“I’ve seen it, Emma. I’ve seen the press tear couples, tear families apart, and they won’t do that to us. Next time call security and we’ll press charges.”
“Do you hear yourself right now? She didn’t do anything but give me her opinion, which she’s entitled to. It’s that pesky little thing called freedom of speech, sound familiar?”
“I get it, but harassing you, that’s out of the question.”
“Honestly, Landon, she was actually nice about it. She wasn’t mean, she didn’t yell. She just said it as if she was asking about the weather. It was strange as hell, but now that I look back on it, I’m glad she didn’t cause a scene. It could have been much worse. The drunk guys, they were just that… drunk and obnoxious. Who’s to say they wouldn’t have made a comment even without her. They were drunk. That’s what you do when you’re drunk. Act a fool. They didn’t hurt me or touch me. So get this losing me stuff out of your head.”
“I know it’s irrational. Trust me, I get it. But you haven’t seen it the way that I have… so many times. The tabloids, the cleat chasers, they tear couples apart, but that’s not us, Em. I won’t let that happen to us.”
“We’re good. I just wasn’t prepared for it, that’s all. Now I am. Next time, I’ll be ready with a comeback.”
“Come here.” He holds open his arms and I waste no time going to him, sitting on his lap and snuggling him close. “Much better,” he says over a yawn.
“Let’s get you to bed, Number Eighteen. You played one hell of a game, and even put on a half-time show. You have to be exhausted.”
“Ha ha, funny girl.” He kisses me softly before I pull away and stand.
“I’m going to lock up, head on to bed. I’m right behind you.” He disappears down my small hallway while I check the doors and turn off the lights. I grab his phone and charger out of his bag, and plug it in in the kitchen beside mine before making my way to the bedroom. I strip out of my clothes, not bothering with pajamas, and slide under the covers next to him.
“Love this, Em. Feeling you like this next to me.”
“I love it too.”
“Night, baby.”
“Night.” In the comfort of his embrace, I drift off to sleep.
Chapter 20
Landon
It’s Thursday morning, and when I say morning, I mean the sun isn’t even up yet. I’ve hardly slept at all. We have an away game in New York this weekend. The team flies out at two this afternoon. This is the first time in my career that I don’t want to go. Sure, there have been times I’ve dreaded the flight, but never this. I’m lying here with her in my arms, and the thought of not seeing her for four days is killing me.
I’m going to miss her.
I think back to all the times I gave my teammates shit when they would talk about missing their wives or girlfriends—Trent especially when he and Luna first got together. It was fun to get him all riled up, but now he just lets it roll. He doesn’t give a fuck what we say, and now I get it. I finally understand how he felt, how he feels leaving her behind. And to add to that, she’s pregnant. I don’t know how he does it.
I place a kiss to her bare shoulder and she stirs. “Landon?” Her voice is raspy with sleep.
“Hmm?”
“Why are you awake?”
“Just thinking.”
She rolls over to face me. The room is still dark so I can’t see her, but I can feel her gaze.
“Anything you want to talk about?”
“Not unless you want to hear me whine about missing you?”
“You’re gonna miss me?” she asks, her voice sugary sweet.
“Hey.” I lightly smack her ass. “You could at least pretend you’re going to miss me too.”
“I’m going to miss you. Who’s going to keep me warm at night?” I can hear in her tone of voice she’s teasing me, but the thought of another man getting to be with her like this, like we are in this moment amps up my worry. Things have been great, but I’ve been here. Can she do this? Is she really willing to stick with me being gone all the time for my job? I love my job, football is who I am, but Emma, I love her too.
“That’s my job.” I pull her impossibly close. “Fuck, Em, why’d you have to go there?”
“Hey.” She wraps her arm around me and gently strokes my back with her soft hands. “I was just teasing. There’s no one but you.”
“I know that. It’s just even the thought of losing this, losing you to someone who can be here all the time, it guts me.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you. I was just teasing. Of course, I’m going to miss you. I miss you when you’re at practice and I’m at the shelter. I don’t know how I’m going to do with not seeing you for four days.”
“I’ll call you as much as I can.” I’m already thinking about staying held up in my room just so I can talk to her. I requested to room with Trent this time, he agreed. I don’t even want to be around the single guys on the road. It’s not the temptation, but the rumors. I want to stay as far away from that shit as I can. I don’t need the press posting anything that could shed me in a bad light while I’m on the road. This is going to be hard enough on our relationship without the added drama, and the rumors that the leaches bring.
“Don’t feel like you have to. I’ll be here waiting for you, and I’ll be watching you on Sunday.”
“Come with me.”
“You
