Tough Break (FSCU Pitbulls Book 3)

by Stella Marie Alden

  Her pretty mouth goes into a smile then she kisses me. “We’ve come a long ways.”

  “We have.” My hard length stirs between us, craving her as always.

  She eyes me and wraps her fingers around my swollen length. “Can I ask you one more thing?”

  “Make it quick.” I cup both her breasts with my thumbs rubbing her nipples.

  “How did you end up in Freedham?” She moans as I pinch and pull, making the pink tips hard and pointed.

  “Later.” Hungry for her, my mouth clamps down while her grip tightens around my length.

  Less than twenty-four hours ago, she almost died and me with her. Now, she’s promised to be with me for the rest of my life.

  “I need you, Danni. I need to be deep inside you, filling you up. You make everything dark inside me bright.”

  Her eyes glisten in the moonlight shining through the new pane of glass. She lowers down my chest, stops to kiss my piercings, and tongues my belly button.

  With her mouth over my tip, she sucks my pre-cum as I arch and moan clutching the sheets. Enjoying every tortuous moment, I let her bring me to the brink before pulling her hair to make her stop.

  “My turn.” My cock ready to explode, I let it bob over her breasts and down her body.

  At her bush, I throw her legs over my shoulders and lift her ass until her sweet lower lips are at my mouth.

  Her honey in my nostrils, I slip my tongue along her valley. Her sweet nectar intoxicates me, drives me mad, and I’m so hard, it fucking hurts.

  With my tongue flat against her clit, I put an index finger, then two, into her. I curl them inside her and her sex blossoms. She’s so close, liquid drips from me, ready to lubricate us when we join.

  I bite gently and back off.

  She moans and arches. “Chris. Now.”

  “Not yet, luv. Hold on. I want you higher.”

  I lick the length of her and pause as her breath hitches. Her nub quivers and opens more, and I salivate.

  “Holy fuck. You are so hot.” At my words, her heels dig into my back and her muscles tighten.

  I press into her sweet spot, nip, and she goes off like a missile.

  I lean forward until her thighs are at her chest, heels toward the ceiling.

  Careful not to squish her, I dive into heaven.

  Shivering, dancing inner muscles fucking drive me wild but it's not enough.

  I pull out, place her on her hands and knees, and plunge while holding her hips right where I need them.

  She bucks, keeping my pace as I urge her on, so damn high, my mind goes numb.

  Suddenly, she reaches behind, grabs my thighs, and digs in her nails.

  “Fuck! Shit! Oh Danni sugar.” I erupt inside her, my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

  As I collapse, I figure this is as close to heaven as I’m going to ever get.

  We sleep for a while, she turns in my arms, and settles down for good.

  “I love you, Chris Vance.”

  “Love you, too, sugar.”

  We spoon and sleep way into the next day when I poke her. “We need to move along or we’ll miss our flight.”

  She sighs. “Best vacation ever.”

  I chuckle. “What about getting shot at?”

  “Except for that.” She gives me her sheepish little grin.

  At the airport, we wait at the gate. “I won’t be able to see much of you.”

  “I know and it’s okay. I just want to see you guys win. What happens then?”

  “I’m Jackson’s primary trainer. He’s definitely a top contender in the draft. He got in a little trouble, because of me. However, if he runs the forty like he’s been doing, he’s a sure thing. Damn, the guy is fast.”

  “But you got him faster?”

  “I helped him out some, sure.”

  “So some of the NFL teams want you on board?”

  “Uh-huh. I could make a hundred K a year. Can you imagine?” I picture myself in a cozy little apartment. “After, I could try for assistant coach, then maybe coach. Those guys earn millions.”

  Her smile lessens a bit. “I don’t need millions, love, as long as I got you.”

  “That’s true,” Chris laughs, “but extra money would be comforting to have in our old age.”

  I remember the day Mia left me in the hospital and silently thank her as I squeeze Danni to my side. We’re still grinning ear to ear as they announce our flight.

  Once we land, I kiss her goodbye, all business. “It’s time to kick ass and win.”

