Page 34 of The Comeback

“Yes, you do. And it’s cute.” I roll her onto her back and lean over her.

“Whatever. At least I wasn’t snoring.”

“Oh, you do that, too.” I grin. “You sound like an adorable little pig snoring.”

“Shut up,” she groans and presses her hands into my chest, but I don’t budge.

“Babe, I’d like you. Even if you snored so loud, I couldn’t go to sleep. But I was only teasing. You don’t snore. At least, not much.”

She wiggles underneath me. “What time do you have to go in today?”

“What time is it?”

She stretches over to the nightstand and grabs her cellphone. “It’s 4:30 a.m.”

“God,” I groan. “No wonder my brain feels like mush. We didn’t go to sleep until after midnight. I need to leave at seven, and we need to get a ballet lesson in before I go.”

“Is that ballet, ballet? Or….” She waggles her eyebrows. “Ballet?”

“Cute.” I kiss the tip of her nose. “I know you won’t believe this, but I already feel like ballet is part of my training regimen.”

“See? I told you it was a good workout.” She runs her palm over my bicep. “I’m glad it’s helping you. So, the practice was good yesterday?”

“It was. Coach Rowland said he’s impressed with my progress, so I had to sing your praises.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I did. Without you, I’d be headed to the unemployment line.”

She raises her knee and rests it against my hip, exposing her sex to me. “What are you planning to do when football is over? Coaching?”

“No.” I shake my head and rest my lower body against hers without dropping my weight on her. “I don’t see coaching in my future. I love football, but I’ve played it since I was five. When I hang up my cleats, I’m going to walk away. My college degree is in software development and business administration, so I’d like to do something with that.”

“Own your own company or work for someone else?” She studies me as she assimilates the information. Five years, and I’m out. That was already my plan, but meeting Charlotte solidified my goal. I’m not a lifer. I want a family outside of the game. And knowing how important it is to her for us to be in one place. makes the decision even easier.

“If I can get a solid five-year contract, that should take me to retirement, and I’ll be set to start my own business.” I shrug. “If not, I’ll work for someone else. I didn’t waste my sign-on bonus or rookie money, but those aren’t as lucrative as they were in the past.”

“You’re going to do it.” She cups my cheek. “I believe in you. There are two types of people in this world. Those who hope for something good to happen and those who make something good happen.” She smiles. “You gave ballet a try with a woman you couldn’t stand. That says a lot about you as a man.”

“Sweetheart.” I lean down and press my lips to hers. “I could stand you just fine. You were the one that thought I was stuck-up and entitled,” I mumble against her mouth.

“You were.” She giggles and wraps her arms around my neck, stretching and pressing her core into my semi-hard cock. Well, it was semi-hard. Now, we’re at full attention and resigning ourselves to four hours of sleep. She runs her hands through the strands of my hair. “I’ve got two classes in the studio today, and I need to study for a test. After that, I’ll be free.”

I swipe my tongue along her jawline and cup her ass. When she moans, my heart thuds in my chest. This is it. This is the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. It’s too soon. It isn’t the right time.

But that doesn’t stop the blood coursing through my veins, telling me she’s the one. I teased her about being in control of who she fell in love with. I was doing the same thing. It’s not something you decide. It’s something that happens to you when you least expect it.

I suck on her earlobe as her nails pierce into my skull. “Why? Are you asking me out?”

“Yes, I am.” Her voice is husky with desire, clouding my ability to hold a rational conversation. “During the summer, my parents have Sunday dinner. And you’ve already lost the bet. You’re enjoying dance. So, it makes sense if you come to dinner and settle the first part of our wager.”

My head jerks backward, and my mouth dries. “You want me to come to your parent’s house for dinner?” Yep, my brain is lust-free. Asking her to meet my mom isn’t as big a deal as going to her parent’s house. Her dad is one of my coaches. If he doesn’t like me messing with his daughter, I’m on the first flight out of town.

“Is that a problem?” She trails her nails down my back, and my cock jerks against her belly.

“Well…. I guess it isn’t a problem, but how do you think your father and brother will feel about us dating? Do I need to wear a cup to protect the family jewels and brush up on my MMA skills?”

Her hand stills. “Do you know MMA?”

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