by Jaci Burton
“I’m so glad.”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, this time a long, lingering kiss that was warm and tender and made her want to cancel her appointments for the rest of the day so she could stay with him.
But she had a job to do. So she pulled away. “I’ve gotta go.”
“Yeah, me too. You’re coming to the game Sunday afternoon, right?”
“Of course. Mama and I wouldn’t miss it. And I expect you to slay the opponent.”
He grinned. “I intend to.”
She wanted to say the words. They hovered on the tip of her tongue. But she didn’t.
“I’ll see you later, Barrett.”
“Okay.”
Barrett headed back to his condo. He’d spent the past few days packing up the things he was going to take over to the house.
He was just about finished taping up all the boxes. As he looked over the condo, he realized he was not going to miss it. Especially after seeing the renovated new house.
Harmony had done a great job. From the art on the walls to the sheets on the bed, it was perfect, and just as he wanted it.
Now he just had to convince her to move in with him.
She was independent, and it was one of the things he loved about her. So she might not go for it.
First things first, though. He’d have to have that long-put-off conversation with Drake. Once that was out of the way, he could move forward with Harmony.
He wanted her in his life. In his bed. In his future.
He was in love with her. He didn’t want to spend any more nights without her.
He just had to get through this first preseason game, and have that talk with Drake.
And then he’d have a big conversation with Harmony about their future.
Thirty-Three
It was the first preseason game. Barrett always felt like he’d waited forever for the season to start. Now it was here, and he was damn ready for it.
Drake gave him a crooked smile as they dressed for the game. “Defense is gonna dominate today.”
“You know it.”
“Then we’re gonna take the season.”
Barrett was pumped, and he felt the adrenaline rush from his teammates.
They gathered for a team meeting and their coach gave them a pep talk, told them what to watch out for in terms of the other team’s defense and offense. Then it was time to take the field.
About damn time. Barrett had all this pent-up energy, and he was ready to expend it on some offensive players.
He had a feeling this was going to be a good game. And it was going to end in their favor.
As they waited in the tunnel, he thought about his family, always behind him. The Cassidys were a dynasty. Barrett was proud to be a part of that dynasty.
Tucker had been the first one to text him this morning to wish him luck, and then added: Not that you need it.
He’d smiled. Coming from Tucker, that had been one hell of a compliment, since they mostly insulted each other. But when it came to the sports they played, they always had each other’s backs when it was game time.
Flynn had his own first game today. San Francisco was playing Detroit on the road. Flynn had texted him last night and told him he’d better win and not besmirch the family name. That had made him laugh. He’d wished Flynn luck, too, and told him they were both going to kick ass.
Grant wouldn’t play until Monday night, a home game in St. Louis. Grant had texted him this morning as well. He told him he’d be watching the game on TV and he’d better not fuck up.
He loved his brothers. Pains in the asses, all of them, but he loved them all.
His parents had called him this morning to wish him luck. His little sister, Mia, had also called, kept the call short and said she’d be watching the game from one of the sports bars in her college town in Texas.
Harmony had called him first thing this morning. She’d had a late client meeting, so they hadn’t seen each other last night, and he had to be game ready anyway. But she’d called him, wished him luck and told him she’d be rooting for him and for Drake and the entire team.
Then she’d paused, as if there was something else she wanted to say. He’d waited, but then she said good luck again and she’d see him later.
He wondered what she had on her mind, but he put it aside. Game day was the only thing he needed to have on his mind today.
He was pumped and ready as he waited in the tunnel.
“Man, it seems like forever since we were in uniform,” Drake said.
“Right? I hate off-season. I’m ready for this shit to get real.”
“I’m down with you, brother,” Drake said, the two of them bumping fists.
The other guys around them slapped hands with them.
Their teammates were pumped up. They were all ready to get this season started.
First home game always gave Barrett goose bumps. Crowd noise was escalating as they were announced and ran out of the tunnel to the raucous cheers from the full stadium. It fueled his momentum as he and his teammates took the field.
Now it was time to get down to business.
After the coin toss, Tampa had the ball first, which meant Barrett would have to wait to take the field.
“Man, I hate this,” Drake said. “I mean, yeah, good for Zeman and crew. Let’s put some points up. But . . . ya know?”
Barrett read and fed off Drake’s anxiety and nodded. “I know, man. I know.”
They both paced the sidelines, watching the offense get started. Zeman marched his offense down the field. Running game got off the ground and Zeman connected on several short and long passes.
Receivers looked good. Backs looked solid. Offense ended up scoring seven on a short run from the six-yard line.
Outstanding.
Now it was their turn to show their stuff.
After the kickoff, Pittsburgh had a short ten-yard return. Tampa’s defense took the field.
They assumed a run and lined up for man coverage.
It was a run. Barrett hustled in to help with the tackles, and Tampa’s linebackers made the tackle after only three yards.
In the huddle, Barrett said, “He’s going to pass. I think he’s going to throw up a long one. Drake and I will go deep.”
