Power Play: The Nashville Assassins: Next Generation

by Aleo, Toni

  “So dangerous when you think. Usually leads to new plays that kick my ass.”

  She puckers her lips, and I have no choice but to kiss them. When I pull back, she wraps her arms around my neck. “By the way, I’m so impressed by you. You’re the one kicking the ass out of my plays. You make this girl super proud.”

  “My girl.”

  Her brow perks. “Huh?”

  “I make my girl super proud.”

  She curves her lips. “You do.”

  I slide my hands up her thighs once more, cupping her ass. “So, tell me what you’re thinking.”

  “Well,” she starts, running her fingers along the hair on my jaw. “I was thinking back to what you said about your plan to tell everyone we’re together.”

  I meet her gaze, and I’m unsure why my heart is stopping in my chest. I shouldn’t be worried, but for some odd reason, I am. “Yeah?”

  “I don’t want to live in your house.”

  My stomach drops. “You don’t want to live together?”

  “No, I do. But not in that house.”

  I cock my head. “I’m confused.”

  “It’s Julia’s and your house. I don’t like it, and I don’t like the memories it brings up for you. I’d rather start somewhere new. Somewhere that’s ours,” she says, searching my eyes. “That is, if we’re together and all.”

  “We’ll be together,” I say confidently. “You’re not nice to me on the ice, and I still can’t stop thinking of you. I like the abuse, apparently.”

  She beams. “I’m beyond sweet to you.”

  “You threw your glove at me and then threw the other at Wes to make it seem like you weren’t singling me out.”

  She throws up her hands. “I said cut left, and you went right!” she yells, her eyes wild. “It was a simple switch play, Boon. I mean, hell!”

  She’s so passionate, so headstrong. I love it. “See, I’m so turned on right now,” I admit, and she laughs loudly, freely, and I can’t get enough.

  “You are a glutton for punishment.”

  “Only from you,” I say with a wink, kissing the side of her mouth. “And I get it. I don’t like living there either.”

  She nods. “I know. You hate it.”

  “I don’t know why I picked it.”

  “She ruined it for you,” she reminds me. “And that’s okay. It’s not your forever home.”

  “Nope, it’s not.”

  “So, you’re not mad at me, right?”

  “Not at all,” I say, holding her closer. “Like I said, I understand. Maybe I can sell it to Wes or rent it to him and a couple guys.”

  “That’s an idea.”

  “Or maybe I can sell it to Aiden. Aren’t they looking for a place?”

  “Yes, but wouldn’t that put you and Wes out since they’re looking now?”

  I shrug. “I’ll move in here.”

  Her lips quirk. “Oh, is that right?”

  “Yup. I have closet space.” I gather her closer in my arms. “And tell me you don’t want me here.”

  “I can’t do that,” she whispers as our lips come close together. “You’ve got some kind of hold on me.”

  “I know I do. It’s the same one you’ve got on me,” I say, our eyes locked together passionately and perfectly. “I like that you’re thinking of our future. I didn’t think you were.”

  She licks her lips as she shrugs. “I don’t let it happen much. I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”

  “Why not? It’s fun.”

  She giggles as her fingers dance against my neck, sending chills down my spine. “I don’t know… I get worried.”

  “About what?”

  “That you’ll drop me.”

  “Bullshit,” I insist. “I give you no reason to think that.”

  She searches my gaze. “You don’t.”

  “I know I don’t, so don’t think like that. It’s pointless and detrimental to us. I like us a lot, and you should too. We’ve got an awesome thing going here.”

  “But doesn’t it seem too good to be true?”

  I give her a dry look. “We fought two seconds ago about where to put the silverware. If this was a perfect relationship, you’d do what I say.”

  She laughs. “You’re impossible.”

  “And you’re everything I want, Posey. Honestly.”

  My words stun her, and I take great pride in that. I’m being truthful, though. I’m completely and utterly in love with her. The only reason I haven’t said it is because I don’t want to scare her. I’m not saying she’s skittish, but I get nervous that I love her more than she cares for me. It’s no fault of her own; I truly believe she may love me. But I told Julia I loved her first. I was so eager to have her love me. So this time, I want to give Posey time to feel for me what I feel for her. I don’t know when I fell, but if I had to pinpoint a moment, it was the night she wasn’t feeling well when we were on her first road trip. I held her close to me, wanting nothing more than to protect her and make sure she felt all right.

