Touchdown Baby (9 page)

Everything was locked up like Fort Knox. She managed with shaky fingers to enter the house to discover a disaster zone. Frantically she searched every room for either Jace or Ashlyn, calling out their names. When she entered the family room, her heart began to pound out of her chest at the image that lay before her.

Jace sprawled across the couch in a T-shirt and jeans with his shoes still on. The man who played a physical sport that took all of his mental and physical capabilities looked to be exhausted, yet content with Ashlyn lying against his side between the cushions and his chest. The image caused the anger and worry that had built on her ride home to dissipate.

After a few minutes of watching the child of her heart and the man of her dreams snuggle in sleep, she gave in to the need to touch her daughter and reached across a chest so broad she felt tremors course through her body. Memories of her hands roaming over his body came back with clarity. The images that played out in her memory, like a movie, had her hesitating before she cleared her mind and began to pick her daughter up.

****

Somehow, fifteen minutes turned into two hours, and the next thing Jace saw was Ava standing over him attempting to pry her sleeping daughter from the crevice between him and the couch. He relished the sight of her shirt gapping across her breasts, and her scent reminded him of a night where the only thing she wore was her perfume. That memory alone made him grab her arm and pull her down next to him on the edge of the cushion.

The shock of the sudden tug of her arm caused her to topple, landing beside him. No matter what happened next, moving in was the best decision Jace had made in weeks. Not only because it gave him this luxury, feeling her body pressed up against his, but also because it gave him the chance to truly see the strain her hectic schedule caused.

The play of expressions that crossed her face as she turned her head made Jace’s next decision so much easier. He knew he would have to take advantage of her position. The way she went from pissed to excited caused his heart to race.

Without a single thought to his own sanity, he leaned forward and captured her mouth, and he finally kissed her the way he had dreamed of doing since she’d walked into the kitchen Saturday night wearing only his T-shirt and what appeared to be the sheer exhaustion from too much to do. The way he had wanted to while standing in an empty office not two doors down from her boss.

That first tentative touch of his lips on hers caused instant recognition of their bodies. At that exact moment, he knew he would do anything to make sure he would have the right to do this whenever he wanted to. The pressure of her lips and the scent of her skin was something he would always remember.

When he pulled back to look into her eyes, his body shuddered from the disappointment of the loss of his mouth on hers. “You taste like heaven and Red Hots.”

Unfortunately, he couldn’t read her every emotion. He was certain, with too much time to think, she would retreat. Not giving her that chance to think, he pulled her mouth back to his.

The intensity of their kiss had definitely changed. His tongue traced the outline of her lips, and she easily opened to him. The taste of her on his tongue was intoxicating. He felt a yearning for so much more than a mating of the tongues.

The feel of his hand roaming over her body was just as he remembered, and when he felt her body relax a little more into him, he knew it was going to be a great night.

Just then, reality smacked them in the guise of a little girl who did not appreciate being squished against the sofa cushions by two adults. Ashlyn focused on them with an intensity that rivaled even his most intimidating opponent on the football field, making him laugh.

“Mine!”

When she proclaimed him hers, he went into shock.

Ava smiled and leaned across Jace and kissed her daughter on her button nose. Then she said, “Ladybug, if you want him, you can have him.”

Jace felt slighted by her swift attempt at dismissing what they had just shared, but before he could respond, she pushed herself up from the side of the couch and walked out of the room.

No doubt she is the woman of my dreams, but does she care as much as me?

She cared, didn’t she?

Chapter Seven

After a hasty exit into her bedroom to change, Ava sat on the edge of the bed, placing a hand over her mouth and laughing. How was it her life could change so drastically in just a matter of days? If someone had told her on Friday Jace Johnson would kiss her senseless, not once but twice, she would have laughed out loud. His five o’clock shadow gave her the slightest rash on her chin, and with lips tingling and swollen, she wanted to replay the kiss.

Ava had set her life plan; she knew where she was going. But knowing what she had to do
to get where she needed and wanted to be could prove difficult. Especially with Jace putting a wrinkle in her plans…but she liked it. She loved seeing Ashlyn form a bond with Jace, her father. God help her, she wanted to build something with Jace.

The word
father
brought back memories of times that were harder for her to think about with him so close. How was she going to tell him their one night together had produced a beautiful little girl? How was she going to explain to him her reasoning for not telling him?

The conversations they’d shared about the paternity suit all revolved around his career and how his life would change. What would he do when he found out he had a daughter?

Images of Jace embracing their child had her sighing in contentment, but a vision of him spurning both her and Ashlyn was a nagging worry. Lying back across the bed, eyes closed, Ava let memories surround her. The most persistent since Jace’s return was the way her life changed.

I waited in the student clinic alone, the harsh sterile walls closing in on me, the reality I was going to be a mother hit hard.

How am I going to have a baby? I can’t even afford to get the new shoes I’ve been eyeing for the past two months and now I’m going to be responsible for another human being?

The last part, I didn’t voice out loud
—
even to myself.

