Lindy rushes to my rescue, putting an arm around me and leading me out of the room.
“Is he okay?” someone asks as we walk past them.
“He’s okay,” she says, taking me out the front door.
There’s a big, landscaped courtyard there, and Lindy helps me to a wood bench near some evergreens. I pass her my phone and she reads the text.
“Oh, Victor.”
“Is that what I’m hoping it is?” Jonah asks from nearby.
Victor nods and passes the phone from me to him. Jonah reads it, too, closing his eyes and nodding with satisfaction after he’s done.
“My brother came through,” he says proudly. “I’m really fucking happy this part’s behind you, man.”
Victor stands up and embraces his teammate. After, Jonah looks between us.
“I’m gonna give you guys some privacy. I’ll tell everyone Victor’s fine.”
Victor sighs and wipes the corners of his eyes. “Just make something up, man. Tell em’…I don’t even know…you’ll figure something out.”
“I’ll tell ‘em you made it into the world record book for having the world’s smallest dick and you were overcome with emotion.”
Victor bursts into laughter, lightening the mood. “You’re an asshole.”
“Pretty much.” Jonah grins. “And there’s no angel on my shoulder anymore to stop me.”
He claps Victor on the upper arm and walks back into the house. Victor turns toward me and sweeps me into a massive hug, leaving me breathless.
“I didn’t realize it would feel this good,” he says in my ear. “It feels really fucking good that he has to answer for what he did.”
She kisses my cheeks, then my forehead, then my lips. “I’m so proud of you for coming forward. I know it was hard for you.”
“I’m not sure I could’ve done it without you,” I admit. “I was so goddamn worried about anyone finding out.”
“It’s going to be okay.” She cups my cheeks holds my gaze. “No matter what, we’ll get through this.”
I nod, a lump forming in my throat. My entire life, I’ve been an ‘I’. Being a ‘we’ is fucking fantastic when the other half of it is Lindy. I hold her close, my emotions threatening to spill over again.
“If we ever have kids,” I say fiercely, my lips near her ear, “I’ll do anything to keep them safe. I’ll die to protect them. I’m never letting anything like what happened to me happen to them.”
“I know.” She holds me tightly. “You’re a good man and our kids would be lucky to have you as their dad.”
I pull back and look down at her. “Is it too soon for me to be bringing that up? Kids?”
“No, I think its good to talk about it. I mean, we’re not talking about having them soon, or anything…right?”
“I guess not. But if you happened to get pregnant, I wouldn’t mind a bit.”
Lindy’s expression is both shocked and amused. “Well, let’s hope it doesn’t happen anytime soon. I like having you to myself right now.”
“But you do want kids, right?”
Her eyes light up. “I do. Someday.”
I lean my forehead against hers. “I guess we should get back inside.”
“Probably. They’ll think we’re out here using more of that lube or something.”
“I should be so lucky.”
I pull her against me, my body reacting to just the thought of having her again. We had sex twice last night and twice this morning, and she came both times this morning. I’m fucking dying to try every position I know with her, and maybe make up a few new ones.
“Let’s go be social,” she says softly. “We’ll have lots of time alone later.”
I reluctantly agree. We will have lots of time alone later, but with Lindy, it never feels like enough. This is the first time I’ve been in crazy, stupid love, and I can’t get anywhere near enough.
Back inside the house, I keep at least one hand on her at all times. It’s not that I’m being possessive, my teammates all know she’s my girl. I just want her close to me.
I’ve got plans for us tonight. They involve ordering in, not watching a movie and not leaving my place ‘til I have to go to practice tomorrow morning.
I had those plans in place before we were even out of bed this morning, but now, we’ve got something to celebrate.Chapter Twenty-SevenLindyAri is hugging me so hard I can’t breathe.
“I miss you!” she cries. “Nothing at work is fun anymore with you gone. And we never get to talk!”
“I know, I miss you too…geez, let go before I pass out from lack of oxygen.”
She releases me, putting her hands on my shoulders. “I haven’t gotten details out of you about anything in like three weeks. It’s ridiculous!”
“I’ve been busy, I’m sorry. But that’s what tonight is for, so we can catch up.”
Victor surprised me by reserving a VIP box at tonight’s home game just for me, Ari, my dad and his friends. I asked Ari to come an hour early so we can catch up over champagne by ourselves.