Page 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

JACK

T he rain thuds against the windscreen of my GMC Sierra as I sit, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel.

She’s going to step out of the shower and straight into clothes, and she’ll likely fucking freeze when she walks out into this. Even if it is only a couple of hundred yards to my truck, she’ll be soaked to the skin.

I swing the door open and pull up my hoodie, heading for the same security guard who gave me access to the tunnel so I could speak to Kendra earlier.

Apparently, he’s a Blades fan.

“Yo!” I tap on the glass, and he startles.

He slides his window open, and I point across to the restricted access directly outside the players’ exit.

“I know it’s only for deliveries, but my girlfriend, Kendra Hart”— fuck, that feels good —“is going to get wet through.”

The guy looks at me like I’m from another planet. “Yeah, and? She’s a soccer player; she’s used to the rain.”

I step closer to the window. “She just played the game of her life, and I’m about to take her to meet my family for the first time. I want her to feel comfortable, not sitting there cold and wet.” I point over at the gate. “So, can you just buzz me through, and I’ll be out of your way?”

He pulls on the bill of his Storm cap, considering my request. “All right. But you have five minutes.”

I throw him a thumbs-up and jog back to my truck, firing up the engine. The gate rolls open, and I drive right up outside the players’ door.

Pulling off my wet hoodie, I set the heated seats on full and pull her gift from the back. Kendra wanted to save opening it until she got back home, but what can I say? I’m an impatient motherfucker.

Jon

Your mom wants to know what time you’ll be here.

Me

Maybe, like, an hour. Maybe less. I need to give Kendra my gift first, and then we’ll head over to your place.

Gift?

Fuck.

Yeah, I didn’t need to know that, Jack.

My face is torn between cringe and amusement.

Me

No, not that. Well, maybe that later. Definitely that later. It’s her birthday.

Annnnnd I forgot to tell them.

Jon

Ahhh. Cool, cool. So, you thought you’d just skip over the part where you tell us she needs a gift. You know, the woman you’re dating and we’re meeting for the first time.

I begin apologizing, but another text comes through.

Mum

IT’S HER BIRTHDAY?!!

Me

Don’t kill me.

*Jon has been added to the chat*

Jon

Angel, I’m at the door, putting my sneakers on right now. You keep the oven on warm for the beef. I’m running to Kings Plaza a couple blocks away.

Jack, I have zero words right now. Other than I’m updating your contact to Knucklehead.

It must be another twenty minutes when Kendra’s teammates begin filing out.

Jon

What’s her favorite color?

Me

She thinks it’s blue, but it’s actually, like, a sage green. More olive actually. That’s what she wears on her nails.

Jon

There’s nothing olive in this store.

Me

What store are you in?

Jon

Macy’s.

Me

And there’s nothing olivey in there?

Jon

No, Jack, there is not.

Wait, I’ve found something. Thank the Lord.

I look up from my phone just as Kendra pulls open the passenger door and climbs in.

“How did you get a space here?” Her face drops to the gift in my lap.

“Made friends with Ted.” I point at the security cabin.

She pulls on her seat belt and clips it in place. “Wait, so you talked Ted into letting you park here?”

I shrug. “Yeah.”

“Why?” She blows out a laugh.

I lean across and rest my palm on her cheek. “Because it’s wet and cold, and if you were my girlfriend, you wouldn’t be walking in it. Not even two hundred yards.”

I keep my eyes on hers before I shift into drive and head for the main car park. “Ready for your gift?”

When I finally park again, she’s staring out the passenger window.

“Kendra?”

“Yeah?” She turns to face me with a shine in her eyes.

“Hey, what’s the matter?” I reach across and run a hand through her long, towel-dried hair.

She rolls her lips together and twists her hands in her lap. “At what point do we stop this, Jack? The arrangement we made.” The tinge of sadness in her voice leaves a lump in my throat.

“Come here.” I reach across and unbuckle her belt, setting her card and gift down on the floor.

Kendra climbs across the center section and straddles me, and my hands find her jean-covered ass. Everything we did last night and then this morning races straight to my dick.

“When do you want to stop, Kendra?” I ask her the question since the answer for me is simple.

Never. I never want to stop. There’s nothing temporary about forever, and that’s as far as I can see with the girl in my lap.

