Page 27

Morgan

__________

I grunt as I toss my phone down in my lap and roll my head around my shoulders. I took a hard hit last night and I was barely able to sleep.

The group of us are in the back of the jet, getting settled down before take off. I’m looking forward to a few days off, we don’t have another game until Thursday and it’s at home, thank fuck.

Nolan tosses me a bottle of water from his bag and winks at me. “Your neck hurting, old man? Want me to come over and take care of your girl for you?”

I roll my eyes, chugging the water before tossing the empty bottle back at his face. “Fuck off. My dick still works just fine.”

Logan and Landon chuckle and James just shakes his head. “So you are fucking the nanny?”

I shrug and close my eyes as I lean back. “Once. Her friend is staying with us… She’s going through some shit, that’s why Marie is heading over there today.”

James nods and pulls out his phone. “Yep, she’s on her way over there now.

Hope the poor woman is okay, Marie said she won’t tell me shit after the appointment anyway.

So tell your girl that she has nothing to worry about.

” I nod and pull out my phone to let Lillian know that Marie is on her way over.

I feel like an ass for not talking to her much while we were out, but I had to work through my shit. I felt like I was jumping into another relationship too damn quickly.

I wanted to focus on my girls, enjoy being single, not having to worry about another adult or what they want from me.

But Lillian… She's a breath of fresh air. She’s real, amazing, and classically gorgeous. Loves the girls and wants what’s best for them.

She’s down to earth. Her scent, her body, and damn, her pussy wrapped around my cock was the closest to heaven that I’ve ever been.

She’s perfect, and after Malek did some digging into Brittany’s whereabouts and found her in some rehab in Southern California, I had flipped out. Started questioning everyone and everything again.

I don’t trust she’s really there to better herself. Either she was coerced into it by her parents, or she’s doing it to sway the courts into her favor to bleed me of more money and to try to take the girls away from me.

Lillian was thinking more about the girls, hoping that they could have a real relationship with Brittany… but she’s had over ten years to change. I don’t trust it. Then I got to thinking about how fucking hard I’m falling for Lillian.

After freaking out and calling Andy to gather information on her and her medical records, she told me the truth without me even having to prompt her. She can’t have kids, I’m turning forty next year. I’m retiring after this season ends.

Do I even want more kids? She’s so damn young. Not even thirty. She mentioned having her eggs frozen and that scared me.

My youngest is two. I don’t know if I can do it all over again. The sleepless nights, bottles, and diaper changes. I rarely have to change Tilly anymore since Lillian is always there and now she’s finally potty training.

We have so much to talk about. What’s going on with us? How long does she want to be a nanny for? Does she want to get a teaching job? Does she want me?

Does she want kids?

And if so, we have to stop this before it fully begins, even if I’m already on the edge of the damn cliff. I don’t think I can be in the house again without her there.

“Morgan.”

I open my eyes and look around with a frown. James is laughing and shaking his head.

“I was talking to you about the cookout next weekend. We should figure out who’s bringing what.”

I shrug and point to Nolan. “Ask that guy, I’ll buy some beer and water. I’m sure Lillian will want to put together a salad and vegetables for everyone. Maybe some turkey burgers or chicken breasts.”

Nolan gags. “Fuck that shit. I’ll bring over my cooler. I’ll grab steaks, corn, potatoes, and burgers. Someone else that has a woman… have her make potato salad. I’ve been craving that. I’ll also bring some whiskey.”

I shrug and holler for Alexi to join us, he can fill the other guys in that want to join. “Hey! Does your wife cook?”

He pads down the aisle and frowns at me. “Yeah, for what?”

Nolan takes over and tells him that his wife needs to bring potato salad and anything else she wants to make. Flight checks are complete and it’s finally time to take off. I can’t wait to sleep in my own damn bed, preferably with Lillian wrapped around me.

We really need the girls to sleep in their own bed.

Or come to me.

It just makes me feel like shit that they’re more taken with her than me, but she’s the one with them 24/7. She’s soft, kind, and loves with her whole heart and soul.

They probably don’t trust me, and that’s the main reason I’m obviously out on the back burner with my own kids. Not that I blame them. I can’t. They’re safe. Happy. Excelling, and I have Lillian to thank for that.

