Page 35 of The Bet

The quarterback gets the ball, steps back from the line, and studies his reads. Once the players get past the defense, the quarterback rips the ball into one of the receivers.

For a second, it looks like the receiver will drop the ball on the ten-yard line. After one bobble, the man’s large hands clasp the football and drag it to his chest. The clock continues to tick as the crowd erupts.

“Oh. My. God. I think I’m going to puke.” Chloe digs her fingernails into my hand. “I don’t think I can watch.”

“Chloe, they’ve done this a thousand times. Have faith.”

“The defense has practiced this same shit, too.” She glares.

“Chloe?” I cock an eyebrow. Jeanne would kick my ass if she knew I let her curse without chastising her. We’re in public.

When we’re alone, I don’t give a shit how many times she cusses. Hell, it’s a goal of mine to get her to scream as many dirty words as she can think of during sex. The more fucks I get out of her, the better I performed.

“Don’t. You. Start. My mom is not here, and you aren’t telling her.”

“I’m teasing.” I grab her and gave her a loud kiss on the lips.

“Dang it, Rich. If you distract me and make me miss the next play, I’m going to…”

“What?” I arch an eyebrow innocently.

“Take you back home and cover you in icing.”

“Yum.” I elevate her off her feet and place my mouth over hers.

As I slide my tongue between her lips, she moans. Her hands clasp behind my neck to hold me tight. She mumbles against my lips, “Rich, I love you, but you better put me down.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” I laugh, sit her feet on the ground, and turn to watch the next play unfold. There are under thirty seconds left in the game.

As Tony runs down the field, I hold my breath. The defensive player positions himself between Tony and the quarterback. The quarterback pulls his arm back and sails the ball down the field toward Tony, who jumps higher than the corner and snags the ball out of the air.

There’s a loud roar from the crowd as Tony stands on the three-yard line.Come on, Tony. You can do it.If he doesn’t make it, our team can try for a field goal, and we’d still win the game.

“Go! Go! Go!” Chloe screams. I try to watch both her and the game at the same time. Her joy is infectious.

Tony zags to the left, causing the defensive player to slip, and then he runs into the endzone.Touchdown.

I grab her into his arms. “What a day.”

“That was amazeballs. As soon as we get home, I’m going to jump your bones.”

“Really?”

“Yep. Something about all these sexy guys in tight pants –”

My mouth crushes over hers to silence her bullshit. I’m all the man she’ll ever need. When we get home, I’ll prove it to her yet again.Tight pants. I’ll put on some fucking tight pants.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chloe

As we weave through the crowded concourse, I grip Rich’s hand. The last thing I want is to get lost in a sea of people–an overly drunk, high-fiving, chest-bumping crowd of overzealous fans.

“That was an amazing game.” A man I’ve never met with red paint smeared across his face grabs my waist and lifts me into the air.

Rich skids to a stop with his arm extended and spins around to see where I went. I’m now a balloon with my only teether being Rich’s hand.

The guy’s eyes widen, and he drops me to the ground. “Shit, man. I thought you were Linda.”

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