Page 46 of Catching Our Moment

Shaw

I had everything I’d ever wanted in front of me…and it terrified me.

I had to get out of that locker room as quickly as possible. I had to know—to reassure myself that she was there. That she was waiting for me. That she hadn’t left.

I smiled for the cameras, gave brief, vague statements about my recovery—yes, I was happy to back, to see what the future holds, one game at a time—and then politely skirted past people as if they were linemen.

We could do this. I knew we could. Her, me, and Aaron.

It wasn’t until I had her in my arms that the niggling of doubt disappeared, and I breathed in her scent, felt her warmth, and was able to believe in this happiness that was descending on us.

I kissed her because I couldn’t not kiss her.

It was as necessary as breathing at that moment.

I needed the connection to dispel all my doubts.

I didn’t care how many sites this kiss ended up on. I didn’t care how many rumors or PR issues it would bring up. I needed to kiss my girl.

So, I did. It was a great kiss. Possibly in the top five of all our kisses. Possibly slightly indecent. I stopped my hands from roaming over her ass, but just barely. My hand loved resting there—sue me.

Coming out of our lust-induced fog, I said, “Let’s go home.”

We barely made it in the house before I was tearing her clothes off her. Call it the potent mix of an adrenaline rush from the game, or the blissful high of her being there…I don’t know. But I never needed anything more than to be a part of her.

Jacket gone. Shirt gone. I gently pushed her on the ottoman in my living room, and she giggled at my domineering move as I undressed her down to her lace bra and panties that were sheer enough to leave nothing to the imagination.

“Fuck,” I mumbled as I surveyed her, my hands stroking the inside of her thighs as I knelt in front of her. My hands traveled up higher until my thumbs met at her apex, tracing it lightly. I roamed up her body until our eyes met, and the lust in her eyes was a jolt of an aphrodisiac I didn’t need.

“Shaw,” she moaned as she sat up on her elbows.

I moved my thumbs lightly, teasing her through the silk panties as I kissed up her thighs, never breaking eye contact until my mouth replaced my thumbs and softly kissed her panties, changing the timbre of her moans. Encouraged, I grinned and replaced my thumbs with my mouth.

“Take them off,” she pleaded.

But I continued my ministrations, my hand claiming her breast and teasing her nipple through the bra, as her hand dove into my hair, gripping it tightly, sending a jolt straight to my already on-edge dick.

She arched her back and breathed out, “More.” Her free hand went to her panties, yanking on them, attempting to pull them down.

I rubbed her center with my hand and said, “Allow me.”

I pulled off her panties, spread her legs, and didn’t hesitate, going straight to her center as a personal challenge to find out how high I could take her.

Her screams were so satisfying that I came embarrassingly close to joining her. She laid back on the ottoman, her legs still spread in front of me, panting nearly as hard as I was for a few moments before sitting up, grabbing my face, and kissing me deeply, tasting herself on my lips and tongue.

Pulling back, she looked at me, vulnerability and something else I’d never seen before etched on her face. Those three words I’d already given her…were they hiding behind that expression?

I wasn’t going to ask. But damn, I wanted to hear them.

I caressed her face, her mussed hair, tucking a strand behind her ear. I liked it down. Sure, the ponytail was usually her moniker, but her hair was beautiful down, cascading over her chest.

“You’re so damn gorgeous…” My voice hitched, and I cleared it as I skimmed my hands over her body. I threaded my hands through her hair and confessed my truth, “God, I love you.”

Her bottom lip trembled slightly before she grabbed my shoulders and pulled me close to kiss her again. “Take off your clothes.”

No argument here. Clothes gone. I couldn’t wait to get to a room. She slowly turned over, bent over the ottoman, her hair cascading down her back, and bit her lip as she stared at me over one shoulder. She couldn’t wait either.

I ran my hand over her ass and up her back, between her shoulder blades, moving her hair to the side so I could kiss up her neck. I breathed into her ear and felt her shudder. “You want me like this, baby?”

“Yes, so much.”

I reached my hand around to cup her breast, pinching the nipple and causing her back to arch. She reached her arm back, pulling me into her neck more.

“Don’t tease me. Do it.”

We both pushed into each other, not wanting any hesitation. As I gave her a moment to adjust to me, I ran my hand up and down her abdomen from her breasts to her mound teasingly.

Her breathing was ragged and heavy. “Move,” she demanded. I loved it.

I pushed her down on the ottoman, spread her feet…and I moved. The rest was a lust-filled blur. Thank God for the soundproof walls they installed because of the nightclub downstairs. We were both vocally describing our pleasure—boldly.

I ran my finger down between her legs, and she tightened around me. Her soundless moment of ecstasy had her insides gripping me, and her arm snaked back around the back of my neck, both things tipping me over the edge.

Through the fog of bliss, I wrestled my way back to reality.

I scooped her up and carried her languid body into my room—our room.

