by Taylor Hart
“Sky!” a man suddenly called up. “Sky! Let’s dance!”
She jumped up and joined in the fun. The man seemed about their age, and Dax felt jealous, which was stupid.
He watched the way her face was infused with light as she danced and laughed. Her red hair fell in loose, flowing waves around her face. She looked like an angel.
Sky was the first woman he had liked since he’d been engaged. She had something much more appealing than Sarah had ever had: she had this love for people, this goodness.
The music stopped, and he found himself getting up and tapping the guy on the shoulder. “Excuse me. May I have this dance?”
The guy’s expression made it clear that he didn’t appreciate the intrusion, but Sky had already reached for Dax’s hand and waved at the guy. “Thanks, Juan.” She dragged Dax along into the dancing. “I thought you weren’t any good.”
He focused on not stumbling over his feet. “I’m not, but you are, so I thought people could just look at you.”
Everyone pulled back into a larger circle, and they wound up next to some people he didn’t know. The dance began with some steps that reminded him of an Irish jig, and he tried to copy them. She laughed, and he met her gaze as she did the steps perfectly.
The group took off, turning in a large circle, following each other. They changed directions and went the other way. Then they all separated, found their person, and started dancing again. He was lost, but she laughed and held his hand. “This is one of the reasons I love it here. People don’t care if you know the steps or not. They just want to dance.”
He spent the next couple of minutes just trying to mimic some of the steps happening around him and laughing at the mistakes he made.
A slow song faded in, and some of the people left the dance floor while others joined them.
She put her hand out. “Think you can manage another one?”
He was more than encouraged by the fact that she wanted to dance with him again. As he took her hand in his, he thought that this was the first time in a really long time that he was actually living. Strike that—maybe it had begun the moment he’d started doing something purposeful, swinging that hammer. Or when Señora Sanchez had told him she loved him.
He stared down at Sky, no longer paying attention to the music, instead seeing this wonderful woman for everything she was.
“This thing … whatever it is between us can’t—” She broke off, already pulling away from him.
He grabbed her hands. “No, wait.” He had to tell her how he was feeling.
“Dax, I can’t do this.”
“Just being with you has changed me.”
She stopped trying to pull away. “What are you talking about?”
“Can I kiss you?” He blurted it out, not expecting those words to come out of his mouth.
Chapter 15
Sky knew it was insane, but she wanted to kiss Dax. This wasn’t just simple attraction, either. She really liked him. And she shouldn’t. “No.”
“Why?” His lips turned into a smile.
“I’m your therapist,” she sputtered.
He looked down at their hands, which were still linked together, and slowly shook his head. “Not anymore. Officially, we’re done with the voodoo, right?”
She hesitated. “Right.”
“Plus, you think I’m officially sane, so that’s a good thing.” Gently, he touched her cheek. “Tell me.”
“What?”
“Whatever it is you need to tell me.”
How come it felt like he was her therapist? “I’ve never met a man this much in my head before.”
He grinned. “I guess that’s a compliment.”
She remembered what Dax had said to her last night. “I’m a fraud.”
“What?”
“Maybe you were right,” she said with a sigh. “Maybe I need to forgive, too.”
The moment went quiet, even as a crowd of people danced around them. She stared at his lips, and the intensity between them ratcheted up.
“We all got stuff we have to go through,” he told her. “That doesn’t mean we’re frauds; it means … we’re just people trying to sort crap out.”
She smiled.
“What?”
“Maybe you would be a better therapist.”
“Eloquent, right?”
She quit trying to pull away. “Very.”
“You wanted me to go because you’re feeling things you don’t want to feel.”
They stood there for a long time, just holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes, inching closer and closer. Tears misted into her eyes. “Just kiss me, quarterback.”
He almost kissed her, but he paused at the last second.
“What are you waiting for?”
“I need to ask you something.”
She blinked and pulled back a bit. “Okay.”
“Will you accompany me to the Masquerade Ball in Denver?”
Her mouth dropped open. “You’re going?”
“I actually took your advice, and I called Ziggy last night. We talked for a long time.”
“You did?”
“We did.” He laughed. “You were right. I was just being prideful.”
She fumbled for something to say.
He combed a hand down her hair. “Can I still kiss you?”
“You’ve made me wait long enough, quarterback.” She smiled and wondered how she had so easily fallen for this man.
Gently, his lips pressed against hers. She found herself pulling his neck closer to her, scared and exhilarated at the same time. He dragged her closer, pulling her flush against him, still swaying, his hands on her hips.
As he deepened the kiss, she found herself forgetting why she’d been so mad he’d kissed her the first time. She was lost in his touch, lost in this moment. She wasn’t sure how long they stood there, swaying, kissing like they were teenagers.
