Page 53 of The Comeback

“Thanks.” I nod and tip the bottle to my lips. After I swallow, I wink. “It’s better than the alternative.”

He frowns. “What is?”

“I could have been undressing her in the backyard like I’d prefer.” Charlotte is standing on the other side of the backyard, by the pool, talking to Dani. It doesn’t matter where she is. I sense her presence.

“Good point.”

The sun has set, shrouding the patio in semi-darkness, and most of the kids have gone with other family members, leaving only Gunner’s closest friends and their significant others to party into the night.

Training camp begins next week, so it’s our last opportunity to relax and enjoy ourselves for close to a month.

I inhale and drop the smile. “I care about your sister. A lot. When we first met, it wasn’t my intention, but she kind of came at me like a steamroller.”

He chuckles. “That’s Charlotte for you.”

“I should be focusing on football to the exclusion of everything else. Without a solid contract, I don’t have the stability I need to start a long-term relationship. Especially with someone like Charlotte. I know she doesn’t want to hop around from city to city or get tied down to an almost washed-up player.”

“Dude.” He glares. “You aren’t washed up. You’re stronger than you were before your injury, and it’s just a matter of time before the contract comes in. And don’t ever let our dad hear you say that word. It’s a trigger word for him.”

“She told me.” I chuckle. “And I hope you’re right. Because if I leave town….” I shake my head as the thought of our relationship ending sinks in. She’s not going with me. I let the words stay silent, afraid to give them more power than they already have.

Her family is here. Her college is here. She wants a job with the team when she graduates. And she’s already said she’s not leaving.

“She’d go with you.”

“No.” I shake my head. “She won’t. And I wouldn’t ask her to. That was the deal from the beginning. Bouncing around is off the table. Besides, I couldn’t make her give up her friends and family to be with me in a city where she didn’t know anyone. Not when I know how much she hated that growing up.”

“You aren’t going to have to worry about it anyway.”

“I hope you’re right.” My shoulders and back ache from the tension. The only thing my agent has heard is that the owner will sit down with him and share his thoughts in a couple of weeks. Who knows what that means?

“Are you liking it here? How about your mom and sister?”

“I love it here. It’s completely different than my last team. It’s more family-friendly and has a slower pace. It’s perfect for raising a family. My mom found a job she’s excited about, and my sister is enrolled to start school here in the fall.” Hell, they probably won’t even go with me if I move. “I don’t know if Charlotte has told you, but my sister was in an accident six months ago. She recovered but withdrew, not returning to school and not reconnecting with her friends. I was worried she’d head down the wrong path, but she’s made a complete turnaround after meeting Charlotte. They hit it off, and she’s been an inspiration to her to return to sports.”

“Damn.” He smirks. “I never thought my sister would amount to anything, and she’s about as close to walking on water as someone could get.”

Charlotte smacks his back with enough force that he cringes. “That was rude and uncalled for. I’m telling dad.”

“Whatever.” He rolls his eyes.

“You’ll think whatever when you’re stuck doing dishes for a month.”

“God, I hate dishes.” He winks. “I’ll get Saylor to do them for me.”

She grins, wraps her arm around my waist, and lays her head on my chest. “Of course, you will.”

Her warm skin feels perfect against me, and a pain shoots through my chest. I’m going to miss her. Even though it’s only been a few weeks, I’m going to miss her. You’d think I could go three weeks without turning into a puddle of sappy emotions. But I can’t.

I encircle her against me and rest my chin on her head.

“I’ll leave the two of you alone.” Knox cuffs Charlotte on the shoulder. “You found a good one in this guy. Don’t run him off.”

Once we’re alone, she looks up. “He’s right. You’re a good guy, and I’m lucky.”

The love in her eyes is mixed with desire. It’s likely a combination of too much sun, too few clothes, and too many hours without an orgasm. I’ll gladly fix that problem for her.

I caress her back with my free hand as she cradles my erection against her soft belly. “Babe, I’m the lucky one.” I drop the half-empty beer on the table behind her–no longer caring about anything but touching her.

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