King, Gray, and I exchange looks.
This is going to be okay. We’re all taking this in stride.
Kane pushes back his chair and stands up. “I’m out of here.”
Okay, maybe not all of us are taking it well.
Coach Black glances around the table. “So. We’re all brothers?”
We nod.
His expression is pinched as he stands up. “Okay. I have to get back to Vegas tonight. I’ll see you guys around.”
And then there were three.
“Shit.” Gray rubs his eyes. “I need a drink.”
Good idea. I need one, too.
The next day, Gray, King, and I stand on the field and wait for Colton and Dylan to arrive at practice.
“Colt texted that they got back from Montana last night,” I say. “Look.” I point. “Here they are.”
As the two Wilds reach us, before I can think of what to say, Gray blurts out, “Devon, King, and I are brothers.”
“What—” Dylan starts to say.
“We all had to take a DNA test. And your uncle Lyle was our father,” Gray says with a smirk. “Wild, huh? Dumbass pun intended.”
“Are you serious?” Colton’s eyes fill with confusion.
“A thousand percent serious. So Kane is your cousin too, obviously,” Gray continues. “And you know Coach Black? He’s our brother also. Guess your uncle had some good sperm.”
Colton looks to Dylan. “But Uncle Lyle had no family. He was never married, or in a relationship that we knew of.”
“You don’t need a relationship to have sex and make a kid,” King says. “I should know.”
The five of us sit down on a bench and we lay out the story. By the time we’re done, Colton and Dylan are grinning and welcoming us to the family.
“This is awesome. Are you guys going to take Wild as your name?” Colton asks. “Because that’s a lot of Wilds on one team…”
“Fuck off,” I say. “I want to still honor my mom. But I think I know how to mix it up.”
“How?”
“Wait until our first pre-season game and find out.”
After practice, Jade and I drive to the nearby park to watch the sun go down.
As we sit on the bench together, her head on my shoulder, I say to her, “You know that you paid up, right?”
She looks up at me. “What do you mean?”
“You said you promised yourself you would pay up for the money I gave you nine years ago.”
She nods. “I just wanted to do for you what you did for me.”
I tug her closer to me. “What you did today, coming with me when I had no one? That was priceless, Jade. So let’s drop this silly debt you think you owe me, please? You never had a debt to me.”
She kisses me. “Okay.”
“And speaking of debt, I’m going to pay yours off.”
“Devon…”
“I wanted to do it earlier, but I know you didn’t want me to. I’m doing it because I want to. I don’t like you being stressed. Will you let me?”
Another kiss, longer this time. “I will graciously accept your generous offer.”
I tip her head back so I can see her eyes. “Thank you.”
We return to looking at the setting sun.
“So, how are you feeling?” she asks me. “The last few days have been a lot to take in.”
“You know…” I drop my head in my hands and chuckle before lifting my head and turning to her. “I’ve got a whole new family I didn’t know about. When I lost my mom and grandma, it felt like I lost any sense of stability and community. I’ve had to rely on football for that.”
“And now they’re blending together,” she says. “Your football family and your new family.”
“Plus, I’ve got the most important person in my life sitting next to me,” I say as she smiles. “This has been the most amazing summer of my life.”
And I couldn’t be happier.
Epilogue
Jade
I sit with Marina, Emerson, Colton’s wife, Sky, and Dylan’s wife, Jasalie, in a private box in the stadium and watch the Cougars’ first pre-season game. Their kids, along with King’s son, are sitting with Sky’s mom, who’s in town visiting. Sky’s so nice, and so is Jasalie. Jasalie and I bonded over something I didn’t expect—we were both homeless as teens. Getting to talk about that shared experience has been more of a healing than I expected.
“So this is the first Cougars’ game you’ve been to, right?” Jasalie asks me.
“Yes. I never followed football until Devon,” I say.
“Same here,” Sky says. “Until Colton, I had no clue what was going on in the world of the Cougars.”
The crowd cheers as Dylan and Gray connect on a pass and the Cougars enter the red zone.
“That’s that annoyingly cocky guy, isn’t it?” Marina says with a scowl.
Sky laughs. “Are you talking about my husband or Gray?”
“Not your husband,” Marina says. “Colton’s always been very polite. But Gray—I know he’s Devon’s brother now, but he and I didn’t exactly hit it off. Although he found it very easy to try to get me to go out with him.”
“Gray’s one of a kind,” Jasalie agrees. “Sometimes it seems like he’ll sleep with anyone.”
“Sounds like every woman’s dream,” Marina says sarcastically.
