Playing for Hearts (85 page)

At least, she'd heard the talk about how he played. She'd tried to catch a glimpse of him after halftime, but first Sampson and then Lowry came to her with injuries. It was to be expected. Start of the season injuries were always high. Their bodies took a lot of abuse after having a couple months off to rest.

Gary's body was no exception. She got to see what he went through on a daily basis. He tried to hide a lot of his aches, but she'd noticed. The groan after pushing himself out of bed. The grimace when he grabbed her to roll her over on the couch. But none of his discomfort stopped him from showering attention on her.

She started the car, and drove toward the gate. Three other cars were ahead of her. She gazed in her rearview mirror, and seeing the area clear, made a U-turn. Her heart raced. There were rules that they had two hours to leave the grounds. They were usually out of there within an hour. That gave her some time before the gate shut, but she wanted no one to know where she was going. It was too easy for someone to catch her and she didn't want to end her career this way. She wanted to stay classy and professional. A rendezvous with a player, no matter their relationship, wouldn't be viewed as being responsible.

She drove around to section B. The gate attendee had already left, since they only kept one gate open for the team. She parked in the shadow of the stadium and shut off the car's engine. In the silence, her breath came fast and heavy. She'd never done something like this.

Sure, she'd broken a few rules, went swimming at hotels she wasn't staying at or begged her way backstage at a concert. She chalked those times up to teenage fun. Now she was an adult, had a job with the Seahawks, and she was hiding from everyone.

She tapped her fingers against the steering wheel. What if Gary didn't notice the note she left him or someone else found it before he did?

She reached for her keys, but stopped herself from turning the car back on. No, he'd come. He'd already finished dressing when she had left the locker room.

Several minutes passed, and finally she saw headlights sweep the parking lot in front of her and his car appeared around the corner. She smiled, reaching for the door handle. Excitement and nerves had her stomach flipping.

She shut her door quietly when Gary pulled up beside her. She walked over. He rolled the window down, concern etched in his gaze.

“What's wrong?” he asked.

She leaned through the window and kissed him. His hand came up and tangled in her hair. She softened her lips, sucking on his bottom lip. The thrill of doing something out here, away from the others, but close enough to share Gary with the sport he loved shot through her. He deserved what others offered him freely, and she wanted to be the one to give it to him.

She reached down and ran her hand over the crotch of his jeans. Her lips curved over his as he hardened from her touch. If she'd had any doubts that he wouldn't be up for her surprise, they fled.

Unable to unbutton his jeans with one hand, she pulled away, opened the door so she was closer to him, and gazed at him. His eyes softened. “Your note didn't say anything about this.”

“Surprise,” she whispered, working his buttons loose. “A man who wins the game and puts his team at higher odds going into the season deserves more than me saying, ‘good game,' don't you think?”

He chuckled, lifting his hips and tugging his jeans down a smidge. She watched his gaze intensify as she leaned over farther, opening her mouth.

His fingers tightened in her hair. “Jesus, honey…”

She took his cock in her mouth. He bucked off the seat and quickly came down, his whole body relaxing with each caress of her lips. She sprawled her hands on his thighs, keeping him in place. The power in his legs made her own tremble, and she placed her knee on the edge of the doorframe of the car.

“Honey…” He smoothed the hair back from her face. “Damn, that feels good.”

She sucked harder, taking her time, enjoying the moment as much as Gary. Even though he'd never tell her she owed him, she hadn't forgotten about their sexy time in the locker room when he'd ignored his own needs and pleasured her.

She tilted her head, taking more of him on each down stroke. His muscles quivered under her hands, until he pulled her off him.

She jerked her gaze to him. “But—”

He laid his finger over her lips, and backed her out of the car, climbing out himself. He took her shoulders and turned her around until her back was facing him. She gazed at him over her shoulder as he placed her hands on the side of her car.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

His hands went around her waist to her jeans. She shivered when she realized what he planned to do.

Her breath came fast. “Someone will catch us.”

