But today, it feels different somehow. Everything feels different.
Because Jade is going to be at my house when I arrive.
My phone rings as I’m on the freeway. When I see who it is, I consider sending the call to voicemail. But I’m not that kind of guy.
“Hey, Neil,” I say as I pick up.
Neil and I aren’t biologically related. But when I became part of the foster system, he and I lived with the same family for a while, and we stayed in contact. He’s a bit of a loose cannon, and as much as I’ve tried to help him out, he never really listens. But I keep trying.
“Hey, Devon. How are things? You’re still coming to my wedding, right?”
I hold back the curse threatening to slip out. “So that’s still happening?”
“Fuck, Devon. You said you’d be there. You know I’ve got no one else.”
“I’ll be there,” I promise. “I’ve got the address on my phone from your text. Do I need to wear a tux?”
“I would. Her mom is into all that shit—dressing up and whatever.”
“Okay. See you then, buddy. Let me know if you need anything else.”
As we hang up, my good mood threatens to disappear. My past was hard enough when it was my present, but I thought I could outrun it.
Being a star running back in the pros isn’t enough, though. The second I leave the field, everything I’ve tried to leave behind is still around.
Jade’s standing outside her car when I pull up next to her in my circular driveway. And just like that, my good mood is back. Nobody’s ever been able to get me to forget my worries before, but every time I put my eyes on Jade, I feel better.
She pushes her sunglasses up on top of her head and smiles as I roll down my window teasingly.
“Do I know you from somewhere?” I ask, leaning my arm on the doorframe and poking my head out the window.
She pushes off the side of her car and walks over to me. “Hmmm. I’m not sure. You do look awfully familiar,” she says, her blue eyes sparkling with mirth. “But I don’t know if I can place you…”
I snap my fingers. “I’ve got it. You’re the woman from the restaurant last night.”
She throws back her head and laughs. “That must be it. Short-term memory loss.”
I love seeing her laugh. And I love seeing her in my driveway. More than I should.
I swing open my door and step out.
And she…
Doesn’t back up.
She stands her ground, and I nearly walk right into her space. I have to consciously step to the side to avoid being chest to chest with her.
Her cheeks flush, and she shakes her head as if she’s chastising herself.
“Come on.” I place my hand on her lower back. “I’ll show you around.”
Jade
Devon’s Malibu home is beautiful. He has an outdoor patio with a pool that overlooks the Pacific. His house is huge and modern with a large living room and open kitchen, and the bedrooms are all upstairs.
And the guesthouse where I’ll be staying is perfect. It’s a one bedroom with a good-sized living space and cute kitchen, plus a bathroom that even has a tub.
I’m in love with it. And that’s before he shows me the lush green backyard behind the guesthouse that he says I can use for yoga classes.
“I only have two instructors,” I say to him. “Marina and Emerson are both responsible, and they will absolutely respect your privacy. And if you need them to sign an NDA or anything, or me too…”
Devon shrugs. “I’ve never done a contract with anyone who’s stayed here in the past. I’m not worried. If you trust them, I do too.” He reaches out and fingers the ends of a few strands of my hair. “And there’s no way I’d ever ask you to sign anything. I trust you completely.”
I pretend to gaze out at the ocean view so he won’t see how much his statement affects me.
“Do you need help with your bags?” he asks me.
“Oh.” I remember the half-assed job I did of packing and then shoving a few bags into the back of my car. “I can get all that later.”
The crystal blue of his eyes unnerves me, but I’m too drawn to him to look away. I know I should thank him for his hospitality and say good night, but I don’t move.
“Do you want to order out and eat by the pool?” he says.
Yes.
“Um…” Say no, Jade. Thank him, and leave for your separate guest quarters. But my brain isn’t running this conversation. “That would be nice,” I say.
“Do you like Mexican food? I know a great place that delivers.”
“I love Mexican.”
He nods to the enclosed patio by the pool. “Have a seat and relax. I’ll bring out the menu.”
He disappears into his house, and I wander across the grass and onto the patio. A bunch of lounge chairs surround the pool, and the sun is still so high that it’s bright out here. I take a seat on the cushioned wicker couch set up next to a vintage coffee table and look around more closely.
Gas grill, fire pit, a flat screen TV, and an elliptical machine. Typical guy stuff. But I also spot…
“You have a garden?” I say as Devon reappears through the back slider.
He chuckles as he hands me the menu in his hand. “Not what you’d expect?”
I look at the large tomato plants and other vegetables growing in a good-sized section of his yard.
“I think it’s great,” I say. “But no, I can’t say I expected it.”
“I like making sure I have food,” he says simply as he sits down in the chair diagonal from me.
Okay, clearly there’s more to that story, but he doesn’t elaborate.
Until he does.
“I’m very private about my past, but let’s just say you and I have more in common than you may think.”
I jerk my head up from the menu.
Devon’s staring out at his garden, and he looks lost in thought.
“Food was scarce for you as a child?” I ask him quietly.
“Everything was scarce,” he replies.
