First Down (First and Ten #1)

by Lea Hart

  “Do you still love me, Ana?” He watched her avoid his gaze as she looked past his shoulder.

  She stood and stared. “I do love you, but I don’t like your life. I will not be made a fool of. You broke my heart, Jack, and I don’t know what to do.”

  He took her in his arms and held her against him. “I love you, and I will do anything to make this right. I promise nothing like this will ever happen again.”

  “Says you.”

  He lifted her face, so that she could see how sincere he was. “Yeah….says me.”

  Staring into his clear eyes, she knew that he meant every word he said. In his heart, he believed them to be true. Was this worth a second chance? Would she forgive herself if she didn’t give it another try? “All right, Jack. Let me read this, and then I will make a decision.”

  He stepped back and picked up the envelope. “I will bring you a glass of wine, and you take all the time you need.” He returned to the kitchen and refilled both of their glasses. As he walked back to the sunroom, he noticed that she had already started reading. Handing her a glass of wine, he smiled and sat next to her and watched her read.

  Ana frowned. “Please let me read this by myself. I’ll come find you when I’m done.”

  “What if you have questions? I should probably stay close, so that I can answer them.”

  She flipped her hand and dismissed him. “I don’t want you staring at me.”

  He reluctantly stood up and moved toward his office. “I’ll be waiting, Ana. Don’t forget I love you.” He didn’t hear her respond, so he did what he was asked and left her alone. He reminded himself to be grateful, because she was considering giving him a chance.

  ********

  He heard footsteps coming down the hall and reminded himself to keep breathing. He had faith that Ana was going to read the information and be satisfied that he did nothing wrong. He just hoped it was going to be enough for her to give him a second chance.

  She walked into his office and stood in front of his desk. She studied him and noticed how tired he appeared “Let’s give this thing another try and see what happens.” She watched him fly out of his chair and come around the desk.

  The air rushed from her lungs as he lifted her up and twirled her around. “I do not want to hear about any women from your past ever again,” she commanded.

  “I promise you will not regret this. I’m going to do my best to make you happy.” Gently setting her down, he bent over and dropped his lips to hers. It felt like salvation, because she was giving him a chance at making their dreams come true. He slid his lips gently over hers, and she sighed into his mouth. There it was…the sign he was hoping for. He felt her relax into him as his love for this woman spilled out of his hands. He finally released her mouth and looked down, satisfied at the sight of her wet mouth and lust-filled gaze. He was relieved to see that he wasn’t the only one who was affected by their kisses. Running his thumb over her mouth, he watched her eyes focus on him and laughed. “I’ll feed you first, and then I’m taking you to bed for a couple of days.”

  “That’s how you want to work on our relationship?”

  “Yes. Do you have any objections?”

  She stepped back, looked him up and down, and then licked her lips. “I guess not. I’d like a swim in the pool first, and then I’m all yours.” She walked into the kitchen, and sat in her chair. Apparently, she was going to need her energy for their second chance, so she best sit and eat. She took a sip of wine and then proceeded to eat her salad. She noticed that he walked into the kitchen with a big smile on his face.

  He pulled some dishes out of the oven, put them on the table, and then he took a big box of crabs off the counter and put them in the middle. Uncovering one of the dishes, he smiled. “I thought we should try the fried chicken this time.”

  She nodded her approval. “That was good thinking, Jack. You’re going to need all the fuel you can get.” She pulled out several crabs and put them on her plate. As she pulled one of the crabs apart, she noticed that he stared at her. “Eat up, Jack.”

  His loud laugh filled the room. He filled his plate and followed instructions with a big smile on his face. He wasn’t sure at exactly what point things turned in his favor, but at this moment, he wasn’t going to worry about it. She was giving him a chance, and that was all that mattered.

  “I think we may have to date at home for a while. It’s going to take some time for me to recover from my fear of public bathrooms,” Ana said.

  “I thought we could try a real date in San Diego next week. Maybe the state of Florida isn’t meant for us.”

  She shrugged and put some fried chicken on her plate. “Let’s not give up on the whole state yet.”

  ********

  They floated under the stars in the warm pool in their matching swans. Jack made sure that they stayed together by putting his big leg on her float. “I’m glad that you left your clothes here.”

  Trailing her hand in the warm water, she looked over. “I was going to pack up everything, but then I didn’t want to face it, so I just took a few things to my house. I was planning on doing it when you were out of town.”

  “I bet you’re glad that you waited. You just saved yourself a lot of hassle. Why don’t we pack up your house after the holidays and move everything in here?”

  She tried to sit up and found it was difficult when floating in a large swan. “Jack, that’s a huge leap from where we are right now.”

  “I know. I’m putting it out there, so you have time to consider it. I understand that you like to think about things before deciding. So I’m giving you plenty of time.”

  “That’s very considerate of you.”

  “That’s me, Ana. Always considerate.” He pulled his leg closer, so her swan floated right next to his. He grabbed her hand and held on. “I’m never going to give up on you….on us. I know that we are meant for one another, and I plan on showing you every day that it’s true.”

