From time to time, I peered over to watch Josh. He wore a blank expression like armor, appearing to be both bored and unbothered, but every once in a while, the mask fell and the vulnerability was plain as day. And it was good that this bothered him. It meant he actually cared. Maybe he wanted to save himself. Hopefully.
I hung up the phone, breathing a sigh of relief at the results of my conference call. The board was pleased. And since there had been no further instances with the team, the leash I was on loosened ever so slightly.
Mac knocked on my door. “Do you have a second?”
“Sure.”
I turned my attention to Mac. Thank goodness he wasn’t one of those coaches who yanked up his pants all the time despite wearing a belt. That would have been a deal breaker—or the only way we could’ve communicated would have been through Skype video with a “from the shoulders up” rule. I tried to not smile at the thought.
Mac was at ease as he sat in my black leather chair and drank his coffee. Things were going well between us. With the partnership we were becoming a true team. He nodded. “How’d it go with the board?”
“Good. Very good. They were pleased with the scrimmage. As a result of the additional budget cuts we’d already discussed and agreed to together, we’ve increased profit by seven percent. And because of this, they’re backing off, which is going to make my job a lot easier. As long as we don’t have any more incidents, we might just save this team.”
“That’s good to know. I have a feeling McEvans is trying to start something, but the team seems to be ignoring him. They know I’m serious, and I’ve told them they are all replaceable. Honestly, I’m about two seconds from getting rid of him, but Hunter has asked me to keep him on a little longer.”
My heart melted a little at how much Hunter cared. The more I got to know him, the more I understood why his player dying on the field had completely wrecked him. Hunter put his heart into his team. Though we hadn’t said those three magic words yet, I saw him put the same type of devotion into our relationship. I came first. The feeling was addictive.
“Good. Glad to hear it. Well, I best get back to it.” He stood.
I mirrored his action. “Have a good day, Mac. Thanks for stopping by.”
A bit later, Amber’s voice came over the intercom. “Ms. Wales, your father is here.”
“Thank you.”
My nerves were an absolute mess, and I tried to prepare myself as best I could. On Saturday, Mom had called to ask if they could come see me and meet Hunter. It had seemed like it hadn’t been long enough for that kind of thing, but considering I’d already met his parents, I said sure. It occurred to me that Hunter had been waiting for this to happen. He’d causally ask when my parents were coming to town.
Dad came in wearing a black three-piece suit. He was such a strong man, and I admired him so much. In many ways, I wanted to be like my dad and receive the same type of respect when I walked into a room.
“Hey, Daddy. It’s so good to see you.” I looked around him toward the door. “Where’s Mom?”
He gave me a big hug, and I melted into him. There was just something about a dad’s hug that was irreplaceable. With that thought in mind, I hugged him tighter.
“Hey, sweetheart. Now, this is the kind of reception I love to get. Your mom is getting settled in at the apartment.”
That was Mom’s way of giving me and Dad some time together. “I missed you.”
“Me, too. I hear I have to meet the dreaded b-word.”
I pulled back and giggled at the grimace on his face. Since I had never really had a boyfriend before, this was new territory for all of us.
Amber had set up lunch on the small table to the left of my desk. We sat and ate, catching up on our lives. I found myself talking more about Hunter than I thought I would. Dad listened and smiled, seeming to enjoy my stories of Hunter taking me on a hike last weekend. I also told him about Ahava and Nala.
After a while, we switched to business. “You did a good job holding your own with the board.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that.”
“But, Kendall, I need—"
There was a knock at the door, interrupting us. I called out, “Come in.”
“Hey, baby, what time—” Hunter froze at the sight of my dad. “Amber was away from her desk.” He pointed to the door. “Your calendar was empty.”
It was rare for Hunter to be flustered. Dad stood, and I wasn’t sure who filled the room more. Dad adjusted his suit jacket. “Hunter Owens, it’s been awhile.”
“Yes, it has. Your team still has an impeccable record.”
“We’ve definitely missed playing against you on the field. You gave us a run for our money every single time. If I recall correctly, we ended with an even number of wins and losses.”
Hunter smirked. “Yes, we did. Your team always gave mine hell, Mr. Wales.”
Oh, good grief.
Dad straightened his cuff. “Please, call me Damien. Seems like this time we aren’t on opposing teams and have a common goal in mind.”
Their eyes shifted to me, and my cheeks heated. Hunter said, “Yes, we do.”
The vow he’d given had me smiling in response. Hunter took a few steps toward Dad with his hand outstretched.
“How about we go get a drink? There are some things I would like to discuss,” my dad said.
Before I could respond, Hunter nodded. “Sounds good.”
Oh dear.
My dad alone with the guy I was dating was not a good idea. “Are we sure this is a good idea? I mean, it’s barely lunchtime—not really proper hours to be drinking. Maybe we should stay here, have some sparkling water, catch up on business, not kill my boyfriend.”
