Play Me

by Kelly Elliott

  “That’s where you come in, I take it? Does this have anything to do with—”

  I held up my hand. “Don’t, Mom. This is simply me trying to help this kid out because I can see there’s something special in him and there had to be a reason he was sabotaging his career. I’m hoping over the next day or two, he sees what he’s got inside of him.”

  Tilting her head, she regarded me for a moment. “You are so much like your father, you know that? You have one of the most loving hearts I have ever seen, and that is because of the man who raised you.”

  “You had a little something to do with it, too, you know,” I said with a wink.

  She blushed. “Yes, I did, but you learned from a good man. You’ve always been open to advice from your father, so don’t stop now.”

  I leaned forward. “What do you mean?”

  With a shrug, she motioned for me to join Dad and Josh in the barn. “I’m just saying keep an open mind and lead with your heart, not your head, Hunter.”

  I gave her a nod and glanced toward the door.

  “Now, let’s talk about Kendall. You’re engaged.”

  With a smile, I looked back at my mother. “I know. I haven’t really had time to process it all. I love her, Mom. I know some people might think we’re moving fast, but it feels right.”

  “Then that is all that matters. She’s a lovely girl, and I adore her. I see why you’re in love with her. She makes you happy. Your father and I can see the change in you.”

  “Kendall makes me very happy. I can’t imagine my life without her in it.”

  “I’m sure you make her just as happy, sweetheart.”

  Letting out a sigh, I said, “I hope so.”

  My mother took her cup and dish to the sink before turning to face me. “I’m going to go for a walk and take in this beautiful morning.” She bent down and kissed me. “Enjoy your day, sweetheart. I love you.”

  I finished my coffee and made my way out to the barn. I could hear my father and Josh talking, so I paused around a corner and listened.

  “Keep a hold of that leg good and really get into that shoe. Get it clean.”

  “Yes, sir,” Josh replied.

  Smiling, I stood and listened to my father give Josh lessons on how to groom a horse. I could hear a change in the young man’s voice. It sounded as if he might not have been carrying so much on his shoulders this morning and simply living in the moment.

  “You dating anyone?” Dad asked.

  “There is someone I sort of like, but I’m not sure how far things will go.”

  Josh had told me last night he had asked Amber out on a few dates. He’d said he really liked her, but it made him feel guilty at the same time—liking another woman after Lisa. The guy hadn’t dated anyone since she died.

  “You’ll never know unless you take the leap, son. So don’t wait around; take the chance.”

  My father’s words hit me right in the chest. It was something he had said to me on more than one occasion, but somehow hearing him say it to Josh made it feel like the most important time he’d ever said it. I was sure he had no idea just how important those words were to this kid.

  Walking around the corner, I saw Josh staring at my dad. He smiled and replied, “I will, sir. Thank you.”

  The rest of the day was spent working on the ranch. My father and I worked Josh until he was practically crawling back to the house. He’d muttered something about being the most tired he had ever been in his entire life. My mother went all out and made a home-cooked dinner with an apple pie and homemade vanilla ice cream. Josh was in heaven after the hell we had put him through.

  I picked up my phone and sent Kendall a quick text. I hadn’t spoken to her since earlier in the day when we’d both had a break.

  Me: Hey, baby. I miss you.

  Kendall: I miss you, too. How are things going?

  Me: Tough at first, but I think we’re going to be seeing a new Josh McEvans after this.

  Kendall: Good. Call me before you go to bed. I want to hear your voice again.

  Me: Will do. I love you.

  Kendall: I love you, too.

  “Coach, do you mind if we speak in private for a minute?” Josh asked after we had all helped Mom clean up dinner.

  “Not at all, let’s head out to the front porch and sit for a bit.”

  “You boys want some fresh iced tea?” my mother called out.

  “No, thank you, Mrs. Owens,” Josh said as I took a glass from her and then kissed her cheek.

  Once we made our way to the front porch, Josh and I both took a seat. “What’s on your mind?” I asked.

  He drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I wanted to apologize for the way I’ve been behaving. I intend on apologizing to Ms. Wales and Coach White when we get back. I know why Coach isn’t starting me, and I’ll earn back the title. I swear I will. I’ll do whatever you think I need to do to get it back. If that means it’s not this year, I’ll work even harder to get it for next year.”

  I nodded, taking a drink of my tea. “It means a lot to me to hear you say that. The only thing we want you to do is step up to the plate and be the team leader I know you can be, Josh. Those players see your talent just like Coach and I do. Show them you’re not going to piss it away anymore.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I see good things in your future, Josh. It’s not too late.”

  He gave me a weak smile. “I hope it’s not.”

  I lifted a brow and gave him a stern look.

  “I know it’s not too late.”

  This time his smile grew bigger, as did mine.

  We spent the next hour talking football. It was nice to relax and get to know this side of him even better.

  Josh stood and clapped his hands together. “I think I’ll go for a run.”

  “I think I’ll join you.”

  He laughed.

  “Why is that funny?” I asked.

  “It’s just, well, I usually run about six miles.”

  I curled my lip. “You little prick. You don’t think I can run six miles?”

