Page 50 of Broken Play
His head dips to my neck, nibbling. "I brought you to my favorite place on earth because I wanted to share it with you."
I chuckle. "Well, number ten, I saw stars, but not the ones in the sky. Just the ones you buried behind my lids." I slide my palms to his cheeks.
"Were they bright?"
"Blinding, actually. The kind that explodes with colors."
As Greyson gathers the pillows and blankets, my legs wobble as I hop around, trying to get my legs through my shorts in the dark. I glance at Greyson with a giddy, secret smile in a post-sex daze. He shakes the blankets out, arranges them perfectly with the pillows, and then we climb into the bed of his old Chevy.
He lies down first and lays one arm out horizontally. "I want you right here," he says, patting the spot on his chest. Greyson's shirt is back on but still unbuttoned. My heart pounds, realizing that this is the most romantic experience of my life.
I scoot in beside him, laying my head in the pocket between his chest and arm. We snuggle in the cool night air and stare at the endless stars. A shooting star glides across the sky, and he says, "Some people say that when you see a cardinal, it's your loved ones visiting, but for me... when I see a shooting star, I know it's my mom trying to tell me something. Or give me advice."
"Hmm... what do you think she's telling you right now?"
"That she's glad I'm home and happy."
I turn on my side and lift my chin, tracing his chest hair with my fingers. "Being home makes you happy?"
"You make me happy."
His words rain over my thoughts, soft and stunning all at once. For a girl who spent her life chasing approval and loving the wrong man simply because we grew up together, being the reason Greyson's happy is an admission I never thought I would hear from any man, much less one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
TWENTY-SEVEN
GREYSON
The season starts this weekend, and neither Sutton nor I have had any time to spend together since our official first date. We play the Vegas Dice in Vegas. Right when the stars seemed to align, they were swallowed by a black hole called reality.
We're on the team plane, and Frank sits next to me. "Hey, man, thanks again for letting me stay with you for a few days." He holds his phone up and shows me a carousel of pictures. "This is my new house. It's massive and has a butler's pantry. And guess who's the butler? Me. Lucy named me the butler."
"It's beautiful, man. You can get more for your money in Texas than in California." The big man shifts in his seat, getting comfortable. "Now I just need you to find a woman who makes you want to settle down and have kids. Lucy's pregnant. Just four weeks, so keep it between us." His eyes are closed, but a content smile covers his face.
"Congrats, man." I don't have to ask if he's happy about it—it's written all over his face. For the first time,I don't scoff or tell him how much I love the single life; instead, I put in my earbuds and listen to BL's playlist. I feel like a teenager making a playlist of songs that remind me of her.
Me: Where are you?
BL: The owners' meeting in L.A. will be in Vegas tonight.
Me: Can we meet up, boss lady?
BL: Not a good idea. Cameras everywhere in Vegas.
Me: How's Anna?
BL: Much better. She may come to stay with me for a week when Francisco is on tour.
Me: I've got a better idea. Have her stay with me, and then you'll have a reason to stay, too.
She sends thethinkingemoji.
The plane touches down in Vegas, sweat already beading up against my collar despite the blast of air-conditioning on the team bus. The Texas heat doesn't compare to the smothering temperatures of Vegas. Soon, the painted green-and-gold bus rolls us straight to the Maggio Resort with its gleaming marble and perfectly trimmed hedges.
After grabbing lunch, we arrive at the Vegas Dice practice facility. "Hey, congratulations," I say to J.D.
"What?" His eyes squint as he shakes his head.
"This fancy indoor facility was built on your back. Youdid this. I remember you being by the owner's side when it was unveiled," I say, gawking at the pristine turf beaming under the bright lights and the lingering smell of paint and rubber in the air.
