Page 7

Brody

Momma always told me impatience wasn’t a good look, but dammit. Four days without Dev, and I missed him. Before he’d come to stay with me, I’d gotten used to the silence of my house and being by myself. Now, I woke up in the middle of the night, and there were no feet tangled up with mine. No big arms holding me close. No kisses or laughter across the table.

It sucked being alone.

Finally, the plane landed, and I waited for Dev to appear. I knew he’d sat in first class and only had a carry-on, so he’d be out first. And there he was, of course talking to people with stars in their eyes. Always there for the fans, he stopped and took pictures with them and signed autographs. He glanced up and spotting me, pointed, and next thing I knew, we were together and surrounded.

“Welcome back,” I murmured as we stood and people took out their phones. “You’ll have to wait to get home for a proper greeting.”

He winked. “I’m counting on it.”

After close to ten minutes, Dev hefted the bag on his shoulder. “Okay, guys. Blink and I gotta get goin’, but we’re in town, getting ready to do a fund raiser for the shelter on Walnut Street. Posters will be going up, so keep an eye out. We’ll be doing meet and greets and raffles, so you won’t want to miss it.”

An excited buzz rose through the crowd, and Dev and I made our getaway. He waited until we’d hit the highway, then leaned over, kissed me, and sighed.

“I missed you.”

I took his hand in mine. “Same. I was thinkin’ how much I used to like bein’ by myself after a full season surrounded by the team, but it ain’t true. Not anymore.”

Dev played with my fingers. “Yeah. Instead of calling people I know to meet and hang out, I sat in my apartment, staring out the window, wondering what you were doing.”

“So you didn’t hit the clubs or go out?” I knew I didn’t have to worry about Dev stepping out on me, but it was good to hear it from his lips.

“Why bother? The only person I’d want to be with is you. I’m tired of faking it to make everyone else happy. When do we get our chance?”

I didn’t have an answer for him, and I squeezed his hand. “I don’t know.”

Once home and sitting together on the couch, Dev’s head in my lap, he reached up to grasp me around the neck and bring my lips to his.

“I told Ezra I’m gay.”

“You…did? Why?” Fear shot through me, and it must’ve revealed itself on my face because Dev shook his head. “No. I didn’t mention you at all, if you’re worried. That’s your story to tell, not mine.”

“I’m not worried. I know you wouldn’t. But what made you do it?”

Sighing from his whole chest, Dev swung his legs over the couch and sat up to face me, more solemn than I’d ever seen him. “I was in his office and saw the pictures of him and his husband. He’s married and happy. They’re going to have a family. I-I got so angry that because of what we do, we’re forced into this corner, where we can’t have that. If anyone could understand, it’s him. So I told him.”

“He’s a good guy.”

“He is.”

Something changed in Dev’s expression. I knew him so well by now that I could tell there was more.

“And what else?”

Nervous wasn’t a word in Devlin Summers’s vocabulary. He attacked everything with the confidence he’d been born into. But here he was, chewing on his lip. Hesitant. So I waited.

“As I sat in Ezra’s office, I got an idea. About how we could be together.”

I frowned. “What’re you talkin’ about?”

Those bright-green eyes flared to life. “It’s almost four years that we’re playing now. Our rookie contracts are coming up.”

“Yeah, I know. Ezra told me he’s had offers from other teams, but I don’t wanna move farther away.”

“How about closer?” Dev cupped my cheek. “What if you came to the Kings?”

I stared at him. “What? Your team?”

Excited, he nodded. “It’s the perfect answer. The Lonestars don’t need a quarterback—they’ve got their starter, who’s great, and they just signed the top draft pick last year, so it wouldn’t make sense for me to go to your team—and Ezra said the Kings are gonna make me a great offer, he’s just working out the details. But…what if you could come play on the Kings? We need offense, especially someone big and strong yet quick. You’re one of the top tight ends in the country. The Kings like their stars. The fans demand it, and they have the payroll for it.”

“I-I dunno. I never thought about it. What did Ezra say?”

“I didn’t mention it to him because I wanted to talk to you first. Plus, I’d just come out to him and said I had a boyfriend.” He brushed his lips to mine. “I think he’d figure it out pretty easily if I mentioned bringing you to my team.”

