PASS INTERFERENCE (Gods of the Gridiron Book 3)

by Shanna Swenson

  “Veda, please dinna threaten our guests,” Kathleen cooed as if this were commonplace—Veda pointing a knife at their dinner guests. “Especially at the dinner table. Manners.”

  Veda put the knife down, but the daggers shooting from her eyes were still just as sharp. Pax looked down.

  “Mr. Guthrie, we do appreciate what ye’ve done thus far. Rebecca loved her job and at least that’s been repaired. Once the announcement comes tomorrow, her life will be closer to normal.”

  “Ha!” Veda laughed around a bite of meatballs. “Her life will never be normal again, Mam. Even long after this engagement is over, she’ll be hounded by cameras. But I bet lover boy here didn’t even bother to consider that, now did he?”

  Damn, this chick was ruthless. Untrusting, cutthroat, cynical.

  “Vey, please?” Becca whispered and gave her sister a look. “Pax is doing the best he can with an unfortunate situation. I’m not innocent in this either.”

  “Pax, huh? All comfy cozy, eh? Well, he might have you two snowed, but not me. I see this for exactly what it is and hopefully, the media doesn’t pick up the scent too. I can smell bullshit a mile away and this asshole reeks of it.” Veda slammed down her fork and stood, throwing her napkin in her chair and huffing off down the back hallway.

  Kathleen smiled over at Paxton then, a sad, regretful smile. “You’ll have to forgive me eldest daughter. She’s always been the feistier of the two and overly protective of her family, ever since her father left us.”

  Oh, wow! Becca’s father had left, too? He hadn’t known that.

  “It’s quite alright. I do understand. But please know that I have no intentions of not making good on my promise. I will be there tomorrow. I will make the announcement with you by my side, Rebecca,” he nodded to Becca with certainty, “and I will continue to carry this out, for as long as it takes to give you your life back.” He tried to push his conviction into both their eyes. “It’s the least I can do.”

  Rebecca and her mother both gave him a big smile then, and the three of them finished their dinner.

  Kathleen took the dirty plates away, insisting Becca and Pax needed to get “acquainted” and that she didn’t mind cleaning up since Becca had cooked.

  Becca led him out of the apartment and down to a little courtyard out back. It overlooked a small pond with a fountain, stone-paved walkways, and benches and was nicely landscaped with green grass, trees, and various flowerbeds and bushes.

  “This is nice,” Pax stated as he took her hand, and they sat on one of the benches.

  “It’s where I come to read sometimes when I need a break from Veda and Mam.”

  “She’s hardcore, huh?” It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know he was referring to Becca’s cynical twin sister.

  “Oh, you have no idea,” she stated truthfully. “She scares me sometimes.”

  The way she said that made Pax gulp instead of laugh. He hadn’t doubted that Veda would make good on her promise to castrate him.

  “I really am sorry for all this.”

  “Don’t be. I’m the one who asked you to kiss me.”

  “And I’m the one who pulled you onto my lap,” Pax stated with regret. Although the kiss had been freaking incredible, and he longed to do it again.

  “Still, you didn’t—”

  “I shouldn’t have.”

  When their eyes sought one another’s, he saw sadness in hers and moved his hand up to her cheek. “I regret ruining your name, Becca, but I don’t regret our kiss. You need to know that.” Her alabaster cheeks reddened, and she glanced down. Paxton smiled. “Speaking of, maybe we should practice for our announcement tomorrow. The media will expect a display, and we need to make it look like we’re a happy couple and all.”

  Becca licked her lips and the little pink rosebuds shone beneath the flood light above them, beckoning to him. He moved in, without hesitation. He felt her breast against his pec as she leaned into him. His hand moved to cup her face—God, it was so small in his hand—and his lips brushed hers. The moan that escaped him was feral and hungry, and he longed to feed that beast with the sweet honey that oozed from every pore of Rebecca Ryan’s milky white skin. Her mouth opened to his as he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss.

  Her hand moved to his chest, and he was assaulted by waves of rolling desire. She gripped his shirt and moaned in turn, making his dick jump in response. Holy fuck, he wanted to feel her, every inch of her, taste her bare flesh, enter her and see if she felt as wonderful as the kisses he’d taken from her thus far had.

