Playing for Hearts (60 page)

Dana led him into the living room. He held her hips, not wanting her far away from him. He'd gone all day without her, and wanted her more than he needed to see her big surprise.

In the living room, Gary Satchel lounged on the couch. Juan grinned and lifted his chin at his good friend. Damn. He'd forgotten all about Gary coming to visit.

“Juan — ” Dana turned and beamed at him before swinging both arms toward the couch “ — meet Gary Satchal, only the best NFL football player ever. He also plays on my favorite team, the Seattle Seahawks.”

Gary pushed all six-foot-four inches and two-hundred-and-fifty pounds off the couch and stood. The smile on Gary's face was a reflection on how much amusement he was getting from Dana's obvious fangirl moment. Juan would've decked him if he weren't so happy to see his friend himself.

Juan stepped forward and held out his hand. “Gary Fatchel?”

“Satchel.” Gary shook Juan's hand, squeezing harder than normal. “You're that guy … um … John … ”

“Juan.” He held his laughter inside.

“Oh my God.” Dana wrapped her arms around Juan's waist. “I was downstairs and I spotted him right away. How could I not? Even without the Seahawk sweatshirt, I would've known him anywhere. He's a ton of muscle. So, I told him all about you, seeing how you're both athletes, and begged him to come to our suite and meet you in person. Isn't this great?”

“I guess.” Juan shrugged. “Not much of a football fan, babe.”

Gary cleared his throat. “And … uh … I've never skied.”

“Seriously?” Dana shook her head. “What planet do you both live on?”

“Relax.” Juan moved around Dana. “You sit and talk with Fatch — ”

“Satchel,” she said.

“Right. Satchel … the football player from Pittsburgh — ”

“Seattle.” Dana groaned. “Really, Juan. He was recently traded to the Cowboys. I can't believe you're not a football fan.”

“Don't need to be, babe. I'm a skier.” He kissed her. “Go ahead and act all silly and have your moment. I'll grab him a beer, 'kay?”

Dana broke out in a smile and nodded. “Thanks.”

Juan waited until Dana turned her back to him, and flipped Gary the middle finger. Son of a bitch was enjoying every moment of his wife fawning over him. Gary raised his brows and all but ignored him.

Juan walked into the kitchen and retrieved a beer. It was too close to competition for him to drink, but he sure could use one to get him through the evening. First chance he got, he'd slap Gary on the back for stopping by, tell him he'd catch up later, and then show him the door.

Best friend or not, he wanted nothing to come between him and his wife. He was running out of time with her.

He returned to the room, passed Gary a beer, and because his wife sat beside Gary — who took up half the couch — Juan resigned himself to the chair across from them.

Dana handed Gary a pen and paper, and mentioned her stepbrothers' names. Juan stretched out his legs and clasped his hands behind his head. He learned something new about his wife every day. He had no idea she was a football fan. Maybe he should mention that he had a connection and could take her to a few of the Seahawk games once he was finished with the Olympics.

“Thank you so much.” Dana set the paper on the coffee table. “The boys are going to freak. Oh! Can I get a picture too?”

Dana dug her phone out of her pocket, stood, and passed it to Juan, and plopped back down on the couch, practically sitting in Gary's lap. He growled, took the picture, and relaxed when Dana scooted a few inches away from Gary.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Juan enjoyed every minute of it.

“So, Fa-Satchel, tell me. Does being a big football star get you many women?” Juan resumed his bored sitting position.

“Juan!” Dana threw him a death stare.

“What?” He looked at Gary. “It's an honest question. You came with my wife to our room, and I wonder why. Do you normally have women stroking your … ego wherever you go?”

Gary laid his arm behind Dana on the couch. “Actually. Yes. I do.”

Dana blushed and continued to stare bug-eyed at Juan, willing him to stop. He couldn't help himself. This was the most fun he'd had all day.

“Was that your plan with Dana?” Juan sat forward, bracing his elbows on his knees.

Gary looked between Dana and him, read the situation right, and stood. “Still is my plan. She's a sexy woman, and I have free time before I fly out for the game. I don't see her hanging off you, so — ” Gary patted his chest, “ — she's fair game for a man like me.”

