by Pamela Yaye
His voice held just as much plea as hers had a few minutes before. With his eyes he begged her to let go. To believe in what they were doing. Believe in him.
Erin reached between their bodies and took his length into her hands. She spread her legs until he could settle between them easily. “No turning back,” she whispered.
She positioned him at her opening and Will pushed in one decadent inch at a time. He lowered his head and kissed her deeply. The relief as real in his kiss as the shiver that went through his body.
“No turning back,” he said against her lips.
Then his hips shifted and touched that perfect spot deep inside her. She’d laid out her standards and he hadn’t shied away. He was here. He wanted to try. That’s what she clung to as he made her body explode in a shock wave of pleasure.
Chapter 10
Erin sat with Will’s family during the All-Star Game. They weren’t surprised when she joined them. In fact, Kelly and Mr. Hampton pretty much assumed she would join them anyway because she was so close to the family. She let them go with that assumption.
She hadn’t talked to Kelly after her quick, wonderful afternoon with Will. Now that she wasn’t wrapped in his arms and only concentrating on the feelings between them, she worried about Kelly’s reaction. Erin had chosen to let go of her fears and trust Will. That didn’t mean Kelly would be happy with the decision. The last thing Erin wanted was for her relationship with Will to ruin her friendship with Kelly. Her oldest and closest friend in the world.
“So, Erin, Kelly tells me you’re doing big things,” Calvin Hampton said, breaking into her thoughts.
Calvin and Will were similar. Both tall, though Calvin had at least two inches on Will. They had the same dark brown skin, piercing eyes and devastating smile. Calvin also had gray only at the temples, which gave him a sexy, sophisticated air. Erin respected him as much as her own father, who’d worked as Calvin’s accountant for years.
Though many women still threw themselves at Mr. Hampton, Erin could never see him in a sex object kind of way. He was Kelly’s dad. The guy who’d informally coached her with Will in basketball before she’d hurt her knee. He was like a second dad, which made her worry about how he’d take it when she and Will made their decision public. She didn’t want to lose her connection with either of them.
Too late to think through the what-ifs now, Erin.
She dunked that thought and answered Calvin’s question. “I’m trying,” she said. “I’ve been working really hard on this Mountain Brewed campaign. It’s gone better than expected, which means—” she held up her right hand with her fingers crossed “—when I get back I should be offered the position on the executive team.”
“You ever thought about opening your own advertising agency?” Calvin asked. As usual, he was always promoting creating income that wasn’t solely tied to the whims of someone else.
“I have, but for now I’m happy with working where I am. I love what I do. Having to deal with the business side of things is not my idea of fun.”
Just the thought of handling benefits packages, payroll and accounting was enough to make her break out in hives. Erin wanted to focus solely on projects and making her clients’ businesses household names. Maybe one day she’d open her own firm, but for now she didn’t want to add that extra stress in her life.
“Going into business for yourself isn’t as bad as you think,” Calvin said. His eyes were still on the game, but he leaned to the left where she sat next to him and spoke up so she could hear him over the crowd. She knew that even if his attention was on Will on the court, he was also in tune with their conversation. “If you can’t handle the books then look at getting a good business partner who can handle that for you.” He pointed toward the court. “It’s like I tell Will all the time. You need to have a backup plan.”
Erin’s eyes zeroed in on Will. He ran down the court. A teammate threw him the ball. He focused on the left side of the basket, but deftly passed the ball behind him to an open man on the right who easily scored three points. The crowed cheered. Erin grinned.
Kelly lightly elbowed Erin. “Dad’s about to start his lecture again.” She wasn’t as into the game as Erin and Calvin. Kelly enjoyed the perks of growing up the daughter of a professional basketball player, but the perks were about as far as her interests went. Erin knew she was only here to support Will.
“And why shouldn’t I?” Mr. Hampton asked with a quick glance at Kelly. “I keep telling you kids you need to make the necessary plans to be secure when you get older. Invest in yourself. Find ways to make your money work for you.”
Erin remembered one of her and Will’s late-night chats when he’d spent the night with her in Chicago. He’d briefly mentioned investments he’d made in various businesses over time. “Doesn’t Will invest?”
Calvin waved a dismissive hand. “He does, but not wisely. His head is too in the clouds. He can’t calm down and focus on one thing.”
Calvin’s quick dismissal of Will’s investments irritated Erin. It wasn’t the first time Calvin had done that. He seemed to always push Will to expect less and rely solely on his skills as an athlete. “He mentioned wanting to take a more active role in team leadership,” Erin said. “He’s talked about maybe coaching one day.”
Mr. Hampton laughed as if she’d told the funniest joke. He even took his eyes off the court and patted her shoulder. “Coaching? Will?” He shook his head. “My son is good at basketball, but he’s not coach material. Not at all.”
Erin clenched her jaw instead of telling Mr. Hampton that he was being ridiculous doubting Will. How could he so easily dismiss his son’s ability? He’d been voted captain of the Eastern Conference team, for crying out loud. That wasn’t given to someone who didn’t show some type of ability to lead.