  Ohio is our biggest challenge and could easily boot us out of the championship. Thinking positively, I call a couple agents to have dinner with my protégé.

  For once, Jackson checks in on time. His worried look is gone, replaced by a man well-sated. His relationship must be going better.

  I take his cell phone and hand him his room key. “Dinner is at five. Don’t be late. We got some local scouts who want to meet with draftees. Suits and ties required. No exceptions.”

  Dinner doesn’t go exactly as planned. Our star quarterback gets most of the attention so Jackson is going to have to shine in the semi-finals.

  He and his buddy are good pals and he takes it better than I would have.

  Early the next day, Coach calls us all together and goes over our plays one last time. The coin is tossed and I adjust my headset.

  My job is to keep my receiver on track but he doesn’t need help. Jackson gets into this zone where nothing else exists but the game. Other than seasoned pros, I’ve never seen the likes.

  For over two hours no one scores. Coach calls a timeout, Quest kicks and we put a point on the board. Damn. As we exit the field, our team is silent and uneasy.

  In the locker room, the players look pretty beat up and despite Coach’s pep talk our opposition makes a touchdown within minutes.

  After the huddle, Ryan Finnegan calls the play, “Five-eighty-five, F-stop, pass on one.”

  He snaps the ball and my guy runs all out down the field. Ohio seems dumbstruck but the ball sails high. Holy fuck, what an athlete. Our player leaps over three feet into the air to catch the ball.

  I hold my breath as he drops to the ground and their guys pile on.

  “Red Flag. Penalty!” The referee makes the call but their defense refuses to budge.

  It doesn’t take a genius to know my kid is getting the shit kicked out of him but does he still have the ball?

  It takes two guys in striped shirts to pull the motherfuckers off. Then Jackson stands holding the ball cradled to his chest. He lifts it high into the air and the stadium goes bat-shit crazy.

  Worried, the team doc holds a few fingers in front of my receiver’s face.

  “Two? Confused, Jackson looks around to see if he was correct.

  “Fine. That’s my boy!” Doc high-fives him.

  CJ slaps him on the back. “Wave at the crowd. Give them a big smile like it doesn’t hurt.”

  The pink-haired percussionist bangs her drum, and the cheerleaders bounce in time, chanting. “We are the champions!”

  I slap my protégés ass. “Fucking incredible catch.”

  He grins, walks to the sidelines, and shouts at his pal. “You better fucking win this.”

  “You got it, bro.”

  With only seconds left on the clock, Ryan runs onto the field and gives the crowd a wink and a confident wave.

  I almost can’t watch.

  “Hu-hu-hut seven, right-two, hut.” The play called, the quarterback runs backwards looking for an opening.

  Our guys are too well covered and my heart thumps as two of Ohio’s best defensemen head straight for our man.

  I scream as they loom over him.

  What happens next is so fast, I can hardly follow. Our offense takes down the man about to sack our quarterback. No lie, Russ uses his back to lift Ryan into the air. He flies over bodies, stretches, and taps the ball in the end zone.

  “Fuck, yeah!” The horn sounds. “We’re going to the playoffs.”
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  Chapter 31

  Danni

  I cheer with the crowd, so damn proud of my man, I’m bursting. His training paid off. Jackson was incredible. The stands slowly empty until only a few wives and family remain. I wave at Melanie Quinn with three kids in tow and she waves back as she makes her way down to the field.

  I follow her to where sweaty college men celebrate and laugh while TV crews interview the stars. Melanie’s kids spot CJ and hop into his arms. He really is a big teddy bear.

  It takes me almost ten minutes to find Chris. He’s standing by his protégé, helping him off with his gear.

  A cameraman stands nearby and someone from The Sports Channel throws a mic under Chris’ nose. “Wish you were back on the field?”

  I hold my breath. What a shitty thing to ask.

  My man grins and shakes his head. “Honestly? No. I got a good thing here at FSCU. CJ Quinn is a great mentor, I got a championship team, and I’m damn lucky to be alive. Thanks for asking but here’s the man of the hour.”

