by Lexi Ward
She turned to the door and knocked on it, her stomach churning and her mind spinning.
Ben answered it too fast. His brow furrowed, his lips twitching downward. “I thought we were going to stay at your place tonight.”
Georgia couldn’t breathe. Stunned by his sudden presence, she gaped at him. His mesmerizing eyes, strong jaw…
“Georgia? Is everything alright?”
She nearly lied but managed to choke on her breath in the next instance. She bowed a little and cleared her throat into her fists, her eyes watering and her heart aching.
“Georgia?” Large hands gently grabbed her shoulders. “You’re worrying me, here. What’s wrong?”
She forced herself to face him fully and calmly, even as her chest felt as if it was caving in on itself. “We can’t keep sneaking around like this, Ben. It’s ultimately just going to hurt you.”
His eyebrows rose. “You want to go public?”
“I want to end this between us. Whatever it is.”
“You—wait, what?”
She sucked in a taut breath. “Ben, this has been really great, but I’m not good with permanence and it’s better to end this sooner than later.”
His facial muscles went slack, but the pain—the fear—was evident in his gaze. He shook his head. “No, no, this…did I do something?” He leaned a little closer, imploring. “You were—we were so happy yesterday. I don’t understand what’s happening.”
Guilt clawed into her, and she nearly sobbed. “This is for the best, Ben.”
“No, it’s not,” he choked out. He squeezed her shoulders before his hands roamed down her arms and squeezed her elbows. “Please, tell me what I did. Tell me how I can make this right. Don’t—” His voice cracked, and he clamped his mouth shut before he could say anything more.
“You didn’t do anything,” she said. She nearly winced at her own words—a cop-out, no reason at all. She wanted to pull away, but he clung to her with such desperation…she couldn’t bear to leave him, even though she knew she needed to. “Look, your career is everything, and I’m just getting in the way of that.”
“You are everything.”
She reeled. “What?”
“I should have been putting you first,” he said quickly. “Not my career.”
“No, that’s not what I—”
“I love you.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Confliction sprang anew, and she was feeling so much that she might as well be feeling nothing at all. “What?”
With a great deal of caution, he raised one of his hands and placed it against her cheek. The rough texture of his fingers caressed her flesh. “I love you, Georgia. I know we haven’t been together that long—and maybe this was just a casual thing at first—but now I…I can’t lose you. I want to make this work.” He sucked in a shaky breath. “I want you more than I have ever wanted anything. And I’ll do anything to make right what I did wrong.”
Frustration spiked through her—above every other emotion. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Ben.”
“Then why do you want to end this? Tell me the truth. Please.”
Georgia, without consciously meaning to do so, glanced at her stomach. Her lips wobbled into a feeble frown. She was so tired of everything. Before she could stop herself, her gaze flitted back up to Ben and she said, “I’m pregnant.”
Panic struck her when Ben’s face went completely slack, though a part of her thought she should be relieved by such a reaction. If he broke up with her, then he wouldn’t be hurt.
It was a pathetic thought, really, regardless of the love behind it. Georgia lowered her watery gaze and tried to seem as stoic as possible. Whatever he ended up saying to her, she just hoped it would be quick and clear—unlike herself.
She pressed her lips together in a tight line.
An extremely gentle pressure—a light tickle—over her stomach made Georgia snap her attention to Ben’s large hand, his fingers running over her lower belly. While the action was slow, it wasn’t hesitant; it wasn’t full of fear.
Hope soared through her. She dared to look up.
Ben’s face was fairly blank, all except for his eyes. The sense of grief they had conveyed early was long gone, in its place a glowing warmth—adoration—as he glanced over her abdomen.
“I didn’t want to be your scandal,” she blurted, guilt at the horrifying mistake she had nearly made. She talked faster, as if she could somehow escape her shame and fear through her words. “You know how the media gets with gossip, and you wanted us to be a secret, so I thought if your secret lover just happened to get pregnant, then you would—”
Almost too quiet to hear, he shushed her. His hands roamed up her body and to her neck, his thumbs brushing over her quivering jaw as he looked into her eyes. He seemed stunned now, if not fatigued. “I love you. And I already love our child. I don’t care what anybody says or thinks—you both are so much more important than any of that. Than anything.”
Tears crawled down her cheeks. She was only distantly aware of them as relief and affection flooded her system. “I love you, too, Ben. So much. I didn’t mean to…” She shook her head, the words losing meaning. She stepped closer and held him tightly.
He hugged her back, face pressed against the side of her head.
She closed her eyes and breathed him in. His warmth, his scent—she was addicted. How could she think she could give this up? Her fingernails raked over his back and shoulders, making them spasm beneath her touch.