  She seems breathless as she asks, “Really?”

  “Of course. Is it not like that for you?”

  “Oh God, yes. Do I not show it?”

  I smile, my body pulsing for hers. “You do, which is why I’ve never questioned it.”

  “I’m sorry if I don’t,” she says, almost panicky. “I just don’t want to be too ‘OMG, I really like you,’ and you be like ‘Whoa, child. Calm down.’”

  I laugh. “Lovely, you aren’t a child.”

  “I can act like one.”

  “So can I,” I admit, grabbing her jaw. “It’s what makes this fun. Don’t you have fun with me?”

  “Oh, Boon, so much fun. The most fun I’ve ever had.”

  “Exactly. I think you’re amazing just the way you are.”

  She swallows hard, her eyes burning deep into mine, making me feel all kinds of things. My heart is racing, my palms are sweaty, and shit, all I need is Mom’s spaghetti, and Posey has me acting out an Eminem song.

  When her eyes get a little misty with tears, my heart about stops. “My dad used to sing that song to my mom,” she admits.

  “Which one?”

  “Bruno Mars, ‘Just the Way You Are.’ I can still remember it playing and them dancing or him singing it to her. I wanted so much to find a man who would do that with me.” A single tear rolls down her sweet face. “I remember Shelli singing it one time and my parents dancing like they had just met. It was incredibly sweet. All I’ve ever wanted was to meet a man like my dad. Someone who would protect me, dance with me, and look at me like I’m the only one in the room.”

  “Done, done, and fucking done, Posey,” I whisper, and I grin at her. The words are right there, ready for me to say them. Scream them, even. I love you. Instead, I pull my phone out of my back pocket, and as I hold her, I put on “Just the Way You Are.” But it’s not the Bruno Mars’ version; it’s the one by Boyce Avenue instead. As soon as the soothing guitar solo starts, I lift her off the counter. She wraps her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck.

  And then we’re dancing in the middle of her kitchen.

  Hell, she doesn’t know it yet, but it’s our kitchen.

  “Dancing twice in one day?”

  “Lovely, if we can dance, we will. Unlike you, I never got to see someone dance with my mom. Now I wish I had.”

  She sighs softly and squeezes me tight. “I wish you had too.”

  I kiss her neck. “Bruno is your mom and dad’s. But Boyce, they’re ours.”

  She nuzzles her face farther in my neck as our hearts beat together. I feel my skin tingling. Only she does that for me. When she starts to sing along, I close my eyes, my heart thumping hard inside in my chest. Her voice is beautiful, like an angel. And I don’t care what anyone says—Posey is the “twin” everyone needs to pay attention to. Then again, fuck that. I’ll give her all the attention and then some. When she pulls back a bit, looking down at me, I grin.

  “How’s that
sound, lovely?”

  She doesn’t say anything. Her eyes are intense, and she looks as if she has something else to say rather than answering my question. Shit, does that not sound good? I thought it was a kinda cool idea. Kinda sweet. Shit, I do suck at this—

  “Do you love me?”

  Wow. Okay, talk about putting me on the spot. My heart stops dead in my chest, and I don’t know why. I know the answer. Hell, I’ve been ready to scream it in her face for weeks now. Why are those three words stuck in my throat? Why does she stun me with those blue depths? Why couldn’t I have found her years ago? As I gaze into her eyes, I curve my lips slowly, and I feel my body vibrate with the answer. But before I can say it, there is a knock at the door. I stop, and we both whip our heads to the entryway. I look back at her just as she looks at me. I put her on her feet, and she fixes her shirt as she runs to the door, looking through the peephole.

  When she turns back to me, her eyes are wide. “It’s Shelli. Hide!” she whispers, and I look at her incredulously.

  “Where the hell am I supposed to hide?”

  She throws up her hands in panic and then pushes me—I’d like to take a moment to state how strong my woman is—into the pantry. The pantry that is the size of my whole body. Why didn’t I go into her bedroom? I hear her open the front door, and then she greets her sister.