She winds her hands around my neck and presses her forehead to mine. “Not yet.”

With my lips resting against hers, I wish I could reach inside her head and figure out all she’s thinking. We’re alike in so many ways, but I’m slowly realizing that part of my obsession with this girl is the cards she keeps close to her chest. The parts of her she holds back that I’m desperate to discover.

“When this ends is down to you, Kendra. Just give me the word. But until then, I’m here and next to you.” My throat thickens with every word as it leaves my mouth.

I always knew what this was. I knew she wanted to have fun after Tyler. But I wasn’t prepared for the way I’d fall under her spell.

I’m playing roulette with my feelings, and there’s a chance I’ll lose. But I was in deep before, and now that she’s been in my bed, I’m all the way over and jumping in with two feet.

Sitting up, Kendra reaches down and picks up her gift and card, a cheeky smile on her face. “This looks like two things.”

She tears at the wrapping paper, pausing at the latest AirPods and then at the copy of Chelsea Rayne’s recent book called: A Workout and Nutritional Guide .

Her eyes grow wide as she flicks to the title page. “T-this is … signed?”

I nod and kiss her neck. “You had her on the TV that time. Figured you like her.”

Disbelief paints her features as she flicks through a few more pages. “She’s my favorite. So good. And the AirPods? You really didn’t have to. These are so expensive. ”

Her attention falls to the unopened card, and she pulls open the envelope.

“Bahahaha!” Laughter erupts from her as she takes in the bald eagle on the front. “Oh my God!”

Watching her like this—in fits of giggles and so fucking happy—I find myself staring and push my head back into the rest, wanting a better view.

She’s still giggling when I pick up the gift and set it on the passenger seat. Next, I take the card from her hand and place it on top.

“I’ll assume this is more about being American than it is how you see me.” My girl points to the card, her smile as wide as a fucking ocean.

“You want to know how I see you, Kendra?”

Her laughter fades, and her eyes fall to my mouth. “How?”

“Something like this.”

I brush my lips over hers, and the first stroke of my tongue leaves her a writhing mess. Her whimpers only drive me further, hardening my cock with every passing second.

There’s nothing fake about this kiss, about the beat of my heart as it thumps against my rib cage. And neither can she fake the flush as it creeps down her chest and travels past the neckline of her sweater.

The heat between her legs intensifies, and she breaks away, her lips swollen from the effects of mine. “I’m having a lot of fun, Jack. You make me happy.”

Since I’m addicted to her mouth, I kiss her again. “Me too. I’m even starting to like New York.”

A chuckle bubbles out of her. “I have a confession.”

I quirk a brow. “Oh, yeah?”

Playing with the buttons on my shirt, she undoes the first two and sets a kiss on my chest.

This girl. This fucking girl.

“I like clotted cream. ”

I know I look smug; I knew she liked it. Everyone fucking likes it.

“Don’t worry, Kitten. Your American secret is safe with me.”

“ But ”—she holds a finger in the air—“I still play soccer.”

“Bloody hell …” I brush some hair from her face. “And here I was, thinking you’d learned the error in your ways.”

She tips my chin and licks into my mouth, fire turning her brown eyes amber. “I’m not making any mistakes, not right now anyway.”

We don’t say anything for a few beats, although the silence screams to be filled.

“We should get going,” I finally say, realizing we’ve been messing around and making out for way longer than we should have and it’s at least a half hour from here to Mum and Jon’s.

“Do you think they’ll like me?” Kendra asks, still planted firmly in my lap.

“My family?” I ask, shocked at her doubt.

She nods and plays with the hairs at the nape of my neck.

“What makes you think they wouldn’t?”

She twists her lips. “I don’t think Tyler’s parents liked me that much. He’s an only child, and I guess they thought their golden boy could do better.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, suppressing amusement at how fucking ridiculous the Bennetts clearly are. “You know what I think? People don’t like what they’re afraid of. You threatened him, Kendra. You were so far out of his fucking league, and he was way out of his depth with you. Powerful women who do awesome things don’t belong with guys like Tyler Bennett. You don’t belong with Tyler Bennett …”

You belong with me.

I shove down the thought and take a breath.

“And they knew that. My family knows when they have a good thing. And they are going to love you.”