She could understand some of Calvin’s reservations. She had grown up around Will. He did jump around a lot. But when it came to basketball he absorbed everything he could. Will listened to everything his dad told him about basketball and adapted the way he played based on his father’s feedback. He’d done the same with coaches. Will learned what worked and was disciplined enough to follow direction. He knew how to correct, and he also knew how to rally his teammates, so they could correct themselves. The man knew the game.
“I don’t know, Daddy,” Kelly said, sounding defensive. “I think he’d be okay. If he really wanted to do it. Will doesn’t give up when he wants something.”
Mr. Hampton laughed again. “He doesn’t give up when he wants to do something fun or if he wants to be with a woman. That’s about all of the dedication he can provide.”
The conversation was interrupted by the buzzer for halftime. Erin and the rest of the people in the VIP lounge cheered. Some people drew Calvin aside for conversation, and that was the end of the discussion about Will’s abilities as a basketball coach someday. After halftime they focused on the game.
When the game ended, Erin stayed with Kelly and Calvin as they traveled to one of the smaller jazz lounges, where they’d meet Will. He’d told her earlier that the team had already approved this outing since he’d be with his family.
With each passing second, she grew more nervous and agitated. The time for the truth had come. She had to tell Kelly and Calvin about her and Will, yet she couldn’t summon the words. She wanted Will there with her, so they could present a united front. She couldn’t handle their looks of disbelief, or worse, pity, because she’d fallen into the trap. She and Will were serious. They’d have to get used to it.
She glanced at Kelly at the bar. Sipping on a drink and flirting with a guy while Mr. Hampton signed autographs at the other end of the bar. What if Kelly thought she’d betrayed their friendship by not telling her up front? She wasn’t ashamed about being with Will. There was no reason why she shouldn’t tell her best friend.
“Kelly, I need to tell you something,” Erin sai
d.
Kelly glanced over her shoulder at Erin. “Now? I’m kind of busy.” She motioned her head toward the guy.
“Well, this is kinda important.”
The volume of conversation at the door increased. The air buzzed with an electric heat. He was there.
Erin turned, and her gaze connected with Will’s. The corner of his sexy mouth lifted, and a joyous light sparked in his midnight eyes. Erin bit her lower lip, but that didn’t stop her own smile from taking over.
Bypassing the women trying to get his attention and the men holding up their hands for a high five, he came straight to her. The grin on his face bigger than she’d ever seen. His stride purposeful. All because he’d seen her.
She didn’t have time to think about how his focus on her might look to others. She was caught up by his apparent happiness to see her. The questions about their relationship were irrelevant. She wanted to be with this man. He wanted to be with her. That was all that mattered.
Will strode right up to her, swept her into his arms, and kissed her in front of everyone in the nightclub.
* * *
“So how long has this been going on?” Calvin’s concerned voice asked.
After the initial shock of him kissing Erin in the middle of the party, his dad had maneuvered them to their VIP section. There wasn’t much time before fans, other celebrities and guys who’d played with his dad eventually invaded their VIP section. He was usually excited about the attention he and his father got when they were in a room together. One of the league’s best players and his superstar father. Not today. The distractions would prevent him from making his point. He was ready to try to have what his parents had before his mother’s death.
Will wrapped his arms around Erin’s stiff shoulders. They sat next to each other on one of the leather couches. His dad and Kelly sat on the other. His dad’s expression was a mixture of shock and concern. Kelly, on the other hand, simmered with silent fury. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest.
“A few months now,” Will answered.
Kelly’s eyes widened. “Months?” She turned betrayed eyes on Erin. “You told me there was nothing going on between you two. That there wouldn’t be anything between you.”
He didn’t think it was possible, but Erin got stiffer. “There wasn’t. This hasn’t been going on for months. Not really.” Erin focused on his dad as if she couldn’t bear the accusation in Kelly’s eyes. “Will and I connected with each other about two months ago, but it wasn’t until yesterday that we made the decision to be together.”
“Yesterday?” Kelly seemed to choke on the words. “I asked you what was going on yesterday and you said nothing. You lied to me.”
Erin scooted forward on the chair. “I didn’t lie.”
Kelly held up a hand when Erin started to speak again. She grunted and turned her head away. The pained look on Erin’s face brought the first feelings of guilt to Will. He didn’t regret being with Erin, but he would regret if this decision came between her and Kelly.
His dad shook his head. “So yesterday you two decided it was time to be a couple. Son, what are you doing?”
Calvin asked the words as if Will had said he was quitting football to pursue a career selling ice to polar bears. As if Will couldn’t be trusted to make a sensible decision. Will’s cheeks heated. He hated when his dad talked to him that way, because it almost always made Will question his decisions. Maybe he couldn’t get better grades. Maybe he wasn’t focused enough to lead a team.
“Do you have a problem with me being with Erin?” Will asked.
His dad’s doubt about Will’s ability to take something seriously wasn’t as surprising as his dad’s apparent concern about Will and Erin being together. Erin was like family. He knew his dad loved, respected and admired Erin almost as much as his own children. When Kelly had shown no interest in basketball but was best friends with a girl who loved the game, his dad had welcomed her into the fold. Will had expected his dad to be happy about the news. Happy to see Will with a “good girl” with a “smart head” on her shoulders, as he’d always described her.
