Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Rowan lifts her head from where she is packing her training bag and smiles. “Pregame snack?” she asks.
“Yep.” I flash her a toothy grin and toss another chip into my mouth.
“Are you nervous at all?” she asks, hopping up on one of the treatment tables, her legs swinging back and forth.
“Nah, nothing to be nervous about.”
“You’re right. Playing in front of thousands of fans in the stadium and millions more on television is just another Sunday.” She shakes her head, a soft smile playing on her lips.
“It is for me,” I say, walking farther into the room. I hop up on the table next to her and offer her a chip. She takes one, and I don’t know why, but my heart swells. “I don’t share with just anyone,” I tell her, grabbing another chip for myself.
“I feel special.”
“That’s because you are.” I lean my shoulder into hers, hoping like hell she can hear the sincerity of my words.
“You’re something else, Landry Reynolds.”
She’s smiling, which makes my heart beat faster. Finishing off my chips, I stand from the treatment table, toss the empty bag into a nearby trash can, and come to stand in front of her. “You ready?”
She raises her brows. “Ready for what?” she asks cautiously.
“Our handshake.”
“What?” she asks, confusion and humor clear in her tone.
“Our handshake. All my touchdowns today are for you, and we need a handshake to celebrate.”
Her mouth opens as if she’s going to speak and then quickly closes. I watch her throat as she swallows hard, licks her lips, and tries again. “For me?” Her question is softly spoken and filled with uncertainty.
I step closer, and she opens her thighs, allowing room for me. I’m in full pads, but I can still feel her heat. Lifting my hand, I rest it against her cheek. “Who else would they be for, Roe?” I want to kiss her. Fuck me, I want to kiss her. I don’t want our first kiss to be in a stinky locker room, but the urge is so fucking intense. I’ve never wanted the taste of a kiss this badly. My need for her grows stronger every damn day.
“That’s a lot of pressure,” she murmurs.
“Nah, no pressure. Just me showing my girl she’s important.”
“We’re pretending,” she murmurs.
I lean in closer. I’m so close there is barely any space between her lips and mine. Just a little more and my lips would be pressed to hers. “Are we, though?” I ask. She sucks in a breath, and I can’t stop myself as I close the remaining distance and press my lips to hers. It’s just a quick peck, but the meaning is the same.
I’m not pretending.
Not anymore.
I’m not sure I ever really was. I don’t know what’s going on with me or with us, but I know that I want to give us the time to figure it out. Not because her ex is here, but because she’s all I can think about, and that small little peck of her lips, it’s not enough. Not for me.
This isn’t how our first kiss should have happened, but this is who we are. I’m a professional athlete, and she’s a part of the physical therapy team. This is our life, our jobs, and honestly, I’ll take any piece of this woman, any way that I can have her. I’ll just have to make it up to her later when we celebrate our win and all of her touchdowns.
Dropping my hand from her cheek, I take her hand in mine. “Now, this handshake. We have to have something to celebrate because I’m sure that Coach Warner will have my ass if I run to the sidelines to kiss my girl after each of my touchdowns.”
“Multiple?” she asks.
“When they’re all for you, yes.” I nod.
“You kissed me.”
I chuckle. “I did. Was that okay?”
She nods. “I didn’t expect it.”
“But you wanted it?”
“I wasn’t sure. It’s been so long. I assumed I’d freak out, but I didn’t. Not when it’s you.”
I stand a little taller at her words. “That’s my girl.” Needing more of her, I lean in and peck her lips for the second time. I hate that this is where we are, surrounded by smelly teammates and gear, but it feels right.
Right for us.
“Now, give me your hand.” I take her hand in mine. Fuck, her skin is so soft. “Let’s do this. We bump knuckles, then fist each other’s hands, lean in for a hug, kind of like a chest bump, and then we’ll blow it up.” I release my hand and spray out my fingers. “Boom!” I say, and she tosses her head back in laughter. It’s pure, genuine, and completely intoxicating.
“I’m going to need you to go through that again.” She’s smiling. Those beautiful blue eyes of hers are sparkling, and I swear, I feel as though I’m ten feet fucking tall with the way she’s looking at me right now.