  His tongue plunged in—since his cock was clothed and couldn’t—and he took more, but only what she was giving him, which wasn’t enough for his starving lust. He groaned as her tongue stroked across his own, her passion matching his as her hand moved up to cup his face, moving into his mane. “Mmm, Pax,” she murmured as she pulled back just enough for a breath, her sultry lips hovering just a hair from his own.

  The sounds of footsteps brought him back to reality, and Paxton pulled back to see if they were about to be ambushed by the paparazzi. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw a jogger running on the path in front of them.

  “Damn, Becca… you taste like Heaven, angel.”

  Becca blushed again and it turned him on like nobody’s business. He bet she would be a shy lover and that thought made his cock grow even harder. What the fuck is wrong with me? he thought. But knew it was because he’d been with many women over the years that were at the opposite end of the spectrum than Rebecca was: well-experienced, or “loose women” as his uncle would say. He’d never been with anyone as timid as Becca, and the thoughts of possessing a woman as sweet and soft and stunning as Rebecca Ryan made him ravenous.

  As her green eyes burned licking, hot desire into him, he tried to calm his pounding heart and aching loins. He barely knew her, and they had to be careful here, especially out in public; they’d both learned the hard way about what being reckless and irresponsible did. Pax looked around, feeling unguarded, and Rebecca frowned.

  “Sorry,” he said, “I just don’t want another camera crew raining on our parade.” He cupped her cheek and gave her a reassuring smile. “You’re so beautiful, you know that?”

  Becca shook her head. “No, Veda’s the beautiful one. I’m just plain.”

  “Yeah, I think I’ll pass. She’s got serial killer vibes.”

  Becca gave a hearty laugh, and it was music to his soul; he returned it.

  “She’s really got a huge heart underneath that tough exterior, I swear.”

  “Yeah, I bet most can’t get past that first layer though.”

  “She’s guarded. After Pa left, she hasn’t let anyone close again.”

  “And what about you?”

  “No one has ever wanted to get close to me. I’m intimidating too, but in a different way. I guess I’m too smart or nerdy or…”

  “Or nothing. You’re as inviting as an open book into a fantasy world.”

  “You read fantasy?” She looked up at him in awe.

  “Well, I don’t read much of anything to be honest. I play Skyrim though and I love to watch movies and shows, Game of Thrones is one of my faves. Oh, I’ve been watching Outlander, by the way.”

  “It’s great, right?”

  “It is. Heartbreaking in parts though, I had to take a break after Episode 15.”

  “Oh yes. That was rough.”

  “Randall is like the worst villain ever.”

  Rebecca cringed. “For sure.” She turned serious then, her thumb stroking across his cheekbone as she stared back into his eyes, making him shiver. “For what it’s worth, Paxton, I sincerely appreciate everything you’ve done. Maybe one day my sister will be grateful for it too.”

  “It’s alright. I understand her reservations. I would feel the same way. Although, I don’t have any siblings to be protective of, myself.”

  “It has it’s pros and cons,” Becca smirked, “but I love her so much and having a twin is a rewarding exper
ience. We can read each other sometimes, I swear, and feel the others’ hearts.”

  “So, I’ve heard. It’s quite a phenomenon.”

  Becca nodded her head in agreement.

  “This is nice,” Pax stated, rubbing his fingers over Rebecca’s forearm and looking at her swollen lips.

  “I have to admit, I’m not regretting spending extra time with you. It’s a treat.”

  Pax grinned. “Perks of engagement.”

  They sat still and quiet for a time, listening to the fountain and the sounds of the October evening. Pax pulled Rebecca into his arms, settling her head in the crook of his shoulder, her side against his chest, his arm draping over her tiny frame. It felt good to have her there propped against him, her warm body intimately pressing into his. Her hair smelled delicious, like lilacs and honey, and her stroking of his arm made him shiver with a million sensations he couldn’t describe.

  He knew it was getting late when Rebecca yawned.