  “Why me?”

  “I saw you in San Diego, and I knew that you were the one for me.”

  “That doesn’t seem possible.”

  “But that’s what happened, and every moment since has me convinced that my gut instinct was true.”

  “So the geek and the jock….a love story of the ages.”

  “Pretty much.” He slipped off his swan, pulled her off hers, and plastered their two bodies together. “Maybe we can make a baby tonight.”

  She pushed at his shoulder and laughed. “We’re not making babies until we are thirty. I have a career to start, and you have some football to play.”

  “All right, we’ll just practice every day until we get really good at it.” He started walking toward the step and held her tightly as he lifted her out of the pool. “You had your swim, so let’s get started on our practicing.”

  She held tightly to his shoulders as he walked them up the steps to the bedroom door. “Practice makes perfect.”

  “Sweetie, we’re already perfect.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  San Diego

  Ana sat in her first-class seat on a jet that was getting ready for take-off to San Diego. This was the compromise that she made with Jack on how she was going to get home for the holidays. He’d left yesterday on the team plane and was already there, getting ready for the game on Sunday. She still couldn’t believe that he wanted her to fly privately. That would be such a waste of money, not to mention a horrible misuse of resources. He kept telling her that he would feel better if he knew that no one was going to bother her. The people who were responsible for all of the false stories were being charged with several offenses, and she felt like it was going to be the end of it. Jack had made it clear what he would do if anyone else came after them with false accusations. To some degree, it was just part of dating a professional athlete, and she needed to develop a thicker skin if they were going to be together long-term.

  Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it out of her pocket. Jack had texted a pic
ture of the room he reserved for them at Hotel Del Coronado. It was a lovely suite with a view of the ocean. He’d be staying in the hotel with the team for the next two nights, but he wanted them to have a room for when he had time off. He’d described in detail how he wanted to spend the afternoon after he was done with practice. Closing her eyes against the images that played across her mind, she felt her face grow hot. Something powerful happened between them when they were together, and the invisible threads that bound them were growing stronger each day. He had her wrapped in a web of desire and love, and she no longer had any interest in breaking free. She texted him back and let him know what she’d like to do first when they got in the room. Her phone rang immediately, and she noticed that it was Jack. “Hi there, handsome.”

  “You just made the next five hours almost impossible to get through. All I’m going to be thinking about is what you just suggested. You’re an evil woman, and I plan on making sure that I figure out a way to repay you.” He heard laughter and felt his heart beat hard against this chest. “We’re going straight to the hotel.”

  “I thought we had plans with your brother and Rachel this evening.”

  “We do, but we’re going to be late.”

  “I have to go. They’re telling us to turn off our phones. I can’t wait to see you.”

  “Love you.” He didn’t hear anything and looked down at his phone. The call had ended, and he hoped it was because she was following instructions and not avoiding telling him how she felt.

  ********

  Ana spotted Jack at baggage claim and walked quickly toward him. Though they had only been apart a day, she missed him. He held open his arms, and she walked straight into them.

  He held her tightly and placed a kiss on her head.

  Lifting her head, she beamed. “I’m happy to be back home.”

  “There are a lot of people who want to see you. Chris and Rachel have invited Birdie and Mark over for dinner tonight, and then Birdie is having a get-together tomorrow night with your book club friends. She told me that she wanted you to spend the night, and then everyone could go to the game together.”

  They walked to the baggage carousel and held hands as they waited for her bag. “Tell me your schedule for the next couple of days,” Ana said.

  “We’re going to the hotel, and you can show me what you were talking about earlier.” He glanced down, noticing that her face had gotten red and she was staring at her shoes. He leaned over and looked into her face. “Did you change your mind?”

  “No. But don’t talk about it in public.” She turned into him and leaned her head against his chest. Mumbling, she said, “I’m embarrassed now.”

  He lifted her head gently with his hand and smiled. “Then I guess I get to go first. I have some new ideas for our list.”

  She smiled and squeezed him. “I missed you.”

  He gave her a small kiss and then whispered, “I missed you more.”

  Her big red suitcase came around, and he picked it up. “Did you pack rocks in here?”

  “No, I have some presents for my godchild.”

  He led her out of the airport toward the parking lot, pulled his hat down, and put on his sunglasses. “When is the baby due?”

  “The baby is due in June, and I hope they decided to find out the gender soon. Mark swears it’s a girl, and Birdie thinks it’s a boy.”

  He gave the valet his ticket, and they stood in the warm California sunshine and waited for the car to be pulled up. “How many kids do you want to have, Ana?”

  She glanced up and couldn’t read his face very well because of his hat and glasses. He sounded relaxed, like he was asking what she wanted to eat. “I’ve always considered four a good number. I was one of three, and there is always one who feels left out.” She heard him exhale and watched a smile cross his face.

  “Thank God. I was worried that I would have to talk you into more kids. I like the idea of four kids, as well.”

