“Let me drop off the food to your sister first.”
“She can wait ten minutes. She also can walk.” He pulled out a chair and plopped down, holding his hands together so it looked like he was praying. I joined him, my stomach churning with unease.
He knew I loved his sister and wanted to be with her. I’d laid it all out Sunday night after her injury. Told him how I didn’t plan for this, how I’d hurt her, how I’d fucked it up but planned to earn her back. Told him I’d always be his teammate and football was a priority, but I couldn’t have just football as my entire life.
He never punched me, which was a good sign. He said me he needed time to adjust to this, then we’d talk. We agreed to take care of Lo and then hash it out.
Seemed like he was ready.
“I don’t say this lightly.” Dean closed his eyes, exhaled, and glared at me. “I trust you. You’re loyal, intense, hardworking. I love you like a brother, on and off the field.
I nodded, swallowing the ball in my throat. There had to be abutcoming.
He winced, glanced over my shoulder before meeting my gaze. “I also know you’re stubborn and can lose sight of others when you’re focused. You say you love my sister, but what—”
“There is no but what. I love her.”
Dean’s eye twitched. “When you hurt her—”
“Then I’ll apologize, learn from it, and never do it again.” My body raced with my pulse, the intensity of this conversation like a Big Ten game. Oxygen flowed through me, fueling me with each breath. This was a defensive play, and I had to react the right way. Instead of bodies on the field, it was words. “This isn’t temporary for me, this is…Christ, how do I say this?”
Dean crossed his arms and leaned back.
“Her and I need to chat still, so all of this depends on her. If she doesn’t want this, then I’ll respect her and be whatever she needs. I can’t not have her in my life. But if she’ll give this a real chance, I’ll put her first. I don’t care if you approve or don’t like it, Dean, that won’t stop me. I know you won’t let this affect us on the field because that’s not who we are as athletes, but I want Lorelei as long as she’ll have me, in any capacity. Now, if that affects our friendship, it sucks, but I hurt her by wanting to hide her. I can’t… I refuse to upset her again.” I stood up, the urge to hold her even stronger than a few minutes ago. “I want a life with her.”
Dean nodded, tapped the table with his fingers, then held out his hand. “Every time you make her cry, I punch you in the face.”
“How long does this stipulation last?”
“Forever. I don’t care if you’re fucking sixty. You hurt her, I punch you.”
My lips twitched. “You’re assuming she won’t hand me my ass first.”
“I expect her to. Romano twins are tough.”
I shook his hand, and he pulled me for an unexpected hug. “You two make sense together, and it’ll get easier to accept. Just, no excessive PDA around me, alright?”
I squeezed him hard. “You got it.”
He patted me twice before walking away, and I jogged toward the snack tray. Lo and hunger didn’t mix well together, and I loved how her face lit up when she saw me. If I made her even half as happy as she made me, then that’d be enough. My teammates had left her, thankfully, so it was just her in the living room. “Hungry?”
She licked her lips. “Is that cheese?”
“Lots of it.”
“God, I love you.” She clapped before her eyes widened. “Wait, I mean, I love cheese. I love cheese, yes.” She blinked a lot and tilted her head. “You’re fine too.”
I smiled and sat on the couch next to her. I placed the tray on the coffee table and pulled one of her feet into my lap. She always moaned a sexy little sound when I massaged her foot. Even now, she closed her eyes and sighed.
“Relax, eat. Then we can talk.”
“Mm, how about we talk while I eat?” She leaned forward and snatched four pieces from the tray. She crossed her eyes as she bit into them. “Mild cheddar gives me a stomach boner.”
I snorted. “You’re feeling better.”
“I am, yeah. I want to start getting on my computer for an hour at a time tomorrow, see how it feels. That is… if my keeper lets me.” She glared at me and pinched my side. “You’re a real mother hen, Luca.”
This is my moment.
