Grant chuckles and leads me out of the stadium to the parking lot. I don’t know exactly where we stand or what just happened, but it feels life changing.
It wasn’t until I was drifting off to sleep with Taylor in my arms later that night that I realized we didn’t use a condom. Kids have been the furthest thing from my mind since she wasn’t in the picture anymore, and suddenly, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the possibility in the future.
All that matters is her.
I want more. I want this.
It’s all I can think as I prop my head on my forearm and watch Taylor sleep beside me. She’s been in my bed the past two nights and I’m going to miss the feel of her when I leave for New York tomorrow after Bark in the Park. I’ve put off my visit to Stella as long as I can.
It’s also my mother’s birthday this week, and though we may be estranged most of the time, I still plan to show up at her birthday dinner and play the role of dutiful son.
“Hi.” Taylor rubs her eyes.
“Hi.”
“What are you doing?”
“Watching you sleep.” I run a thumb over her cheek and lift her chin. “Good morning.” I press a quick kiss to her lips and feel her smile against mine.
“Morning.”
“What do you want to do today?”
“I need to go to the stadium and help Mary. We’re doing a final walkthrough before tomorrow.”
“What time do you need to be there?”
She looks over at the clock and my gaze follows hers, landing on the numbers telling me it’s just after eight. “A couple hours.”
“Plenty of time for me to eat my breakfast then.” Trailing my hand down her body, I reach the waistband of her sleep shorts.
“Wait.” Her hand clamps down on my forearm, and she stops me before I can reach what I’m searching for.
“What is it?” My brows furrow in confusion.
“I was hoping we could talk about something.”
“Okay.” I flatten my palm on her stomach, not wanting to lose the contact.
She traces a pattern on my arm, laser focused on the movement and says, “I heard something when I went over to Ivory’s last week and it’s been on my mind. I’ve been too afraid to ask you about it, but I think I need to.”
The meekness in her voice worries me. I prop my head on my hand to really look at her and use my other hand to bring her eyes to mine, hoping she can see the openness there. “You can ask me anything.”
“They were talking about how involved you are as a team owner and Ivory mentioned it was one of the conditions Mike had before he took the job as your manager.”
I rest my arm over her midsection and pull her closer. I knew it was only a matter of time before this conversation came back around. “Ask me again.”
“Huh?”
“You asked me before why I left New York, and I wasn’t completely honest with you. Ask me again.”
“Why did you move to Nashville?”
“You.”
I don’t just hear her sharp intake of breath, I feel it too in the way her abdomen tightens and she freezes beneath my arm.
“It was one of Mike’s conditions. He refused to coach for meif I stayed in New York. Really, he just wanted me here to fight for you. I knew it was only a matter of time before you came here with Ivory and Gabby both living here. He was the final push I needed to come after you.”
