“So… where are we at?” she asked, the flush on her face making me even more excited.
“We are somewhere,” I answered cryptically, opening the door with my good hand. “Come on, get out.” I climbed out of the car and waited for her to round it before I grabbed her hand, guiding her to an impressive but quaint storefront near the car.
“Before I show you why I brought you here, I want you to know that I know you aren’t in this relationship for my wealth or what you can squeeze out me. I know you aren’t like that.”
“Oookay... ”
“But at the same time, I wanted to make your dreams come true. So here’s your engagement present, babe.” I spun her around to face the building.
She looked at the storefront and then at me, not connecting the dots at first. Then, realization dawned in her expression and she brought a shaky hand up to her mouth, tears forming in her eyes.
“I know I ruined your career and your dreams by dumping Crystal and not allowing everyone to see your talent,” I said softly as she stared at the storefront. “And I want to make it up to you. This is yours if you care to take it on. I would be perfectly fucking happy to have you do nothing, but something tells me that’s just not you.”
I leaned down and brushed a tear away that was escaping down her cheek, my gut twisting. I hoped I hadn’t overstepped my boundaries, but after hearing her dreams, I knew I had been the major key player in her losing her job—hell, she’d told me as much how many goddamn times. And while we had worked out what we were to each other romantically, I would still regret ruining her professional career.
The day I bought her the ring, I purchased the building as well, in hopes that even if she turned my ass down with the ring, she would still have a pretty sweet parting gift. But I wasn’t going to let her get away that easy… I would fight for her till I had no more breath to give.
“Oh my god,” she breathed, looking up at me. “Connor, I don’t know what to say.”
“Just say ‘yes’ and ‘thank you’,” I grinned. “And before you say anything, I fully intend for you to pay me back one day… in kisses.” She laughed and brushed my fingers over her cheek before threading them through her hand. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
“You know, this really puts the pressure on me to get you a gift now,” she said, the shock still in her voice as we approached the building.
I produced the key and pressed it into her palm with a satisfied grin on my face. “Babe, I already have all I need in you.”
36
Three Months Later
APRIL
I took a deep breath, wishing I didn’t have this sick feeling in my stomach on this beautiful day. Today of all days!
“Are you okay, April? You look a little pale.”
Pasting on a smile, I turned to Polly, reaching out to rub her protruding belly. “I’m fine. What about you, do you need to sit down?”
She shook her head, her hand touching her stomach protectively. “I’m good, the baby is doing summersaults, but I’ll be okay.” In three months she had become a dear friend to me as well as Jay. When they had announced that they were expecting and asked if we would be the godparents, I thought Connor was going to burst with pride, already plotting on how he was going to help raise the little football player.
Jay had argued that it could be a girl but Connor had given that handsome grin of his and predicted it was going to be a boy. In the end, he was right. Little Lucas would make an appearance right before spring practice was to start.
Realizing she was still looking at me with concern on her face, I sighed, fidgeting with the end of my long veil. “It’s just that this day is so unbelievably perfect, I don’t want anything to ruin it.”
“You’re afraid he’s not going to be here, aren’t you?” she asked gently, laying a hand on my arm. “Honey, I promise you, he will be there. Not even the Super Bowl could keep him away.”
I shook my head. “It’s not that. I’m not worried about him running. He’s going to be there waiting for me at the end of the aisle,” I said with a confident smile. After all we’d been through, I had absolutely no doubts about that whatsoever.
Polly raised an eyebrow, “Then what is it?”
I turned back to the dressing table, and looked at her through the reflection of the mirror, trying to keep control of the smile that wanted to escape. I felt like I was about to burst. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
My eyes trailed down my neck to the dress I had so carefully picked out for my wedding day. It was still hard to believe that I was about to be married to Connor. The last three months had been some of the best of my life, spending my days working on promoting my business and working with some pretty high society clients, including Connor’s own ex-fiancée, who was marrying some rich baseball player in a few months.
We had buried the hatchet per se and I knew she wasn’t worried about me stealing that groom away from her at least. My love for Connor was written all over my face, today and every day. I loved the man to distraction. He had been working hard to get his shoulder up to snuff for the next season and I was looking forward to seeing him in his suit without his sling. We’d gotten pretty creative with our sex life around his shoulder injury.
With a grin on my face, I turned back to Polly. “I think I’m ready.”
She gave me a quick hug and exited the room, leaving me to have a few moments to myself. I’d been surprised when Connor had suggested we get married in the same church my parents had, thinking that he would want some crazy Hollywood affair like before. It spoke volumes of the significance of having my own wedding day here, feeling my parents’ spirits with me as I had gotten ready. “Wish you both could be here, but I’ve really found him, like you always said I would,” I said softly to the empty room. “And I’m not giving him back.”
Connor was the soulmate I had been looking for and no one could have predicted the way I would have found him. He was my everything and in my heart, I knew he felt the same. Connor told me every day that he loved me, showed me in more ways than one. It was in his grin when he kissed me, his longing stare, and most of all in the way he made love to me with so much tenderness that I thought my heart would explode if the feelings got any stronger.