We made small talk on the way home. Apparently Nolan is going to host our Thanksgiving this year for the teammates that are home for the holiday and don’t have any plans. Families and children are welcome, should be fun. He has a jacuzzi in his backyard, the kids will love that.

And seeing Lillian in a bikini? Fuck. I bite my lip and try to imagine her in a tiny black number, or maybe I’ll shove her into a one piece so that I don’t stare at her and try to drag her into one of Nolan’s guest rooms.

We finally touch down at 1:30 and we all shuffle onto the bus to take us back to the arena to grab our cars.

“What are your plans tonight?” Landon asks as we collapse down onto our seats on the bus.

I frown. “Not sure. I know that Lillian’s making dinner. What’s up?”

He grunts. “No reason, I just didn’t want to go home yet. I’ll ask Nolan.” He winks at me and I pull up the thread of messages between Lillian and me.

Lillian: Marie’s here. Met the babies… oh.

My. Goodness. I’m in love! I’m walking all of the kids to the park.

I probably should be back by the time you’re home.

If not, Marie and Makenzie are in her room.

Marie is super sweet! We exchanged numbers and she wants to start getting out of her house more, I hope that’s okay that I told her to come over whenever she wants.

Me: They are adorable. I haven’t seen them in a while… James sends us pictures all the time, though. And sounds good, Marie’s good people. She helped out a lot before I stole you and forced you to live in my house. ;). See you soon. On the bus now.

Landon chuckles beside me and I side-eye him. “What?”

He shrugs and claps my back with his hand. “First James… and now you. Wonder who will be next? Blake will probably never settle down and Nolan is caught up on Marie… and after Drea… fuck no. My hand and I are great friends.”

I wince. “That was… brutal. Not even puck bunnies?”

He groans and shakes his head, moving his gaze out the window.

“No thanks. It was fun when I was under twenty-five. I’m thirty…

What if I want kids and a family? I thought I had that with Drea, even when there were like forty different red flags.

I think getting cheated on and then all of the drama with James and Marie, Logan and Bianca, and now with you and Brittany? I’m… good, man. No marriage for me.”

I shrug. “You’re still young. You think Nolan will get over it?”

We both glance behind our shoulders towards the back where Nolan is sitting with Logan, talking and laughing animatedly.

“He will be. Fuck, man… if I were to ever find a women to settle down with, it would be one like Marie. But she was a little too closed off. She’s a great friend.

She’s fun, kind, and loving… But I think I knew all along she was hung up on James.

No one even knew that Nolan wanted more until he couldn’t have her at all.

I think he got his hopes up while James was with Drea. ”

I shake my head. That was a damn clusterfuck.

Turns out that James and Marie were drunk one night and slept together, James didn’t remember sleeping with her and when Marie found out she was pregnant, James started dating Landon’s ex…

No one was ‘allowed’ to meet her - her rules. She was bat shit crazy.

No one knew Drea was James’s Alex.

“Yeah… That was a fucking mess. Glad that’s all over. Has there been any update on her at all?”

He frowns and shrugs. “Not sure. James doesn’t talk about her at all. Maybe Logan would know more since that shit went down at his wedding, plus Bianca and Marie are close.”

I hum and I glance out the window to find that we’re pulling into the lot. Time to get home. “Well, man… see you soon .” We nod to each other and then head off the bus, waiting for the driver to open up the compartments for our bags before I throw them over my shoulders and head over to my car.

I can’t wait to bury myself inside of Lillian with no condoms or barriers, no worries about another Brittany. But damn it, I want her more than just for her glorious, curvy body. We have to have that damn talk.

___________

I leave my bags in the car and rush through the door, wanting to see my girls. All four of them.

I hear loud voices coming from the playroom and smile when I see Marie and Lillian talking, both holding a baby. My three girls are running around like wild animals, but you can tell they’re ready for a nap or some quiet time. Tilly and Nessa’s eyes are so hooded and tired.

Avery spots me first and squeals, racing over to me and jumps up into my arms. This girl is getting so tall and big that she’s going to start knocking me down if I don’t pay attention.

“You’re home!”

I nod and kiss her head, leaning down to hug Tilly and Nessa before they can crash into me. “I’m home. How are my girls?”

Nessa starts ranting about all of the fun they had at the birthday party and the park today, and how they’re going to have a fun night with me.

I smile and listen, sneaking glances over at Lillian who is watching me with darkening eyes and nibbling on her bottom lip.