A chill runs down my spine at his admission.
But he’s done talking about that subject, apparently, because he points to the menu lying forgotten on my lap. “Have you decided?”
I scan it quickly and then hand it to him. “I’m going to get the chicken taquitos. Extra guacamole on the side.”
“Good choice.” He pulls his phone out of his pocket. “I’ll call it in, and then I’m going to take a quick shower.”
Dinner is filled with light conversation where we dance around serious topics and land on harmless, safe ones.
Like our favorite types of movies.
His—none. He rarely likes any movie. Mine—independent films. He agrees to watch one with me someday.
Or our favorite spot in L.A.
His—beach. Mine—same.
He drags a tortilla chip through the bowl of guacamole we’re sharing. He lifts it to his mouth and chews and swallows before he says, “Can I ask you a question?”
His tone is serious, and I have a feeling this question will be about nine years ago. “Of course.”
“How long did you keep my number?”
I grab a tortilla chip and repeat his motion of dragging it through the guacamole. “The truth is that I had no phone at that time in my life. I had nothing, really. But…I planned to hold onto your number. I don’t know that I ever would have had the courage to use it, but…”
“But…” The question glints in his eyes.
“After you left the beach, I was hanging out with my two friends. They wanted to walk down to the water again, so we did. As we were walking along the shore, I reached into my pocket to take a look at the information your realtor had given me. The piece of paper you’d written your number on flew out of my pocket at the same time. I grabbed for it, but it fell into the sea too quickly.”
Tears smart my eyes as I retell the memory for the first time.
Devon puts his hand o
n my knee.
I laugh awkwardly as I wipe at my eyes. “Anyway, that was that. Your number washed away. My friends helped me dry it off, but the ink was too faded.”
“I’m sorry.”
I fiddle with a loose string on one of his couch pillows, willing myself to pull it together. “The compassion you showed me when I was at my absolute lowest…that meant so much, Devon. I never forgot it.”
I raise my head then. His gaze is focused solely on me, and as our eyes lock, the air between us gets so thick I can hardly breathe. Devon stands abruptly.
“I better turn in.” His voice is a rasp. “Stay out here as long as you like.”
I blink. “Okay. Thank you for your generosity in offering up your guesthouse.”
“No problem at all. Oh, I forgot I’ll be coming home tomorrow after practice with Gray, King, Colton, and Dylan for some private training with a couple coaches. Will your instructors be teaching then? We won’t interrupt.”
“I have to check with them on their schedules, but don’t worry about that. We will adjust as necessary.”
He puts up his hand in a wave. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Devon.”
His expression softens. “It really is great to see you again, Jade.”
“You, too.”
10
The next evening, Marina and Emerson crowd into my guesthouse as soon as their classes end.
And they grill me.
“What are professional football players like?” Emerson asks with a mischievous glint in her hazel eyes. “’Cause you know your new housemate is hot as hell.”
“How have you seen Devon?” I ask her.
She holds up her phone. “I’ve been a little nosy. Done a little ‘research’ on J.D. Wilkens, aka Devon.” She and Marina laugh. “We’ve never had a football player at the studio before, so I was curious.”
“Curb your curiosity. All the guys I’ve been working with have been great so far.”
I’ve just gotten out of the shower after a long day of teaching, and my hair is still damp. I comb it down so it’s not sticking up all over the place, and reapply my eyeliner.
“Expecting company?” Marina asks me.
I take a last look in the mirror at my purple sundress. “No. Not at all.”
“You’re primping.”
“I am not primping.”
Emerson and Marina look at each other. “Sure you’re not,” Emerson says. “Just like you don’t know your new housemate is gorgeous.”
“Devon and I are business colleagues now,” I say as I sink onto my bed. “We have to keep things professional.”
“What does now mean?” Emerson says suspiciously. “Did you know him before now?”
I look at their excited faces, and I crack.
“We met years ago,” I admit. “Nine, if you’re counting.”
Which, of course, I am.
In an instant, the two of them are seated on either side of me on the bed.
“Tell us everything,” Marina demands.
I lie down on my back on the bed, stare at the ceiling, and tell them the story of how Devon Wilkens and I met.
When I’m finished, Emerson sighs dreamily. “That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. You saved him, and then he saved you? What if history is repeating itself?”
“What do you mean? Yes, Devon’s helping me out again for sure. And I’m so grateful. But I’m not doing a damn thing for him.”
“You don’t know that, Jade,” Marina says. “You don’t really know much about his life now. Wait and see. Get to know him at least. I know. I know about the team rules,” she says as I start to argue with her. “But the rules don’t say you can’t be friends, right? So be his friend.”
“I guess I could do that,” I say slowly. “Be his friend. Maybe I could finally give him something back for all that he gave me.”
“Or maybe you two could have hot, sweaty sex,” Emerson teases.
Marina jerks her thumb toward my front door. “Speaking of heat, what about the swimming pool? Can we use it?”
“Devon said I could, but I feel weird about swimming when he’s not home.”
