Tempting the Crown (The Crown 1)

We agreed on one thing. Only one fucking thing.

21

Alexa

My hands shook. My stomach flipped and tossed with nerves. I didn’t know how I was going to get through this. The doorbell rang and I jumped from the couch.

I rushed through the hallway, almost skating on the hardwoods to open the front door.

“Hey, girl.” Helena wrapped me in a hug. “Cute hair.”

“Thanks.” It was up in my standard ponytail.

I closed the door and set the alarm behind her. “Thank you for coming over. I didn’t think I could do this alone.”

“Sure thing. You know I’m a huge fan. It’s going to be fun.”

She followed me into my den. Her eyes widened when she saw the spread I had made.

“We’re going to eat all of this?”

“Ok, so I don’t know what people eat when they watch football. Did I overdo it?”

She plopped down on the couch. “Slightly overboard, but I don’t care. It looks amazing.” She scooped up some cheese dip on the end of a piece of toasted pita.

I sat next to her. My nerves were completely shot. “I don’t know if I can even watch.”

Helena picked up the remote and turned up the volume. “He’s going to be fine. He’s a big strong guy. Stop worrying. He does this all the time.”

I looked at the screen. Luke was throwing the ball on the sideline. My insides began to melt. He looked irresistible. I felt a sudden heaviness. I missed him terribly. More than I should.

“All I know is that guys play football and get concussions and have career-ending injuries. What if that happens to him? What if they have to haul him off on a stretcher?”

Helena rolled her eyes. “That’s not going to happen. Have you seen the guys paid to surround him? The Warriors’ offensive line is intense.”

I picked at the veggie tray. I was craving cucumbers. “I’m glad you came over. I promised him I’d watch, but I didn’t realize it was going to freak me out. And you know so much more about football than I do.”

She giggled. “The advantage of having three brothers I guess. Besides, I think this whole thing with Luke is cute, and I love being in on the secret love affair,” she teased.

“That makes it sound so sordid.”

“Well is it?” She curled her knees under her and leaned into the oversized cushions. I’d had this room decorated a year ago and I was already thinking of how I could redo it. It was one of twenty in the house.

I turned an instant red color. I probably matched the peppers I had sliced.

“Maybe a little.”

She sighed. “I knew it. He’s way too hot not to be amazing in bed.”

“Ok, I’m really not going into those details.”

But God did I want to. I wanted to tell someone how incredible Luke was. How he made me feel things I didn’t know were possible. How my body moved a certain way for him. That I’d experienced eroticism that was addictive and potent. That if I didn’t see him soon my body was going to erupt in an explosive fire that he had started. It had been burning for him ever since our last kiss.

I pulled a pillow to my chest. “I don’t think I can watch.”

“The Warriors are the favorites to win. Stop worrying. He is going to kick ass today.”

I somehow managed to let the pillow drop low enough so I could see over the edge. Luke was on the field. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He looked powerful. In command. Strong and confident. I held my breath until he took the snap.