“Speaking of dirty.”
It’s Christmas morning and we’re luxuriating in a sleek, king-sized bed that looks like it comes right out of a Modern Architecture magazine. Jason’s two-floor penthouse is amazeballs. I mean, I’ve lived in this city my entire life and really didn’t have a clue how the other half lived, but let me just tell you, the other half lives freakin’ great.
I kiss him passionately this time.
“Yay, let’s have Christmas sex!” I say excitedly.
He leans his head back.
“You don’t want me to meet your family?”
“That’s not true.”
“The fuck it ain’t.”
“Why wouldn’t I want my family to meet the most gorgeous, sexy and beloved man in sports?”
“Gorgeous and sexy, yes, but beloved? I’m the most hated man in football.”
Several news channels picked up the feature done on Jason winning the Spirit Award and the publicity has given his career and Belief Village an enormous boost in recognition and popularity. The team has even talked to him about being prepared to play during the playoffs because of Josh Rivera’s back, and he’s been getting aggressive physical therapy in preparation.
“Not anymore.”
“Okay, well your family hasn’t seen me in the flesh, so they don’t know what an amazing man you’ve got. They need to see and touch me for me to be believed.”
“You’re insufferable. I don’t think I truly realized how inflated your ego is.”
“Inflated or accurate, darlin’?”
Jason’s pet Rottweiler, Astro, butts the bedroom door open with his head and strolls inside. He places his chin on the edge of the bed and stares lovingly at his daddy.
“He’s so cute. Does he always greet you like this in the morning?”
“This isn’t him greeting me. This is him running from Mittens.”
After our private picnic under the stars, we stopped at my place to pick up some extra clothes, my laptop, some kitty litter and my cat. There was no way I was going to spend Christmas without her. It never dawned on me that Astro might not like that arrangement.
“Astro doesn’t like cats?”
“We don’t have any at the ranch.”
“What ranch doesn’t have cats?”
“Mine.”
“Cats keep away mice.”
“The mice stay in the fields or in the chicken coops.”
“This is a disaster.”
“They’ll figure it out.”
“Should we keep them separated for now? Will he hurt her?”
“I’m offended. Astro’s been nothing but a gentleman, as am I.”
I lay across Jason’s body and rub the top of Astro’s head.