I fought the miserable sickness and paid little or no attention to the insistent voice of the physician telling me I had options as far as the pregnancy went. The nausea plaguing me for the past few weeks seemed to intensify, if that was even possible.

How could that man call himself a doctor? He’s sitting there across a metal desk and telling me he could terminate my pregnancy, my baby? Then casually he mentioned I could always give the child up for adoption.

I left his office in a hurry and only made it to the reception area before having to run back into the clinic bathroom to get sick.

The cold metal of the stall door as I leaned against it made me feel how alone I truly was. Snaking down my face came the tears I’d been fighting since I woke up that Saturday morning after my one night with Jace. It hurt so bad that he’d left; just remembering how alone I felt that day made the tears come in a flood that would have made even Noah nervous.

Not knowing how long I’d been sitting huddled on the bathroom floor, the knock on the stall door startled me. When I heard Roxi’s voice, I knew at that moment our friendship would never be the same. I could never tell my best friend her older brother had taken my virginity, gotten me pregnant, and broken my heart all in a twenty-four hour period.

The door opened. I buried my face on Roxi’s shoulder, and as she held me in her embrace, I murmured, “I’m sorry.” over and over.

After what felt like an eternity standing in the small bathroom with Roxi being so understanding, I pulled back and prayed.

“Please God, always let me be able to count Roxi as a friend, even if she discovers my secret about Jace.”

I found out later one of the students sitting in the clinic saw me run for the bathroom and not come out. She knew us both and made the call to Roxi. I never had the chance to thank her.

My first steps out of the clinic and into the sunshine, with the promise of my new life, began to inspire me to make the changes all new mothers had to do eventually. A good mother always made sure her child had shelter, food and love. Thanks to my grandmother, I had a home to live in. Once I found a better job, I would have the money to feed a baby. As for love, I loved her immediately.

Before I even left the campus, I popped over to the Student Lounge and checked the job board for any new postings. That is when I found the advertisement for the law firm. And as they say, the rest is history.

“Why did you let him kiss you?” Ava questioned herself. The reality was, once he found out the truth of her deception, kissing her would be the last thing that would cross his mind. After a few moments of self-indulgent crying, she stood and began to strip out of her constricting business suit.

A business suit represented responsibility, intelligence and dedication to a profession, and Ava didn’t feel any of those things when it came to her job as a legal assistant. Her dream was to be an elementary school teacher; the law office was really just a means to an end.

The shock it would cause her family if she didn’t graduate next month—just because of her inability to complete her two-week in-class requirement—scared her. Her professor was essentially handing her the opportunity of a lifetime: a school willing to let her complete her requirement and then potentially hiring her on as a kindergarten teacher. But the school was in Nashville and would definitely put a strain on her family. They all loved seeing each other on a daily basis. This was for her and Ashlyn, and her parents would understand, but first she needed to get through graduation. Announcing so many life-altering changes in the space of a few weeks seemed extreme, but she would get through it.

Having only a week to figure out her hectic schedule, Ava rushed to finish dressing in her jean shorts and Renegades T-shirt. After all, her problems could be dealt with after she prepared dinner.

Ava was surprised there was no one in the living room. She could hear Ashlyn’s giggles, so she knew she wasn’t far and decided to look for her before she started their meal.

She spotted Jace as he pushed Ashlyn on the new wooden swing set in the backyard. The giggles that escaped the pint-sized toddler were the sound of pure exhilaration and freedom. The urge to go join the happy duo was almost overwhelming, but if she wanted to get to her homework tonight, she would have to get supper started now.

Thirty minutes after Ava had watched the two of them playing, she called them in for dinner. When Jace walked in with Ashlyn perched up on his shoulders, Ava yearned for the domestic picture they presented.

As they both turned to her, the identical stares left her stunned. When Jace raised his left eyebrow in his signature move, Ava giggled because her daughter had the same look whenever she was about to pout.

“What’s so funny?” Jace questioned.

“Nothing’s funny, you two just look like you could use a bath and bed,” Ava answered with a smile.

He pulled Ashlyn down from his shoulders and tickled her tummy before sitting her on the floor. “I don’t know about Ashlyn, but I need a bath. Preferably a sponge bath, but whatever you want to give me is fine.”

The smile on his face said he was teasing, but the look in his eyes spoke of an unquenched hunger that couldn’t be hidden. Ava stood stock-still.

The image of Jace lying in a tub of bubbles with her facing him as she ran her soapy hands over his exquisite body had her blood boiling. The hair on his chest would be as soft as silk, and the muscles underneath would be hard. The well-defined back muscles, hard as stone and covered with skin that was the perfect shade of bronze, could all be within her reach. Steam rising around them, her arms and legs wrapped around him so she could reach every inch of him.

The scent of soap and sex would saturate the air as she molded herself against him. The pressure of his erection would press intimately against her mound. The tip of her tongue would trace the trickles of water that ran down the side of his face. The taste of salt and bubbles would tickle her senses, and her body would react in the most elemental way.