  He smiled. “Well, I’d better go. I’ll come get you tomorrow morning. I’ve called for a press release at nine.”

  “Thank you again, Pax.”

  “No thanks necessary. I’m glad it was something I could fix. You should be able to live your life without my fame interfering, and I won’t be satisfied until you do.”

  He walked her to her door and leaned against the jamb as he bid her a goodnight.

  “Sleep well, fiancée.”

  She grinned and leaned into him. Her lips puckered, and he groaned as he took them eagerly, cupping her small face in his hands. He kissed her with a passion that exposed his vulnerability. When he pulled back, he knew this was going to be difficult for him—leaving her.

  “See you tomorrow.” He winked and moved out of the door frame.

  As he got to his car, his heart felt like it might explode.

  He had a fake fiancée, he had a fake engagement to pull off, and he had real feelings for the historian that he’d had only one date with.

  He was in some serious trouble.

  CHAPTER SIX

  The lights of thousands of cameras flashed all around them as Paxton pulled Rebecca to his side. She could do nothing but smile, abject fear tearing at her tender heart.

  He’d just announced their engagement to the media, stating he’d proposed the night of their date in the gondola of the Ferris wheel—thus prompting the reaction of him and his “fiancée.” And they bought the hoax, it would seem.

  Questions flew all around them:

  “How long have you two been together?”

  “How long have you known Mr. Guthrie?”

  “When do you plan to wed?”

  The one Pax responded to was, “So, you sabotaged the charity date raffle, Mr. Guthrie?”

  “Sabotage is a strong word. No, I did no such thing. I set it up with the organizer to select Rebecca’s name from the box. After all, you can’t really go out on a date with someone else when you already have a serious girlfriend. Well, not if you wanna keep said girlfriend.” Pax chuckled and gave that charming smile that the cameras couldn’t seem to get enough of. He rocked Rebecca against his side and kissed the top of her head. “ACH was very generous to hide my secret well. Rebecca here had no idea. I was trying to do something incredibly romantic, but it seemed to only backfire in our faces.”

  “And why would you need to keep your relationship a secret, Paxton?” A blonde reporter in a vibrant red dress, matching lips, and heels asked.

  Oh, here we go, Becca thought and gulped.

  “I didn’t need to keep it a secret. After all, what do I have to hide with this beautiful little dame here? I was simply attempting to keep her anonymity, at her own request. She doesn’t enjoy the spotlight quite like yours truly here does.” Pax chuckled again.

  More rambling and another round of questions came, for which Pax’s manager, Kenny, stepped in.

  Pax was finally able to pull her with him to a limo then, shoving her in.

  “Fucking hell,” he grumbled and planted his face in his hands. “They’re vultures.”

  His reaction matched her own. “Do you think it worked?”

  “I certainly hope so. I don’t know what to do otherwise.”

  They sat quietly and watched as the throng moved outside along with Kenny, who opened the door and slid in in a flash. “Fuck, dude.”

  “Did it work?”

  “I’m not certain. We’ll see the headlines soon enough though. You’ve spent quite enough money on this little venture of yours.” Kenny’s brown eyes burned back at Pax’s, making Rebecca uncomfortable.

  “My money is my business,” Pax grumbled, annoyed, before asking, “What did you say?”

  “I said the ‘happy couple’ would be spending time together at ‘their’ home.”

  “You what?” Pax retorted loudly.

  “Pax, how can you convince them you’re together—and soon to be wed—if you aren’t even living together?”

  “Wait. Pax, I can’t—”

  Pax held a hand up at Rebecca, stilling her words. “Now, just a second, Ken. Why would you say something like that?”

  “Because I’m trying to salvage the damage you’ve done here.” Ken’s brows shot to his high forehead. “If you have a better idea on how to handle this, tell me.”

  Pax huffed and looked over to Rebecca, who pulled her lips in.

  “It’s just temporary, right?” Ken suggested. “I’ll go grab a bag of Rebecca’s things, and she can stay with you for a few days at least. Be seen coming to your house, be seen out with you. You can’t just make an announcement this big, go your separate ways, and expect people to believe you.”