  “Hey, you didn’t call.”

  “Well, hello to you too,” Shelli says, and I hear Aiden laugh.

  “Shea sent us over to make sure you were settling in okay,” he says, shutting the door. “Since you told them you don’t need help.”

  “I don’t.”

  “Well, we want to see the place anyway. Show us around,” Shelli commands.

  Well, I’m gonna be in here a minute. I grab a bag of marshmallows and snack as I listen to them move through the apartment. Shelli is gushing over everything, and I don’t blame her; it’s a really great apartment. I hear them go out onto the terrace and I almost take that moment to hightail it out, but my shoes, keys, wallet, and bag are in her room. I stuff my mouth with some more marshmallows and then notice the chocolate we bought too. Chocolate and marshmallows go perfectly together, so pieces of that go into my mouth too.

  “We found a house, but I’m not completely sold on it,” Shelli says. They’re in the kitchen now, and I should probably stop eating. But instead, I chew as quietly as I can. Posey says I eat loudly. I informed her she has a mental issue. She doesn’t think I’m funny.

  “I hear Hoenes might be selling his house,” Posey says, and I grin. For someone who says she doesn’t want to move too fast, she sure is trying to get me out of that house.

  “Where did you hear that?” Aiden asks. “He didn’t tell me that.”

  “I heard him telling Mac that.”

  “Mm-hmm,” Shelli teases, and Posey sighs loudly.

  “What, Shelli?”

  “I think you guys like each other. At first, I thought it was just him liking you, but I see you checking him out.” Posey snorts. “As your sister, take my advice and lay off staring at his dick so much. You look desperate.”

  “I do not!”

  It’s really hard not to laugh right now, which is probably why Aiden is chortling. “You do, and he doesn’t even notice. It’s so funny.”

  I do notice, and I don’t mind one bit.

  “You should holler at him,” Shelli says then. “It obvious you want his dick.”

  “What the hell?”

  She does. It’s cool.

  I hear my phone sound, and I widen my eyes when I realize it’s on the bar. A silence falls over the kitchen, and I squeeze my eyes shut. Surely no one will know it’s mine.

  “Aiden, baby, why are you texting Posey, ‘You didn’t tell me you were selling your house’?”

  More silence. “I texted that to Boon.”

  Posey lets out a strangled laugh. “You must have texted me.”

  My phone sounds again. “Nope. I texted Boon. Again.”

  More silence, and I know we’re fucked. “Hmm,” Shelli murmurs. “Hey, babe, remember when we were making out at my house that one time and my dad came in, so I pushed you into the closet?”

  Aiden’s voice sounds really confused, but he answers with, “Yeah, why?”

  The pantry door opens. Posey has her hands over her face, and I look up at her sister, who is grinning like she just scored the game-winning goal. “I guess we Adlers have a thing with throwing the guys we like into closets.”

  “Hey, Shelli.”

  “Hey, Hoenes. Can I have one?”

  I hand her the bag as I walk out, and Posey glares at me. “Those were for later!”

  “I got hungry,” I say, looking at Aiden. “Hey, bro.”

  Aiden’s eyes are wide, and he’s shaking his head. “Wow, dude. Our coach? She’s so mean to you.”

  “She’s not mean in bed,” I say with a sly grin.

  Posey reaches across the bar and smacks me. “Boon!”

  “What? You’re not!”

  “No, but we could have passed this off as just being friends.”

  I scoff. “Babe, your eyes stay on my cock.”

  “They do not!” she screeches.

  Aiden and I laugh, but Shelli is looking between us as she chews on her marshmallow.

  “Mom and Dad are gonna freak.”

  Posey groans loudly. “They don’t need to know,” she insists, holding her sister’s gaze. “I didn’t tell anyone about you and Aiden.”

  She makes a face. “You never knew.”

  “I did too, and I never told because it wasn’t my business.”

  Shelli shrugs. “But this is my business, because when it comes out, Dad will blame me because he’s one of Aiden’s groomsmen.”

  “Then he doesn’t need to be one of your groomsmen!”

  “Hey!” Aiden and I say at the same time.

  “Posey, I’m getting this sick flask,” I protest.

  Aiden gives me a dry look. “And you’re my best friend who wants to support me.”