  He steps back and pushes the receiver forward. “He’s going to win the forty at the Combine.” Chris catches my eye, gives me a smile, and squeezes through the crowd.

  “Great game. Congrats.” I slide my arms around his waist and lift my head to take the kiss that’s offered.

  His gaze heats. “See you back at the hotel? I still have inventory, the post-mortem, and a coach’s meeting. I’ll ping you. I may not make it back until after dinner. Sorry.”

  Melanie finds me and laughs. “I’ll take care of her, Chris. I’m an old hand at this. C’mon. It’s Danni, right?”

  “I have a car waiting in the lot. If you like, join me for dinner. My husband says they’ll be late. Agents and owners will want to talk about potential candidates.” She grabs the smallest of her crew out of her husband’s arms and gives them both a kiss.

  “Sure. Thank you.”

  I smile at her oldest who shoots me a toothless grin. “Daddy used to be a famous quarterback for the Giants.”

  “I know.” I tousle his blond head, hold out my hand, and he puts his in mine.

  I picture a darker lad with dark eyes and my gorgeous man’s smile. The image is so striking, it takes my breath away. Doing a mental comparison, I lift my eyes to my fiancé.

  He throws me a question mark telepathically and I wave, shrug, and laugh. I’ll tell him later. He is so great with the team, he’ll be a great dad.

  In the parking lot, Melanie motions me over to a limo with a driver who helps everyone with their seatbelts. Then, we’re off to find the best ribs in Atlanta.

  “So, how long have you been with Chris?”

  “Only since August. We met just before school started.”

  She glances down at my ring and raises a brow. “Engaged already?”

  “Too soon?” I bite my lower lip. I’ve wondered that a lot. What if I’m still on a rebound from Scott?

  Her laugh stills my fears. “Oh my God, no. I married Chance after knowing him just a few weeks.”

  “What?” I grin at her mischievous face and merry eyes.

  “It’s true.” While her driver turns downtown, she looks out the window, and back at me.

  “I was his physical therapist and he my first big client. I was trying to make a good impression. However, the night before we met, my boyfriend locked me out of my apartment and stole all my stuff. Basically I was homeless. Come to find out, CJ was about to lose some million dollar advertising deal because of a big misunderstanding with an underage hooker.”

  My eyes go wide but she dismisses my shock with a wave of her hand. “He had no clue she was so young. The girl was out to make a quick buck but it ruined his reputation when the paparazzi found out about it.”

  “I still don’t understand. Why did you marry him?”

  Her face goes all soft. “Oh my God. He was so hot. And basically, I had nothing to lose. He offered me a win-win deal. Of course, I insisted on separate bedrooms and no sex.”

  She laughs, her eyes going soft as they rest on her kids. “You can see how well that worked.”

  “Do you ever miss him being in the NFL?”

  “Heavens, no. The head injuries? I couldn’t wait for him to retire. Have you seen the statistics?”

  “I’ve heard they want to change the rules…”

  “You are so lucky Chris got out as soon as he did. Still, you should make sure he has an MRI. I’ve met some players who, well…”

  She whispers, “It’s not good.”

  “But your husband?” I shudder at the thought of Coach being disabled in that way.

  “He’s fine. He took some good blows but being a quarterback saved him. He got knocked around but not nearly as much as the others.”

  The limo comes to a stop in front of the restaurant. After that, we talk about the college, her work with abused women, and my adventures in Mexico. The kids get antsy so we take them for ice cream and back to the hotel for bed.

  “Thank you so much, for everything.” I kiss her cheek and hug her.

  “My pleasure. I hope you two decide to stay close by. It truly is a wonderful place to raise a family.”

  “I hope we can.” I say goodbye, watch TV for a few hours, and am asleep when Chris arrives.

  He strips, showers, and climbs into bed. I was hoping to make love but can see he’s exhausted. I kiss his forehead, then spoon in close.

  In the morning, we have fast, furious, playoff sex, and catch the bus to the airport. From there, it’s a short flight back to Freedham.