  He shrugged. “You might be able to, but I doubt you could keep up with me.”

  Setting the glass of tea on the table, I stood, cracked my neck, and did a few stretches. Pointing to him, I said, “Let’s do this shit.”

  Josh grinned from ear to ear. Little did I know that one evening run would turn our entire relationship around. Josh McEvans became more than just another messed-up football player. He became a friend whose friendship I would always treasure.

  Josh dropped out of the pocket and looked for a receiver. I held my breath and waited for him to find the line. The ball left his hand, and suddenly, everything was moving in slow motion. Jackson caught it and ran six yards to score the winning touchdown in the championship game. The players went wild. The crowd erupted with a roar. Turning, I looked up toward the booth where I knew Kendall was with our parents. I smiled even though I couldn’t see her. Life had been crazy the last few months. With both of our mothers planning the wedding and Kendall doing her best to let them take the lead, I couldn’t believe how far we’d come in such a short amount of time.

  Facing back out onto the field, I watched as the entire team gathered around Josh. He had earned the right to be starting quarterback and had taken the team to the championship with an almost perfect record. We’d only lost one game, and that was when Josh hadn’t been playing. Once he stepped up to the challenge, he’d lit a fire under the ass of every player and they never looked back. With the team winning the championship, my obligation to the team was now fulfilled. It was a bittersweet ending to this chapter of my life, but I could not wait to start the next chapter.

  Josh’s searching gaze found mine through the crowd. He was being interviewed by a local news station. He smiled and I returned the gesture. Neither of us needed to exchange words; we knew what this moment meant. A few players and coaches approached me, and we shook hands before I made my way over to Josh. Once every
thing had settled down, we stood in front of each other. Neither of us said a word. We didn’t need to. He knew I was proud of him. What I hadn’t realized until that moment was that Josh had helped me move past my own guilt. He’d taught me that some things were simply not in our control and that beating yourself up for those things actually kept you from letting go. Kept you from taking the leap.

  “Thank you, Coach.”

  My chest felt tight as I reached out and pulled him into a hug. Slapping my hand on his back, I said, “Thank you, Josh.”

  When he pulled back, he gave me an incredulous look and asked, “For what, Coach?”

  I rested my hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “For trusting me.”

  His eyes filled with emotion, and he cleared his throat as he replied, “Always.”

  “How is she doing?” I asked my mother.

  She smiled. “She is floating around on cloud nine.”

  “She’s not stressed?”

  “No, not at all. She trusted Alli and me to take care of everything, and we did. Kendall walked around this morning, taking it all in, and she loved everything. It all looks beautiful.”

  Smiling, I took my mother’s hands. “It is beautiful. Thank you for doing this, Mom. I know it wasn’t easy being so far away and having to fly in to see it through.”

  “It was worth it. Wait until you see your bride. She is stunning.”

  I sighed. I hadn’t seen Kendall in over twenty-four hours. Not since the rehearsal dinner. It felt like a month.

  “Oh, stop that. It’s only been a day since you’ve seen her.”

  “A day is too long.”

  “That is the response I want to hear.”

  I glanced over my shoulder and saw Damien standing there next to my father.

  “You ready for this?” Dad asked as he walked up to me and slapped the side of my arm.

  “I'm more than ready. I think it’s time to get this show on the road.”

  They all laughed. “Well, I’m going to go see my beautiful daughter. I think the wedding planner wants you all outside.”

  I nodded, pulled in a deep breath, and tried to push away the sudden nerves.

  “Okay, now I’m nervous as fuck,” I mumbled.

  My father laughed. “Then it’s a good thing we have just the right person to distract you.”

  I glanced to the door and saw Josh standing there. “I guess I’m too late for the bachelor party, right?”

  I shook his hand and pulled him in for a quick bro hug.

  “It’s good to see you. Keeping that arm protected?”

  He nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  Standing next to him was Amber. I smiled and leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Hey, Amber. It’s good to see you.”

  Since the championship, I had stepped down officially and given Mac full control. I had hated not being able to walk into Kendall’s office anytime I wanted, but as she started letting more and more people take control over things with the team, the more she was with me at the ranch. When she needed to fly to Atlanta, we did. We had sold her condo there and bought a house right outside of town for when we were in Atlanta. We had talked about keeping the condo, but with getting married and talking about kids sooner rather than later, we went with the more family-friendly option.

  “It’s great to see you, Hunter. I’m going to head on out and take my seat. It looks like things are about to get started.”

  Amber reached up and kissed Josh quickly on the lips. He watched her as she walked away and then turned back to me. I lifted a brow, and his cheeks turned a deep red.

  “I see things are going well with you two.”

  He nodded. “Yes, they’re going really good.”

  Slapping his back, I said, “Good. You deserve to find some happiness.”

  Josh changed the subject. “Right now, you’re the one finding all the happiness. Come on, let’s get you out there. The wedding planner nearly pulled my arm out of its socket when she saw me and asked me to find you.”

  We laughed and made our way to the back of the house. Kendall had wanted something simple. Family and close friends. My sister Charlotte and Kendall’s brother, Ryder, had flown in a few days earlier. It had been amazing having both of our families there. I couldn’t remember laughing as much as I had in the last week.

