Page 50 of Old Fashioned
“Wish me luck,” I told her, and as soon as she did, I ended the call.
“… and I’ve been working on kicking. I really like it, actually. I always thought I wanted to be a quarterback, but you know,somany games come down to whether or not the kicker can make a field goal or an extra point, you know? And I was just thinking,man, I’d love to be that person who wins for my team.”
Paige was still rambling on as she and Jordan joined me in the backyard, Paige circling Jordan with a football in her hand, hair a wild mess.
“I think you’d make a great kicker,” he said, listening attentively.
“Really?”
He nodded. “We can work on more drills that will help you get strength and accuracy today. Sound good?”
“Yeah!”
He smiled, but then his gaze was on me, and the heat that came from it had me sweating instantly.
“Paige, why don’t you run inside and braid your hair,” I said with my eyes still on Jordan.
“Mom,” she complained.
I snapped my eyes to hers. “No whining, Paige Marie. If you’re going to be outside playing, you’ll want it out of your face, anyway.”
“But it takesforeverto braid.”
“Jordan and I need to talk about some work stuff real quick, anyway. Now, go braid your hair and then you can keep watching Game Day until he comes to get you.”
Paige pouted, but did as I said, and Jordan’s smile climbed a little when we were alone.
Just being near him had my body reacting, like every nerve was waking and reaching for him instinctively. The memory of his lips on mine, of his hands on my hips, of his thighs — big and strong beneath me as I rode him… it all came back to me in a series of flashes, and I blushed so furiously I thought my face would ignite.
“I know you already have plenty of flowers in your garden,” he finally said, taking a few steps toward me and holding out the bouquet. “But… well, I was brought up to bring a woman flowers when you care about her, and for no reason at all. So…” He shrugged, grabbing the back of his neck with his free hand. “I hope you like daisies.”
I smiled, taking the bouquet when he offered it to me and inhaling the sweet scent. It was a beautiful gathering of Michaelmas daisies, all in rich purples and mauves, with little pops of yellow Goldenrod surrounding them.
“They’re beautiful,” I said.
Jordan smiled, reaching down to take the bouquet from me and setting it on the table. Then, he grabbed both of my hands, pulled me to stand, and without a single hesitation, pressed his lips to mine.
It was a soft and sweet kiss, his hands cradling me to him as he inhaled me like it was his first breath since he’d dropped me off back at the stadium after two o’clock this morning.
My breath was deep and long, too, and I melted into his touch, into that kiss, into the sweet feeling of having a man hold me and want me and bring me flowers.
But then my anxiety poked me hard in the ribs, and I pulled back quickly.
Checking inside to make sure Paige hadn’t seen us, I quickly put space between me and Jordan, blushing as I gestured for him to sit.
“Uh, we should talk.”
Jordan smirked, but sat in the chair that was a bit too small for his six-foot-whatever frame, anyway. He crossed one ankle over the opposite knee and folded his hands over his abdomen, kicking back in a relaxed fashion. “Okay,” he said. “Let’s talk.”
I frowned. “Do you have to do that?”
“Do what?”
“That,” I said, waving my hand at him as I took the seat opposite where he sat. “Look all effortlessly handsome and casually relaxed.”
He chuckled. “I am relaxed. I’m happy to see you,” he said easily. “Should I not be?”
I frowned again, a deep sigh leaving my chest as I leaned my elbows on the table. I stared at my hands as I spoke. “Look… last night was…”Amazing. Incredible. The best sex of my life.“Fun. But, I think we should talk about what we do from here.”