When he pulled back, grinning like a fool, the music was upbeat and the whole group began clapping and laughing.
She laughed, shaking her head, knowing she was turning red.
“I have one more thing I want to talk to you about. I actually think it could help out his cause … and help give my brother, Ty, some press, shedding light on ALS and helping to educate people.”
“What?”
Whipping out his phone, he called someone. “You can meet her now.”
She stared into his eyes, baffled. “What is happening?”
Out of nowhere, four big guys appeared—his brothers, she knew. The sudden family reunion began in earnest as Dax hugged each of them. She knew who they were from studying this man over the past couple of days.
When he got to Ziggy, they held each other, pounding each other’s back.
“They’re just babies,” Ocean said, nudging her and shaking her hand. “Ocean, the coolest.”
“Not.” Boston put his hand out. “Boston. He told me about you first.”
The claim made her smile.
“Last, the best of all the game.” The last guy came over, and Sky knew she was looking at Ty. “I’m Ty.” He leaned in to hug her. “I’m a hugger. Plus, no crying allowed.”
Sky couldn’t help it. She was melting.
A chorus of shrieks drew her attention, and she saw Jorge, Ron, and the college kids introducing themselves to the Brady brothers.
Dax was back at her side. “So you’ll go with me, right?”
She laughed and put her hand to her mouth. “Yes.” Tears were coursing down her cheeks. She couldn’t believe this man.
He kissed her and swept her up into the air, spinning her in a circle.
Everyone around them cheered, and he put her down and grinned at her. “Ignore them. They’re crazy!” he said, loud enough for all to hear. “She said she’s coming to the ball!”
They all cheered and high-fived them.
“How about a song, bro?” Ty asked. “For old time’s sake?”
Even as Dax shook his head, Zi
ggy was on his other side. “C’mon, bro, for the lady.” He pointed to her, and she giggled.
They all lined up and started singing the song she’d seen on YouTube. “When I think about you, babe …”
Jorge hugged her. The college kids cheered, and the whole market clapped and sang and laughed.
Sky knew then that being around Dax Brady was just like a fairy tale.
Epilogue
The Masquerade Ball in Denver was every bit the media sensation one would expect from a fundraiser put on by the Brady brothers. Sky was touched at the opening scene, in which Ziggy thanked the audience for coming and the whole Storm football team had come to the front, put their fists into the air, and yelled, “Go, Storm!”
The brothers had garnered a ton of press for the project in Puerto Rico, and the donations had just rolled in. Jorge had confided in her that, out of nowhere, a three-million-dollar donation had appeared. She suspected it was Jon Kincaid, but with everything happening so fast, she hadn’t been able to talk to him about it.
“Can I have this dance?” Dax asked, extending his hand. The man was gorgeous in his tux, and his blond hair was messy and gelled. His blue eyes were mischievous.
“Yes, Prince Charming, you may.”
He pulled her close into a two-step. “I’ll take ‘Prince Charming’ from you.”
Feeling like she was on top of the world, she relaxed and let herself get lost in the dance.
The song changed to a slower one and he pulled her even closer, gently kissing her jawline and rubbing slow circles into her back.
She giggled. “Hey, there are others here, and they don’t even know me.”
“Oh, and it would matter if they knew you?”
“I mean, I just … I don’t know.”
“Hmm. You want to label us already.”
She felt silly. “Stop. No.”
He peered down at her, becoming serious. “Do you remember the first time I met you?”
“Like a week ago?” she asked. “When Jon told me I was your therapist, and later admitted he thought you might be good for me?” They’d intently discussed all the shenanigans.
“The old guy has never-ending tricks up his sleeve.”
She laughed, unable to believe that Jon Kincaid had clearly had a plan to get her and Dax together.
When the song ended, Dax took her hand and asked, “So do you think Mr. Kincaid might have a sense about these things?”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know … maybe he’s a good matchmaker?”
She laughed. “What …”
He got down on his knee. “Actually, Jorge gave me some sound advice.”
People had stopped dancing and were gathering around. Dax’s brothers swarmed around him, grinning.
“What are you doing, Dax?”
“Proposing, silly.” He winked at her and pulled out a ring. “Unless you have a little rule about marrying football players, too?”
“Ah, why don’t you marry him, pixie girl?” Jon had come over as well, along with Kade, Anthony, and their wives.
She was stunned.
“I thought you should have your family here,” Dax said.
Tears filled her eyes.
“I need you.” He winked at her. “That is what Jorge said I should tell you.”
“It worked!” Jorge called out, smiling. “Hey, señorita.”
She laughed, unable to believe what was happening.