“I think he’s had a rough life,” Sky says softly. “I don’t know much…”
“In my opinion, that’s never an excuse to be a manwhore,” Marina says.
I put my arm around her. “Does Gray bother you a little?”
Emerson grins. “Yeah, maybe because you find him hot?”
But Marina’s stare is hard and unrelenting as she watches Gray run back to the huddle. “Not even a little. He could take off all his clothes in my presence, and I wouldn’t bat an eye.”
Jasalie claps. “I approve. Manwhores are not appealing.”
But Emerson catches my eyes and winks. She and I know Marina too well. And something about Gray Wild definitely gets her hot and bothered.
As I watch the players get into their next formation, I jump up.
“This is a running play,” I say excitedly.
As the ball is snapped, Dylan hands the football off to number thirteen with Wilkens-Wild printed on the back of his jersey.
Wilkens-Wild tears through a gap in the defense that I sure as hell didn’t see. But that’s Devon—he’s always one step ahead of everybody else.
When he dives into the end zone, no one cheers louder than I do. God, he’s so sexy as he spikes the ball and runs off the field. I can’t wait to see him in person afterward.
Devon
After the game, Colton, Dylan, King, Gray, and I head to Dylan and Jasalie’s house. Sky, Jasalie, and Jade are already there, along with Marina and Emerson. With Sky’s mom agreeing to babysit, it’s just adults tonight, and Gray made sure to stop for alcohol on the drive.
We all go for a swim in the pool until the sun starts to go down. I dry off and pull Jade into my lap in one of the lounge chairs. Sky and Colt sit next to us, and King and Dylan put burgers on the grill. Jasalie, Marina, and Emerson are engaged in a chat on the other side of the pool until Marina leaves for the house.
Gray, who’s standing alone with a beer in his hand, watches her walk away. His eyes are focused on her ass.
I kiss Jade and tell her I’ll be right back.
“Hey,” I say to Gray as I walk over to him.
“Hey.” He tips his head in the direction of where Marina went. “What’s her story?”
I shrug. “Don’t know. Have you asked her yourself?”
He shakes his head. “Why would I do that?”
“Crazy idea, I know,” I joke.
We talk about the game then. Until Marina returns to the pool area, and Jade calls out to her. She has to pass us to get to Jade, and as she walks by, Gray whistles.
And if looks could incinerate…
Marina’s dea
th stare that she delivers straight at Gray makes me cringe.
“What did you do to her?” I say in a low voice after she’s past us.
“I didn’t do anything,” he insists. “She just hates me.”
“Maybe because of the way you hit on her before you two had even been properly introduced,” I suggest.
“Hey, I never claimed to be a good guy. I’m the bad boy, remember?”
I click my beer to his. “You’re a better guy than you let most people see. If you want her to see that side of you, you have to be willing to show her.”
Gray’s expression shuts down. “Not happening. I don’t let women in. My new brothers, maybe.” He grins at me. “But not a woman.”
I may not know much about Gray’s past, but in the last month, he’s told me enough that I know not to push him.
Having King and Gray as my brothers is surreal. Add in Colton and Dylan for cousins, and you could say I got really fucking lucky. The five of us have hung out more than ever this summer, and grown closer.
Our other two “new” brothers—not so much. King’s twin, Kane, isn’t into bonding with us any more than he was in O’Reilly’s law office. And Coach Black seems to be nonplussed by the whole thing. His focus is one hundred percent on coaching, and any effort on my part to get to know him has been politely rebuffed.
But last week, some of my other new cousins flew in. I’d met Brayden, Ayden, and Cameron, plus Colt’s best friend, Jenson, before, and it was a little strange calling them family. But they were all welcoming, and King, Gray, and I had a good time. And this Christmas, I’ll spend my first holiday ever with a family. The whole Wild clan will be in Montana. King, Gray, and I are going to check out the cabin our father left us, and Jade has already agreed to come with me.
“Hey!” Dylan calls out. “Food’s ready.”
The group of us eat and talk and relax. And when it’s time to go home, Jade and I leave together. She drove to the game with Marina and Emerson, so we get into my SUV.
Jade moved back into her apartment over her studio yesterday, and she invites me to come see it tonight. I already miss having her in my guesthouse, but I’m planning on asking her to move in with me as soon as we’re both ready. The last few months have been busy, between me finding out about my biological father and a whole new set of relatives, and Jade getting her studio ready for re-opening.
But I know she’s the only one for me, and I can’t wait for us to live in the same place.
She shows me her studio and coffee house first.
“This is amazing,” I say as I look around her space. “It’s really impressive, Jade.”
