Page 75

I’m nervous for tomorrow night.

I mean, I won’t admit that to her—or to anyone else, for that matter—but I’m nervous.

I’ve never done this before.

She told them she was bringing me as her date before we made it official, if you can even call it that. Before I asked her to be my girlfriend. Before we had sex. Before we liked each other. And maybe it wouldn’t have mattered back then. I could’ve made whatever impression I wanted to, and I would have had zero fucks to give.

But the more time I spend with her, the more time I add pieces of her to my memory palace, the more I see a future together.

And that makes me nervous, too.

If this all goes south and an image of her nipple comes to mind when I recall what Squirrel means when Jack Dalton makes the play call, well, I’m fucked.

Maybe I should’ve chosen another map for my palace, but it’s working. I’m visualizing. I’m remembering .

And I’m learning with every second I spend with her just how fucking incredible she really is.

I guess that’s why I have some fucks to give when it comes to meeting her family now.

We made out on the couch a little bit after I memorized the first three plays using different places on her body last night, and then she headed home. I’m going to surprise her with the next set of three when she swings by later. I called Pete, and he said the owners have already vacated the house and we’re welcome to stop by it today so I could show both my girls.

Both my girls.

Jesus.

That phrase would’ve meant something entirely different as little as two months ago.

And now…it means everything.

Harper and I get started on packing, and just after lunch the bell rings. Harper dances over to it—bypassing her shoes, of course, while the rest of us trip over them—and opens it to Victoria.

The three of us head over to our new place, and Harper runs straight through the house to the backyard.

“This is awesome !” she squeals as she takes in the resort-style pool complete with a water slide. Palm trees and lounge chairs surround the entire pool area, and I can already tell we’ll be spending a hell of a lot of time out here. There’s even room in the far corner for a swing set, and I make a mental note to get one on order as soon as possible. Maybe she’ll outgrow it soon, but maybe we’ll have other reasons to use it.

Like using it as a sex swing when we’re home alone.

Or, you know, if we have more kids or whatever.

She runs through the house to the stairs next, checking out the entire place before Victoria and I have even made it back inside.

“She’s right, you know,” Victoria says. She nods toward the pool. “This is awesome.”

“Want to check out your casita?”

She nods, and we head over toward it. The door is open, and we walk right in. It’s bright and white, just like the main house, and it’s about the size of Mandy’s apartment with a family room, kitchen, office, and primary bedroom with a huge ensuite bathroom and walk-in closet.

“This is huge,” she says, and she twirls around with her arms spread out wide in the bathroom.

I walk over toward her and grab her in my arms, and I shove my hips against hers. “I’ll give you something huge.” My voice is low and gritty.

She giggles as she inclines her head toward the floor and raises her brows.

“Don’t fucking tempt me with my kid running around here somewhere,” I mutter.

She shrugs. “Your loss.”

I press a soft kiss to her collarbone. “Ghost. Outside receiver runs a fly route.” I press a kiss to the middle of her chest. “Raider. Five yard out, best for weak defense.” I kiss her bicep next. “Charlie. Slant route.”

“You did three more,” she says softly, and the pride in her tone is warm and overwhelming.

“You made it easy.” I press a soft kiss to her lips, and then I drop my mouth closer to her ear. “Come over tonight. Nine-thirty, after Harper’s asleep. I’ll take you out back and bend you over the patio furniture.”

She looks like she’s about to combust. Her eyes are all glazed and sexy as she whispers, “Is that a promise?”

I nod. “Wear a skirt and you can sit on my lap and grind on my cock.”

She squeaks out a little moan, and that’s when we’re interrupted.

Not by an appearance, but by a voice…this time. Thankfully.

I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to hide this from Harper, so fingers crossed she’s just an oblivious ten-year-old. I have a feeling she’s going to read into it, though, since Hartley and me together is toward the top of her priority list.

“Where are you two?” Harper yells.

I reluctantly let her go. “In here!” I yell back, and Victoria’s glazed look turns immediately to guilt. I laugh. “Be cool,” I murmur, and then Harper apparently follows the sound of my voice because she appears in the doorway to the bathroom where we stand. “This is Victoria’s casita.”

“Ms. Hartley,” Harper corrects me, and I chuckle.

“I think considering I’m going to be living with you, it’s probably okay for you to call me by my first name,” Victoria tells her. “At home, anyway. At school, still use Ms. Hartley.”

“Or Harts?” Harper asks. “Like when you call me Harps and I call you Harts?”

Victoria nods. “That works for me.”

“All right, Harps and Harts, let’s postpone the love fest for later and check out the rest of the house,” I suggest.

Harper giggles. “I’ve already checked it all out. Your room is huge ,” she says to me.

“My room? Or our room? Are you sneaking in my bed every night once we move?” I ask.

She shrugs. “I think I’d like my own room once we move. Sometimes you snore.” She wrinkles her nose, and Victoria whips her head to mine.

“You snore ?” she demands, and I laugh as I shrug and hold up my hands.

“I have no idea. I guess I usually sleep through it.”

Harper giggles, and then we head out to the kitchen, where my dick only gets harder as I stare at that counter and imagine Victoria’s naked body spread out across it as I memorize my plays all over her palace.

Yeah…I think this is going to be a good move.