Both men looked my way, and Hunter quirked a smile. Dad raised an eyebrow at my outburst. “What? Why are you staring at me? It just seems that a very protective dad plus a boyfriend could be catastrophic. I would like to have my dad and my boyfriend when the day ends and it’s time for bed. Not that I would have anyone in my bed. I mean, I’m like a nun. Well—”
“Kendall, breathe.” Hunter took my hand, and I instantly calmed.
Dad was watching us intently. He gave me a loving smile. “I promise to return him in one piece.”
I nervously chuckled. “Dad.”
Hunter gave me a kiss on the forehead, and I froze while he joined my dad at the door. No man had ever shown affection to me in front of my dad. I glanced over my shoulder, nervous at what I’d find.
“We’ll be back soon,” Hunter said.
I mouthed to Hunter, “Be careful.”
He gave me a wink in response and seemed completely at ease with my father. Not many would be so relaxed with a man as powerful as Damien Wales. When the door shut, I paced and then paced some more. Maybe I needed a drink.
Work. I would lose myself in work.
I sat down at my desk only to be distracted more. At one point, my phone vibrated, and I noticed almost three hours had passed without hearing from Hunter.
Me: Are you still alive?
Hunter: Of course. Your dad isn’t going to kill me, Kendall.
Me: He might if he knew what you had done to me.
Hunter: If I remember correctly, you were the one who rode my face this morning, baby.
I smiled, feeling those delicious shivers in my abdomen, and then remembered Hunter was with my dad.
Me: Hunter! Do not let my dad see you texting those things.
Hunter: Oh, so it’s bad if he’s reading over my shoulder right now?
Me: Hunter!
Hunter: We’ll be back soon. Don’t worry. Everything is going fine. Promise.
I knew he would never lie to me, so I relaxed just a little. Then another text came through.
Hunter: I’ll see you soon.
Those were the exact words I needed to hear. I turned my focus back to work. About thirty minutes later, Hunter walked through the door. He’d texted me to let me know he was on his way and asked if I was free. D
ad had gone back to the apartment with Mom to help with dinner.
I bit my lip as I waited. Hunter casually sat on the chair at ease. “You seem unharmed.”
“We just had a few drinks and talked.”
I raised my eyebrow and stood to come around my desk. No way it was just drinks. “My dad has never met a boyfriend before because I’ve never had one. And with how protective he is of his family... I doubt it was just a few drinks.”
Hunter grabbed my waist and gave me a quick kiss. We had to be careful at work—anyone could walk in at anytime. “Well, he made it known I better not hurt you or I would wish I wasn’t alive.”
I gasped. “Oh my gosh. Please tell me he didn’t. Hunter, I am so sorry.”
His thumb traced my bottom lip. “Baby, I’m going to tell my daughter’s boyfriend the same someday.”
That squishy feeling took over in my stomach. “You want kids?”
It was something we hadn’t really discussed. Kids. When does he want kids?
Hunter watched me closely. “I do.” He looked a little worried. “Do you?”
I bit my bottom lip. “I... uh... yes... I... uh... maybe... I...”
“Take a breath.”
I inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. “I don’t know what I want. I mean yes, I always wanted a family at some point, but I have no idea how I would even manage taking on that responsibility. Over this last week, we’ve barely seen each other because of my work schedule.”
“But we have made time for each other every night. And we had a good weekend.”
“We did. And yes, we do.” I took a moment to get my thoughts in order, and Hunter waited patiently. “What if you get tired of waiting for me to be ready?”
He grabbed my shoulders. “Kendall, we don’t have to have all the answers today. Do you want to be with me?”
“Yes.” That was an easy answer.
“Then that is what matters.”
I just hoped it was enough until I worked it all out.
Mom and I sat in her apartment, sipping wine and catching up. The sliding door that led to the garden was open to create a breeze on that pretty spring evening. In the distance, the water feature for the pool gave a tranquil feel. It was nice to have a relaxing evening with my mom. Dinner had been full of laughter. It seemed like Hunter and I had been together for years, not just a month. Our lives fit together effortlessly. Hunter was showing Dad around the stadium while they talked shop. I was relieved to see them so at ease with each other. In my mind I had worked it up to be a horror movie.
“You seem happy, Kendall. You have no idea how much that warms my heart.”
I snuggled into the chair. “I really like him, Mom. Like really like him. I think I’m in love with him.”
The smile on my mom’s face grew brighter—like I had given her a gift she’d always wanted. “Oh, Kendall, this makes me so happy. I had my suspicions at dinner, but I didn’t want to push. Hunter seems like such a nice man.”
“He is, Mom. I just... I can’t describe it. And I think he loves me, too. He slipped and said he was falling in love with me when we were at his ranch.”
“He did?” Her happiness was contagious.
I was excited to tell someone. It had been on my mind a lot, and I wondered when I should tell him. “I don’t think he realized he’d said anything, but he did. And I’m scared to death I’m going to mess this up. I haven’t told him how I feel.”
Mom tipped her head to the side. “Why are you afraid you’ll mess it up?”
I leaned back on the arm of the oversized leather chair, feeling like a little girl sharing concerns about school. My mom had always had an endless amount of time to listen to me. “How would it all work? If we got married? He wants kids, and my job is demanding and will only become more demanding. How would I balance all that?”
