‘Everybody’s sacrificing so much for me. I’m not sure I deserve it.’
I kiss her. ‘I want you to know,’ I tell her, ‘that you come first. Above everything. I see you, and I see the rest of my life stretching out before us. And we’re happy. Whether or not I remain in the NFL. I don’t see it as a sacrifice; I see it as choosing to live my life the way that I want to. With you by my side. And you deserveeverything. Your entire life, you’ve hustled. You’ve given and given. You don’t have to do that anymore. It’s just a simple fact that everyone else agrees with me.’
I feel drips of moisture on my fingers, and I realize Serenity is crying. She pulls me to her. ‘Thank you,’ she whispers against my mouth before she grants me the sweetest kiss. ‘I know I said I didn’t need a hero, but I’m glad that I have one all the same.’
I rub my thumb across her cheeks to dry her tears. ‘I’m here. No matter what happens. I love you. You own my heart.’
‘I loveyou,’ she says with a gentle sniff, and I feel another surge of tears wet my fingertips. ‘My heart belongs to you. I promise that it will, for always.’
That same heart that she’s referring to, well it sings. I roll her onto her back, one hand pressing against her inner thigh, coaxing her to open her legs so that I can nestle between them. My dick swells instantly, pressed up against her pussy that’s still warm and wet for me from before. I kiss her deeper this time, loving the way she moans and writhes against me, wrapping her legs around my waist. It’s so easy to lose myself in her.
‘I knew from the moment I saw you at that grocery store that I was never gonna want anybody else,’ I whisper.
She strokes my face. ‘I knew from the moment you came to my house that night and decided not to judge me. You’ve never judged me. You always accepted me for me.’
I don’t wish to make light of the intense moment, but I can’t help it. ‘I mean,’ I say with a smirk, ‘I did think you were a virgin at one point.’
Sweet laughter escapes her lips. ‘Other than that little blip. Nobody’s perfect.’
I lean down and kiss her, slower this time. There’s an electric current between us that has desire shooting up my spine. The little sounds that escape her lips only make me harder.
‘Jake,’ she murmurs, all needy, and once more I’m reaching for the box of condoms on the nightstand. When I slide inside her welcoming warmth for the second time tonight and our lovemaking begins again, I know that I’m home. Because home is where Serenity is. And I know nothing about that will ever change.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Serenity
Sunday night, I’m home with Dad. I’ve made us both an early dinner, which we eat in front of the TV. We’ve agreed that we’ll watch the game. Kick-off is eight-twenty. It’s the first home game of the season that I won’t have been part of the CMC squad.
Just past seven, I hear a car outside. Opening the front door, I watch as an enormous black Escalade pulls up in our driveway. Jewel gets out, slams the door closed and practically swaggers up the steps.
‘What are you doing here?’ I manage in my surprise. ‘Is that a new car?’
She glances over her shoulder, back at the vehicle. ‘Belongs to Lemon Conway,’ she says with a casual shrug.
I blink. ‘Lemon Conway? The hell?’
‘You know one thing that I’ve learned this week, Ren? That every single person who works at the Danube is afraid of Samantha Conway. No surprises there, I guess. They all despise her too. But, all the staffers, the grounds people, the security men and women, the coaches, the guys who make the coffee in the booths and the people who sell beer on game days, they allloveLemon. Yes, sir. They love Lemon because she’s nothing like her mother. Lemon Conway has more power in her little finger than her mother and brother put together. And she’s got business smarts that nobody ever gave her any credit for. Including all of us CMC.’
I stare at her, aghast. Jewel takes both my hands in hers and gives them a squeeze. ‘We couldn’tnothave you be there tonight,’ she says.
Dad gives me his blessing when I tell him I’m heading to the Danube for Sunday night football.
‘How are you getting in if you don’t have a ticket?’
‘Apparently Lemon Conway’s got it all figured out,’ I murmur, in disbelief.
‘Does that mean I can watch baseball now?’
I kiss his forehead. ‘Yes, Daddy, it does.’
‘Have fun, sweetheart,’ he says.
It takes me a few minutes to change clothes, get organized and put on a little makeup. I grab my leather jacket on the way out. When I climb into the vehicle, there’s a branded Mutineers cap on the seat. ‘Put it on,’ Jewel says as she grins at me. ‘All part of Lemon’s plan.’
‘She can seriously get us in?’
‘She came to us. Offered her help. At first, we didn’t know what to believe, but Jake’s straightened everything out. He came to see us all at practice. She’s on our side. Or should I say yours and Jake’s side.’