“I love you,” she said again, hoping those words could mask all the other words she had just said. She pressed her lips to his neck. “I love you. I’m sorry. I love you.”
“I love you, too. Just…” He leaned back enough so that he could then press his forehead against hers, his arms still wrapped around her. “Don’t lie to me again. I know why you did it, and I’m sorry I made you feel like you and our baby were a…” He released a shaky breath.
“Okay,” she whispered back, nodding—making both of their heads jar a bit. “Okay. I promise.” She tilted her head accordingly before pressing her lips against his.
A soft kiss but a significant one all the same. In it, she felt her own promise course through her—strengthening her. She kissed him harder. Ben. Her Ben. For now and forever.
CHAPTER FIVE
They never made a public announcement of their own relationship. Ben had suggested doing such a thing, but it sounded silly to her. Besides all they had to do was go on one public date together for the news to spread like wildfire. But after the initial interest—a few questions asked about her during a game—everyone stopped caring. At least, they did until her baby bump showed.
Reporters, when they weren’t bugging Ben with their questions about fatherhood and marriage, bothered her with such things. Georgia gave the same rehearsed answer over and over again, sometimes to the same reporter.
“Whatever happens, I am just blessed to have Ben and our little one to come.”
People melted at that line, and it somehow made them forget all the questions they had about her relationship with Ben. Was it a fling? Had he proposed yet? As if she cared about whether or not she and Ben wore rings. As long as she had him, she was content.
She told him as much back at their apartment, the two of them snuggled on the couch while watching TV. The commercials—so many damn commercials—were so long and boring, she actually forgot what they had been watching to begin with.
Ben kissed the top of her head. “Why don’t we go on vacation after the season is over?”
Georgia smiled and hummed her approval. “That sounds wonderful. Some place private with no reporters, fans, and definitely no paparazzi. Those guys are insane.”
He snorted against her head, his breath warm. “I’m sorry, are you complaining about being famous?”
She jolted. Huh. She had been complaining about it for some time now, though she hadn’t realized she had been complaining about “fame” per-se. Still…
&nbs
p; “Because,” Ben continued, clearly amused, “it’s kind of cliche for a famous person to complain about fame.”
She groaned and pressed a hand to her face. “You’re never going to let that go, are you?”
“I’m just saying. You’re with a famous linebacker who makes a lot of money, dealing with the media comes with the territory.”
“I never said I was great at empathy, okay!”
He bellowed out a laugh, head tilting back over the couch.
She laughed with him.
A number of months later, the Vipers lost their chance at the playoffs. She and Ben were able to plan their getaway even sooner than expected.
“This is not a good thing,” Ben reminded her defensively. “We should have made it to the playoffs, but Jenson and Lopez were reckless enough to get injured.” Ben shook his head and swore, disappointment evident in his tone.
“I’m just looking at the silver lining,” she lied, smiling. She opened her laptop to start planning their trip. “If the Vipers can’t be in the Super Bowl this year, then at least we get an early vacation.”
“That’s the wrong way to look at it.”
“I’m pregnant. Let me look at it the wrong way.”
He never had a response when she pulled out the pregnancy card like that, so he huffed and dropped the issue over her heightened enthusiasm.
Ben drove the two of them to a California beach resort—an exclusive gated resort with only a few cameras for security. The guests tended to be rich and famous, so they didn’t bother one another too much with pesky things like autographs or gossip.
It was glorious. Their suite alone—massive and plush—was enough to satisfy Georgia’s growing need for comfort. Walking took more effort, sitting took more effort—and with people watching her?
First chance she got, she dropped her bags in the front room of the suite and went over to the giant bed to lie down. The second she did, it was like she was sinking into a heavenly kind of quicksand. Georgia moaned and went limp.
In the other rooms, she heard Ben move their bags around and check out the entirety of the suite. “You like it here, babe?”
“God, yes,” she said, followed by another moan. Her aches and discomforts were evaporating from her flesh as she spoke. “Let’s live here.”
He laughed, entering the bedroom enough so that he could lean against the door-frame and stare at her. “I’ll talk to the manager about it right away.”
“You better.”
He laughed again, breathier this time. “Don’t get too comfortable just yet. We’ve got dinner reservations.”
“Let’s skip it and sleep forever.”
“I don’t think so.”
Georgia groaned, though she did peek one eye open to stare at her boyfriend. “You sure?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Alright.” She closed her eyes and sighed melodramatically. “If you really don’t want to sleep forever, I guess I understand.”
“And the dinner reservations.”
She waved her limp hand out. “Yeah, yeah. That, too.”
They went to some Greek place that had a name Georgia couldn’t pronounce, but their bread—their stews—they smelled like meals gods would eat.
