Page 68 of Wicked Player

I tried to envision what he was seeing as if it was the first time. Forty-inch TV on a simple TV stand. Barn doors that that slid closed to hide my cable streaming box. Two tan couches that didn’t look special, but were good quality, large and comfortable. A dark purple chair angled in the small space with an ottoman so you could put your feet up and relax. Bookshelves on the other side of the TV stand, mostly stacking with picture frames and the few books I owned and loved.

The kitchen table was round and had four chairs. I’d actually bought it at a garage sale and refinished it, stained and painted it to match the TV stand. There wasn’t artwork on the wall, but a few signs with inspirational quotes.

It looked sparse but clean, not overly decorated but said I tried.

But was it a home? I loved it.

“Thanks.” I headed toward the kitchen and pulled out the filtered water pitcher I kept filled. “Would you like some water? Or something else to drink? I don’t have much but white wine.”

“Water’s good.”

I grabbed an extra glass for him, not surprised he made himself at home by dropping his own keys on my kitchen counter, kicked off his shoes and slid into one of two stools at the small bar.

“You mentioned your parents outside. Are y’all close?”

He grinned as I asked the question and took his glass from me. “Yeah. Love ‘em to death. They’re good people.”

“Seemed they raised a good son, too. I know we’ve really only been around each other for work, but you have to know I really admire you for what you’ve done with the hospital.”

If I wasn’t mistaken, a slight pink hue stained his cheeks before he scrubbed his hand down his face and sighed. “Life isn’t always easy, you know? And I have more money than I know what to do with even being smart with it. I figure it’s my job to give back to more than just people who like football.”

“Like I said.” I tipped the glass in his direction. “A good guy.”

“And your brothers? The idiots? Your parents? Are you close with them?”

“Yeah. Just saw them for dinner tonight. My ma still makes us all gather once a month for a family meal. One of my brother’s and his wife announced tonight they’re pregnant so that was exciting.”

“What are they like? Your brothers?” As he asked, he stood from the stool and nodded toward the couch.

It took me a minute to follow him. With the way he was acting earlier, I figured we’d show up and go straight to the bedroom.

Guess he wasn’t kidding when he said he wanted to know me, and if he wanted to know me, he’d learn about me through my family.

So I told him all I could about Blake and Tanner, mentioning Jaxon in passing. His current job and past in the military made it difficult to discuss him in depth. I told him about Heather and Hayley and my mom’s bossy disposition and my dad’s lovingly grumpy one. We ended up talking for hours, well after midnight, and when I finally yawned, he took me to bed.

And when I screamed, hours later, I didn’t care if the entire complex did hear me.

Twenty-Three

Gage

She was so damn pretty. Her hair, wild and tangled covered most of her bare back. She’d fallen asleep last night almost as soon as I climbed into her small bed and wrapped her in my arms after cleaning us both up. I’d laid there and slid my fingers through her hair long after she was sleeping.

This woman. She undid me in ways I didn’t expect and it wasn’t solely the sex, although knowing she liked what I craved was a definite necessity.

She laid on her side, still facing the side where I’d slept. One hand under her cheek, the other pressed to the pillow I’d used like she was searching for me even though I wasn’t on it anymore. A sweet pink coated her fingernails. Brighter than the dress she wore last night. It still didn’t eclipse the look of ecstasy when I made her come. At Velvet, on her home turf, both were places she was comfortable which was why I wanted our first time out of the club to be here.

But as soon as I could get my hands on her again, it was my room that would be shaking from her cries.

I had an hour to get to practice. The sun was barely up, pink lighting up the edges of the treetops, and for the first time in my career, crawling into bed and fucking off a day had never been so appealing. If there was any chance I could talk her into doing the same, I might have tried.

Too bad I knew exactly what she had on her plate for the day. This week was chockful of events. Kicking off today with an evening of bowling at a local bowling alley. The team would be there, fans who paid way too damn much for a ticket just to bowl with the team, and tonight, the parents of current patients were our special guests.

I still had to check in with Penny to see if she was coming. I hadn’t heard how Brandon was doing over the weekend and when it came to him, no news was better-than-expected news.

I tapped out a reminder on my phone to give Penny a call later.

Sliding the phone into my pocket, I sat down on the bed and kissed the back of Elizabeth’s hand. I grinned as I kept kissing her. She smelled like me and sex and still that sweet hint of flowery perfume I now knew was body lotion based on her bathroom counter. Her arm flinched when I kissed her elbow and by the time I was at her shoulder, lazy blue eyes, still glassy from sleep and lack of sleep peered at me.

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