Jackie felt her shoulders fully relax. “Thanks, Mo. I appreciate that.”
Jackie looked up to see her friends beaming at her, and she couldn’t think this night could be any better. She scanned the crowd for Antonio but couldn’t find him. Her heart sank. Tanika gave her a look, silently signaling her not to worry. But Jackie couldn’t help it. She understood if he wanted to bounce. It was probably a lot to meet her family and friends all at once. If she’d been in his shoes, Jackie probably wouldn’t have shown up. She was grateful that he had.
Tanika, Bronwyn, and Mya came over, admiring the gloves in her hand.
“I got a feeling your phone is about to be ringing off the hook with new clients,” Tanika said.
“I hope so,” Jackie said. “I feel like I can do this with so many more athletes, across many sports. Not just boxing.”
Mya admired the gloves. “I bet they still have his sweat on them! And blood! That’s so cool!”
Jackie turned up her nose, holding the gloves in her hand. “Yeah, I probably should sanitize these before I put them in on display.”
As Jackie laughed with her girls, she felt the warmth of minty breath on her neck, and the familiar smell of a certain cologne surrounded her. “You’re the last person who needs a pair of gloves, ma,” the deep voice said in her ear. “Heard you’re much better with a bat.”
Jackie turned around and couldn’t even hide the grin on her face. “I thought you had bounced.”
Antonio squinted at her. “Why would I bounce on one of the biggest nights of your career as an agent? Besides, I wouldn’t be able to see your face when I give you another bit of good news.”
“What news?”
“I just got off the phone with PJ. He just got word that he’s on the list of nominees for Rookie of the Year.”
Jackie’s eyes widened. “Are you serious! Oh my God!” She clutched the gloves to her chest, ignoring the previous concerns about blood and sweat, trying her best not to squeal in delight.
“You’re cute when you get excited,” Antonio teased.
Jackie playfully punched Antonio in his arm. “Grown women don’t want to be calledcute. Cute is for babies and puppies.”
“What do you want to be called, Jackie?” Antonio stepped closer to Jackie, licking his lips. The action made Jackie’s breath hitch.
“Sexy. Beautiful. Intoxicating,” Jackie said flirtatiously. “A force to be reckoned with.”
“Say less, I’ll remember next time. By the way, PJ told me to tell you congrats on striking out on your own. He said ‘about damn time.’” Antonio leaned in, placing a kiss on her forehead. “You are about to shake shit up. I’m so proud of you.”
“Uhm, if you two are done flirting,” Mya interrupted. “Mo’s team invited us to an afterparty. You all trying to roll? Bronwyn is highly interested in Mo’s meditation techniques.”
Bronwyn nodded. “He is a case study in how deep visualization really works! What he did when he was in his corner really fascinated me!”
“Or you all could hit the casinos with me and Tanika,” Gideon said as he came behind Tanika, holding her around the waist. “We are feeling kinda lucky tonight.”
“Wassup, Jackie?” asked Antonio. “You feeling lucky?”
Jackie looked at Antonio, biting her glossy, cocoa lips. “Absolutely.”
JACKIE ANDANTONIO DID NOT, IN FACT, MAKE IT TO CASINO.
As soon as they entered the elevator to her suite, Antonio had picked her up, pinned her in the corner, and begun kissing her. Her dress was riding up her thighs as her legs wrapped around his waist.
Antonio’s lips were nestled in the curve of her neck as he applied gentle bites. “You’re so damn sexy, Lucky. Fuck.”
Jackie moaned. “I told you I’m not cute.”
“Nah, never that,” Antonio chuckled as he licked the sting from his bite away.
The elevator opened on several floors before they got to hers. Jackie heard guests on the twelfth floor saying, “Oh my,” before letting the doors close again.
“Ant,” Jackie panted. “We are giving these people a show.”
