The flock took off, headed toward the owner of the Raleigh Raptors. The guy gave Hendrix a run for his money in the playboy department, that was for sure.
“Should we warn Wes that the vultures are descending?” Hendrix asked with a laugh.
I cocked my head to the side and leaned just enough to make sure Brynn was up there, too. The sweet little strawberry blonde might look harmless behind those glasses, but she’d been Weston’s personal assistant for the last five years and was definitely capable of handling herself…and our rather reckless owner. “No worries, Brynn is up there.”
Hendrix turned and noted the same. “She’ll shut them down.” He had a sly smile on his face as he returned. “You think they’ve ever…”
“No.” I shook my head emphatically. “Not a chance in hell.” Weston was ridiculously protective of his assistant, and I guessed that included keeping her safe from himself, too. “I heard she pushed him out of the plane when he dragged her skydiving last month.”
Hendrix laughed, which of course drew another wave of women our way.
I shut down three flirtations and two blatant offers in the next half hour, then checked my watch to see how long I had before I was supposed to make the lame-ass speech I’d written this morning. Happy Holidays. Yada yada. Family. Love. Meaning. Everything I was missing.
A hand slid from the top of my shoulder to my waist, stroking across my back on the way down, and I froze. For fuck’s sake. Abandoning my drink on the bar, I snatched the woman’s wrist as her hand reached my hip.
“No,” I snapped. “For the hundredth time, I’m taken.” My heart lurched as a pair of pale green eyes met mine. Her smile was radiant, her skin flawless, and the burgundy dress lifted her plump breasts all the way to the heart-shaped neckline, making my mouth water.
“Hopefully by me?” she asked softly.
I wrapped my arms around her and breathed in her familiar scent as every nerve ending in my body flared to life. “Liberty. God. Honey, what are you doing here?” I yanked her back, keeping my hands on her bare shoulders. The dress was strapless, gathered just beneath her breasts, and fluttered seamlessly over her growing baby bump to stop just above her knees. She was breathtaking. She was here.
“It’s Tuesday,” she said with a shrug.
“It’s Friday night,” I countered with an automatic smirk.
“Whatever. My time zones are messed up.”
We stood there staring silently at each other, both smiling like lunatics.
“Yeah, so the door behind the bar leads to a private room,” Hendrix mentioned after clearing his throat.
“How the hell would you know that?” I asked, keeping my eyes locked on Liberty for fear she’d disappear if I so much as closed my eyes.
“This isn’t the first year we’ve had the party here. It’s good to see you, Liberty.”
“You too, Hendrix.” She didn’t look away, either.
“Not that you’re actually seeing me, but I’ll accept it since you’re all smiles for my man, here.” He slapped me on the shoulder and walked away.
The air between us popped with electricity. Private room? Hell yes. I scooped her into my arms, hooking one arm beneath her knees and cradling her back with the other, careful to keep her spectacular ass covered by her dress.
“Nixon, I’m the size of a house,” she mumbled into my neck.
“I lift more than you just for fun, Lib.” Nodding to more than a few raised eyebrows along the way, I took us straight through the door Hendrix had mentioned and into a small, private room, lined with thick, sturdy tables.
Perfect.
I set Liberty down on one of the far tables, pushed her thighs apart, and stepped between them. Then I consumed her mouth in a kiss that went from sweet and relieved to hot and carnal in about two-point-three seconds. My entire body felt like a live wire.
She tasted like home, and peppermint, and pure, sweet, Liberty—a mix far more intoxicating than anything they were serving at the bar out there. I wrapped my hand around the hair cascading down her back in thick waves and held her prisoner as I made love to her mouth. Fuck, I wanted inside her. My tongue, my fingers, my cock—everything.
“Nixon,” she gasped as I sucked my way down her throat, nipping gently at her collarbone. Her fingers dug into the back of my neck.