She patted my leg. “For the work piece, talk to your dad. He had to make the exact same decision, and he managed. He was very much a part of your life. Being a mother is the most rewarding thing I have done. You can work and be a mother, Kendall. You don’t have to have one or the other.”
“I don’t want to disappoint him or you.”
“Nothing you could ever do would disappoint us, Kendall. We are so proud of you. No job is worth giving up your life for. There is only one happiness in life—to love and be loved in return.”
I smiled at the words of wisdom I knew came from the grandma I’d never met. “Thanks, Mom. I love you guys.”
“We love you, too.”
“You ready to start the movie?”
“Yes.”
Mom turned on the television, and we lost ourselves in Romancing the Stone. Not only did I love eighties music, but Mom and I enjoyed watching romantic eighties movies. Before I knew it, I was drifting off.
My body shifted, and warm arms held me close. I stirred and Hunter’s warm voice soothed me. “Shh, baby, I’ve got you.”
I cuddled further into his chest. The beat of his heart was strong and steady. There were murmurs I couldn’t quite make out before I felt us moving again. The rocking motion nearly had me back to sleep. Before I knew it, I was in my bed, and I felt Hunter’s thumb trace my bottom lip.
“I’m so in love with you.”
My eyes sprang open as his words registered. Hunter’s dark eyes were stormy from his confession. “Wh-what? What did you say?”
This was our moment. I wasn’t ready to let any more time go by before I told him how I felt. I needed Hunter to know I was in this for the long haul.
“I love you, Kendall. I told your father today.”
“You did?” My voice was all but a whisper. That wasn’t what I’d been expecting.
He smiled. “Yes, baby, I did. I needed him to know my intentions.”
I leaned forward to be closer to him. “I love you, too, Hunter Owens.”
I lifted the hem of my T-shirt and pulled it over my head. “I need you to make love to me. I need to feel you inside of me. I need to feel your love.”
“I want nothing more, Kendall. You are my world.”
We were about a week out from game day and things were moving right along. The team’s performance was improving, according to each update I received from Mac. For the first time, I believed we had a shot at a decent season.
I sniffed the flowers from the latest bouquet Hunter had sent to my office. Once a week he sent me some sort of flowers and signed them from Nala to keep rumors down.
I spent more time going over the books with the controller and still had no clue why the previous coach had allowed and approved the expenses he had. But everything had been reported correctly except to me at the purchase of the team. That alone was grounds for fraud, but I wanted to see the internal investigation through. And with the board slowly warming up to me, it seemed everything was within my grasp.
Everything except time for a family at this point.
We hadn’t talked about kids again. And I knew I was jumping the gun, but I needed a plan for all possibilities. More and more I found myself wanting to have that life. But with everything, there were trade-offs. I just had to figure out that balance. It was harder than I’d imagined.
Later. There is no rush.
It was late, and I’d sent off my last report when there was a knock on the door. Everyone was gone but Hunter.
“Come in.”
Hunter strolled in and shut the door. “I wanted to see if Ms. Wales was available for a meeting.”
“What did you have in mind? I’ll have to see if she’s available.”
“I was thinking dinner, maybe a movie?”
“Is that it?”
“Well, at the end of the night, I was hoping I might get lucky.”
I stood and walked around the desk and leaned against it. “And what would you do if you got lucky?”
Hunter locked the door and casually leaned against it. “Well... first, I would undress her.”
I reached for the tie of my wraparound dress and let it f
all open. Hunter’s eyes widened as it exposed my lacy black bra. I let the dress slide down my arms and onto the carpet, leaving me in my bra, panties, garter belt and stockings. “What would you do next?”
“Well, I would run my hands up her body until they landed on her breasts. My fingers would slowly roll her nipples until they were dark and hard...”
I followed his directions, a soft moan escaping me.
Hunter murmured, “Fuck me.”
“Oh, I plan to.”
He ran his hand through his hair, watching me with hooded eyes.
“What would you do next?”
“I would trail kisses down her body while my fingers made their way to her pussy, teasing her, making her want me to push them in deep.”
My hands trailed down my body until I reached my clit, barely grazing it. My body was revved up and needy for Hunter. I whispered, “Hunter.”
“I would push my fingers in just a bit, making her wish for my cock.”
I pushed my panties aside and teased myself. His eyes were on fire, and he looked like it physically pained him to stay away. I sucked on my lip and moved further up my desk, exposing myself to his hot gaze.
He let out a string of curses as I lay back on the desk, giving Hunter an unrestricted view. I trailed my fingers down my body and touched my clit again, barely touching it and sending shivers through my body.
“You are the most beautiful fucking thing I have ever seen in my life.”
I dipped my finger inside my core and moaned. “What would you do next?”
“I would take my fingers out, leaving her wanting more, reminding her she’s mine.”
Reluctantly, I took my fingers out and brought them back to my nipples. “She is yours. Completely. But she needs to come... badly.”
“Close your eyes.”
I obeyed. Within seconds, I felt his breath against my sex, and I shivered. “Next, I would taste her sweetness, savor her. Keep your eyes closed.”
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