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DIXON

My heart galloped out of my chest when Madison said to take her back to my place. My jean’s zipper has imprinted on the length of my cock. I’m so hard thinking about having Madison in my apartment all the time. I know it’s too early, but my hands itch to make her mine again. We step into my apartment and as I turn to ask her if she wants a drink, her hands are on my face, pulling it down to hers.

“I don’t want anything but you.” Her lips slam against mine as she massages my neck with her fingers.

All I can think of is getting our clothes off and getting her into my bed. I have no idea how it happened but we’re naked and standing next to my bed, as she drops to her knees.

“Oh, God.” I grab her under her arms and pull her up, setting her on the bed as I sit down next to her. “We need to wait.”

Her eyes bulge as her forehead furrows. “What?”

“We need to stop for a moment.” I blow out a breath and search for the words to slow us down. “You just had a scary situation. This is taking advantage of you.”

She turns her body to face mine. Her full, firm breasts with perky nipples catch my attention as she groans. “I know exactly what I’m doing.” She takes her hand and presses under my chin so my eyes are on hers instead of her magnificent breasts. “You said you love me.”

That phrase snaps me back to reality. “I do. You’re everything to me.”

She beams as she strokes my scruffy face. “Good. Make love to me.”

DIXON

The following week, I’m leaning against the back wall near the locker room entrance, Madison’s spectacular game nears completion, and I’m so excited for her. The Dauntless was down by a goal in the second period as the Bobcats, her old team, looked like they were going to go up by two. The veteran wing of the Bobcats advanced the ball up the field, skillfully weaving through the Dauntless players with deft footwork. Madison’s expression revealed her focus as she positioned herself strategically, ready to intercept the opponent who was preparing for a decisive shot on goal. Suddenly, Madison executed a slide move where she insert her foot between the opponent and the ball, launching the ball toward her Dauntless teammate. Anticipating the play, her teammate raced down the field and scored the tying goal.

I’m hoarse from screaming. My woman is a soccer legend in the making. Now, it’s deep into the last period and both teams are scrambling to make the winning goal. Dauntless offenders charge up the field with Bobcat defenders trying to steal the ball. Madison runs interference with defenders in front of the path of her teammates. In the flick of a bird’s wing, Madison’s teammate loses the ball to a Bobcat. Madison shifts effortlessly and attacks the offender, rescuing the ball from her extended foot. In slow motion I watch Madison maneuver her body to pass the ball to an awaiting teammate. She runs alongside, waiting for the opponent’s attack. Her teammate boggles the ball, and it bounces to Madison. She’s twenty feet from the goal with a clear path. She drives her body and pretends to pass the ball, until the last moment, she kicks it into the far corner of the net. The buzzer sounds above the net as her teammates swarm her. She’s made the goal they need to win.

Madison’s arm shoots up into the air. This is the moment she’s been waiting for. Now she’s back to her previous playing ability. Professional success is within her reach. This win gives them an edge on the other teams.

I stand in earshot of the reporters wanting her attention. I’d rather grab her and pull her sweaty body into mine and show the world she belongs to me, but I know to wait.

Madison steps out of the locker room. Voices call out to her but she ignores them to find me. Her focus on my eyes makes my heart swell. She wants me just as much as I want her. She rushes to me, dropping her bag and throwing her arms around my neck, she claims my mouth. I hold her above the ground and kiss her hard. The kiss breaks earlier than I’d like but voices surround us.

“Were you watching?”

“The entire game, sweetheart. You were phenomenal. The Bobcats know they made the biggest mistake giving you away. They deserve that loss and all the others they are going to get.”

I set her down as she beams at me. “Feed me.”

“Your wish, my command.”

A few minutes later, we sit in my SUV waiting at the light, three turns before Madison’s favorite restaurant. Her stalker has been silent since the call. No letters, calls, or packages.

The light turns green as I pull the SUV into the intersection. Madison’s joy permeates the interior, and I want to soak up every second. “Your two plays are vying for supremacy on ESPN. The sportscasters can’t decide which reel is the number one sports accomplishment for the evening.”

“Right now, I just want to eat dinner with my man.”

I turn to answer her as a loud crash explodes, and a jolt hits my SUV. I instinctively throw out my arm to Madison. The SUV jolts as it skids across the intersection. My brain scrambles with what is happening as Madison screams. The SUV jerks to a stop. Airbags pop on my side of the SUV as pain radiates along my shoulder. Madison reaches for me with a scared tone that heightens my focus. We’ve been hit. I tap the alert button on the dash as Ella’s voice speaks out.