The sound of Jace’s laughter brought Ava back to her kitchen, where Ashlyn was attempting to climb into her booster seat and the dinner was getting cold. The blood that had been running smoothly through her body had slowed down to a snail’s pace, and she felt lightheaded but shook off the effects of her almost erotic fantasy.

“So what’s for dinner? It smells delicious.” Jace appeared as if he didn’t notice anything different about Ava’s disposition.

“Hamburger Helper and peas, my specialty.”

“I can’t believe you remembered Hamburger Helper is one of my favorites,” Jace said with sincerity.

Images of sitting at the Coolidge dinner table with Jace devouring plates full of hamburger and noodles made Ava smile. “Actually, I’d forgotten. So I guess it’s lucky for you I’m not Betty Crocker and cook mostly out of boxes.”

As the three of them sat around the oval dining table, conversation flowed and stories of Jace’s exciting life entertained, but the chronicle of his day with Ashlyn were truly priceless.

A dinner that normally took ten minutes to eat had the small group sitting at the table for almost an hour. When Ava noticed Ashlyn’s head was drooping from exhaustion, she excused herself and took her daughter for her bath and bed.

When Jace came in fifteen minutes later with hands still damp from washing dishes and a gentle kiss for Ashlyn, Ava’s heart melted at the sight of this strong, capable, sexy man tenderly stroking baby soft tendrils of hair on Ashlyn’s forehead, and she fell in love all over again.

Quietly she left the bedroom while Jace stood over Ashlyn’s toddler bed. This gave Ava the advantage of getting her roller coaster emotions under control. Hiding out in her bedroom was just further proof she was a coward when it came to facing Jace.

****

Three hours and forty-five minutes later, Ava stepped out of her bedroom wearing worn pajama pants, a ratty old Vols T-shirt, and a messy ponytail on a mission to grab a glass of sweet tea and cookies. The pile of schoolbooks she was using seemed to have grown, and cookies were the only things that could get her through the next few hours.

With reading glasses pushed up on her head and cookies on her mind, the sound of Jace’s raised voice brought Ava out of her hyperglycemic state. She bypassed the pantry and fridge, heading straight for the family room toward his agitated voice.

Jace sat on the couch facing away from the doorway, a position that allowed Ava the opportunity to eavesdrop on his conversation.

“I understand what you’re saying, Sandy, but you have to understand my position. I don’t know if this is my kid, and I am not going to make a statement claiming he is.”

The air pulsed around Jace as his temper rose. Barely contained rage vibrated in the air. This was a side of Jace Ava had never heard or seen before. Whatever Sandy was saying pissed him off, and Ava didn’t want to witness what was about to happen. Trying to sneak out of the room proved fruitless. Jace twirled around, lunging at her with the speed and agility of a lion; he grasped her arm and pulled her back to the couch to sit while he paced the taupe-colored carpet. Fear kept her firmly planted on the seat. Not fear of Jace, for he would never hurt her, but fear of his pent-up anger.

“Sandy, you’re not hearing me. I will not under any circumstances claim a child who may or may not be mine. If you need further clarification, that means I will not make a claim either way until I have proof of paternity.” The slight hesitation in Jace’s tirade showed Jace was listening to this other person’s side before he made further comment. “I understand your position, but as my publicist you ultimately work for me. I have agreed to make a statement, but it’s going to be from me, not from you, not from my lawyer. Me. It’s my reputation on the line, and I’m the one the jokes and accusations are being thrown at.”

Jace stopped his pacing, and with his back toward her, this was her moment to make an escape. As she attempted to get up, he dropped down on the sofa only inches from where she sat. If she didn’t know him better, she would have suspected he had forgotten she was present, but Jace was never not aware. The look of vulnerability etched in his strong face had Ava reaching out and placing her hand against his thigh in a show of support.

Head leaning back against the couch and left hand rubbing his face, the strong man the public saw was gone. That left a boy whose world was caving in around him. Since he showed no outward sign of accepting the comfort Ava was trying to offer, she started to pull her hand back.

The gentle tug of her hand, as Jace twined their hands together in an almost elementary show of affection, proved to her heart the man she’d fallen for when she was only fourteen and he eighteen was still inside the cocky, aggressive, stubborn body of this superstar football player.

She was amazed at the sheer size of his hand compared to hers. Regardless of the difference in size, the fit was perfect and brought the reality of their situation back with a vengeance. No matter what she felt right at the moment, the fact was she had a secret that could, and possibly would, destroy any friendship they had ever shared.

The electricity that crackled in the air only reiterated that she needed to tell him the truth and soon.

“Listen, Sandy I have to think about your suggestions. Yeah, I will definitely be holding a press conference this week, make it Saturday. Uh-huh, I’ll look over what you prepare, but I’m not going to agree to read your statement. This has to come from me.” Jace leaned his head back again but didn’t release Ava’s hand. “Yeah, we’ll talk tomorrow. Just let me know when the press conference is set up. Let’s do it in Nashville, I don’t want anyone knowing where I’m staying.” The smile that broke out across his face had Ava relaxing. The cocky Jace was beginning to emerge, and he was easier to resist than sweet Jace.