Juan flew out of the chair and dove across the coffee table. Dana screamed and, thank God, Gary caught him and they tumbled to the couch. He faked a punch to Gary's stomach, and then exaggerated the painful cry when he received a punch to his back.

“Stop it!” Dana pulled on Gary's arm. “Don't hurt his shoulder.”

He buried his face in Gary's back, laughing his head off while holding Gary in a headlock as he was tossed and rolled onto the floor. A pillow smacked him in the head.

“You can't fight. You'll get kicked off the team.” She kicked out, and Gary grunted.

Juan couldn't go on. He let go of Gary and collapsed onto his back on the floor. He could barely keep his eyes open, he was laughing so hard.

“She's something else, bro.” Gary heaved himself off the floor and stuck his hand out.

Juan grasped his wrist, and sprang to his feet. “Gary, meet my wife, Dana … the avenging angel, powerful enough to kick a linebacker's ass.”

“What?” Dana's jaw dropped opened. “Are you kidding me? You know him … like know, know him?”

Juan stepped over and looped his arm around Dana's shoulders, drawing her to his side. “Gary's one of my best friends, babe. I've known him forever … along with Crista, Bruce, Grayson, and Dominic. Remember, I told you who my friends were.”

“Dude. You never said it was Gary freaking Satchel.” She hurled the pillow at his head. “I can't believe you let me go on and make a fool of myself.”

Gary tossed his head back. “I'm going to have that name put on my jersey. Gary Freaking Satchel. I love it.”

Dana glared at her idol. “I hate you.”

Not intimidated in the least, Gary strolled right over, picked Dana up in one of his famous bear hugs, and smacked a huge kiss to her cheek. “Congratulations on your marriage. You've captured one of the best men I know.”

She rolled her eyes. “I hate him right now too.”

Gary laughed and set her back on her feet. Juan moved in and nuzzled her neck. “Sorry, I couldn't help it. You were too excited over seeing another man. I had to prove I was worth being married to by protecting my woman.”

She snorted, but found his hand. Together they walked over to the couch. He planned to catch up on all the news back home with Gary and send him on his way. This could be the last chance he had with his wife, and then he'd focus on winning the gold.

The tender, perfect touch of Juan's lips caressed her breast. Dana arched against him as he moved back and forth between her mouth, her neck, and her breasts, eliciting a thrill through her.

He settled his hand on her stomach. The warmth penetrated clear through her body and she squirmed underneath him. He kissed the sensitive spot at the base of her neck, blew on the area, and she quivered. She wanted him to touch her where she needed him most, but he never moved his hand.

His tongue swept inside her mouth. She moaned. And finally his hand trailed further down, burning a path from her stomach to between her legs. Every nerve jumped and settled in her core as his hand found her sex.

The intimacy aroused her. She clasped his hair in her fist, holding herself back. She floated on her arousal. The warm, wet, heat from mouth followed his hand. She gasped for breath as he situated himself between her thighs.

Electricity shot through her as he found her sweet spot. Her hips shot off the bed, while her legs fell open. Pleasure built inside of her, and she grabbed onto the bedspread, urging him for more.

He added his finger, moving slowly, filling her, without taking his mouth off her. The tension of leaving today faded to something unbelievably delicious, and she lost track of time.

She stretched, pulled, and moved against him, caught up in what he was doing to her. Yet, in the back of her mind, she knew it would be their last time together in bed, having sex. The moment was bittersweet, but she promised herself she'd be strong for Juan.

He'd gone back on his theory of having no sex a week before a competition, and changed it to no sex in Germany in the hopes that it'd make him more aware, stronger, and boost his endurance. She warmed, knowing she had the power to relax him to the point where he needed her more than she needed him.

Deep down, she wanted to believe she meant more to him than his saving grace to stay on the team. They'd become friends. They'd taken their flirtationship all the way to the top, and she knew that once she walked away, her life would never be the same again.

Juan crawled up her body and hovered above her. He gazed into her eyes. “I lost you for a moment.”