“I need you,” I said as I lifted her breast from her dress. Fuck, had they gotten even bigger? Her nipple was darker as it tightened in the cool air. I scraped my tongue across it, and she whimpered, arching so I could take more of it. I did. When I finished with that one, I lifted the other and sucked her with little flicks of my tongue, until her tiny, keening cries came steadily, and her hips rolled against the table. “You need me, too.”
I sent my hand up her thigh, which was deliciously bare under her dress, and didn’t stop when I reached the soft, damp, silk of her underwear.
“I never—unh—denied that.” There it was—that sexy little lip bite.
I gave my mouth to her, sucking her lip free and sweeping my tongue over it as I glided past the barrier of her panties and stroked her from opening to the bud of her clit. Fuck me, she was slippery wet, already swollen and ready for me.
My cock jumped in agreement, straining at my fly.
“Oh my sweet—no!” She pushed at me suddenly, and I stumbled backward in pure shock, putting my hands up like I’d been arrested.
“No?” It wasn’t a complaint, not when the word dripped with fear.
“Yes,” she assured me, but then shook her head. “No. I mean, yes, I want you. God, you can feel how badly I want you. I feel like I won’t be able to breathe until you’re inside of me.”
Then we were in complete agreement. My gravity was off, the axis of my world upended, but I knew everything would fall back in place the minute I pushed inside of her.
“No!” she snapped, pointing at me.
I halted, not having even realized I was moving back toward her.
“We have to talk first,” she said slowly. “You and me, we never talk when we’re within touching distance, and look where that’s gotten us.”
“Not arguing.” A slow grin spread across my face as I looked lovingly at her belly, where our daughter grew. Then my stare grew hot as I lifted it to Liberty’s eyes.
“Sit on your hands!” she ordered, putting her breasts away. “We’re talking first. Sex…second. Really close second.”
I cocked an eyebrow, then lifted the fingers that had been inside her sweet little body and licked them clean.
“Not helping!”
“So talk,” I said, sitting on the edge of the opposite table, but keeping my hands in my lap. The second she said go, I was going to be all over her.
“I love you.” Her expression softened. “I can’t live without you, either.”
“I love you, too.” The gentle words didn’t soften my need for her. Fuck, I felt like a caged tiger, pacing back and forth at the bars of his cage.
“Good.” She tucked her hair behind her ears. “Because we’re going to compromise.”
“And live in Central America?” I teased.
“Hush. I’m serious. This is making us both miserable, and what you said during that fight…” She shook her head.
I was across the room in a few strides, taking her face in my hands. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have threatened you with lawyers. There’s no force on this earth that would compel me to take our daughter from your arms. I shouldn’t have said half the shit I did. I was out of my mind, but there are no excuses.”
“I get it. You must have been so shocked. I should have been clear from the beginning. We should have had a plan in place. Nixon, I know you’re going to be a fantastic father—you already are, and I can’t take her away from you any more than you could take her from me. When you add in how much we love each other, the only solution is for us to be together.” She leaned against my palm.
“You have no clue how much I want that,” I assured her. “But I’m not g
oing to make you give up on everything you’ve worked for.”
“I won’t. We’ll do this whole thing called compromise and no, I don’t mean live in the middle.” Her hands grabbed onto my waist and pulled me closer until I was between her thighs again.
“What do you have in mind?” Good thing we were talking about our future—it was the only topic that was keeping me from ridding the cloth barriers between us and sliding home.
“You stay with the Raptors.”
My jaw ticked.
“Listen,” she urged, squeezing me tighter. “You stay with the Raptors and take the seven-year deal. In the off-season, we’ll all go to Breaking Boundaries, wherever they may be. All three of us.”
“That’s hardly fair. My off-season is four months on a good year and five on a bad one. I might be able to make arrangements for the early summer OTAs, but I doubt it. How the hell is that a compromise?” That still sounded a lot like she was giving me what I wanted and losing what she needed.