  The valet drove up in the big rental SUV that Jack had gotten, and he helped her in.

  He put her suitcase in the back, and then he jumped in. “We have a couple of hours before we have to be at Chris and Rachel’s, so let’s make good use of our time.” He pulled out and made his way out of the airport. He noticed that she was staring out the window, and he wondered what was bothering her. “Are you okay?”

  “We’re not having any babies for a few of years. I hope that you’re not going to pressure me.”

  He took her hand and squeezed it. “I’m not trying to rush you. I just wanted to know how many you wanted. It’s ultimately up to you, and I understand that.”

  “I hope so. We can start trying when we’re twenty-nine. That way our first will be here when we turn thirty. I still have a lot to accomplish with my career, and so do you. Plus, we need time to get to know one another and also see if we can go on a real date without something happening.”

  “I have a date planned for Monday, and it’s going to blow your mind. This will change our luck around and give us a good start on our dating life.”

  Shrugging, she looked out the window and sighed. “I hope so, Jack. I’d hate to think that we’re doomed for disasters.”

  “No more of that. We’ve gotten that all out of the way.” He heard her gasp and cover her mouth as they got on the freeway.

  “That’s your billboard, Jack.” She gazed up at the life-size image of her boyfriend in his skivvies, and she started laughing. “My goodness, you’re impressive up there. I can’t believe that I get to sleep with you for the rest of my life. There’s going to be a lot of women who are jealous of me.” She noticed that he was frowning and his shoulders were hunched. “It’s the one of you lying in the water in the white trunks. That’s one of my favorites.”

  He kept his eyes on the road and shook his head. “I can’t look. It’s embarrassing, and it makes me feel uncomfortable.”

  “Then why did you do it?”

  “Because I wanted to fund your research, and I didn’t know what it would feel like when I saw the real thing.”

  She patted his leg. “You’re a good man, Jack Ellis. Not only are you a part of some important research, you’re going to make a lot of women’s day. They get to look at you in all of your glory and have a smile as they drive down the freeway.”

  He pulled his hat down and focused on the traffic as they moved onto the bridge to Coronado. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

  “All right. Take me to the hotel, and I will strip you out of you boxers, and we can talk about something else.”

  “I’m going commando. I didn’t want to waste any time when we got to the room.”

  Laughing, she noticed his smile had returned. “I hope I get a kiss or two before you pounce on me.”

  “There will be lots of kissing, touching, and licking. Don’t you worry, Ana.”

  “Be careful what you ask for.”

  “Truer words were never said.” He tightened his hold on her hand as they drove onto the island. As far as he was concerned, they couldn’t get to the hotel fast enough.

  ********

  They walked slowly out of their room to the path that faced the beach. “Was it too much, Ana?”

  Smiling lazily out at the ocean, she patted his arm. “That was inspired, and I think it should go on the permanent list. You have to tell me what set you off, because I want to be able to do it again.”

  “You set me off.” He led her over to a bench that lined the sidewalk, and they sat together. “I feel like it’s a new beginning for us and that you want to be with me as much as I want to be with you. When you told me that we could start trying for a baby in a couple of years, it made it seem like it’s really going to happen between us.” He noticed that she was silent for longer than felt comfortable, so he leaned down and looked into her face. “Why the tears?”

  She swiped at her face and leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’m happy, that’s all.”

  Kissing her head, he studied
the ocean and felt a wave of relief. If she was happy, then he was happy. “We have time for a drink before we have to leave. Let’s go have a date in the bar.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  ********

  Jack drove up to Chris and Rachel’s house and parked in the driveway. Ana was practically vibrating next to him, because she was so excited to see her cousin. “Chris and Rachel got home two days ago from their vacation, and he said that they have a big announcement.”

  “I bet they got engaged.” She opened her door, got out of the car, and saw Birdie and Mark drive up.

  Mark had barely stopped the car before Birdie opened the door and flew out of the car.

  They ran toward one another, and both let out a loud shriek.

  Mark looked at his wife and her cousin and watched them hug and dance around one another. His usual serious expression gave way to a smile. Nothing made him happier than watching his wife’s happiness. He opened the back of the truck, pulling out the cake container and a vase of flowers. Birdie never liked to show up at anyone’s house empty-handed and had decided to add dessert to her usual offering. He walked up to Jack and nodded. “Welcome back to San Diego. You’ve made my wife very happy by bringing her cousin home for the holidays.”

  “Thanks, man. I’m glad it worked out. We’re going up to Los Angeles on Tuesday, so I can meet her parents. Any advice you can give me would be much appreciated.”

  “Her parents are easy-going, and I don’t think you’re going to have any problems. The brothers may give you a run for your money, but that’s to be expected. As long as your intentions are sincere, then I think it will all work out.”

  “My intentions are as serious as they can be.” He watched the front door open, and saw his brother walk out on the porch. “We made it.”

  Chris called to Rachel, and then waited for her to join him. They held hands and walked down the steps. “Everyone come in, because the party’s inside.”