She was mine. She’d always been mine. And she would always be mine. And God help the person who ever got in the way of that.

The next morning, we enjoyed another memorable shower experience. I didn’t know how I would ever be able to use that shower without her. I laid on the bed, drifting off and pulling her back in my arms, when her phone rang.

Her head popped up. “That’s Grace. I can tell by the ringtone. I need to get that.” She sat up and grabbed her phone, smiling down at me. “Hey, Grace.”

Her smile disappeared, and she jumped out of bed. “What do you mean he’s there?”

Silence. I covered my eyes with my hand. Needle Dick. It had to be.

“No. No. I didn’t agree to that.” Kelcie’s voice rose, and she began to pace. “He said he was getting married and didn’t want—I mean, couldn’t take Aaron.” Kelcie halted. “What? He said what to you?”

I begrudgingly pulled on some pants. Our bubble had burst, and that toxic weasel was ruining it.

“He said that?” Kelcie’s face was red. “Are they still there? I want to talk to him. NOW!”

I reached out my hand to give her strength and reassure her she wasn’t alone. She pushed it away and walked out the bedroom door.

“James. No. No. You can’t?—”

Even from six feet away, his voice came through the phone, chastising her.

“Yes, I was—I am visiting Shaw in Charlotte.”

I hated just sitting here listening to her fight. I wanted to put my hand through the phone and strangle the bastard.

Her voice rose. “That’s not any of your business!

” She let out a deep breath. “James, don’t put Grace in the middle of this.

I am coming home now. We can discuss it tonight.

What? James, you can’t just take him. He’s fine with Grace.

” Her face was pale, and her voice hitched when she said, “I thought you were going away for the weekend.” She covered her eyes with her hand, as if that could stop what was to come.

“James, you’re being ridiculous. Of course I want custody of my son. I don’t see how my being out of town for a few days negates anything.”

Kelcie began to pace again. “You can’t even bother to keep your scheduled visitation dates, and now you want to take me back to court for full custody?”

I needed to do something. I couldn’t just stand here.

“I’m not behaving erratically. I merely came to watch a game.”

Now, her face began to redden again. His intentions scared her, but they also angered her.

“Who I date—or choose to sleep with—is none of your business.”

James’s voice was louder, but I could only imagine the insults he was throwing around. I leaned over to grab the phone from Kelcie. She didn’t have to listen to this asshole.

She dodged my grab and turned her back on me.

“Wait.” She closed her eyes and put her hand to her forehead.

“We can re-visit the visitation agreement if you want. But James, you’re being irrational.

” Tears formed in her eyes. “You can’t just take Aaron because you’re mad at me.

You can’t pull him out of his routine. He’s happy at school—” There was a hitch in her voice.

“James, don’t do this. You’re going to freak him out. ”

He was making her cry. I was done. I reached over her head and grabbed the phone out of her hands.

“Kelcie will be talking to you through her lawyer. And don’t you dare leave town with that boy, or it’ll be the last thing you do.” I didn’t give him a chance to say anything else but hung up the phone and tossed it on the bed.

“Fucking asshole.” Then I glanced up at Kelcie’s stricken face.

“What have you done?”

“Cut off that nonsense. He can’t just show up and take him.”

“He’s his father,” she said, as if that was enough of an explanation, tears rolling down her face.

I reached for the phone and handed it back to her. “Call your lawyer.”

“It’s Sunday. I don’t think he will?—"

“Fuck what day it is. Call him,” I said, grabbing my own phone. I was going to find her a better lawyer. I’d find her ten lawyers. Fuck this. He wasn’t going to get away with this bullshit.

“I’ve got to go.” She made a beeline for the bedroom. “I have to get home and sort this out.”

I followed her. “Why did he show up?”

“He saw me on television last night.” She began shoving clothes in her suitcase. “He heard about me on the news. And then, to get him even more ramped up, he said he got a contract agreement from Smitty’s people for Aaron to appear as a regular guest.”

“So?”

“He said I was capitalizing on my son’s disability and behaving like a …” Tears coursed down her face quicker than she could wipe them away. “He said he and Amber think—” She cut herself off.

“What did he say?” I gritted.

She took in a breath. “He’s going to try for full custody. They came home from their trip so he could take Aaron and demand emergency temporary custody.”

I was going to kill him.

“That’s not going to happen,” I growled and began punching the buttons on my phone. “Yeah, Matt, it’s Shaw. I need a plane. Now. As soon as possible. There’s an emergency.” I went into my closet and grabbed my duffel, shoving miscellaneous clothing items in it.

“Yeah. Sure. Let me see what I can do,” he said. “Hey, man, is everything okay?”

“No. Call Lieberman and ask him to find me the best family law practice in the area. I need that name immediately.”

“Yeah…okay. Let me make a few calls, and I’ll get back to you,” Matt said. “Anything else?”

“No, but call me back with the plane information first,” I said. “We’re going home.”