“I’ll talk to Breaking Boundaries and see if they’ll fund two-part-time psychologists in that full-time position, and we’ll make it work.” She nodded with a desperate look in her eyes.
My mind clicked into gear, reading the field of our future, and seeing the potential plays. “Fuck that. Tell them we’ll donate four million a year. That should cover their full-time psychologist. Then you can go as a volunteer for however long you want, whenever you want. Then all three of us—” I grinned and slid my thumb across her lips, “or more down the line, will go for the entire off-season.”
“Four million?” Her eyes brightened.
“If you want more, we can talk to our finance guy. I already have six mill tied up in charities, but we can figure it out. Anything that makes you happy, gets us a private tent and some decent food while we’re there.” I brushed a kiss over her lips. Drawing back was torture.
“But you won’t be able to go back to Minnesota during your break,” she said softly. “I know you like to see your family.”
I looked deeply into her eyes, making sure she understood every word. “You. Are. My. Family. You, and this little girl.” I caressed the side of her belly. “Wherever you are is home, and no matter where it is, we’re together.”
“Together. I like the sound of that.” Her hands slid up the lapels of my tux jacket. “So we can do this.”
“We can. But…what do you want to do about this spring? Are you going back?”
She shook her head. “They deferred my internship until May at my request. Unless you want our daughter to be a dual citizen, in which case—”
“You’ll delay your graduation.” I shook my head.
“By five months.” She shrugged. “What’s five months when we get to have the rest of our lives together?”
“Liberty.” I rested my forehead against hers, both overjoyed and saddened that she’d had to put her life on hold for me.
“I don’t want to be two days away from you, not when I’m this close to having our child. I don’t want a single thing to stand between us being together in that moment. I want you there with me, holding my hand, listening to me curse at you while I bring our child into this world. I’m not just delaying for your comfort, Nixon. I’m delaying it for mine. I need you.” She tugged on my lapels, and I fell into her kiss.
A knock sounded at the door.
“Fuck off,” I shouted over my shoulder and went back to kissing Liberty.
“Son, you’re due to give this toast right now,” Coach called from the doorway in a no-nonsense tone. Fuck, I thought I’d locked it.
“Shit.” Liberty was so freaking close, and yet once again, I couldn’t quite get to her. “Can I have five minutes?”
Liberty flat-out laughed, ducking to hide her face.
“No. You can have fifteen seconds. We’ve already been looking for you for five minutes,” Coach drawled in his Georgia-boy southern accent.
“I might only need fifteen seconds,” I muttered. I hadn’t had Liberty in almost two months. I’d probably come in about five seconds.
She laughed even harder, her shoulders shaking against my chest.
“What was that?” Coach asked.
“He said he’ll be right out,” Liberty answered for me. “Oh, and he also said he’d take the seven-year contract.”
Coach’s eyes popped wide. “Really? I thought you were…”
“I’ll call my manager, and we’ll get it done,” I promised.
“Thank God. The thought of moving Castle to first string is paralyzing,” Coach muttered.
“Does that earn me five minutes?” I asked hopefully.
“No. Let’s go.” He walked out and closed the door.
Two seconds later, a voice filled every speaker in the hall, including our private room. “And now with a Holiday toast, your Raleigh Raptors quarterback, Nixon Noble!”
“He wasn’t kidding,” I swore as I helped Liberty off the table.
“Is there a podium up there?” she asked with a wicked gleam, noting my misshapen pants.
“Not that I saw. This is great.” I clutched her hand as we walked to the door.
She slid in front of me as I clutched the handle, ready to push it open. “Make it a short toast, Nixon. Then take me home.”
We walked through the doors, and a microphone was thrust into my hand. Liberty stayed right in front of me the whole time as I talked about family, and love, and celebration for all of two minutes.
Shortest toast in the history of the holiday party.
Then I took my girls home, where I finally had it all—the love, the celebration…and the family.
