Page 20 of Trapped and Tackled (Knoxville Coyotes Football #3)

Chapter 20

Talon

I can barely move when I let myself into my condo. My body is sore, and I’m exhausted after a grueling day of practice.

But the delicious scent of garlic and eggplant greets me and knowing that Leni is here eases some of my discomfort.

She comes out of the kitchen when she hears me. “How was it?” she asks, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

I hold my arms out to the sides, and she falls into them. “Nothing I can’t handle,” I assure her.

Just hugging her makes me feel better.

I tug on the end of her ponytail and her face meets mine. Grinning, I drop my mouth to hers to brush a kiss over her irresistible lips. “It smells good.”

Leni blushes. “I hope you like dinner.”

“I’m just happy to see you, Len.”

She threads our fingers together to lead me toward the kitchen. I love having her here, seeing her in my space. She moves around the kitchen with ease, and I note the fresh flowers in a vase on the dining table. It makes me grin.

My space has been sparse for a long time. I never saw the point in decorating or getting a bunch of shit I don’t need. In one day, Leni’s managed to make it feel more like a home than a space I sleep at. And I like that too—it makes me wonder what it will look like, how it will feel, a few months from now.

“Was Dad awful?” She dishes some pasta into two bowls.

“No,” I snort, shaking my head. I don’t tell her that Coach definitely ramped up my conditioning. Or that my teammates noticed. I don’t want to upset her or give her one more thing to worry about.

Instead, I want to enjoy dinner with her, curl up on the couch, and hold her close.

“Everything was fine. I just want to enjoy my time with you,” I say, grabbing the salad bowl as we relocate to the dining table.

“Tell me about your day. What’d you do?” I ask once we’re seated.

Leni beams. “I called my sister.”

“You did? How is Lincoln?”

“She’s great!” Leni proceeds to tell me about Lincoln, about grocery shopping with her mom, about Marlowe and the upcoming debutante ball.

I hang onto every word she shares. I love the details that color her stories—like the little boy who picked her a flower at the farmer’s market. I love the way her eyes dance when she laughs—sky blue mixed with the Caribbean. I could sit and stare at her all day, feeling grateful to be swept up in her orbit.

Again, I understand what some of my teammates tried to tell me last season.

When you find the right woman, everything else pales in comparison. Even football.

After dinner, I wash the dishes. Leni argues with me, but I shake my head.

“You cooked, I clean,” I remind her. Instead, I pour her a glass of wine and ask her to keep me company.

She does, sipping her wine slowly, while perched on the edge of the countertop, her legs swinging.

After I stow away the last pot, I step between her thighs and place my palms down on the outside of her hips. “I wish you could spend the night with me.”

“Me too,” she admits, placing down her wine glass and winding her arms around my neck. “I wish I could spend every night with you.”

She kisses me softly and I grasp the backs of her thighs, lifting her easily. As Leni deepens our connection, I relocate us to my bedroom.

I lay her down in the center of my bed and stand to yank off my shirt. I toss it on the floor before dropping over Leni.

She wraps her arms around me again, pulling me closer until our lips meet. When her legs encircle my waist, I roll us over until my back meets the mattress and she straddles me.

I hold her hips, staring up at her. God, she’s gorgeous.

The nervous anxiety she used to wear like a cloak has nearly disappeared. Instead, a confident, sexy version of her smirks at me, her blue eyes glowing. She plants her palms in the center of my chest before grinding against me slowly. Provocatively.

My cock stirs to life, needy as fuck for her heat. She continues to move her hips in slow, intoxicating circles.

I grip her hip, slipping one hand up her shirt. When my fingertips graze the edge of her bra, she begins to unbutton the row of buttons down the center of her shirt. She shimmies out of the shirt before reaching behind her to unhook her bra.

When that hits the floor, I moan, captivated by the way her tits bounce. I reach up to cup them, loving that they’re the perfect handful for me.

Leni arches into my touch, slowing her pace until it’s torturous.

“Fuck, baby,” I murmur, my cock hard as a steel pipe. “You get me hard just by looking in my direction.”

She smirks, her eyes clouding with lust. “No man’s ever turned me on like you, Talon. I’m dripping for you.”

“Fuck,” I moan, loving that she wants me, hating the thought of her with any other man. I’m her fucking man.

I move to spin us again, to take control of this exchange, but Leni shakes her head. “Let me make this good for you, Talon.”

“You make everything good for me,” I say truthfully.

She nudges me back, pinning me down with her hands to my shoulders, before sliding down my body and dragging the waistband of my sweats with her. When my cock springs free, she laughs.

“No underwear?”

“Nope,” I confirm.

“I like it,” she says, her breath skating over the crown of my cock.

It fucking twitches and she grips me tighter. “Leni,” I murmur.

“Let me, Talon,” she says before her plump lips close over the head of my cock and I nearly fucking die.

I drop my head back, one hand moving to Leni’s hair. My fingers tighten in her golden tresses, and I groan as she licks and sucks my shaft.

I’ve had blow jobs before. Plenty of fucking blow jobs. But knowing it’s Leni—my fucking sunshine—bringing me pleasure, hits differently.

It’s more than the physical act. It’s sensual. Emotional. It’s trusting.

She begins to work me over, her hand and mouth in tandem. Unable to stop myself, I begin to rock my hips, slowing fucking her gorgeous mouth.

At some point, her fingernails dig into my thigh, and I look up in concern. But in the next moment, her hand disappears and I hear her moan. The sound of wet arousal hits my eardrums, and I realize Leni is touching herself as she sucks my cock.