I took an encouraging breath and steadied myself against the vanity, imagining my dad beside me. His spirit would give me the strength I needed to take this final step, to give all my love to Connor.
The music drifted into the room and I picked up the bouquet of flowers, stepping to the door.
This was it.
CONNOR
Fuck.
This was it.
The music swelled and I cleared my throat, feeling the rush of emotion well up in my chest as I waited to see April.
My April, who was about to be my wife.
It still was a surprise. The last three months hadn’t been like anything I had ever experienced before. I thought the honeymoon had been great, but nothing could have prepared me for living day to day with the love of my life.
And more times than not I had found myself reaching for her in my sleep, so scared that it wasn’t reality. But every morning she greeted me with love in her eyes, and I couldn’t have ever asked for anything else. I loved her even more than football!
When I had suggested this little church chapel that her parents had gotten married in, right down to the sun reflecting off the lake like she had planned before, I thought she would never stop crying, but it had warmed my heart to see her so happy. Everything about her perfect wedding was about to happen, except the groom was different and it was a man who loved her so damn much it scared the shit out of him.
I couldn’t even imagine my life without her in it, and I would do anything to make her happy, anything at all. She was never going to feel anything but love from me, though maybe a little bit of irritation as well. I could be a dumbass from time to time. But at least it would make for great make-up sex!
The doors opened and my bre
ath caught in my throat as she started down the aisle. I didn’t think it was possible but a tear formed in my eye at the sight of her.
She was breathtaking, dressed in a white gown that was covered in lace, two straps the only things on her lickable shoulders. Her veil was long, her hair down framing her face, and I laughed as I noticed the pair of white sneakers peeking out from under her dress.
She had balked at heels, saying she hadn’t wanted to make an ass of herself in front of the cameras. I still couldn’t believe April wanted them; it had been all her idea, though I would’ve been perfectly content to have the day completely our own. But it was a thought she’d had, one that took flight and had actually worked out pretty damn well. Inviting some select media to join us on our special day got rid of all the party crashing and we had received some pretty sweet perks by having them there.
Tonight we would fly back to the place where it all started, compliments of one of the magazines we had picked to run a full spread on our wedding and the reception to follow. The guys on the team were also all in attendance in the small church, the coach just a few feet away giving me a wink. Jay was at my side, the only man I wanted to have stand up with me since he had been a major key player in this relationship. I couldn’t believe he was going to be a father soon but I couldn’t wait to see little Lucas in a few months. Hell, I couldn’t wait to start making my own kids.
April reached my side and I fought the urge to take her into my arms. She looked so damn beautiful and I couldn’t believe that she was about to be mine, all mine. Me, Mr. ‘unable to commit to a proper adult relationship’ was about to throw down the gauntlet and jump off the cliff… and straight into April’s arms.
The officiant started his words but I couldn’t take my eyes off her, giving her a grin as she looked at me expectantly. “I was right. You didn’t run,” she whispered.
“Hell no, not a chance,” I answered, taking her hand in mine. “And I will never run, ever again.”
The officiant cleared his throat and we both looked at him sheepishly, the entire church bursting out into laughter. “May I continue or would you like to say your vows another day?”
“Sorry,” I said with a laugh, looking back at April’s shining eyes. “Please, make me this woman’s husband and pronto.” She giggled and I felt that burst of pride in my chest.
This was all I needed in life. She was all I needed.
Epilogue
APRIL
I sighed in contentment as we lay in the bed, the gentle breeze cooling our warm bodies. It was hard to believe we were back in paradise, together, as a real honeymooning couple this time. The wedding had gone off without a hitch and the reception had too, the happiest day of my life coming true.
“What are you sighing about?” Connor asked, his chest rumbling under my cheek. “Did I not give it to you good?”
I raised my head and saw his cheeky grin, the corners of my lips moving to match. Since our plane had landed six hours ago, we had done it once in the water under the hut, sheltered by the dock, twice in the shower, and once in the bed. That didn’t count the quickie in the limo as it took us from the reception to the airport. I didn’t think I would be walking anytime soon with my legs as shaky as they were feeling at the moment. But I couldn’t get enough. I would never get enough of my husband. “Which time?”
“Well,” he started, his hand coming up to cup my face. “I would say all of them were damn equal, but we are really gonna have to wait for another. I gotta recharge, babe.”
The band of his ring caught my eye and I couldn’t help but feel the need to pinch myself to make sure this was all real. He was actually wearing it. I never really expected him to wear it. But he had insisted, saying that he wanted the entire world, like they didn’t know already, to know that he was taken and damn happy. “The only time I won’t wear it will be during a game,” he had said. “But it will be on your finger then until I ask for it back.”
I lay my head on his chest and allowed my fingers to trail over his abs idly. “So Mr. Haden, what do you have lined up for us this time? You know our ‘first’ honeymoon was pretty damn awesome.”
