“This is yours,” he growled. He pried my shorts out of the way and pushed inside me. I rocked back into his arms. “I’m yours, Natalia.”
My shirt flew over my head and I gave him my breasts to suck. I pressed his head to my chest, feeling the pulse run through my body. I didn’t know what answer I was going to give him. I didn’t know if I could uproot everything I had done here, but what I did know was I was his and he was mine and it didn’t matter what teams we were on. Nothing would change that.
23
Sam
I didn’t think I’d ever say words like that again. I didn’t want to belong to someone. I didn’t want to love someone, but Natalia had upended all my plans this season, and why would this be any different? If the only way I could have her was to give her me, then that was the deal. Every part of her was mine. I made sure of that.
I didn’t drive to Austin planning on having a heavy relationship talk. I planned on spending the night fucking the most beautiful woman I’d ever met. But I ended up asking her to move in with me and offering to help her rehab. She was in my head. She was under my skin. I was drowning in her.
I watched her sleep next to me and traced a line between her shoulder blades. Her hair had fallen over her shoulder.
She told me she had to leave by seven to make it to early morning practice, but we still had a lot to discuss. I wanted her with me in San Antonio this week. One week of long-distance phone calls and a drive to see her wasn’t going to be enough.
I hated that Maddie called. I hated that she had my number. That she tried to throw me off my game for my night with Natalia. The moment I was finally happy again, she blindsided me with a desperate plea for help. Damn it.
I didn’t give a shit if she needed anything. I wasn’t her ATM, and I wasn’t her friend. It was enough to scare the hell out of me about getting involved with Natalia. But they were nothing alike. Nothing.
Natalia could never treat me the way Maddie did.
I had to fight the fear creeping under my ribs. I had to fight the thoughts to run and get out before she annihilated me. I was a different man now.
I turned off the lamp next to the bed and stretched my legs out beside her. She sighed softly and I pulled her against my chest. She fit there perfectly. This graceful, beautiful woman fit. Only I had to convince her of that tomorrow before I left. After that phone call, it seemed more important than ever. I needed her commitment. I needed her loyalty. I needed to know she was mine.
Natalia had been gone for two hours. I was working on making breakfast in the kitchen when my phone rang. It was Cavan.
“Hey, what’s up, man?”
“Sam, I was wondering if I could stop by and pick up one of the playbooks for tomorrow’s game. I never got one and the coordinators said you have those things memorized.”
“Yeah, but I’m out right now. It’ll have to be later.”
“Out? It’s nine o’clock in the morning.”
“Working out, man. Have to get ready for the game.” I was staring at the playbook on Natalia’s kitchen table.
“Just tell me where your spare key is and I’ll stop by.”
“Can’t. It’s in my car. I’ll call you when I’m back and you can run over.”
“This is serious. I haven’t seen any of the plays.”
I flipped the bacon over in the frying pan. “Sorry, man. Call one of the other guys or wait until I’m home.”
I was about to hang up on him.
“Fine. Just call me.”
“You got it.”
I shoved the phone into my pocket and continued to work on breakfast. I had muffins in the oven and was ready to whip eggs into omelets, but I wasn’t sure when she’d be home. I didn’t want them to be cold.
I heard her key in the door and smiled when she walked through.
“Hey.” She grinned.
“How was practice?” I asked.