“What do you need?”

“Been hit. Ambulance. I’m injured. Send help. Fifth…”

“I know where you are Dixon. Is Madison with you?”

“I’m here.” Madison leans to open the door as I bark.

“Keep the door closed until someone from CPSP gets here.”

“You’re hurt.”

“Madison. This one time just fucking do as your told.”

“Yes, Dixon.”

Ella chuckles. “Madison, can you look around? What’s going on in the street?”

Madison’s head pivots as I disengage my seat belt. Pain burns around my shoulder. My left side aches. She gasps as I turn to see a man approaching the SUV.

“That’s Bobby.”

“Who the fuck is Bobby?” Stay conscious. I reach inside the center console for the fingerprint lock for my Glock 22.

“My high school boyfriend. The one I screwed my freshman year in college.”

“Seriously?” Why the fuck aren’t any emergency personnel or CPSP guys here yet? “He’s your stalker?”

Her head snaps to me. “Oh my God, that makes some kind of sense. He would call me Benny, he’d know my mom’s number, but why would he do this now? We broke up after you and I… at Christmas.”

“No idea why he would try to hurt you after all this time. I need you to move closer to me.”

She reaches for the door. “I’ll just…”

“Madison! No, you won’t. Someone will be here soon. I can’t get out because my door is crushed, and it’s too late for you to get out your door.”

The man struts toward the SUV with a sadistic grin. Madison looks around and points. “Cops.”

“Thank fuck. They took their time getting here.”

The man she called Bobby slams his fist against Madison’s window. He’s screaming with spittle hitting the glass as rage drips off him.

Adrenaline spiking through my body, I pull Madison toward me as I point my large black gun at the window. “Step back.”

He recenters his stance and cocks his head. Surprise lands on his face as he focuses on the gun in my hand. Slowly he turns his head and leers at Madison.

“Get around me into the back seat, Madison.”

“You forget how big I am.”

“Now, damn it.”

Madison is moving between our seats. Pain steals my breath every time she jostles my seat to get to the back. It’s worth it. I need her safe. Bobby reaches behind him into his pants and pulls out a large silver object. My mind takes a brief click to realize it’s a pipe or tool, not a gun. He slams it against the window sending shards throughout the SUV and spraying back on himself. He stands there, holding it up, ready to strike again as Madison makes it all the way through.

“Bobby?”

The man’s focus turns to me.

“Set the weapon down.”

“She’s mine. Who the fuck do you think you are? I’ve seen you two together. You’re the man she fucked when we were in college before she broke up with me.”

“Come on, Bobby. That was a long time ago. Why now?”

“My wife left me. She…” He swivels his head to stare at Madison as he starts yelling. “It’s your fucking fault.”

He moves to the rear passenger window as the opposite side door opens. Maxim pulls Madison to safety. I drop my gun in the center console and using all my strength, I pull myself across the console and onto the passenger seat, pushing open the passenger door as Bobby realizes Madison has gone out the other side. I propel my body to follow, reaching him before he gets around the SUV. My uninjured arm grabs him, and I slam him into the side of the SUV. Banner grabs Bobby as the cops surround the vehicle.

“Dixon?”

Madison’s voice brings me back to find my woman.

Maxim grabs me as I get to her. “Dude, you’re injured. She’s safe. I’m not going anywhere so let’s get you to the hospital.”

Madison moves with Maxim and I to the waiting EMTs. “Don’t worry, Dixon. I’m not leaving your side.”

“Music to my ears, sweetheart. Let’s make that permanent.”

The EMT helps me climb on the gurney and peppers me with questions about my injury.

MADISON

It’s been three days since the car accident, and I haven’t been away from Dixon for more than fifteen minutes a few times a day. Walking back into his room, I smile. Did he realize he proposed? Whether he knew what he was saying, doesn’t matter. The man is mine. I called Brian to tell him as much.

Dixon’s smile greets me and all is well with the world. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m sore as hell, but relieved you’re okay. I’m sorry.”

I approach the bed, sitting on the edge. “What are you sorry about?”

“I failed. He could have hurt you.”

I take his hand in mine. “You protected me even though you had a dislocated shoulder and were bruised all over.”

