knees. "Think you can reciprocate if I go first?"
Troy smiles and strokes my hair while I undo his zipper and ease his cock out of his pants. He's already mostly hard, and the feeling as I suck him in and feel him expand is sexy and powerful. I pull him all the way into my mouth and swallow his cock, licking and sucking along the shaft until I reach the flared mushroom tip, so soft and velvety on my lips. Flicking my tongue over the tip, I’m once again treated to the tangy sweetness of his precum, which I let savor in my mouth while I pump him with my fist. “How many times did you dream about this?”
"You don't know how many times," Troy whispers while I make love to his cock with my lips and tongue. I swallow him again, all the way until my nose is buried at the base of his cock, the tip gagging me, but I don't care. I swallow it anyway until I can take no more, pulling out and bobbing my head back and forth, swallowing him over and over. Troy puts his hand on my head and I pull him out, looking up lovingly.
“Fuck my mouth.”
Troy nods and guides himself into my mouth again, his hips thrusting his cock in and out, over and over as I lick and suck as best I can. I feel so at his mercy, but still safe and secure, and I'm so aroused I can't believe it. Troy's trembling, and I reach up to massage his balls, feeling them grow tight and ready against his body. Troy pulls back, leaving the head of his cock in my mouth as he explodes, and I seal my mouth around his cockhead, making sure not a precious drop is spilled. After I’m sure I got every last drop, I reach for a Kleenex to spit it out.
"Time for my dessert," Troy says, nudging me over to the bed.
Pushing my skirt up over my hips to expose my panties, he licks his lips. "I love you in these," he murmurs, his lips now fastening on the flesh of my ass and kissing. "You don't know how sexy your backside is."
"Careful, or you may get to take another virginity of mine," I half-moan, and Troy stops. I look back and nod. "Yeah. And yes, it's yours too . . . but some other night."
Troy smiles and kisses my ass again, nudging my feet apart enough that I give him full access to my ass and pussy. His right hand reaches between my legs, rubbing in soft little circles as his lips move over my ass and I bend over the bed.
My breath catches when Troy pulls my panties to the side, and suddenly, his long, strong finger is stroking between my pussy lips, gathering moisture before sliding in deep, my groan barely held behind my lips as he curls his finger inside me. His mouth descends again, and I feel his breath warm and enticing over my skin, a hunger filling me. Troy lets his tongue come out, flicking over me the same way that I had done to his cock.
Troy seems to read my mind as he begins to pump his finger in and out of me while his tongue does its magic, and I have to just clutch at the bedsheets to not scream out, it feels so fucking good. I’m finally starting to relax, and suddenly, I feel the snake of Troy's tongue inside me, his finger rubbing my clit.
I'm assaulted with pleasure, and I'm lost in a haze of passion, my body unable to comprehend what I'm feeling other than amazing waves of pleasure. My body convulses, and I'm coming, clenching and drawing him in more, Troy burying his face as deep as he can while his finger massages me. I ride the wave, the orgasm rolling and building as he alternates his tongue, his finger, and his thumb on me until I'm sobbing quietly, unable to take more.
"I love you," I reply as soon as I’m able to catch my breath. "By the way, I meant to say it at dinner, but I have some good news."
"Oh?"
"I got that job with Colette's mom I was telling you about. And a few of my clients have agreed to stay with me, and not with Lorenzo. We're going to be doing well."
"Good," Troy says, wiping at his face. "So would it be out of place for me to drop off a few tickets for next week's game? You know, for the three of you."
“That would be great.”
Troy and I wash up, then go into the living room, holding hands, flushed from our quick tryst and still smiling. Laurie smiles from her position in Mom's lap while Woody and Buzz run onscreen. "See, Grandma? I told you they were being kissy."
Troy can't help it, and neither can I as we start laughing, and even Mom joins in while I sit in Troy's lap for the rest of the movie, just bonding as a family.
Chapter 22
Troy
"I'll be honest with you, Tom, perhaps the brightest point so far in the Hawks dismal start to the season is the play of Troy Wood."
I wish Laurie would shut off the morning sports programs. I'm aching from the collisions last night, but lying on the couch in my sweat shorts and a t-shirt, I'm too happy and pleased to care. After all, I'm on my couch in the living room, and for the first time in my life, my daughter is eating breakfast in my living room with me.
I was shocked and elated the night before when, getting home from the stadium, I found Whitney and Laurie both waiting outside. "Daddy!"
"Baby girl, wh
at are you doing here?" I ask, surprised. "I mean, I'm happy, but . . . Whitney?"
"Laurie asked, and I agreed that if you were okay with it, maybe the two of us could have a sleepover at her daddy's house," Whitney said, and so we did. Whitney even joined me in bed, although she knew that I was too sore and exhausted to do much more than curl up, hold her in her pale mint silk pajamas, and go to sleep. Now, lying on the couch, I’m slowly trying to recover enough to get up and do something.
"Wood's play on any other team would be considered inspirational, and certainly leadership material," the talking head on the TV rattles on, Laurie eating up the replays of the highlights of the game. "I mean, nine tackles, a sack and enough punishing hits to any receiver who entered his zone that the only time the Bolts threw over the middle was when he was out of the game. Frankly, if it wasn't for the fact that Troy Wood only played about half of the defensive downs for the Hawks, he would’ve reached Madden-like numbers. So let me ask you, if Troy Wood keeps this up, are we looking at a potential defensive player of the year?"
Even I raise my head at that, blinking in surprise. I know I'm having a great start to my season, but player of the year? "It's hard to tell. We’ve been around the League for a long time. I mean, I was retired before Troy was even born. We both know it’s a little early to be talking about that, but he’s certainly well on his way if he keeps it up.”
"True. And of course, if the offense can start to string together some series and keep the defense off the field, it'll give them the ability to not spend nearly forty minutes on the field on a weekly basis."
Forty minutes, nearly two-thirds of the game. Jesus, no wonder I feel like I've been in a series of car accidents. "Laurie, I know you like the replays, but can you turn it down, baby girl? It makes me embarrassed to listen to these guys make me sound so awesome."
"But you are awesome, Daddy," Laurie says, still turning down the television and watching every second of it as if she knows everything they’re saying. "Mama says so too."
Tempted: A Bad Boy Next Door Romance Page 49