Dax spoke again. “I do need you. I need you in so many ways, but most of all, I need your voodoo. Every hour, every day, all the—”
She stopped him with a kiss.
He chuckled, keeping his lips against hers. “Is this a yes?”
She’d never thought she’d be this woman, but she found herself saying, “Yes!”
He whooped and picked her up and kissed her while she spun in the air. She laughed and laughed and knew that they would be laughing the rest of their lives.
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Her Football Boss Fake Fiance
Ocean Brady sat on his back deck and stared at the moon. He loved living in Los Angeles, and he loved playing football for the Los Angeles Wave. He had a good life. A great life, in fact, but it wasn’t perfect.
Unrest stirred in his gut. He’d lied to his family about still being engaged. He’d been lying for almost nine months. It had started as a simple way to protect the family from dealing with his youngest brother Ty’s diagnosis of ALS last Christmas. Then it had blossomed into a massive cover-up on his part.
He raked a hand through his hair and wished he’d just told them all the truth when he’d broken things off with Susan initially. He’d thought he could protect them from more bad news. Truthfully, he’d wanted to protect his mother the most. Now the whole family was descending on his home to spend five days together before Christmas. Five days that Ty had already deemed part of the “No Regrets Tour” that he’d been on since finding out he had a terminal illness. Five days of family time to do things that Ty wanted to do together for Christmas, because it could be his last.
Ocean felt the pressure of that “last” tag attached to all things Ty-related, so he’d chickened out in telling them about his own problems. He cringed and wanted to slam someone, wishing for the tackling dummies at the stadium. He’d been preparing himself to face the music, to face the onslaught of his mother crying and his brothers wanting to kill him for causing her tears. When their father had passed of cancer three years ago, Ocean had sworn to protect his mother. Now, he would fail.
He hadn’t been able to eat or sleep the past week, trying to figure out a way to tell her without turning it into an international incident. His very Catholic mother, who wanted all her boys to be married off and happy, would take it badly. He knew she would.
As if on cue, his phone buzzed and he saw his mother’s number. Dread filled him as he answered. “Hey, Mom.”
“Ocean, how are you?” She sounded out of breath.
He grinned, sure his mother was madly cleaning her home in Denver. She always cleaned frantically before a trip. “Good.”
“Good. Listen, I was just thinking that we need to have a meal plan so I can shop when I get there,” she said in between breaths.
Ocean scoffed, eyeing something hanging on his sliding glass door that he’d missed. He pulled the paper off the glass. The flyer declared, “Supreme Chef: Let us cook for you for Christmas!” He hated it when people put advertisements on his window. “Mom, you’re not going to cook on your vacation.”
“But I have some classic Christmas dishes I want to make.”
“That’s fine, but I don’t want you cooking the whole time.” As he stared at the paper, an idea formed in his mind. “I’m hiring someone to do that.”
“What? No.” His mom sounded horrified by the idea.
“Yes. Mom, listen. This could be our last Christmas with Ty. I want us all to enjoy it. We only have five da
ys before league break ends.” Ocean and his other brothers—Dax, Ziggy, and Boston—all played professional football. Sucking in a long breath and feeling overwhelmed by all of the people coming to visit, he scanned the flyer again. He’d call them tomorrow.
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
“Mom, are you okay?”
Finally, she spoke. “I don’t want to talk about Ty’s illness while we’re there. I don’t want it to be the focus. I just …”
He could picture her with her hand over her mouth, holding back tears. Dang it. “Listen, Mom, it’s going to be great. Just great.”
“Have you found a shelter to serve Christmas dinner to? Even with everything going on, I want to carry on that tradition your father started.”
“Yes, and the guy is willing to do a disco dancing party like Ty wants, too.” His brother was ridiculous, but what could any of them do? They weren’t going to tell Ty no.
She let out a light laugh. “I don’t know what to do about Ty and his “No Regrets Tour” bucket list. I guess we’re all in it.”
“I’ve got it all covered, don’t worry. We’ll have fun, Mom.”
“I know. And it will be great. Christmas is always fun with the Brady brothers. How’s Susan?”
Sucker-punched, he sucked in a breath. “Ah, good.”
“She’ll be there for Christmas, right? She’s not on assignment? I really want everyone there.”
The only reason he’d been able to maintain the lie so far was because unlike his brother, Boston, who was a media freak, Ocean hardly ever posted on social media. Plus, Susan was a war correspondence reporter, so she wasn’t able to come to a lot of family gatherings because of her job. It’d been the perfect cover-up once he’d broken things off. “Yep, she’ll be here.” He pressed his forehead into his hand. Even though he knew he shouldn’t keep lying, he couldn’t make himself stop. For crying out loud, he’d made his mother cry seconds ago. He didn’t want to do it twice in less than a minute.