He told the corners to play their receivers and the linebackers they needed to push hard on their blocks.
They got into position and at the snap, Barrett did what he’d been trained to do—he read the quarterback.
Gregson—Pittsburgh’s quarterback—dropped back and looked right, then threw long.
Barrett dug in and went after the receiver and the ball, knocking it out of the receiver’s hands just before the catch.
Incomplete.
The crowd roared its approval.
Pittsburgh went three and out without a first down, so they had to punt and Tampa got the ball back.
He and Drake made their way back to the sideline. Drake bumped fists with him.
“That’s how it’s done,” Drake said.
Barrett nodded.
That had been satisfying. Now they just had to keep on doing it.
Tampa didn’t score on their offensive series. On the next defensive series, Gregson threw on first down, this time caught by their tight end for a short gain. Tampa’s cornerback was right there on the tackle.
Pittsburgh managed to march down the field and got a couple of rushing first downs, but Tampa’s defense held them. Five minutes in, Tampa was still up seven to nothing.
Defense was looking solid. They had to keep Pittsburgh out of the end zone.
Barrett was going to make sure the defense made that happen.
Harmony came down the stairs, juggling drinks and snacks while simultaneously trying to watch the game. She scooted her way past the other patrons in her row, finally taking her seat next to Mama.
“Did I miss anything?” she asked, as she handed off a soda and hot dog to her mother.
“Drake batte
d down a pass,” Mama said, setting the hot dog in her lap. “Then Pittsburgh ran for eight yards and a first down.”
“Well, darn. Okay. But still no score, so that’s good.”
“Yeah.”
Harmony took a sip of her soda and set it in the cup holder, and was about to pick up her hot dog when Pittsburgh’s quarterback threw a pass. When Drake stepped in front of the receiver and intercepted the pass, she screamed.
So did Mama. So did the entire stadium. Drake took off in the opposite direction, heading for the goal line.
She held tight to her mother’s hand, hollering Drake’s name and mainly screaming as she watched her brother outrun the other team all the way into the end zone.
“Yes!” she yelled. “Oh, my God, yes!”
She finally caught her breath and sat down when their kicker came out to kick the extra point.
“That was amazing.” She turned and grinned at her mother, who grinned back like any proud mother would.
“It definitely was.”
They were seated in the family section, where they always sat, so Tina, one of the player’s wives, turned around and grasped Mama’s hand. “Oh, Diane, you must be so proud of Drake. We were all screaming.”
Mama laughed. “I was screaming, for sure.”
“Defense looks killer,” Tina said. “I know we’re still in the first quarter of the first preseason game, but I think we’re going to kick some serious butt this year.”
“I hope so,” Harmony said.
And it seemed like defense was pretty impressive, at least so far. At the end of the first quarter, Tampa was up fourteen to nothing. Most of the starters would come out and second stringers and rookies would get a chance to play now.
She finally relaxed her shoulders. “I feel like I’ve been holding my breath the entire first quarter. I think I’ll spend the rest of the game just breathing.”
Mama grabbed her hand and squeezed. “It’s all going to be okay. Our boys look great. They’re gonna win this one, baby.”
She hoped so. She knew how much football meant to Drake. He’d worked so hard all his life to provide for her and for Mama. And he’d made a success of himself. He looked so damn good out there.
So did Barrett, though she’d never say that to her mother. Or anyone else, for that matter.
Maybe Alyssa. She confided everything to her best friend, but Alyssa had an out-of-town trip today, so she couldn’t make the game.
Which meant Harmony had to ogle Barrett in silence.
He looked fine today out there in his uniform, which was stretched tight over his gorgeous muscles. The man was truly ripped and it was all she could do to concentrate on the game.
Everyone in the family boxes thought she was there to cheer on her brother. Which she was, of course. But she couldn’t help but let her focus drift to Barrett. He was fast and strong and the way he’d barreled into the opposing players made her clench in ways that turned her on.
And she knew that in the preseason they weren’t going to press as hard as they would once the regular season started. This was more like a practice game.
Still, Barrett had looked hot. Formidable. Exciting.
Of course, everything about him excited her. All the time. Every day.
She should be used to it by now.
But getting turned-on by Barrett was not a typical response at a football game. Then again, her reactions to Barrett had never been typical. From the first time they’d been alone together, he’d lit the torch on her passions.
It had been an out-of-control wildfire ever since.
“Girl, you are miles away,” her mother said.
She’d been thinking about tonight, when she’d see Barrett.
“Sorry. Work is on my mind.”
“Well, get your head out of work and onto this game.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She had to focus. So she did. On the gorgeous man she was in love with.
And someday very soon everyone would know Barrett was hers.
They’d won the game. Even better, defense had held Pittsburgh at the goal line twice, leaving them without a score, even though first string had been out of the game after the first quarter. Their backup players had done well.
Barrett was as pumped up postgame as he’d been before. They all were.