“If he’d had a moment more, he could have gotten his hands on you. I could have lost you.”

“Oh, Dixon. You’re never going to lose me.” I lean forward and set my head against his. “I’m safe.”

“You need to know. I’ll defend you with my life. No one is ever going to hurt you again so long as I have breath in my body.”

“You did defend me. He didn’t get the chance to hurt me. I trust you.”

He wraps his uninjured arm around me. “I love you.”

I lean up to kiss his cheek. “And I love you.”

“You do?”

“Of course I do. We couldn’t get married if I didn’t love you, too.”

He groans as he takes my mouth with his, kissing me hard and then shifting gentler. He breaks the kiss. “We could honeymoon when the Championship is over, after your photoshoot.”

His cock-eyed smile and sea-green eyes implore me to agree, and it’s the only thing I can think of. “Yes.” His smile dips as his eyes look away for a brief moment. That glimmer of sadness catches my breath. “What?”

“Brian probably won’t stand up for me.”

A cough turns our heads to the door. Brian stands with his arms crossed. “I wouldn’t say that.” He trudges into the room and stops at the end of the bed. “You saved my sister from that lunatic she was banging at school.”

“How.. How do you know about me and Bobby?”

Brian smirks. “I convinced him not to follow you to Stanford.” He adjusts his feet. “I can’t help but think his instability increased when I ended you two.”

I squeeze Dixon’s hand. “We were done long before that. How do you know about Brian stalking me? You just got to town.”

He sidles up to the side of the bed and kisses my forehead. “Banner told me. Apparently, Bobby’s wife, who looks just like you, is named Madison.” He cringes. “She left him and his dysfunctional mind blamed you.” His eyes flick to Dixon. “I’m sorry I’ve been an asshole about you and my sister, even my mom knows Benny’s happy. Your call proved to my mother that you’re the perfect man for her, and I can see that she couldn’t be in better hands. I know you’ll take care of her.”

I stiffen as Dixon pats my hand. “Madison doesn’t need a keeper, Brian. She’s capable of living her own life just fine.”

My brother’s mouth falls open. He sputters. “That’s not what I meant.”

I laugh. “That’s exactly what you mean. You don’t respect that I’m a grownup. You pop into my life so infrequently that you’ve missed the fact that I’m a grown ass woman, and I live my life the way I want to.”

He moves his arm to pull me to his side. “Well, that’s going to change.”

“Sure, it is. The SEALS are your life.”

“Not anymore, Benny.” Sadness creeps across his face. There’s a story there that I know he will never share with me. He swallows. “Banner offered me a position with CPSP, and I’m going to take it.”

Dixon readjusts himself on the bed as his jaw stiffens. “Don’t you want to find your own thing?”

Brian frowns. “Man, I have really been a dick if you don’t want to work with me again.”

The door to his room opens and the area quickly fills with CPSP employees and friends. Banner approaches the bed and extends his hand to Dixon. “That was above and beyond, man.”

Dixon’s laugh dims. “Brian tells me he’s going to be working at CPSP.”

Banner’s head flicks to Brian and then back to Dixon. “Yes. We’re establishing a formal bodyguard unit.”

Dixon nods. “You brought him in to run it?”

Banner’s head shakes. “No. He’ll be working under you. You’re the lead on that, well assuming you can get used to Ella’s way of doing things.”

“Oh. I can. Whatever Ella wants, I’m there.” Mirth flashes in his eyes. I’m going to ask him what happened with Ella when everyone leaves. That’s a story I want to know.

Everyone exits Dixon’s room, and he crooks his finger at me. “Come here.”

Smiling, I get up from the chair I’ve spent so much time in. I’ve got a permanent print from the chair on my ass. They should offer me a plaque for it. “I thought they’d never leave.”

He nods. “I know, right? I’m sorry about Bobby.”

“What happened to him? I feel sorry for him, but he’s an asshole for what he did.” Dixon remains silent. He instinctively understands what I need, giving me space to get my head around what’s happened. I touch his hand in a silent announcement that I’m okay.

“What kind of wedding do you want, Madison?”

I move to the side of the bed and sit down, stroking his face with my hand. “I’ve never been one of those girls that dreamed of a wedding with all the trimmings. Are you okay that I’d rather have a small wedding and a nice honeymoon?”

“That sounds perfect.”