“But it’s so hot out.” Emerson fans her face. “Teaching in the sun is amazing, but I sweat a lot more.”
“It must have been hot teaching outside today,” I agree. “I appreciate you both being so flexible.”
“It’s no problem,” Emerson assures me, sitting up and pulling her dark hair up off her neck. “But you know what would make it even better?”
I wag my finger at her. “Let me guess—a dip in the swimming pool?”
She smiles at me beseechingly. “Pretty please, JJ?”
A short while later, the three of us are in bathing suits and walking to Devon’s pool. Living in southern California makes bathing suits a necessary item of clothing, and I’ve got plenty to spare. I loaned two of my bikinis to Marina and Emerson, and they fit them well enough.
Emerson and I are of similar size although she’s a lot taller. But my black two-piece covers her important parts just fine. However, Marina’s boobs are definitely bigger than mine, and she’s spilling out of my white top. The bottoms are high cut style, and they show off most of her ass, which is fine with her. They’re both in great shape and are comfortable showing off their bodies.
And normally, I am too. But not here, at Devon’s home. Just the idea of him seeing me in a bikini sends my pulse racing.
The guys were all still practicing hard when I left the facility, but out of fear that Devon may come home early, the burnt orange bikini I chose for myself is the most conservative one I own. Which isn’t saying much. It cuts down so low in the front I always worry a strong wave will rip it off, but I don’t buy bikinis for swimming. I buy them for tanning. And I don’t like tan lines.
“My sister texted me this morning and told me I better not show up to her wedding all pale and washed out like I looked at dinner,” I say as the three of us drop our towels on lounge chairs.
“She sounds super sweet,” Marina says sarcastically. “And you could never look washed out, Jade. Your complexion is perfect.”
I head over to the pool stairs and step down into the cool water. The temperature is a little cold for my tastes, but the sun feels amazing on my bare back. I grab an inflatable raft that’s on the side and rest my arms on top of it while I float into the center of the pool.
Emerson runs to the deep end and dives in without hesitation. When she emerges, she’s laughing.
“This is so cool! Imagine being able to swim in your own backyard.”
“We’ve got an entire ocean at our disposal whenever we want it,” Marina says as she steps into the water and swims over to us. “Like one big public backyard.”
“True.” Emerson splashes around, her dark ponytail bobbing up and down. “But this feels easier somehow.”
We’re so busy chatting and enjoying the water that none of us hears the back door open.
“Jade?”
I whip around.
Devon is standing at the edge of the pool in a Cougars t-shirt and shorts. His Cougars cap covers most of his dark hair. He looks so damn hot I audibly inhale. Next to me, Marina and Emerson giggle.
Shit.
Devon
The second I see Jade in the pool, I want to cancel my workout session and go join her.
Just the way I wanted to stay up with her last night. I had to forcibly drag my ass away from her before I broke every rule Coach laid out for us.
“We’ll be working out over here,” I call out to her. “So don’t mind us.”
But Jade pops up and out of the pool so fast I don’t have time to turn away.
I end up frozen as she walks over to a lounge chair and grabs a towel. She wraps it around her body right away, but not fast enough.
I now have the image of Jade in a burnt orange bikini that shows off every sweet curve of her rocking body.
And when she bent over to pick up her towel�
�Christ, her ass looked delicious.
I’ll be pushing away images of that ass all night in bed.
“Devon?” She’s standing right in front of me now. “Did you hear me?”
I swallow, willing my dick to ignore her. “Sorry. No, I didn’t. Say it again?”
“We’re all done here.” She waves her hand at the two women in the pool, and they start swimming toward the steps leading out of the pool. “We’ll get out of your way.”
Colt, Dylan, Gray, and King are standing off to the side, waiting for our coaches to arrive. But they all call out hello to Jade, and she smiles and greets them politely.
But Gray’s attention is instantly on the blonde who’s now out of the pool but hasn’t yet made it to her towel.
Catching Gray’s gaze on her, she glares at him. “See something you like?” she asks in a taunting tone.
“Actually, yeah.” He walks toward her. “You want to meet up for a drink later?”
“Shit,” I murmur under my breath.
Jade grimaces. “Yeah, that’s not going to go over well.”
As if on cue, the blonde laughs as she grabs her towel but doesn’t wrap it around her. “Does that pathetic kind of come-on work with anyone?”
“Of course it does,” Gray says confidently, running a hand through his mess of dark hair.
“I feel sorry for those women then.” Still holding the towel in one hand, she strides up to Gray. “And I can promise you—it will never work on me.”
Gray’s eyes flash with irritation. “You’re missing out then,” he says, the flush in his cheeks surprising me.
I’ve never once seen Gray thrown off his game before.
“Highly doubtful.” The blonde turns to Jade. “Em and I will take off.”
“One second.” Jade gestures to me. “This is Devon, the owner of the backyard where you’ll be teaching for the foreseeable future. This is Marina, and my other instructor and friend, Emerson,” she adds as the other woman from the pool joins us.
I shake their hands and let them know they’re welcome to teach here anytime.
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