Page 121 of Only Between Us

That competitive, too-sweet-for-his-own-good absolute little jerk made me fall completely in love with him, despite my best efforts not to. And I’d be livid about it if I wasn’t so relieved to see him walk off the field, chuckling with Summer.

His grin falters when he spots me.

Damn you, Brooks. I love him. I really, really love him.

Parker squeezes my knee and gets to his feet. “Thanks for the heart attack, jackass. Shaved about ten years off our lives.”

Brooks doesn’t spare him a glance. “Siena, come here.”

I practically stumble into his open arms. Brooks lifts me over the railing and onto the field, and I wrap my legs around him as he walks us to a quiet corner of the sideline. It’s a relief like no other, feeling him under my hands. His sturdy, healthy body, and warm skin against my cheek as I tuck my face into the crook of his neck. He sets me down on a bit of railing a few yards away, but I refuse to disentangle.

“I’m sorry I scared you. Just got the wind knocked out of me.” Brooks rubs my back in soothing circles. “I’m okay, I swear.”

“Okay enough to play catch in the yard?”

He pulls back just enough to look me in the eye. “What, now?”

“You said that after your injury, you worried you’d never be able to play catch in the yard with your daughter without seeing double.”

His mouth stretches in an amused smile. “My daughter?”

“I picture you as a proud girl dad. Little Brooke.”

Brooks laughs quietly, looking at me like I’m insane. “Here’s hoping we come up with something more creative than Brooke.”

We. Me and Brooks. With our Pete and Brooke.

Or something more creative than Brooke.

“Well.” I give a casual half shrug. “She’d be your daughter. Name her whatever you want.”

“Ourdaughter, and I’ve been thinking about Sophia.”

“You’ve already picked out your daughter’s name?”

“Our daughter. The name’s pretty. Matches yours.” There’s a dangerous, ecstatic rush through my entire body at his words.

“Well… either way, will you promise me something?” I wait until he nods. “Swear that whenever you get hurt on that field, you think of Sophia. And if it’s bad enough that you can’t play catch with her oneday, you sit your ass on the bench until you’re medically cleared. This dream of winning a championship with the Rebels is important, and you should keep chasing that with everything you have. But not at the expense of the other things you want out of life.”

Brooks tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’ll pause the scrimmage now. Get the doctor in the athletics center to clear me before going back out.”

“Thank you.” I slide my fingers through his hair and pull him in. Kiss him like he’s mine for good. Moan at the uninhibited way he kisses me back, the decadent slide of his tongue against mine.

“You make the prettiest sounds when I kiss you,” he murmurs against my lips.

“Pretty sure I’m the one who kissed you.”

With a gasp, Brooks tips his head back, looking up to the sky. “You hear that, world? Siena Pippen finally admitted thatshekissedme.”

I huff a laugh. “Please shut up.”

“Hey, Brooks?” Summer hurries down the row of seats to reach us, holding out a phone. “Josh is calling.”

“Do I even want to know what for?” His eyes narrow as Summer and I exchange a look. “What? What do you know?”

I nod at his phone as another call from Josh lights up the screen. “You better answer it.”

Chapter41Brooks