“Badly,” she murmurs. It’s practically a whimper and her eyes bleed with such guarded hope that something in my chest cracks. “I want a family, Gage. I want to belong to people who love me and accept me and want me.”
“So we’re doing this?” I confirm.
“Yes,” she breathes out. “Even though it breaks my cardinal rule.”
“I won’t be your client forever.”
“No, but you are right now. And this endorsement deal, with Grayson Watches—do you feel like it’s a conflict of interest now, to have me acting on your behalf?”
I bark out a laugh. “Seriously?” I reach for her hand and squeeze her fingers. “No, Callie. It’s all good. I trust you more than anyone to act on my behalf.”
She smiles and I lift our joined hands to my mouth, kissing her knuckles.
“This is the best dinner I’ve ever had in my life,” Callie admits.
“It’s the paella,” I assure her.
“The paella is incredible,” she agrees. “But it’s you, Gage. It’s the time I spend with you.”
“Wait ‘til I take you home,” I tease.
Callie shoots me a flirtatious wink. “I’m counting on that.”
The server appears at the side of our table and clears away the paella. We continue to sip on our wine. To discuss the future—my eventual retirement, her desire to pull back from her workload. We let the sea breeze ripple over us and the night sky envelop us.
The stars twinkle overhead, the ocean waves kiss the shore, and I settle into the bliss of the moment. It only heightens when I lay Callie down in my bed, unwrap her like the greatest present I’ve ever been bestowed, and make love to her.
We move in sync, touching and caressing. Tasting and kissing. We come together perfectly—as if every moment that came before was all in the lead up to this. This woman, this night, this feeling.
I cry out her name and she clutches me closer, pressing a kiss to the side of my neck as we ride out our waves of pleasure. Once we’re cleaned up, I wrap my arms around Callie, hold her against my chest, and listen to the sound of her breaths. Once she’s asleep, I kiss the back of her head, close my eyes, and drift off.
Tonight, my dreams can’t touch my reality. I finally feel at peace.
And deep down, I know I’m ready to announce my retirement.
The gift Callie gave me supersedes everything—my career, life as I knew it, football.
Instead, I want to support her as she navigates the next phase of her career. I want to put a ring on her finger. And I want to grow a family together.
I’m gearing up for my final touchdown.
Chapter 8
Callie
“I need my phone back!” I laugh, landing a playful kick to Gage’s ass.
He grasps the heel of my foot, tugging me forward and tossing out an arm to catch me in a low dip before I fall.
“That was smooth,” I compliment him.
He grins and presses a hard kiss to my mouth. “Can’t wait ‘til after the party for your phone?”
“Gage!” I shake my head. “I have clients. A business. I’ve been off the grid for two days too long.”
“Fine,” he murmurs, tugging me upright. He walks toward the kitchen, and I follow him, watching incredulously as he rummages in a cabinet and plucks my cell phone out from its hiding place behind the toaster.
I arch an eyebrow. “Seriously?”
