Dare to Play (Dare Nation 3)

She glanced up, meeting his gaze. “Better than I expected. Money aside, I think Hannah’s impromptu party last night showed Lilah she wasn’t ready to handle a teenager. I got Hannah’s letter back, and Lilah will cancel her petition for custody.” A wide, satisfied smile took hold and he was thrilled for her.

Genuinely as happy as if the news were his own.

“That’s amazing. Seriously. I’m so happy for you.”

She rose to her feet. “You don’t sound happy.”

“Reading my mood?” he asked, catching the light snark in his voice and wincing. It wasn’t her fault his life was changing at lightning speed and he had to figure out a way to tell her.

She bit down on her lower lip. “Bri mentioned something about a trade.”

He’d wrapped the towel around his neck and pulled on the ends. Leave it to his sister to beat him to giving Macy the news.

“Austin called this morning right after you left. San Antonio is interested in me and the Eagles are considering it.”

“San Antonio, Texas?” Macy asked, her voice rising, the panic in her voice confirming his thoughts. She’d want no part of moving.

“That’s the one.” He walked past her and into the bathroom, planning to close the door and take a shower, but she followed him in.

“Don’t walk out on me. We have to discuss this.”

“Actually, we really don’t. You married me in order to get custody of Hannah, and that’s taken care of. I married you to help me show the management of the Eagles I’d change, settle down, and quit going viral with my antics,” he said with air quotes around the last word. “If this trade happens, San Antonio knows who I am and would be taking me regardless.” He tossed the neck towel onto the counter.

“Oh, I see. It’s that simple? You go your way, I’ll go mine? Marriage over? Just like that?” She snapped her fingers.

He couldn’t help but grin at her sass. He found it hot and sexy.

“Quit smirking. This isn’t funny.”

“No, it’s not. But you have to admit we both got what we needed from the marriage. We just thought the arrangement would last longer. Now you can have your freedom back.”

She glared at him, taking him off guard. “You mean you can have yours. You’re the playboy. You’re the one who’s missing your old life.”

“Whoa. I never said that.” In fact, not once since agreeing to marry Macy had he wished for his single life. She filled him in ways he hadn’t known he needed.

“Well, you’re not giving me a choice in what happens next, either. You’re telling me we’re through, so of course I think you’re eager to pick up a different woman every night.”

Fury sounded in her voice that made him step back and wonder if he hadn’t misjudged her. And if he had the guts to find out. Her words had stayed with him. All I’m saying is don’t let the rest of your life be defined by something that happened when you were young.

He was such an ass. He was a Major League pitcher and he was afraid of going after what he wanted? “What if I asked you to go with me to Texas? You and Hannah?” he asked and held his breath.

Her mouth opened wide. “Yes, Jaxon, of course we’ll go with you. I love you, you big idiot! I don’t want you to go to Texas without me.”

He studied her in shock. “What about your life?”

Her brown gaze met his. “What life? My work is mobile. In a short week, my life has become about you and my sister. And she might not be happy initially but she’ll adjust. She’ll just make our lives hell until that happens.”

He grinned, unable to believe this had all been so simple. All the angst and drama and here they were. “Go back to what you said before.”

“Which thing?”

“You love me?” he asked, wanting to hear her say the words again.

She grasped his face and cupped his cheeks in her hand. “I love you, Jaxon Prescott. Now are you going to say it back or do I have to drag the words out of you?”

He lifted her by the waist and sat her on the counter, legs dangling, and he stepped between them. “I love you, Macy Prescott.”

“And you’ll trust in us from here on out? Because I need you in my life. Both Hannah and I need you.”

“I need you, too. And you showed me how to trust. We’re a team, for good or bad,” he assured her, and then his lips were on hers.

He devoured her, making sure to leave no doubt in her mind that not only did he love her but he wanted her in his life forever.

Sliding his hands beneath her dress, he hooked his fingers into her panties and eased them down her legs, then pulled her to the edge of the counter. Her slick pussy was wet and ready for him. It took him mere seconds to remove his workout shorts and boxers, his cock hard, thick, and ready to enter her.