“Wow, I guess…yeah…that could be amazing. But wouldn’t they have already made inquiries if they were interested?”

“Not necessarily. You know how fast these things can happen. Right now they’re focusing on defense, but I know one of our tight ends has been talking about retiring lately. You can talk to Ezra about it, and he can put out feelers. The Kings have a solid general management team, always searching for the best. Their owner is gay. If anything damaging ever happened to us, I bet we’d have his support.”

“Yeah, that’s true. I’ve seen articles about him.” Anticipation rushed through me. “It would be pretty fuckin’ awesome to be on the same team again.”

Dev grinned. “Yeah. It really fucking would be. And you can get a place in the city—it doesn’t even have to be near mine. But we’d be with each other, all the damn time.” He kissed me. “I want that so much.”

Freshman year, if anyone had told me that the gorgeous quarterback with the wicked smile and the devil in his eyes would be my lover, I would’ve asked them what they were smoking. But here we were, almost eight years later, and he was the love of my life. I’d do anything to be with him.

“I want it too. Let’s do it.”

Dev reached for me. “We can call him later.”

I met his hungry lips in a burning kiss. “Yeah, later.”

**

Much later, I set up the grill while Dev swam in the lake. It was near dusk, and we’d spent the whole afternoon in bed, rediscovering each other as if we’d been separated for months instead of days. I’d thought it would be hard and fast, but Dev took his time, leaving not a single inch of my body untouched by his lips and tongue. I returned the favor, loving his shouts of passion and how he held me tight as he came. I ached all over, but I couldn’t stop grinning.

“I love seeing you like this.” Wrapped in a towel, Dev walked up the steps to the deck and joined me. “It makes me happy.”

“You’re the one who makes me happy.” I flipped the burgers and set the spatula on the table. “The only one.”

“Same.” Dev kissed me. “Have I told you how fucking sexy you are with the longer hair?” He twirled his fingers in the waves. It was past my ears now, and I’d taken to holding it back in a short bun when I exercised.

“Yeah, every chance you get. I figure I’ll keep it until the season starts. It’ll be too much of a pain to keep up with under the helmet.” I laughed at Dev’s pout. “Don’t get grumpy. I’ll grow it out next year.”

“Good. I’m gonna run and take a shower before we eat. Then go to the Kitty Kat? We can talk to Janie about the fund raiser.”

“Yeah, sounds like a plan.”

Hearing the water running and getting the table on the deck set up for dinner, I thought about how nice it would be to be able to do this all the time. Football was great and had already given me so much, but damn, there was somethin’ to be said about the simple life of being with the person you loved and sharing the quiet moments.

“You have a very serious look on your face.” Dev slipped his arms around me, and I leaned into his broad chest. Droplets from his wet hair slid down my cheek.

“I was thinking about us. And the future.”

“Me too. If you can get this trade and we can be together, it’ll change everything.”

I turned to face him. “Yeah, but there’s somethin’ I didn’t consider.”

“What is it?” He searched my face, and his breath caught. “Your mother. You don’t wanna leave her here.”

I hung my head. “I know it’s silly, but—”

“No. It’s one of the things I love about you. How much your mother means to you. Why not wait until the offer is made? Maybe she’ll want to live in New York.”

I made a face. “No way she’s gonna leave. She’s spent her whole life here. She loves the country.”

Dev grinned. “You know, we have grass and trees there too. She can live on Long Island or Westchester. Or farther north, where it’s as rural as it is here.”

“Yeah, sure.”

He patted my cheek. “Oh, ye of little faith. One day I’ll take you there, and you’ll have to eat your words.”

“Right now I want my burger. I’m hungry.”

We ate and headed to the Kitty Kat. Janie gave me a hug and kissed Dev.

“I was worried you was gonna leave and not come back.”

“Who, me? Nah. You’re stuck with me,” Dev told her. “I like it here so much, I’m thinking of getting a little place so I don’t have to camp out at Blink’s all the time and cramp his style.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, right. Go on with yourself.”

He winked at me and took the drink Janie handed him. “Busy tonight.”