  I hold my hand out to him. “That too.”

  Posey glares at me. “But we’re trying to get my sister not to tell my parents.”

  I look back at Shelli. “Come on. Are you really trying to tell? Or are you just messing around?”

  Shelli eyes me. “I don’t know. What do I get for keeping this secret?”

  “Not getting your ass kicked!” Posey yells, glaring at her sister. “Why would you mess this up for me? I’m happy. He’s happy. You’re happy. Just do you, and leave me be.”

  A look of pure death passes between the two of them. “Wear the puffy dress.”

  Posey’s jaw falls open. “Are you serious?”

  “Yes, I want us to look like the fairies from Sleeping Beauty.”

  “What is wrong with you?”

  “It’s a yes, and I’ll tell Daddy I came over here and no one else was here. Or it’s a no, and I’ll mention I saw a pair of men’s shoes and a bulk pack of condoms on the nightstand.”

  Posey whips her eyes to me, and I hold up my hands. “Hey, Costco had a sale, and I hadn’t put them away yet.”

  The look my girl gives me tells me I won’t be using those condoms tonight.

  Posey cuts her eyes to Aiden. “You gonna let her do this to me?”

  Aiden shrugs. “I just want to marry her, knock her up, and then live life with her. I know she’s difficult, but she is really good in bed.”

  “Wow, Aiden. Classy,” Shelli says dryly.

  He sends me a toothy grin, and Shelli looks back at Posey. “Wait, is this serious?”

  Posey just looks at her. “Is what serious?”

  “Between you two. Is he living here? Is that why you’re selling your house, Boon?”

  “No, no,” Posey says quickly, throwing her hands up in panic. “He’s not living here. We, um… We’re just talking about future stuff.”

  Shelli grins. “There is future stuff?”

  Posey’s face fills with color.
“I’ll wear the dress. Leave.”

  Shelli looks at me. “There is future stuff?”

  I glance back at Posey. “For me, there is.”

  Posey lets out a long sigh, and she can’t help but smile at me. However, Posey glares at her sister. “Can you leave?”

  Shelli beams as she squeezes Posey’s hand. “I’m so happy for you.”

  “For the love of God,” Posey moans, but Shelli just giggles.

  “I won’t say anything,” Shelli promises just as her phone rings. She looks down and furrows her brow. She lifts the phone to her ear. “Hey, Dad. What’s up? Oh. It’s 2323. Yeah, we’re here now. Oh. You’re downstairs?”

  Posey’s eyes widen, and then she runs to the bedroom. “Shit.”

  “I suggest you jump off the balcony,” Aiden says simply, and I gawk at him.

  “What?”

  Posey comes back with my shoes, my jacket, and my keys. “I stuffed your wallet in your jacket,” she says as I put on my shoes quickly. “You came with them. If he stays, I’ll text you when he leaves.”

  “That’s a smart option too,” Aiden says as Posey kisses me hard on the lips.

  When we part, I grin down at her. “Eventful moving day, huh?”

  She shakes her head. “I’m sorry my family is a shitshow.”

  I cup her face. “It’s okay. You’re worth it.”

  Just then, Shea Adler walks into the room, huge and massive, with his equally huge and massive sons. As Posey does everything to convince her dad I’m here with Aiden and not for her, I realize two things.

  My girlfriend is fucking gorgeous, and I love her with my whole soul.

  As I gaze at her, I can’t wait to tell her how I feel. But then Shea Adler sets me with a look that very much says, “You’d better be here helping Aiden with shit,” and I realize something else.

  Jumping off the balcony is looking like the better option than facing this guy and telling him I’m in love with his daughter.

  Posey is worth the latter, though. She’s worth everything.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Posey

  Boon: So, get this shit.

  I roll onto my back, crossing my legs, completely ignoring my mom, cousin, and Shelli in the kitchen. We’re having an engagement party meeting. As the maid of honor, I’m supposed to be a key part in it, but that would involve my sister giving up control. Instead, I’m here for the Five Daughters cronuts. I said I’d only have one, but I’ve had two. I’ll need to hit the gym hard tomorrow since I’ve gotta fit into my dress and all. Thankfully, Boon texting me is the perfect distraction.