Line of Scrimmage

by Desiree Holt

  Erin curled her fingers into her palms. “Want to know why? Because he was known for always celebrating with two women, not just one. Even breaking team curfew when he could get away with it. So while I was dreaming of wedding bells, he was busy with sexual gymnastics.”

  “Oh, Erin.” Ivy reached across the table to touch her arm. “I am so very, very sorry. That must have been so painful.”

  “Yeah, well, the breakup is legendary. After I got past the pain, they heard me screaming at him all over the hotel.” She looked from one to the other. “So you can see why I’m allergic to football players.”

  “They aren’t all like that,” Scott told her. “Jake is the total opposite, as a matter of fact. A lot of my clients are, and I say that with pride.”

  “And maybe I’m learning that. In the meantime, enough with the weepy stories. What do we do next? I worry that if we’re not actively looking, he’s out there doing himself some damage.”

  “Well, running around looking in every bar in Austin won’t be very productive,” Scott pointed out. “We need to figure out another option.”

  “Ivy, while we’re playing true confessions,” Erin said, “can you tell me why Jake is so obsessed with football being the only thing that identifies him? Validates him? That without it he’s nothing?”

  For a long moment, no one said anything. Then Ivy cleared her throat.

  “Only if you promise not to let Jake know I told you.” She waited while they both nodded their agreement. “Jake and I grew up with a very abusive father, and I mean completely vicious and sadistic.”

  The pictures.

  “Jake stood up for my mother and me all the time. He took the brunt of everything. Our father denigrated him all the time, told him he was useless and worthless. Beat him into the ground physically and verbally. Made him feel he was nothing.”

  Lines of anger deepened in Scott’s face. “How did you get away from him?”

  “One night things got so bad my mother actually took Jake and me and fled from the house. A friend took us to a shelter and they helped us relocate. Got our mom some counseling and relocated us to Granite Falls with a job for her.” She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again. “When Jake tried out for the football team, that became who he was. He was admired and respected, and Coach Fenelli became a real father to him.”

  “Which is why football defines him,” Erin said. “It brought him relationships and respect and an identity in the community. It’s why he thinks without it he’s nothing.”

  “What about his father?” Scott asked. “Didn’t he try to find you?”

  “The shelter where we were taken took pictures of us,” Ivy answered. “They called the police who took my statement and that of our neighbors. They talked to the people at the shelter, too. Then they arrested our dad.” She looked down at the table. “He couldn’t make bail, and while he was awaiting trial he got into a fight in prison and was killed. I-I don’t think I can talk about this anymore. Jake and I have both buried it pretty deep.”

  “That’s why he’s so focused on Jake Russell, running back,” Scott explained. “It’s a self-esteem issue. It blots out everything that was bad in his life and makes him feel valued.”

  “And why he finances the Good Shepard House,” Erin guessed.

  Ivy nodded. “And a lot of other things no one knows about.”

  Erin wanted to cry. “But he is a person of value. Football is only part of it. He’s bright and funny, and smart and sharp and—”

  Ivy actually gave a small laugh. “Spoken like a woman in love.”

  Erin blinked back tears. “You’re right. I fought it for so long. Now he might not ever want to hear it from me.”

  “Why?” Ivy asked. “If I know my brother, I’d say he’s in love with you.”

  Scott gave her a little smile. “You heard it here first.”

  “But I don’t—we haven’t…”

  “We can discuss that later.” Ivy drained her coffee mug. “Right now none of this helps us find Jake.”

  Love. Exactly what happened when she wasn’t looking. Maybe if she’d had the courage to tell him, she could have provided the emotional support he needed with this devastating news and he wouldn’t have run off God knows where on his own.

  Scott opened his mouth to say something when the landline rang, startling all three of them.

  Erin jumped up from the table and grabbed the receiver. “Jake Russell’s house.” Maybe, maybe, maybe this would be someone who had some news of Jake.

  “Is this Erin Bass?” a woman asked.

  “It is.” Please, please, please let this be some information.

  “This is Lynne Corday. With the Good Shepard House? We met when I came to see Jake.”

  “Yes, yes, I remember you. If you’re looking, he’s, ah, not here at the moment.”

  “I know that. That’s why I’m calling. Jake is here with me, at Good Shepard. He has been for the past couple of hours.”

  “He is? He’s safe?” Erin felt as if a ton of bricks had been lifted from her. “Can I speak to him?”

  “Actually, he asked me to call you to pick him up.”

  “Oh, thank God.” Tears ran down her cheeks as an enormous feeling of relief coursed through her. He was okay. More importantly, he had asked for her. Just her.

  “I believe he’s ready to go home, but I’m not sure he should be driving.”

  A thread of fear wiggled through her. “Is he drunk?” She asked in a hesitant tone of voice.

  “Not at all,” Lynne assured her. “He’s just emotionally wrung out and physically exhausted.”

  “Tell him I’m on my way. We’ll worry about his car tomorrow.” She turned to face the others. “He’s okay. He’s at Good Shepard and he wants to come home.”

  “He went to the environment where he felt safest,” Scott commented. “Where he felt worthwhile.”

