4th & Girl

Leo’s baby-blue eyes met mine, and I didn’t miss the way they lit up his face in the most perfect way. It was like being able to put a candle inside the ocean without having the flame go out.

“Fuck, I’m so happy you’re here,” he whispered into my ear right before he put his hand in my hair and pressed his mouth to mine.

“Me too,” I told him honestly. “Watching you out there, Leo, it was something else. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”

His smile changed then, slipping to the side a little with a wonkiness I couldn’t place. I didn’t know why, but it felt like something had just moved through him.

I was probably just imagining it. With a shake of his head, he picked me up and swung me around again and pressed his lips to mine.

There was only one thing that could make this day better, and I knew it was coming. Being alone.

Silently, I thanked my lucky stars that I’d made this road trip by myself.

Alma had decided to sit this game out and watch it from home. Apparently, she was “too old and decrepit” to handle the wild celebrations that would ensue after the Mavericks won. But, she’d sent me an excited text filled with only emojis the instant they were titled this year’s champions.

And Leo’s parents hadn’t made it to the game either, a fact that I had a hard time wrapping my head around. But apparently, they were on an anniversary cruise they’d had planned for a year. Ye of little faith, I guess they’d had doubts the Mavericks would end up in the Championship in his rookie season. But even without them, we weren’t exactly lacking for company.

The entire team, their families, the owner and his family and friends, along with the entire staff of Mavericks Stadium were a raging group of lunatics around us, and I had a feeling the group party wouldn’t be ending anytime soon.

Maybe that was why celebrating tonight at the hotel was just about all I could think about. And with the mischief in Leo’s eyes lighting up the ten feet around us, I had a feeling I wasn’t the only one.

When the hotel door finally clicked shut behind us five hours later, I sighed in relief.

It wasn’t so much that I hadn’t enjoyed the boisterous celebration of a Mavericks championship team that had been years and years in the making, it was simply that I was ready for one-on-one time with my man.

He was happy. I was happy.

And I imagined the celebration sex tonight was going to be out of this fucking world.

With a twist and a heavy breath, he fell back on the bed and splayed out like a sea star as I slid the lock and chain home on the door.

I laughed at him softly and closed the distance, climbing up onto the bed between his legs and leaning down to press our chests together.

He grabbed on to my hips and smiled the smile of a man who had everything.

“Happy, baby?” I asked, wanting to hear him say it, even though I most definitely knew the answer.

“You have no idea.” He shook his head almost manically and burst out in laughter. “I just can’t believe it really happened. National champions, Gem! Can you fucking believe it?”

I smiled and kissed his lips before settling my weight back into my knees and answering gleefully. “Of course, I can. You’re magic out there, Leo.”

His smile went wonky for the second time that day, and now that we were in the privacy of our hotel room, I figured there wouldn’t be any harm in finding out why.

I wanted to know what he was thinking, everything he was thinking.

“What’s that look?” I asked, smoothing my thumb over the wrinkle in his brow as I did.

He adjusted his face. “What look?”

Ah, okay. So, he was going to deny it. I could play games if he wanted to.

“Don’t play innocent with me, silly boy,” I teased. “This is the second time I’ve seen it today. There was a look, you know there was a look, and I can be relentless when I want to be. So, why don’t you do us both a favor and just tell me?”

I laughed at my pushiness and expected him to do the same, so when he sat up underneath me and cleared his throat, it came as a bit of a surprise.

I shifted to the side to keep from falling off onto the floor, and he ran a hand through his hair.

“Leo,” I said, much more seriously now. “What’s going on?”

He nodded to himself and turned to face me before reaching out to grab my hands, and a fucking clawing feeling took up residence in my throat.

Good God, what was going on?

“You’re scaring me.”