  He was right. Of course he was.

  “Your house is plenty big enough for you to keep your separate spaces if that’s what you want.”

  “I need to go to work, Paxton,” Becca interceded.

  Paxton nodded to her and took her hand, signaling for the driver to head to the museum.

  “Your friends and family need to believe this too, if you’re to pull it off. All you need is to have someone get pissed off at you. Then they head to the media and tell them you’ve both lied to save your asses. Better to just lie to them now and stage a big ‘break up’ later.”

  Pax looked to Rebecca for answers. “Your family already knows, but I can tell my people whatever you want me to. I just want you to have your life back, Rebecca. I did this.”

  Becca shook her head. “No, Pax, we did this. You weren’t the only one.” She took the hand he reached out to her and squeezed it. “Let’s be as believable as possible.”

  “Alright. I’ll come pick you up after work, and you’ll stay with me for a few days until we can figure out what to do next.”

  Becca nodded and sat silently, mulling things over as they rode to the Atlanta Museum of Natural History.

  When they pulled up, Pax got out and opened her door for her, taking her hand and pulling her in for a kiss. “I’ll pick you up at five.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered against his lips. She gave him a smile and kissed him again, savoring it for he tasted so good. She was reeling from his closeness, from his magnitude, from this surreal experience. Despite that the high drama of their situation had been completely chaotic, having this time with him was unlike anything she’d ever known was possible.

  He was grinning as he reluctantly let her go, and she moved away, up the steps, and into the museum.

  How the hell was she going to break the news to her sister that she was going to go live with Paxton?

  “You’re kidding, right?” Quil asked through the phone as Pax moved to the fridge, making sandwiches for lunch. “You’re freaking engaged? That’s loco!”

  “Secret’s out, bud… Surprise!” Pax tried to sound as genuine as possible. Doing so over the phone was easier than in person though, especially as suspicious as Quillan was.

  “I don’t believe it! You’re a playboy. The last one of us,” Trav practically yelled into the phone.

>   Great, Quil had him on speaker.

  “I’m glad to hear it, kid,” Linc said, and Pax could see him smiling through the phone.

  “Congrats, Pax,” Pax heard Brett mumble in the background.

  “Talk to your wife, man. Ask if she can let up on my sentencing. Give her some oral or…”

  Brett laughed. “She doesn’t even want me to look at her right now. I’d be better off giving her a foot rub or a massage.”

  “Hell, I’ll give her a foot rub if she’ll just end this suspension.” Pax sighed, missing his teammates and the game he adored.

  “I’ll put in a good word for you, bud. We miss you,” TJ said.

  “I miss you guys, too. I don’t like being home. It’s weird.” And he was getting bored in spite of playing GTA 5 for hours on end.

  “It’s only been a few days, you big baby,” Quil scoffed.

  “Yeah, when you get suspended for simply making out with a hot girl then we can talk, Hades.”

  “Hell, put your feet up and enjoy it,” Linc responded back.

  “Yeah, yeah, you know I’m itching to sack some QBs. You’re the same way.”

  “Well, when do we get to meet her?” Trav asked.

  “You guys wanna come over after practice tonight, and we’ll all have dinner together?” Tonight was as good a night as any, after all.

  He heard a couple, “Yeahs,” an, “I can’t tonight,” and Quil said, “Sure.”

  Just then, he heard Madi’s voice come on the line, “Pax?”

  “Hey, boss,” he cooed to the lovely yet commanding Madison McFadden.

  “We’ll talk tonight.”

  Great, what the hell did that mean?

  Rebecca rode in silence to Paxton’s house, reading his last text.

  Pax: I have a surprise for you tonight, if you’re up for it that is?

  She texted him back with: Of course.

  She admired the lovely road she was headed down, shaded by trees that hung over her head like a canopy—various shades of reds, oranges and golds as Autumn took the show with its unparalleled beauty. This was her favorite time of year and always had been. Autumns in the south were unpredictable in their temperatures. Sometimes it would be close to seventy degrees on Halloween, so a girl had to have a backup costume or one that was versatile. Not that Becca had worn a costume aside from for work in ages.