  On my way down the aisle, I stopped a number of times to speak to people. Congratulations were offered as I shook hands, kissed cheeks, and made my way to the end. The arbor at the end of the aisle was decorated in a beautiful fall theme with tiny white lights everywhere. The preacher shook my hand, then Josh’s, and then Ryder’s.

  “I’m told we’re about to start.”

  My entire body trembled. Not from nerves—although I was nervous as hell—but from excitement. Kendall was finally going to be my wife. I couldn't have wiped the smile off my face if I wanted to.

  Next to me, my father stood proudly. I’d asked him to be my best man and he said yes, of course. Josh and Ryder were groomsmen. Everything seemed to be happening at warp speed until I saw her.

  Kendall.

  She was dressed in the most beautiful wedding gown I had ever seen. My breath actually caught in my throat the moment I saw her. I could see her smile through her veil, and as she got closer, I felt weak in the knees.

  “You all right there, son?” my father whispered.

  “She’s beautiful.”

  “Yes, she is. You’re a lucky man indeed, Hunter,” my father said as Damien stopped, lifted Kendall’s veil, and then whispered something into her ear. Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them back. Damien turned to face me and placed Kendall’s hand in mine.

  “She is my life. Take care of her.”

  I nodded. “She is my everything, sir. I promise you I will love her and cherish her forever.”

  Damien smiled and discreetly wiped away a tear before he kissed Kendall once more and took his seat.

  Kendall stepped closer to me, and I returned her smile.

  “You take my breath away, sweetheart. You’re so beautiful.”

  Her cheeks flushed. “I love you, Hunter.”

  “I love you, baby.”

  The rest of the service was a blur. I heard the preacher speak, I answered his questions, spoke the words I needed to speak, and finally, Kendall was mine. Cupping her face gently in my hands, I leaned my forehead against hers and gazed into her eyes.

  Kendall giggled. “Hunter, are you going to kiss me?”

  “I am,” I answered. “I just want to memorize every single detail about this moment.”

  She looked so happy, so in love. I wanted to remember it for the rest of my life.

  “You’re my wife,” I said softly.

  She grinned. “It’s not official yet, Mr. Owens.”

  I pressed my mouth against hers, and we both let out a soft sigh. We both drew back and smiled at one another. With a wink, I said, “It’s official now, Mrs. Owens.”

  A tear made a slow path down her beautiful face. Brushing it away with my thumb, I asked, “Are you ready?”

  With a chuckle, she nodded, saying, “I’ve never been more ready.”

  The sound of the door hitting the wall as I kicked it open made both Kendall and I laugh.

  “Are you in a bit of a hurry, Mr. Owens?” Kendall asked as I carried her into the hotel room and set her on her feet.

  “In a bit of a hurry? I’m frantic to get you out of this dress and into that bed.”

  Kendall turned and glanced at the bed before facing me again with the most seductively innocent look. “Why, sir, what do you plan on doing with me once you get me into that bed?”

  I growled, turning her around. The realization that Kendall was finally my wife left me feeling breathless. I had never been so happy in my life. Kendall glanced over her shoulder at me as I started to unbutton the ungodly and obscene number of buttons running down the back of her wedding gown.

  “If I wasn’t certain you want to preserve this thing, I
would rip it off of your body.”

  She ran her tongue over her lips.

  “Kendall, don’t look at me like that or I’ll do it.”

  This time her teeth dug into her lip, and she turned to face me, her dress half unbuttoned.

  “What if I told you there was an easier way?”

  My brows lifted. “Go on.”

  She gave me a sinful little smile and took a few steps back. “I’m not wearing panties.”

  My heart dropped. “This whole time, you haven’t had panties on?”

  “No! Of course, I have! I took them off in the rest room downstairs. I wanted to be a bit naughty.”

  “Naughty?”

  She nodded.

  “Do you want me to fuck you in your wedding dress, Kendall?”

  Her eyes went from a bright, beautiful blue to dark and stormy. “Yes.”

  “Well, what my wife wants my wife gets.”

  “I do believe I’m going to like the perks of being married to you.”

  As I lifted her up, Kendall wrapped her legs around my body. “I do believe you’re right.”

  After gathering up her dress, I reached between her legs and moaned as I slipped my fingers inside her. She was ready for me. More than ready.

  “Hunter, please. I need you.”

  Somehow, I managed to support her against the wall, undo my pants, and take my cock out. As I pushed inside her, we both let out a long soft moan.

  “Don’t go slow, Hunter. Please, give me what I want.”

  Happy to oblige, I pulled out of her slightly before pushing back in, hard and fast. It didn’t take long for Kendall to cry out my name in pleasure. I followed quickly behind her.

  When I’d regained the use of my legs, I walked us over to the bed and dropped down onto it, our chests heaving as we tried to control our breathing.

  “I’m exhausted,” I panted.

  “Me, too,” Kendall said. “Looks like we’re already turning into an old married couple.”

  “It feels like the last few months have been a blur. Helping with the new team your dad bought, getting the Mustangs to a championship, and the wedding—it’s been insane. We have the right to be a bit tired.”