He pulled her pants down to her knees, taking her panties with them. “No one's back here. The cars block us from both sides.”

Okay, she really loved this idea.

He put his foot between her legs, pushing her left foot out to widen her stance. She dropped her head between her outstretched arms and arched her back at the sound of a condom wrapper ripping. She smiled. “Are you always prepared?”

“With you around…yeah.” He caressed her from bare waist to hip. Her arms quivered and her lower body vibrated. Out here in the open, risking everything for this one moment was the hottest thing she'd ever done.

His hard heat slid along her wetness. She leaned forward, and gasped when he slid inside of her. He stilled, and she closed her eyes thinking the best feeling in the world was when he was inside of her and they were connected.

Slowly, barely moving at first, he thrust and withdrew. The roughness of his jeans skimmed the back of her thighs with each movement. Her breasts strained against her bra, sensitive and throbbing. She pushed back against him, and heard his swift intake of breath. Her lower stomach pulsated and she reached for the pleasure he was giving her. Then his arm wrapped around her, and his hand went between her legs. He plunged inside of her, withdrawing until he almost left her, and then gave her every single inch of him.

Her hands slid against the smooth surface of her car. She rose on her toes as he moved within her. His finger was doing crazy, wicked things to her, driving her wild. He was everywhere, touching her, holding her, taking her with him. Heat grew inside her core, and her muscles tightened. Clenched around him, she peaked and lost her breath right before her whole world exploded into tiny delicious bolts of pleasure starting deep inside of her and flowing to her limbs.

She sagged at the same time he held her hips and thrust into her, holding her to him. His body shuddered behind her and it was the most wonderful experience of her life. A carefree giggle grew and she let it out.

Gary wrapped his arms around her and chuckled above her. They were both shaking from exhaustion, barely holding themselves up. If he let go of her, she'd crumble at his feet.

“I lost my jeans around my ankles,” he said.

She dipped her chin and glanced down. “It's okay, your ass is white compared to the rest of you—if anyone saw it they'd swear it was the moon.”

“Smart ass.” He laughed, pulling out of her without letting her go. “Shit. I'm weak. My legs are trembling.”

“Ha. You have an excuse. You played in a game. I stood in the locker room.” She took a step away, leaned over, and pulled her jeans up.

Gary went to his car, got rid of the condom, and came back to her. Before she could say anything, he kissed her hard.

She murmured her pleasure against his lips, and smiled when he pulled away. “That was crazy.”

“Yeah.” He laughed, running his hand through his hair. “I dreamed about having you here, after a game, all to myself.”

She walked to him and slipped her arms around him. “What did I do in your dream?”

“Well…” He sighed. “First you blew me in the car—”

“You didn't let me finish that,” she said.

“Right.” He cleared his throat. “Then I took you against the car.”

She smiled. “We did that.”

“Yeah.” He chuckled. “After we finished, I put you on the hood of the car and had you again. There might've been—” he jerked his head toward the stadium “—a fourth act out on the fifty yard line.”

“All in one night? Four times?” She leaned back and gazed at him. His mouth twitched, hiding his confession, and she laughed. “After a game?”

He looked away smiling into the night. “I said they were dreams.”

She pulled him down and kissed him. “I'll make sure I add more protein in your oatmeal, big guy, and I'll see if I can fulfill all your dreams.”

He kissed her one more time, slapped her ass, and lifted his chin toward her car. “Let's go home. I'll follow.”

She walked away, looking over her shoulder at him. “Promise?”

He slid into the driver's seat of his own vehicle and flashed his killer smile. “Promise.”

She laid her hand over her heart and got into her car. Past the gate, she entered the freeway and removed her hand from her chest. The smile on her face, however, she wore all the way back to Gary's condominium.

Four days later, Angie walked down the corridor to the locker room with Gary. She pressed her lips together instead of commenting on how loose and unencumbered Gary moved now that the swelling in his shoulder had gone down and he'd stayed away from any contact during practice the last two days. As far as the other guys knew, she hadn't seen him since yesterday at practice and was taking the time to see how he was doing.