  “Lynne Corday is a wonderful woman,” Ivy told them. “If anyone can help Jake get his head on straight, it’s her.” She stood up. “I’m going with you.”

  Erin shook her head. “I know you want to but he asked for me. Only me. This is my chance to show him I care. Let me do this.”

  “Okay, but I’m going to wait here.” Ivy looked from one to the other. “Just so I can see for myself that he’s okay. Then I’ll take off.”

  Scott pushed away from the table. “I’m going back to the hotel. Erin, please let me know that he’s okay, will you?”

  “Of course. But right now I really need to get going.”

  * * * *

  When Erin walked into Lynne Corday’s office, she was so relieved to see Jake sitting in a chair in one piece that she drew a breath for the first time in hours. He appeared slightly the worse for wear, but he managed a smile for her. And then he shocked her by pushing himself to his feet and then wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug.

  “I’m sorry,” he told her. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Nothing to be sorry for.” She rubbed her hands up and down his back, feeling his tension. “I’m just glad you’re in one piece.”

  “I just—”

  “Shhh. It’s okay. Let’s just get you home.”

  With her arm around his waist, she turned to Lynne and thanked her profusely.

  “I’m just glad he felt he could come here. Before you take him home I want to clue you in on something.” She looked at Jake. “You don’t mind if I borrow Erin for a few minutes, do you?”

  “Giving away all my secrets, are you?” He gave them a tired grin.

  “Only a few,” Lynne said kindly.

  He looked at Erin. “I never say no to her. I’ll wait in the other room.”

  When he was gone, Lynne gave Erin a searching look. “He’ll need a lot of healing, my dear. A lot. He’s lived with one image of himself for so long it won’t be easy for him to change.”

  Erin nodded. “I know that. Ivy told me his story and now I
understand.”

  “He was the buffer between his brute of a father and his mother and sister. He often took the brunt of the punishment, both verbal and physical. Someone needs to make him understand his value as a human being.”

  “Not to worry.” Erin squeezed the other woman’s hand. “I believe I’m up to the job.”

  “He’s in love with you, you know.”

  Erin’s laugh had a slight hysterical edge to it. “You’re the third person to tell me that today. I think I might actually begin to believe it if I could hear it from him.”

  “You will. I have every confidence.”

  “The other big shock is I’m in love with him.”

  Lynne smiled at her. “Then I’m convinced everything will work itself out. He’s in good hands. We’ll take care of getting his car back to him tomorrow. He gave me his keys.” She gave Erin a quick hug. “Now go on and get him home. He’s ready.”

  Neither Erin nor Jake said much on the ride to the house. Erin was determined not to pepper him with questions or criticize him for leaving the way he did. That wasn’t what he needed now. She’d let him tell her whatever he had to say in his own time. The one thing she was sure of was how badly she’d misjudged him in the beginning. And yes, she was in love with him. The admission still stunned her. When she’d discovered him gone, her heart had stopped and a fear greater than she’d ever known gripped her body. How had she never seen that he and Trace McKay were polar opposites?

  Because she’d been an idiot.

  Ivy was waiting in the foyer for them when they walked into the house.

  “I’m not staying,” she said before they could get a word out. “I just had to make sure you were okay, Jakie.”

  He gave a strangled laugh. “Didn’t I tell you not to call me that?”

  “I’ll call you anything I want as long as I know you’re safe and sound.”

  They said good-bye to Ivy and reset all the alarms. Then Jake took her hand and led her to his bedroom. He wanted sex? Well, okay, whatever made him feel better.

  But when they got to the bedroom he just stretched out on the bed and pulled her down next to him. He wrapped his arm around her, tucking her head into the crook of his neck.

  “I just want to hold you,” he told her. “Feel you next to me. You’re better than any medicine.”

  “Whatever you need,” she promised.

  “I’m sorry I ran off the way I did. I just—”

  “Shhh, shhh, shhh.” She touched her fingertips to his lips. “It’s okay. You had a bad shock and that was your first reaction.” She smoothed her hand on his chest. “I’m just glad I’m the one you wanted to come get you.”

  “I’ll always want you. You’re my safety net, don’t you know that?”

  They lay that way for a long time. The sun had set and fading light eased its way into the room, casting them in shadow. Finally Jake cleared his throat.

  “I’m going to guess Ivy told you our story.”

  “She did, but we don’t have to discuss it.” She stroked his cheek. “It helps me understand you better, though.” She turned slightly. “The one thing I just want to help you understand is that you are so much more than football. You’re a credit to Ivy and the team and the community. They all respect you enormously. And you?” she asked, lightly stoking his arm. “How do you feel?”

  “As if a weight has been lifted from my head. Lynne Corday is a wonder. She made me take a good hard look at things.”

  “I’m glad you went there, to the place you felt safest.”

  “Now you know why that place is so important to me.” He swallowed. “And always will be.”

  “And I love you for it.” There. She’d said it. She was amazed at how easily the words fell out of her mouth.

  “Love?” His arm tightened around her. “That’s a strong word for you to be tossing around.”