He chuckled and hugged me to him. “I was thinking a couples massage is definitely in order later on. I would like a repeat performance of our last one on the beach, but with a more explosive ending, Mrs. Haden. I hear that marriage sex is way fucking better than engaged sex.”
I giggled and kissed his chest, happiness welling up in my chest. “I love you.”
“Babe, I love you too,” he said drowsily. I grinned then, rising up to look at him one more time.
“Hey, I got something to tell you.”
“What’s that?” he asked, his eyes closed, his hand stroking my back softly.
“Well, you know how we’re going to be godparents in a few months?”
His eye popped open and he looked at me, a grin on his handsome face. “I’m going to spoil that kid rotten. Jay doesn’t know what he has done.”
“Well,” I started, rubbing little circles on his chest. “Save some spoiling for our own baby, okay?”
I watched as his grin faded a little, surprise replacing the look on his face, sitting up so fast that I thought he was going to throw me off of the bed. He gripped my arms lightly and crushed me to his chest before pulling me back to look into my eyes. “Are you fucking serious?”
I thought about the two pregnancy tests I had taken the day before the wedding, and the missed period that probably wasn’t going to rear its ugly head for about seven or eight months. “I’m pretty sure.”
Connor leaned down and tenderly kissed me, surprising me as I saw the shine of tears in his eyes. “Hot damn, I can’t believe I’m gonna be a father. It’s the start to our own football team. And if she’s a girl, well hell, we’ll have our first female quarterback in professional football.”
“Let’s give the baby a month or two before we start showing him or her the football, or at least let me have the chance to corrupt the little bug to be a Battle Hawks fan,” I giggled, teasing him, though I was glad for his enthusiasm. He was going to make an wonderful father.
“You wouldn’t dare,” he said and tickled me into submission.
We had briefly talked about kids, but when I saw the positive test, I wondered whether or not he might think it was a bit too early for us. Surprise, I was wrong again.
The man never ceased to amaze me. He released me from his tickling onslaught and pulled me close until I could hear the rapid beating of his heart, enjoying the circle of his arms.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better wedding present… I feel like I’m going to burst, April. I’m going to do everything to make you and our baby proud of me. I’m going to love you both till you can’t stand it,” he said, kissing me again and again and rubbing a hand over my stomach.
And I had to agree, this was the sweet cherry on top, the winning touchdown; me and him, our love for one another, and our future family growing within my belly. It was all I’d ever dreamed of, and it was a lifelong game changer.
The End
Don’t miss out! Sign up to my Mailing List to receive two FREE ebooks, including Watching Her, exclusively available to my subscribers!
The Playbook
Available for FREE from all eBook retailers
Jacob
She shook her pompoms right in my face and giggled. I was loving every minute of it, catching her nipples and sucking them into my mouth with a greedy slurp at every swinging opportunity. Lovely. Dark and ripe, with a nub that was just begging to be nibbled on.
This was how stars were meant to be treated. And too right, I was a fucking star. Bring on the women, the sex, the alcohol when the coach wasn’t looking, not to mention the adoring fans who would be waiting for my arrival. But I wouldn’t make the same mistake I made the last time—this time I’d do it right. I’d concentrate on my game… the rest? They would be my side courses; tasters that I would indulge in occasionally.
But who c
ould say no to a little indulgence right now? Especially when the cheerleader was just begging me to devour her right there in the limo.
The tiny uniform top had been stretched to the max up and over her cleavage, revealing the glorious view that swung before me. Her tits wildly batted my stubble-flecked cheeks as I buried my face between them.
This was heaven.
It didn’t top scoring a winning touchdown, but it came awfully close.
I couldn’t tell you her name—or the other one’s, for that matter. The second cheerleader had stripped herself bare as soon as I’d climbed into the limo and was lying upon the long leather seat directly opposite. Without taking her eyes off me she strummed a finger over her glistening clit as she watched her playmate dry-hump me. If I was being truthful, I didn’t really care about finding out their names, and I doubted either of them gave a fuck. Especially considering the way Juggs here ground her pussy against me. She was fucking ready for it. Eager and very willing. Who could blame her? I was Jacob Maddox. I was hot fucking stuff.
Straddled across my lap, Juggs pressed her knees into the soft leather of the limo’s back seats, and I cupped her ass to bring her closer. Her tight—and no doubt already drenched—gym shorts rubbed hard against my straining cock.
“We’re getting close I think. We might have to be quick,” I moaned as her pussy took another torturous pass over the bulge in my pants.
“But I don’t want it to be quick, Jakey,” she said with a cherry-lipped pout. The nickname she assigned me grated on my nerves, but I pushed it away and concentrated on her more appealing qualities instead.
The plan to arrive in a limo with cheerleaders on my arms was a pure media stunt put on by the team’s PR department. I think they did it with every player, married or not. Why they thought it was a good idea, I didn’t know… but I wasn’t thinking straight at that stage anyway. All I had on my mind was sinking myself deep into not one but both of these gifts they’d so generously given me.
Bad Boy's Wedding Page 19