She cocked her head to the side, and stroked his face. “I'm here.”

“What are you thinking?”

His heart beat against her chest. For him, she'd do what must be done. “Imagining you winning the gold.”

He frowned. “Babe … ”

“Do it for me, honey. Give me right now and tonight. Then put your heart and soul into winning. Make everything we've gone through together mean something. Let me have the memories of being with the man everyone will talk about for years.” She inhaled deeply, and forced a grin. “I want you on the side of a Wheaties box.”

He smiled tenderly and kissed the tip of her nose. She swallowed hard. God, she was going to miss the nose kissing.

“Let's both win the gold.” He slipped inside of her. “Together.”

The intense buildup of pressure filling her was her undoing. Her chest heaved in a sob, and she used the emotion to give everything to Juan. In sync, souls touching, she never took her gaze off him. The moment was so powerful it rocked her right off her life schedule, and she reached out and grasped what he offered.

Greedily, she held him, moved him, stroked him. She'd remember every second and play it back in her head for the rest of her life. Although she'd tried to deny her attraction, her flirting, her lies that she was faking their relationship, she'd somehow fallen in love with her husband.

“That's it, babe.” Juan plunged deeper, harder, taking her higher. “Come for me.”

Her muscles constricted and as if to hold him inside of her forever, she screamed out his name, bucking against him as he held her. He shuddered in her arms, and laid his head against her neck. Locked together, legs entwined, arms holding one another, they breathed in rhythm of their hearts.

Long after she'd gathered air into her lungs, and Juan's heartbeat slowed until she could no longer separate it from her own, she lay there silently, afraid to cry for the finalization of the act. For if she cried, she was afraid she'd never be able to stop.

“Dana,” he whispered. “We'll be okay.”

She nodded, and whispered back. “I know.”

Juan rolled off her, and this time he kept moving and got out of bed. She shivered, missing his warmth, his body, him.

“I'm going to hop in the shower and then I need to go out. Photographers are here, and they want team photos before we leave for the airport.” He paused at the bathroom door. “I'll send someone up to carry our luggage when it's time to head out. Do you need me to do anything for you before I'm pulled away with team stuff?”

She shook her head. “No, I think I'm all set. I shipped most of my things yesterday to my dad's house, and only kept two pieces of luggage for our trip. Someone from Reese is coming to close the shop tomorrow, so if I run into anything I forgot to send on, I'll go ahead and let them take it back for me.”

“Okay.” His gaze softened before he walked into the bathroom.

Dana reluctantly left the bed and walked to her own room. Each step took her away from Juan. No longer excited about going to Germany and seeing Ana and Maria, or cheering on Juan, she wanted to crawl under the covers and have a good cry.

But, because she was a Reese and she could use the opportunity to open doors with more distributors once they arrived at Germany, she went through the motions of taking a shower, getting dressed, and saying goodbye to married life. She'd pretend to be strong, because the last thing she wanted to do was worry Juan when the gold was on the line.

When the crew of men came to carry Juan's equipment and his luggage down to the awaiting cars, she followed them downstairs. All business and no emotions, she concentrated on going through the steps to getting her life back.

Cheers went up outside the lodge. She pushed through the doors, and took in the crowd. At least two hundred people lined the edges of the two-lane street leading away from the lodge. American flags waved from their hands. Signs fluttered in the wind, and she smiled, noticing that most of them had Juan's name or Amante Español printed in big, bold, red letters. She searched for the team, and found them standing beside three limousines.

A sea of red, white, and blue, they all looked serious and professional. Juan stood with his hands clasped behind his back. He looked at the cameras without smiling, lost in his own world. Even without the outward show of happiness, the excitement rolled off him. He rocked from his heels to his toes. His jaw twitched, and she wanted to rush up to him and caress her hand down the side of his face and watch him soften under her touch.

As the scene in front of her blurred, she realized she was crying. She'd never been more proud of anyone in her life the way she was of Juan and what he'd already accomplished. It wouldn't take a gold medal to impress her. He was already a winner to her.