I think about a future with her, and how she talked about ending things when the picture of us came out. I can handle anything her ex wants to throw at me, and I’m relieved that nothing came from the photo. Well, I guess what I should say is I’m glad nothing negative came from it. My coach loved it and so did the media. Lots of great publicity, and no sign of her ex. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t dare show his face when I’m around. I definitely would have left my mark on him, fuck the coach and fuck the contracts. Harper and her son come first. But I don’t want to think about that right now. No, we don’t have a lot of time left before I leave and I damn well want to make the most of every minute.
“I had this mare growing up. She was ancient. Every year my father said she’d never make it through the winter, but every spring she came out kicking.” I love the smile on her face as she takes a happy trip down memory lane. After getting to know her, it’s clear she doesn’t have too many good memories, but the future is a different beast and I plan to make hers and Gavin’s amazing, if she’ll let me. “She was so feisty.”
“And her name was Dixey.”
“Look at you,” she teases with a grin. “Hot and smart.”
“You think I’m hot?” I reach across the seat and put my hand on her bare thigh. Her little intake of breath washes over me and strokes my thickening cock. I slide my hand up, and the heat from her sex warms the blood rushing through my veins. “How about we skip the wheel and go somewhere private?” She casts me a fast glance and I love the flush on her face. Love that she wants the same thing I do. In the bedroom, for now, and hopefully out of the bedroom before the end of the weekend.
“While that sounds fabulous, Liam, I really had my heart set on taking a ride on the wheel.”
“I promise I can give you something better to ride on.”
A laugh bubbles out of her throat, and I fucking love the ease of being with her. My heart squeezes tight in my chest. Jesus, I have never loved anyone the way I love her. “Maybe later,” she says.
“Promise.”
Her smile is sweet and demure. “I promise.”
She takes a right instead of a left, and I give her thigh a squeeze. “You’re going the wrong way.”
“Right, I just remembered Gavin left his favorite video game at Nina and Cole’s. Since we’re close, do you mind if we stop in and grab it?”
My God, she is so bad at this, but I truly love her more for trying. “Don’t mind at all.” I sit back and keep the grin from my face.
“Do they know we’re coming?”
“Ah no. You don’t think they’ll mind if we just pop by, do you?”
I reach for my phone. “I can text Cole. Let him know we’re close.”
She nods. “Oh, that’s a great idea.”
I fire off a text to Cole, and tap my fingers against the dashboard, and sing along—albeit horribly, but at least Harper seems entertained—to the music. She drives to Cole’s place, and the lights are off and there are no cars in the driveway. Either they aren’t home or they’re going all out to surprise me.
“Did you hear back from him?” Harper asks, like she’s worried he’s not home.
I glance at my phone. “It says they had to go out, but they left the game on the patio table out back, under the pergola.”
“Good thing you texted and caught them just before they left.”
I nod as she pulls into the driveway and kills the ignition. I feel like a prick. Deep inside, I love my teammates, my friends, but this kind of big party is so not what I want. Sure, in the past I could drink and pull it off, but I don’t want that now. I want to snuggle up somewhere quiet with Harper. But if Nina and everyone wants to have a party for me, I’m going to be grateful and honestly, it doesn’t seem so bad with Harper at my side.
“Why don’t you wait here?” I say, just playing with her. “I’ll run out back and grab the game, and then we get straight to the wheel.”
“Oh, okay,” she says and frowns and I feel a tinge of guilt for making her think hard about this.
“Actually, you’d better come. There’s probably a lot of toys laying around and I don’t want to grab the wrong thing.”
Her face lights up and she jumps from the car, and I meet her at the hood. I slide my hand into hers, and glance around the quiet neighborhood. Of course, we’re in a high-class area, and the houses are spread apart