She worked as she talked. “Yep. And I ain’t complainin’ about it. So.” She paused and took payment from several customers. “You guys up for the benefit?”

I set my bottle on the bar top. “Yep.”

Dev swallowed and nodded. “Yeah. I was thinking raffles—stuff like signed merch and photos, and meet and greets. We might even be able to get some of our buddies from other teams to come if they don’t have commitments.”

Her eyes lit up. “Awesome. When were you thinkin’?”

I met Dev’s eyes. “We’ll have to call everyone and let you know tomorrow or the day after. That okay?”

“Yeah, ’course. Thanks, guys. This is really gonna help. They’ve gotten a lot of newcomers lately and can’t handle the overflow.”

“They need a new building or another one.”

“All it takes is money.” She shrugged, and Dev raised his brows.

“We’ll let you know,” Dev said. We went to grab a table. “Are you thinking what I am?”

I scratched my cheek. “If what you’re gonna say is to buy them another building and renovate it, then yeah.”

“Not only renovate it, but make it a usable place. Swimming pool, a ball field, swings…a whole rec center. And it’ll have the added benefit of creating jobs for the local community.”

I wished I could lean across the table and kiss him. Instead, I smiled. “Yeah. I’m loving it.” I lowered my voice to a whisper. “And you.”

His answering wink was all I needed.

**

Two months later, Dev and I stood before the construction site of the twenty-thousand square-foot vacant warehouse we’d bought. Renovations had started immediately. Inside, the space would be divided into living quarters, several kitchens, and gathering spaces with televisions, video games and computers, a library and playrooms. Outdoors, the landscapers were laying sod on what was planned to be a baseball field, the pool area had been dug, and our foreman was pointing out to the builder where the playground would be located. Forty acres of land gave us a lot to work with.

“Looking awesome, isn’t it?” Dev nudged me and flipped up his sunglasses.

“Incredible how quickly it all came together after the benefit.”

Dante and Lovell had jumped on board and made the trip, but Everett was in Europe, doing a promotional tour. He sent a big check and did a Zoom call with fans. The benefit had raised half a million dollars, mainly because we’d convinced our teams and sponsors that it would be amazing press for them to contribute to such a worthy cause.

It had been great hanging out with the old gang, and though Dev and I had to cool our relationship in front of them, when it was time for them all to leave, I missed them like hell.

My phone buzzed, and Ezra’s name flashed up on the screen. “It’s Ezra. Maybe he’s got some news about a new contract.”

The day after Dev returned from New York, I’d called Ezra and casually mentioned I’d be interested in fielding offers from East Coast teams, specifically the Brooklyn Kings. He didn’t question my change of heart and had been sending me texts of offers from other teams, as well as the Brooklyn Kings.

“Hello? Ezra?”

“It’s me. And as my husband’s grandmother would say, have I got a deal for you.”

With each clause he read to me, my brows rose, until Dev tugged at my arm, hissing, “What? What?”

“Uh…so what do you think, Ezra? It sounds like a win to me.”

“I want to see if they’ll help your mother relocate.”

“That would be great.”

“Yeah. I had a few things to counteroffer them. They’re pretty minor, but I have to make it look like we’re not too eager.”

I chuckled. “I hear ya. Well, I’m on board with it, and you know my buddy is all for it.”

“I’m sure he is,” Ezra murmured. “How is Dev? You two get that shelter fixed up and running?”

“Yeah, and thanks for sending us all that merch from all your other clients. Movie and television star autographs brought in a ton of money. We had the old building updated, and the new one is under construction.”

“Excellent. All right. I’ll contact the Kings, and I don’t expect much pushback. They need you, plus they want to keep their quarterback happy.”

My face burned. Ezra had to know Dev and I were together, but I wasn’t about to tell him on the phone. Coach had always taught us that face-to-face was the way to handle your business, personal or professional.

“Thanks, Ezra. Appreciate it.”

“That’s what I’m here for. And when you get to the city, I hope you and Dev will have dinner with my husband and myself.”

Dev gave me a thumbs-up.

“Yeah. I’d like that, and I’m sure Dev will too. Take care, Ezra. Talk soon.” I ended the call.

“Well?”

I grinned. “Start spreadin’ the news.”