The realization, coupled with the visual, drives me higher and I swear, sitting up and rolling over her.

“I want to come inside of you, baby,” I say, cupping her sex. “And if you’re going to touch yourself, I want to watch.” Taking her hand, I bring her fingers to her clit. “Show me,” I mutter.

Leni holds my eyes, bold and so fucking sexy, as her fingers begins to rub her clit and two of mine enter her hot channel.

“Fuck, you’re so fucking good,” I sputter.

I watch her throat work a swallow. When her inner thighs begin to quake, I straddle her and replace my fingers with my cock.

Leni cries out in pleasure as I thrust into her slowly. Her fingers move rapidly over her clit, and I pick up the pace to match.

“I can’t hold on,” she admits.

“Then don’t, baby. Let go. Come for me, Sunny.”

She does. On a throaty cry, Leni orgasms. I get lost in her deep, blue eyes, rendered speechless by how damn gorgeous she looks coming on my cock. Two thrusts later and I follow her, spilling my want with her name on my lips.

Dropping forward, I roll us until we’re lying side by side. She nuzzles me sweetly and I kiss the tip of her nose.

“I’m falling hard for you, Talon,” she admits. “Make sure you catch me.”

Again, I’m rendered speechless by her ability to make herself vulnerable. To share her truths honestly.

Noting the trust shimmering in her eyes, I decide to do the same. This woman has given me everything, the least I can do is be honest with her. I tuck a strand of her silky hair behind her ear and look right at her when I say, “I already fell, Leni. I’m waiting for you, baby. And I’ll wait as long as you need.”

She exhales slowly, her eyes filled with wonder. Then, she brushes her lips against mine. I kiss her back. Her palm drags up my side, and I begin to stiffen again, my cock already inside her.

She deepens our kiss and rocks her hips forward.

I groan and hold her face as I meet her, thrust for thrust.

We have sex again. Slow, deep, intense sex.

And somewhere between her release and mine, I comprehend that this is love.

I love Leni Strauss.

Things change after that. I’m so wrapped up in Leni, I don’t protest the vigorous workouts Coach outlines for me. Or retort when he threatens to bench me before our season opener in front of the team. Or act hard when my teammates cast guarded, skeptical glances my way.

I ignore their taunts and ribbing. Bow out of drinks at Corks.

And try not to react when Coach Strauss openly ignores me, allowing Stevens to give me feedback instead of telling me things himself.

I continue to show up for practices and give one-hundred percent of myself to every workout, each training session. I hit the city pool, often with Leni in the next lane, to get those extra conditioning sessions in.

But each night, I come home to my girl. I get lost in her touch, her kiss, her .

And it feels like free-falling. Every day of my life feels like an unattainable high I never want to lose sight of.

“Miller!” Avery calls out.

I turn to glance over my shoulder. He jogs after me in the parking lot, catching me about two SUVs from mine.

“What’s up?” I ask.

Avery sputters. “I should be asking you that.”

I shrug.

“You’re with Leni now, aren’t you?”

“Yeah.” My tone comes out harder than I intend.

“Take it easy.” Avery laughs, holding up an open palm. “Look, for you to risk it all to be with her, I get that it’s serious. The guys…” He tips his head toward the stadium. “They’re just fucking with you.”

“It’s fine.” I don’t give a shit what anyone thinks anyway.

Avery shakes his head. “It’s not. We miss you, man. Stop skipping out of practice as soon as you can. Come hang with us. Bring Leni along. If y’all are really making a go of this, you know we all have your back, right?”

I stall, shifting my weight from one foot to the next.

The truth is, I didn’t know.

For the past few weeks, Coach has acted like I don’t exist, and I assumed my teammates would take their lead from him.

“How serious is it?” Avery asks, his gaze curious.

“I love her,” I admit.

I wait for him to swear. Instead, he grins. Clasps my shoulder. Gives it a little shake. “Then bring her for a fucking beer, man.”

I frown. “You’re serious?”

“Yeah,” Avery says. “If she’s your choice, celebrate it. Own it. Bring her around.”

“But Coach?—”

“You’re a man, Miller. And Leni’s an adult. Y’all are both capable of making your own decisions. And if Coach wanted to fuck over your career, he would have done so by now.”

“He threatened to bench me,” I remind him.

Avery shakes his head. “You’re our only kicker. Coach was just pissed and running his mouth.”

I sigh, knowing he’s right. But Coach’s outburst in front of the team still stings.

Avery smirks. “He’s coming around, Talon. He just needs some time.”

“Okay,” I say slowly, still processing. “I’ll bring Leni to Corks next time.”

“After we win our next home game,” Avery decides.

I snort. I like how he knows we’ll win. Like it’s a given. “Yeah, any time after her debutante ball on Friday. She’s stressed about it and spending all her time at the country club.”

“It’s gonna be great,” Avery says, waving a hand. “Those things follow a formula.”

“You’ve been?”

He dips his head, looking embarrassed. “I’m from here, remember?”

“Right. Um, what am I supposed to wear?” I wait for Avery to laugh but he doesn’t. He regards me for a second, understanding that this debutante ball is important to me because it’s important to Leni.

He whistles low. “It’s black tie, man. A black tuxedo, white shirt, black bow tie. See? A formula.”

“Damn,” I mutter. I didn’t realize it was so…formal. “All right, thanks for the heads-up.”

“It’s a good time though. You’ll have fun.” Avery grins. “But not too much fun. We fly to Kansas City the day after.”

“I won’t be late.”

“I know,” he mutters. “I’m just giving you shit. Next week then? Corks?” He points at me for confirmation.

“We’ll be there.”