She beams. “Thanks. It feels good to have it back.”
She leads me up to her apartment next. As we step inside, I take a quick look around her combination living room and kitchen. The walls are painted a deep blue with maroon trim, and sculptures fill the space. A large framed quote reads “Find Your Balance” with a woman sitting in a yoga pose underneath.
“This is a great place,” I say with enthusiasm. “It feels exactly like you.”
Jade smiles. “It does feel like an extension of me, just like my business.”
I take her face in my hands. “I love it. I love you.”
She leans into me, and I can hear her sharp inhale. “I miss living next door to you. You know what I wished for when I left for your game today?”
Inside my jeans, I twitch at the breathiness of her words. “What’s that?”
“A night of hot, sweaty sex with a good guy. The best guy I’ve ever known.” She trails a finger down my arm. “I think you fit the bill.”
I grin at her. “I’ve wanted to do this all day.” My mouth covers hers in a rough, urgent kiss, and she opens to me as my tongue tangles with hers.
I cup her ass with both hands and lift her into my arms. As she wraps her legs around my waist, I walk us forward to the wall and let her down until her feet hit the floor.
“You’re beautiful.” I slowly unbutton her army-green top, and her pink lace bra peeks out at me.
I suck on her aroused nipple through the thin fabric, and she lets out a breathy moan. “Beautiful,” I repeat as I unhook her bra and help her wriggle out of her top.
Her clothes fall to the ground, and I lift her skirt until it’s at her waist. Matching pink lace panties greet me as I drop to my knees and flatten my tongue against the panel of cloth between her legs.
“God, Devon,” she moans.
I look up at her with a devilish grin. “I hope you don’t mind me buying you a new pair of these…” I say as I rip apart her panties with one tear.
My mouth is back on her bare flesh in no time, and she grips my hair as I lick and kiss her until she comes with a loud cry.
I stand up and gaze at her flushed cheeks and bright eyes. I unsnap my jeans and grab a condom out of my pocket. Once I’m covered, I pick her up, and she wraps her legs around my waist. I pause, lightly pressing my hardness against her opening. I stay that way for as long as I can, savoring the moment before pushing inside her slowly.
Inch by inch, until I’ve filled her. And when I’m fully inside, I start to shake. Because I’ve never felt this kind of…bliss. Like I’m finally home, and I never want to leave.
“Christ, Jade.” I grit my teeth as I rest my forehead on her shoulder. “You feel so fucking good.”
I’m trying to give her time to adjust, but she starts clenching around me. “Move inside me,” she begs. “I’m ready.”
She doesn’t have to ask twice. I pump into her, driving faster and faster until both of us are sweaty and moaning. Jade calls out my name as she comes, and my release is so big I see fucking stars.
“Holy shit,” she murmurs into my shoulder. “That was…holy shit. That was so good.”
“Fucking amazing.” I find her mouth and kiss her hard. “But we’re not done.” I keep her in my arms and head down her hallway. “Show me where your shower is.”
Hours later and completely worn out, I lie intertwined with Jade in her bed.
I run my hand down her naked body, pausing at her ass. “I like you without clothes on. I’d like to stay this way all day tomorrow. And since I ruined your panties…”
She lets out a sexy laugh. “You owe me a new pair.”
My mouth is already between her thighs, and she moans as I lift my head to say, “I’ll buy you a hundred new pairs if you let me take you out on a date tonight.”
“You’re asking me out from between my legs? You know I’ll say yes, right?”
I look at her seriously. “I want to date you forever, Jade. I want to marry you.”
“You say this after you fucked me four times and gave me five orgasms?” She smiles. “Going about it backwards, aren’t we?”
“We met because of some asshole muggers,” I point out. “I’d say our whole beginning has been mixed up.”
“True.” She pushes up on her elbows and stares at me with those wise blue eyes. “And yet, it’s the best relationship I’ve ever had.”
“Me too.” I kiss the soft inside of her thigh. “And it’s a great story to tell our kids someday, right?”
“Definitely.”
The End
Read more about the Wild cousins in the Wild Men series
http://www.melissabellebooks.com/Wild_Men_Series.html
Newsletter
http://www.melissabellebooks.com/newsletter.html
About the Author
Melissa Belle writes contemporary romance novels in a style that's sexy, sweet, and steamy. She lives in New England with her family, and often works through her story ideas while hiking with her husband, or hanging out with her two rescue kitties.
Read More from Melissa Belle
www.melissabellebooks.com
om.Net
Sweetest Obsessions - Anthology Page 340