Morgan and Pierce led the way, and Lowry followed behind them. She carried her bag and kept her gaze straight ahead of her. After tonight's game, the NFL season started for real. Every game counted.

“Hey, Angie,” Jeff Lowry said behind her.

She stopped and turned around. Gary hesitated, seemed to want to stay, and then reluctantly continued walking to the door. She pushed away the awkward position and smiled. “How's the leg, Jeff?”

“Better. I'm going in and having the doc look at it in hopes I can put some time on the field before we play the Raiders next.” Jeff went quiet and glanced behind him. “I was wondering…I mean, I know you can't date any of the players, but maybe we could have dinner or a drink sometime? As a thank you for all your help getting me back in shape to play, I mean.”

She inhaled swiftly. “I'm sorry, Jeff. Since this job is new to me, I don't want to jeopardize my place with the team. I need the job, and although we can be friends, I don't want anyone to mistake us going out as something more.”

“Hey, it's okay.” Jeff shrugged and grinned. “I'm not the only guy on the team talking about asking you out. I just thought I'd beat the other guys.”

She shook her head. “I'm not a game for the guys to see if they can win.”

“Hell, we know that.” He squeezed her arm. “Maybe after the season's over, huh?”

She leaned closer and nudged him with her arm. “Go see the doctor, and warm up your leg.”

Jeff walked off and she watched him until he disappeared behind the locker room door. She sagged against the wall. She was a liar. Nobody was going to understand if she and Gary ever found a way to go public. If she had extra time, she'd hunt for a new job—even though she loved working for the Seahawks. Because more than she needed the money from working, she needed to tell the world she was in love.

If she had to, she'd go back to Deadhorse and live there forever if it meant Gary was with her. She closed her eyes a beat and thumped the back of her head against the wall. How stupid was she to think being back in Seattle, where her friends and faster pace of life were, would bring her happiness. A month ago, she'd had no idea what she was really looking for was love.

She had no desire to go out without Gary, and Jules no longer had time for her, because she was too busy scoping out men at clubs, which Angie did not want to do. Her scope was solidly fixated on the man she loved.

Besides, Gary's career came first. He had more to lose than she did if she decided to put an end to their private relationship. Yet, there was one way she could fix all their problems. She could quietly quit her job, and nothing would happen to him.

“Angie?” a masculine voice said.

She opened her eyes, blinked, and pushed away from the wall. “Grayson?”

Grayson Schyler, Wimbledon tennis champion and one of Gary's best friends, stood in front of her in jeans and a leather jacket, his sunstreaked blond hair pushed off his forehead and an adorable baby riding atop his shoulders.

“Are you here to watch Gary too?” Grayson looked past her. “Is your brother here?”

She shook her head. “No, it's just me. I'm the new massage therapist for the Seahawks.”

“No kidding?” He grinned, flashing a perfect white smile that put her at ease. “Shauna and I flew up to surprise Gary.”

“That's great.” She smiled at the baby and stood on tiptoe to tickle his adorable chubby cheek. “Whose baby?”

“This is Trevor, my son.” Grayson swept Trevor down and held him on his arm. “Can you wave, Trev?”

Trevor stuck his fingers in his mouth and drooled. Her heart melted and she looked up at Grayson. “I had no idea. Last time I saw you it was almost two years ago—you weren't even married or anything.”

“Shauna swept back into my life. I had no choice but to marry her.” Grayson winked, looking like a man who was deeply in love.

Angie tilted her head. “Wait. Shauna…the girl all the guys kid you about? Your stalker?”

“The very one.” Grayson chuckled. “You'll have to meet my wife. She's up in the stands, along with Juan and Dana.” Gary bounced Trevor who'd begun to whine. “I'm walking Trevor around to keep him quiet. He's teething.”

“This is so wild.” She pressed her hand to her forehead. “Juan's married too? Why haven't I heard any of this?”