But they also knew this was just the first game. The first preseason game. They had three more preseason, then sixteen regular season games to prove themselves.
Which they would. Barrett had a good feeling about this season.
“Okay, gather round,” Coach George McGill said.
They moved to the center of the locker room.
“This was a good start. I’m proud of all of you. We’ll set up on Tuesday with game films and practice. Until then, enjoy your time off. You earned it. We’re going to take this season and we’re gonna take it hard. Now bring it in.”
They put hands in and yelled their victory call of “Hawks!”
Barrett showered and went to his locker to get dressed.
“Man, that was a good game,” Drake said, raking his fingers through his dark, curly hair.
“Hell yes it was.”
“Feel like celebrating tonight?”
Shit. “Uh, I’ve got something to do.”
Drake grinned at him. “Got a date?”
He absolutely had a date. “More like a prior obligation, unfortunately.”
Drake nodded. “Okay. Catch up with you later, then. I’m going to grab some of the boys and have a nice, juicy steak.”
“Steak sounds good. You celebrate for me, too, okay?”
“You know it.” He slapped hands with his best friend.
His best friend. The one he’d just lied to.
He was going to try really hard not to think about that when he was alone with Harmony tonight.
He went back to his house to change clothes. He’d texted Harmony about picking her up at her place. Then they’d go out to dinner. He fielded a few calls while he was home, including one from his parents. Mainly his dad wanted to rehash the game with him. He was always up for talking about the game, so he spent some time on the phone talking to both parents. Mom told him how proud she was, and Dad went over specific plays and highlighted how he could have done better.
That always made him laugh. He knew his dad was proud because that was always the last thing he said before he hung up.
“Damn fine game, Barrett,” his dad said, right before “I love you.”
He had a great father. Someday he’d do the same thing with his kids.
Someday. When he had kids.
As he was changing clothes, his phone rang again.
It was his brother Grant.
“Shitty game,” Grant said.
He laughed. “Yeah. Pretty awful, huh?”
“Seriously, your team looks good this season. Not as good as mine, though. Sucks for you.”
His lips curved. “We’ll see about that, won’t we?”
“We will. Too bad we don’t play each other this season.”
“That is too bad. I’d hate to have to intercept all those passes you throw.”
“Yeah, you wish. Nobody intercepts me.”
Barrett rolled his eyes. “I seem to recall that game last season against Baltimore where you threw three interceptions—”
“You’re such a dick, Barrett.”
Barrett laughed, then heard a click and looked at his phone.
Grant had hung up on him.
He laughed again and threw his phone on the bed so he could finish changing clothes.
After he got ready, he got in his SUV. He stopped at a flower shop and picked up something for Harmony.
When she opened the door, her eyes widened.
“You got me an orchid?”
He smiled. “I thought about a bouquet of flowers, but you’re special. And beautiful. And when I saw the orchid I thought of you.”
She laid her hand over her heart. “Barrett.
This is lovely. Thank you.” She leaned in and kissed him.
Obviously he’d chosen well. “I’m glad you like it. I realized I’d never brought you flowers.”
She took the orchid and laid it on her kitchen counter, then turned to face him. “You realize I’ve never had the expectation that you would bring me flowers. Or anything else for that matter.”
“I know that.” He stepped over to her and swept his hand down her hair. “But I do want you to know that I think about you, even when I’m not with you.”
She breathed in deeply, then let it out. “That is the best thing a woman could ever hear from a man.”
He smiled, then brushed his lips across hers. “Good to know.”
“And if I wasn’t absolutely starving, I’d show you how much I appreciate the gesture. However, hunger wins.”
“Damn. Okay, let’s get food.”
He’d made a reservation at Eddie V’s, one of his top five restaurants in the city. He already knew he wouldn’t run into Drake here, since he knew where Drake would go to get his favorite steak.
They went inside and were seated at a table in the corner. They ordered drinks and their waiter brought the menu.
“You played so well tonight,” she said. “You and the team must be so happy with how the game went.”
“Thanks. We’re just starting out, since it’s the first game and we didn’t get a lot of playing time. We have a few tweaks to make, but overall, it went well.”
“On the road next week?”
“Yeah. We’re in Dallas.”
“I’ll miss you when you’re gone.”
He loved the sincerity in her tone, and he knew she really meant it. “I’ll miss you, too. But we’ll still see plenty of each other before I have to leave town.”
She looked up from her menu. “And by that you mean we’ll be naked.”
He grinned. “I’m always hopeful for that part.”
She laughed.
He looked over the menu. “Appetizer?”
Harmony looked up from the menu. “Yes. Absolutely.”
He laughed. “You are hungry.”
She smiled. “Yes. Absolutely.”
Their waiter came over and they placed their orders, including the appetizer.
“Those batter-fried oysters can’t come soon enough,” she said.
He’d noticed he was getting looks from a group of college-age guys a few tables away, and when one of them got up and came over, he knew they were probably fans.