“Of course I don’t have a problem with Erin,” Calvin said, affronted. “You know Erin is like family.”
“Then what is the problem?”
“I’m concerned because I do care about Erin. Are you both sure you know what you’re doing?” Calvin’s worried gaze snapped to Erin. “Erin, you’re a smart woman with a lot going for you. You deserve to be with someone who’ll appreciate you.”
Erin sucked in a breath. Her body stilled, and she jerked back. The words were like a kick to the balls.
Someone who would appreciate her? He did appreciate her.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Will asked before Erin could respond. He didn’t bother to conceal the anger in his voice. “What makes you think I won’t appreciate her?”
“Will, come on, we both know you’re nowhere close to being ready to settle down.” The words slid off Calvin’s tongue as easily as he rattled off basketball statistics. Confident and without a hint of doubt.
“I’m not asking him to settle down,” Erin said quickly.
“Then you’re okay with him seeing other women?” Calvin countered.
Erin shook her head. “No.”
“I know my son. He’s not ready to be in a committed relationship.”
“I am when it comes to Erin. I know what I’m doing,” Will cut in, defending himself. “You weren’t much older than me when you met and married mom. You didn’t hesitate to step up and be the man she wanted you to be. You said you knew the instant you met her that she was the one.”
“That is true, but you’ve known Erin all of your life. You’ve had years to step up and be with her. Now you’re caught up in the newness of a ‘connection’ and you’re ready to say the woman you’ve ignored for years is suddenly the right woman for you. I’m sorry, but I’m having a hard time buying it.”
Erin placed a hand on Will’s stiff knee. She squeezed lightly and looked from his dad to his sister. “I know this is a shock. I know this is going to take some adjustment, but I believe Will. I trust him. Because he’s known me for years I believe he also respects me. He wouldn’t say he wanted to be with me if it wasn’t true.”
Warmth spread through Will’s chest. She trusted him. He’d worried after leaving her today she’d change her mind or wonder if she’d made the right decision. Instead she gave him something more than just a defense against his family’s concerns—she gave him her trust. Something he never wanted to violate.
“Kelly, please don’t be angry with me,” Erin pleaded. “This won’t change anything between us. You’re still my best friend and always will be.”
“Even if he breaks your heart?” Kelly shot back.
“No matter what happens between me and Will, I know his actions have nothing to do with yours. I’m going into this with my eyes wide open.”
His dad studied them again, then shrugged. “I’ve said my piece. You both are adults and can make your own decisions. If you’re happy we’re happy.” He looked at Kelly. “Aren’t we?”
Kelly rarely argued with their dad. Will saw how much she wanted to keep up the fight, but Calvin had deemed this battle over. Will knew they had a long way before he won the war.
Kelly slowly uncrossed her arms and sighed. “Fine.” She glared at Will. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Erin spoke up first. “Come on, Kelly. I don’t want to lose my best friend over this.”
Kelly’s face softened when she focused on Erin. “Neither do I.”
Erin nodded toward the bar. “Let’s get a drink, okay?”
Will knew that was code for “let’s leave the guys behind and talk.” Kelly nodded and stood. Will rubbed Erin’s back. She squeezed his knee again. Silently telling him she had this. Then stood.
&
nbsp; He watched them walk away. Noticed how several of the men in the club had their eyes on them. He’d noticed that before. The way his sister and Erin drew the eyes of men. He’d always felt protective of them both. Always kept an eye out to step in if a guy got out of line, though typically both women were more than able to handle themselves.
This was the first time he’d felt a whisper of jealousy. A possessiveness he wasn’t used to. Not in a way that made him want to walk with Erin and push off any guy who turned her way, but a new strange feeling that Erin was his to protect now. Guys could look all they want, but at the end of the day she would return to him. He liked the feeling.
“You do look like you’ve got it bad.” His dad’s voice broke into his thoughts.
“What do you mean?”
“The way you’re looking at her. It’s different.”
“Different how?”
His dad grinned and leaned back in his chair with his arms spread over the back. “You think I haven’t noticed the way you looked at Erin like you wanted a piece of her?”
Prickles of heat darted along his cheeks and neck. He’d never been embarrassed to talk about sex with his dad. His dad had given him “the talk” early and with no sugarcoating. The idea of his dad knowing he’d checked Erin out over the years was embarrassing. He’d thought he’d hidden those feelings.
“I didn’t think anyone noticed.”
Calvin laughed. “Son, I see everything. I noticed, but you’ve got a little bit more than lust in your eye tonight. Just remember what I taught you. Let her down easy. Make her think it’s her idea when you’re ready to move on. I like Erin, and I don’t want you to break her heart too bad.”
Before he could answer that he didn’t plan to break her heart at all, two veteran ballplayers came over to talk and catch up with his dad. Within minutes their spot was the place to be, and Will was caught up in the stories of what it was like when they’d played “real ball” before ballplayers got soft. He let the conversation with his dad drift to the back of his mind to be dealt with later.