Page 97 of Wicked Player

I was on her heels, my sisters-in-law hanging in the kitchen and my brothers near them, interested while pretending not to be, and when I reached my mom at the door, she was opening it before the bell had rung but with perfect timing.

Graham and Sue Bryant were stepping onto the porch, Gage stood behind them, a whole head taller than his dad, even taller than his mom.

Next to my mom, relief washed through me at the sight of them. Then something else. My love for him warmed, wrapped itself around my heart and spread through my veins until I shivered from the heat of my reaction to him.

God, I loved him. I was one lucky, lucky girl.

“Hello,” my mom said. She clasped Sue’s hand first, pulled her into a hug which Sue returned like they’d already been friends for a lifetime. “It’s so lovely to meet you.”

“Thank you for having us,” Sue said. “Especially on such short notice.”

“Yes. It’s very kind of you,” Graham said. He stepped up to my mom and held out his hand.

She shook it kindly before gesturing for them to enter. “Marcia Hayes and we’re thrilled to have the whole family together.”

Oh God. I was going to cry. She was laying it on a bit thick but it was Sue who grinned. “Seems like that’s the way it’s going to be anyway.”

She pressed her kiss to my cheeks. “Lovely to see you, Elizabeth. You’re just as pretty as I remember.” Her hand curved around my shoulder as she passed and introduced me to Graham.

“It’s a pleasure,” I said to him, and then was dumbfounded when he forwent my hand and hugged me.

“Any girl of my son’s is one of mine,” he whispered in my ear. “And the pleasure is ours, I promise.”

“Thank you.” Oh dear. Tears were beckoning and it took all of me to step back so they could enter. My mom carried on with introductions, and as their voices faded, it was just me and Gage on the doorstep to my parents’ house.

“Hey,” I said. My hand ran through my hair and I shifted on bare feet. He seemed so much larger, in his suit, a bouquet of red roses in his hand, and a smile that made my heart leap and jump. I licked my lips, tingles spiking when his gaze dropped and watched the slide of my tongue. “You’re here.”

“I am. You’re lovely as always.”

I was in jeans and a sweater that wrapped and tied at my waist. I’d thought of dressing up, but that’d be weird at my own parents’ house.

I was speechless. He’d said he loved me to reporters and cameras, but there we were, grinning at each other like fools.

“Are those for my mom?” I pointed to the flowers.

“No.” He held them out to me. “Did you watch?”

He meant the press conference and not the game, but both had happy endings as far as I was concerned. The Rough Riders biggest rivals and team tied for first place in the division lost.

“I did. It was…interesting.” I took the flowers from him and inhaled the sweet scent of roses. “You were wonderful.”

He stepped closer, pressed his hand to my waist. The depth of his emotion for me shone in his eyes, making me thankful he was holding me up. Goodness. Would I ever stop reacting so powerfully to his presence? Hopefully not.

“I was honest. And I need you to hear it from me, here, at your parents with our families inside so you have no doubts what I want from you. I love you, Elizabeth Hayes. I fell in love with you at the first sight of you and I hope like hell you feel the same for me.”

“I do.” I didn’t hesitate. I couldn’t. It felt like I’d been holding that back for years. And it’d been weeks. “I love you, too.”

“Good.” His other hand went to my neck and he yanked me toward him. His mouth slammed onto mine and he kissed me, harshly, pressing his mouth to mine and as I relaxed into him, he groaned and pulled back. “We’ll continue this later. I should get in there and meet everyone.”

I wanted nothing more. I curled my hand around the doorknob and glanced at him over my shoulder. Winking, I said, “Just watch out for dad’s shotgun.”

We opened the door to a cacophony of voices. Deep masculine ones, high-pitched feminine laughter.

Gage took my hand and led us into the living room where everyone was smiling, gathering, and fortunately for the both of us, no shotgun was in sight.

It was never needed. My dad fell in love with Gage Bryant the player years ago, and in a split second of seeing us enter the room together, knowing he was the man I loved, my dad fell in love with Gage Bryant, the man good enough for his only daughter.

Epilogue

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