Her mouth watered as she waited for her food, her hand swirling around her glass of ice water. Ben, kindly, only had a glass of ice water, too. And he was also swirling it around, though his movement seemed a little jarring—nervous, fidgety.
Georgia turned to him, his gaze shifted back and forth.
She frowned. “Are you okay?”
Ben snapped his eyes to her, his lips spreading wide. “Yeah, yeah. I’m just…eager, I guess.”
“Me, too. I am starving.” She watched a waiter in the distance, his tray of food steaming. Her stomach growled in response.
Ben choked on a chuckle. “No, that’s not—” He shook his head and cursed, his eyes gleaming. “You know, screw it. I can’t wait.” He got out of his chair.
Georgia furrowed her brow. “What? Ben—”
He crouched right beside her before positioning himself on one knee. Then he reached into his jacket pocket and took out a little box.
Shock—adoration—love rushed through her, seizing her heart. Georgia tried to blink past the tears that formed, but they only formed again, stronger.
Ben popped the box open, revealing a gorgeous, huge diamond ring. “Georgia, I—”
“Yes.”
Ben sucked in another laugh. “You didn’t let me finish. I’ve been practicing this speech for weeks.”
“Sorry,” she said, grinning. “Sorry, I just love you so much, and I wasn’t expecting this, and this is…I love you.” She held both of his hands, her eyes locking with his.
“You keep messing up my plans,” he said, voice weighted with fondness. “Come here.”
Georgia leaned forward and let Ben surge toward her, his mouth capturing hers in a heated kiss.
***THE END***
Tackling Coach’s Daughter
CHAPTER ONE
Tanya’s bedroom was located on the first floor, and Eric Reed was damn lucky that that was the case. Otherwise, things might have gone very differently the night he came up to her father’s large house and banged on the door.
She had been up, anyway. She being a college drop-out mooching off of the great coach Lawson of the New York Yaks while she tried to figure out to do with her meager life…yeah, she hadn’t been getting much sleep for the past few months. Guilt, shame, frustration…
It was two o’clock in the morning when Tanya jolted in her bed, the harsh sounds of Eric’s fists meeting the front door echoing throughout the first floor. Her heart hammered, her palms sweating. She had reached for her cell phone to call the police when Eric shouted. Then she relaxed, recognizing the voice of her father’s favorite running back.
“I deserve better than this!” Eric slurred loudly. “I’m young but I’m the best player on the team, coach! My contract should represent that! It’s respect, man!”
Tanya blew out a breath and shook her head. Normally, she didn’t get involved in her father’s work, but this guy was disrupting her attempt at sleep. Plus, he was going to get himself fired, and her dad wouldn’t want that to happen.
Rolling out of bed, she grabbed the robe from off the back of her desk chair and wrapped it around herself. She strode out of her bedroom, her hands clutching the robe’s flaps over her breastbone. So determined to end this situation in a peaceful and swift manner, she didn’t even think to be intimidated until she was standing in the entryway. Eric’s fists striking the door—making it rumble—made ice shoot through her veins.
She shook it off and walked forward. She knew self-defense—took several classes in regards to it. She couldn’t live her life in constant fear.
Eric was shouting profane things now as she unlocked and opened the door.
He sneered and jabbed a finger in her direction. But then when he realized he wasn’t staring at “Coach,” his face and finger fell. “Oh, um…sorry, ma’am. I…” Eric squinted and glanced around. “This looks a lot like Coach’s house.”
“It is,” Tanya said tersely. “I’m Coach’s daughter. Tanya. Tanya Lawson. Remember, Eric? He’s had the team over here more than once.”
He blinked at her, and then a slow grin made its way on his face. Swaying on his feet, he pointed at her. “Tanya. Right. I’m Eric Reed. Running back. Maybe you’ve heard of me.”
She gave him an incredulous look before rolling her eyes. It was people like Eric that gave his colleagues a bad reputation. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she slowly said, “Listen to me, Eric. You are drunk, right?”
“Only a little, baby. No need to worry about me though.”
“Right. Of course. But even with that being the case, I know that your agent would want to know about all the grievances you have with Coach, right? He would want you to talk to him about your contracts, right?”
“Yeah, always. And I di
d. But that money-grubbing asshole said that—that—” Eric burped, gagged, and then burped again. He gave her smirk afterward. “Excuse me, sweetheart.”
Disgust churned within her. She fought past it and continued. “Look, Eric, you need to get sober and talk to your agent for a longer amount of time than you already have. That is your best option right now. Did you hear me? Get sober, talk longer to your agent, and then you get what you want. Sound good?”
“Huh…” He pursed his lips and tilted his head to the side. “That does sound pretty good. There’s gotta be a catch.”