  At home, I tell him all about Melanie Quinn. “She is so amazing. She runs this self-help group for women and she’s a famous physical therapist. And, she’s the mother of three kids.”

  Chris laughs as he downs a glass of milk before leaving for a late meeting with the team. “You got a girl-crush?”

  “No… but wouldn’t it be nice to raise a family here?”

  His face drops. “You want kids?”

  “Not now, but eventually. Don’t you?” Holy shit, the answer is written all over his face. How could we have gotten this far and never talked about something so important?

  “A lot of people can’t have kids, you know? It’s not a given. Listen, I need to go. Can we talk about this tonight?”

  “Sure.” I look up for my kiss but he’s already out the door.

  Now, what the hell was that all about?

  Chapter 32

  Chris

  Shit, shit, shit. Of course she would want a family. How am I supposed to explain that’s the one thing I can’t give her? There’s all sorts of ways a doctor can impregnate her in a lab but that shit is expensive and not covered by most insurances.

  Now I have yet another reason to work like hell to find a job as a professional trainer instead of continuing on at FSCU.

  A lot of women only have their men around part-time. Hell, I’d be home more than the players and a lot of the NFL cities are real nice. I wouldn’t mind living in LA or New York. They got good colleges and lots of opportunities for Karen, too.

  Once morning practice ends, I go online to order some more mouthpieces. I check my emails to make sure the guys haven’t broken anything else and work on my master’s thesis. I’m way behind, according to my mentor, which sucks.

  After a few hours of solid work, my stomach growls so I grab a candy bar and keep going. By evening, I’ve made a pretty good dent in my paper, including all the damn citations which take forever to format in Microsoft Word.

  Jackson seems more surly than usual when I meet him in the locker room.

  “What’s up?”

  He points towards Coach’s office. “Those two guys from the NFL. Did you see them? They may toss me out on my ass because of Shannon.”

  “Shit, I’m real sorry, I’ll explain to them-”

  “Save it. I didn’t rat you out. I know you were trying to do me a solid. I was the one who got over my head in debt. If not for you, I’d already be dead.”

  “What did CJ say?�
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  “He said he’d take care of it but ultimately, it’s up to the commission.”

  “He got you this far. Don’t worry. Just keep training. I’ll speak to them for you.”

  Shit. I count two bad things that happened today. I wait for number three all afternoon and into the evening. At home, Danni’s already sleeping. Maybe I stayed out a little late to avoid having the conversation about kids but hell, I got enough on my mind right now.

  In the morning, her voice is strained and my kiss goodbye is no more than a peck. I may not know a lot about women, but I’m pretty sure she’s mad.

  As soon as I go on a break, I ask CJ the names of Jackson’s visitors and give one a call. I’m put on hold for over ten minutes and am about to hang up when Rick Young, formerly of the Miami Dolphins, picks up.

  “What can I do for you Mr. Vance?”

  “Hi. I’m sorry I missed you yesterday.” I go on to explain why and how I came to recommend Shannon to Jackson. “So you see, it’s not his fault. It’s mine.”

  Rick sighs. “We need to fix this. Guys like him are popping up on colleges all over the states. They offer to help with costs but at a huge price if the guy is lucky enough to make a team. They’re parasites.”

  “Yeah. I get it.”

  “You know, I really admire how you picked yourself up after that accident. It was a tough break and yet you seem to have pulled through.” He chuckles. “You must’ve heard how you dodged a bullet with Mia. She married Kurt Lewis then divorced him soon after.”

  “No, I hadn’t heard.” Silently, I say a prayer of thanks.

  “Well. I’m going to think about it some more but I’m pretty sure I’ll rule in favor of your guy. Is he as fast as people say?”

  I grin and let out the breath I was holding. “Faster.”

  “See you at the Combine.”

  “You bet. Thank you, Rick. I really appreciate you listening.”

  “No problem. Just keep your man out of trouble.”

  “Will do.”

  “One more thing? You might want to check in with Bill Jacks.”

  “The College Football Commissioner? Why?”

  “They’re pretty fussy about shit like this. If you want to work at FSCU, you’ll need to explain what went down.”