  She pushed herself up so she had full eye contact with him. Was that hope flickering in there? “And I don’t just toss that around. You should know that.”

  “What happened to your thing that all football players are lower than scum?” He asked the question lightly but his face was dead serious.

  “Yeah, well, about that. I have a story to tell you.” She cuddled her body to his and closed her eyes while she told him the Trace McKay story. “So you can see where I was coming from.”

  “Aw, honey.” He stroked her hair. “I wish you’d told me about this a long time ago. He really is an asshole, and has a rep throughout the NFL. I’m sorry you had to be one of his casualties.”

  Erin smoothed her hand over his chest. “I know. Or if I didn’t, I do now.”

  He was silent for a long moment before he spoke again. “You know, I think I actually fell in love with you that one night we spent together. I knew it was fast, but that’s probably why it hurt so much when you tossed me out.”

  “I’m sorry.” She continued to rub her hand in soothing circles over his very masculine chest. “Maybe I knew it at the time, too, but I wasn’t ready for it. Especially with…”

  “A football player?” he joked.

  Lord, she was glad he could find some humor in this whole thing. “Only with this football player,” she teased.

  “I guess it’s all a learning curve.” Jake blew out a breath. “I’ve been focused for so long on the belief that without football I was nothing, that it’s going to take some time for me to change.”

  She reached up a hand to caress his cheek, loving the feel of his sexy late-day scruff. “I’ll be here with you every step of the way. Count on it. Physical therapy, rehab, and planning what you want to do as you move into the next phase of your life.”

  “Next phase of my life. I like the way that sounds.” He turned his head and adjusted the way he was holding her so he could look directly at her face. “This won’t be easy. I have a long road ahead of me until my leg works acceptably again. And I don’t mean for the football field, in case that’s what you were going to say. Plus, I’m going to have to readjust a lot of my thinking.”

  “And make new plans,” she reminded him. “It’s okay. Not to worry. Like I said, I’m not going anywhere.”

  He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “What about your hot career? I thought you were looking for a new job.”

  “Hmm. Well, funny thing about that. It turns out I have a better job here, taking care of you.”

  He actually managed to grin. “I suppose you want me to keep paying you that exorbitant salary.”

  “Exorbitant?” She smacked his chest. “I earned every dime of that money, mister.”

  “Actually I might have an idea, but we’ll discuss it later.” He rolled her onto her back. “Right now I have something better in mind.”

  “And what would that be?”

  “How about this?”

  The kiss started out soft and gentle, a brush of lips, a flick of the tongue. But he pressed harder and she opened for him, welcoming the sweep of his tongue and the absolute male taste of him. She slid her fingers into the thick cap of his hair, holding him to her as they explored each other’s mouths, tongues dancing and teasing. When he broke the kiss, they were both panting. He placed a soft kiss at the hollow of her throat, then moved his mouth back up to trace the shell of her ear with his lips. He nibbled his way down to the soft flesh of her lobe, the graze of his teeth sending shivers through her body and igniting the pulse in her sex. Her pussy clenched in anticipation of things to come.

  Erin pressed her body up against his, trying to convey the sudden urgency of her need. But Jake seemed determined to take his time, to tease and arouse her. Even through the layers of their clothes she could feel the hard ridge of his cock pressing against her. She wanted to touch it and hold it and then feel it inside her, filling all the empty spaces.

  “We have too many clothes on,” she managed as she tipped her head back and arched her neck to his mouth.

  His laugh was low and rough.
“We do, and guess what?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Today I can undress both of us.” He shifted one hand to slide it up between them and cupped a breast through her blouse and her bra.

  “Prove it,” she teased, wanting desperately to be naked with him.

  But it appeared Jake had other ideas. He took forever to undo the buttons on her blouse, tracing the upper swell of her breasts with the tip of his tongue when he parted the fabric, then sucking hard on each nipple through the satin of her bra.

  “I love your breasts.” He blew gently on the damp material “And your nipples. Better than candy.”

  “Can we get on with the undressing, please?” She had a desperate need now to be naked with him, skin to skin, nothing between them and no cast to be careful of.

  “Don’t rush me. I’m enjoying myself.”

  When he divested her of the blouse, the cool air of the room made her wet nipples harden and peak even more. Jake grazed his teeth over them, her body jerking in response to the touch she loved so much.

  “You have to take your clothes off, too,” she reminded him.

  He braced himself on one arm while he yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor. Then he came down on her again, the muscular wall of his chest hard against her breasts and the soft curls of hair covering it tickling her skin. He went back to work on her breasts, her nipples, then her mouth again until her pussy was so wet she had soaked her panties and her pulse beat an accelerated tattoo.

  It seemed forever before he finally slid her slacks and panties from her body and kicked his shorts and boxers away. Then he went to work on her pussy, opening the lips gently with his fingers, blowing a soft stream of air on her overheated skin and licking every surface with slow, tantalizing strokes. She writhed on the bed, little moans rippling from her mouth, her body begging for more.

  “I want to touch you,” she pleaded.

  “Touch me where?” he asked, a knowing sound in his voice.