Epilogue
Liberty
Five Months Later
Nixon waited for me outside my headquarters, Nicole happily gnawing on the front of the baby carrier strapped over Nixon’s broad chest.
Holy God, Nixon Noble wearing a baby, my baby, had to be ten-times sexier than his Raptors tights.
“Hi, my loves,” I said, my smile stretching so wide it almost hurt as I hurried to greet them. Nicole grinned up at me, kicking her little feet where they hung from the carrier.
“Hey, beautiful,” Nixon said, planting me with a quick kiss. “How was work?”
“Great,” I said as we walked toward our tent across the village—more like a makeshift yurt after Nixon had his way. The thing had an attached shower—low water pressure, but a luxury I’d fought tooth and nail in the beginning. But, after how much Nixon was donating to the program every month, how could I deny him one small luxury? “How was your day?”
“Nic had a very good day,” he said, playing with her little hand that gripped his finger. “She learned all about offense and nearly chewed through the tiny plush football I brought her.” I chuckled, my heart swelling. “And then she took a two-hour nap with Daddy.” He cooed toward her.
“Two hours?” I gaped at the pair of them. “She never does that on my shift.” I was lucky to get twenty minutes on my days off.
Nixon shrugged, pride gleaming in his eyes. “She’s a daddy’s girl.”
I eyed him up and down. “Not hard to be.”
He smirked, stopping before our tent, where his dad sat waiting in a chair outside of it. He’d flown his parents out since he was giving up his visiting time for me during his off-season. Compromise, beautiful, humbling, wonderful compromise.
“Hey, Pop,” he said, calling him by the grandfather name he’d selected himself. He carefully removed Nicole from the carrier and passed her to me.
I took my warm wiggly whoosh, some piece of my heart settling into place the second I had her against my chest.
“All is well,” Pop said, rising from the chair. “Nothing in or out,” he teased as he scooped up a football from next to his chair and came to meet us.
“Good looking out,” Nixon said, stealing the ball from him and taking off to the clearing next to our place.
I laughed as I held Nicole and watched Nixon throw passes to his dad, much gentler tha
n he did during the season. A few of the local kids came running at the sight, always ready to jump in and catch passes from Nix when he had the ball out.
I bounced Nicole, content in a way I’d never known possible. We’d be headed back to the States soon for preseason practice where I’d claim a part-time position at the Breaking Boundaries sister company in the city. Dr. Bernard had been incredibly flexible when it had come to the transition of merging both Nixon and my lives, and I would be forever grateful to her for that. Nixon deserved his dream, and I did too, and because of our love for each other, we’d found a way to have it all.
Nicole’s coos turned to fussing, and I quickly went inside to make a bottle. Once I settled us in our rocking chair, I fed her and sang to her and simply held her as she fell asleep. I was remiss to lay her in the crib until I heard Nixon come into our room.
“Those locals sure know how to wear a guy out,” he whispered as I laid Nicole in her crib next to our bed.
“Says the quarterback for the Raptors?” I teased. “Are you losing your touch?”
He cocked an eyebrow at me, gently ensnaring my wrist and drawing me into the attached bathroom with the outdoor shower. “You tell me,” he said, sliding his hands along my ribs, over my waist, and between my thighs.
“Nixon!” I whisper-squealed, not wanting to wake the baby.
His grin was infectious as he hoisted me up until I locked my ankles around his waist. “Come on,” he said, turning toward the incredibly small shower. “First, we’ll check for spiders,” he joked. “Then you can tell me if I’ve lost my touch.”
I trembled against the man, my heart racing as he claimed my mouth.
He’d never lose his touch.
Never lose the ability to steal my breath or make my heart melt.
And—thanks to a night in Vegas—we had a whole bunch of forever to look forward to.
THE END
AXEL SNEAK PEEK
If you love the Raptors, you’ll love Axel! Turn the page for a peek at the first chapter of AXEL and learn all about the Carolina Reapers!
Nixon: A Raleigh Raptors Novel Page 22