Best of Three (Counting on Love) (16 page)

And Cody was a nice guy.

Women also loved that.

They all did public appearances. It was in their Hawks contracts. It was promo to get people to come to games since asses in the seats were what paid the bills. They read to kids at elementary schools and signed autographs in nursing homes and visited fans in the hospital. None of them protested, but Cody loved that shit. He was enthusiastic and genuine and people could tell his heart was in it.

Michael found the fan blog sites about the team wildly amusing—especially the ones where women gushed about the players—and regularly emailed and texted the guys quotes. They were all aware that Ryan was known as a ladies’ man, Shane as the party guy, Nate as the sophisticated, serious one and Conner as the dynamic leader. And Cody was the nice guy.

“Aw, Emma’s not so scary,” Ryan said.

“I suppose not,” Shane said. “At least not once you’ve seen her naked, right?”

The image from the night in his truck hit Nate hard and fast and he coughed, struggling to breathe for a moment.

Ryan grinned. “Better than that thing where you’re supposed to picture everyone in their underwear when you’re doing a public speech.”

Nate knew—
everyone
knew—that Ryan and Emma had purportedly had a fling awhile back, but in reality they’d only ended up skinny-dipping together. They’d let Conner believe it was more because it drove him nuts, but Amanda had cleared that all up once she and Ryan were together.

But remembering Emma touching herself in his truck made Nate beg to differ with Ryan and Shane. Emma was plenty scary. Seeing her naked had put him in danger of never getting a good night’s sleep ever again.

“You’re gonna live. But you need ice and rest for twenty-four hours. Practice is over for you,” Nate told Conner. He signaled for one of the assistants. “Ice!” he called. The assistant gave him a thumbs up and jogged toward the locker room.

“Well, don’t cry over being the one to cause the injury, Nate,” Conner said dryly. “No, really. I hate when you get all emotional and shit.”

Nate grinned, stretching to his feet. “I’ll try to keep my guilt and regret under wraps.”

“Sullivan!” Coach shouted. “Get over here!”

Ryan smiled. “You’re in trouble,” he sing-songed.

Yep.

Nate strode to the sidelines.

“He okay?” Coach asked.

“He’s out for today, but he’ll be okay by Thursday.”

“What’s wrong with
you
?”

“Bad day.”

The older man frowned at him. “You threw a punch at Axel.”

Nate glanced at the field. “I know.” Nate hadn’t been trying very hard to hit Brian and the linebacker had dodged the fist easily, but fighting among teammates wasn’t tolerated by Coach Henry.

Nate wasn’t exactly the punch-throwing type. He yelled when a guy did something stupid, he swore when a play didn’t work, he swore louder when
he
screwed up. But he didn’t push and shove and punch.

Emma Dixon was really messing with him.

“And you made a play on Dixon.”

“Yeah.”

“Hit the showers,” Coach finally said. “And the next time I see you, you better be having a better day.”

That worked to get him away from Conner and all the reminders and conversation about Emma. She was more on his mind now than she had been when he’d wanted to hit Conner.

Nate gave Coach a nod and jogged off to the locker room.

He had some space now from Conner. He now needed a way to get the other Dixon out of his head. Emma was affecting his sleep and football. He couldn’t let her start affecting his work. He had to get her out of his system.

As he rounded the cement wall that led into the locker rooms he came up short.

Emma was walking up the slight incline to the field level.

The second she saw him, she scowled.

This was just fucking great. But he’d known it was going to happen. He was going to run into her. There was no way around it. He was friends with her brother, two of her sisters were involved with two of his other friends and teammates. There was no way to avoid this woman who had been making him nuts even before he’d seen her naked.

He was in big trouble now.

“You’re done with practice?” she asked as she got closer.

“Yes.”

She heard shouting from the field and glanced in that direction. “Everyone done?”

“Nope, just me.”

He propped his helmet on his hip and rested his arm on it as he studied her. She was dressed in a teal sundress that made her eyes look even brighter and greener than usual. Which was exactly the type of thing he
didn’t
usually notice or care about.

Her long, tanned legs looked gorgeous in the short skirt and the thin straps over her shoulders reminded him of the tiny tank top she’d worn—and removed for him—Friday night.

“You got kicked out of practice?” she asked, stopping in front of him.

“Yep.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m an asshole.”

“I’m shocked.”

She certainly didn’t act like she felt awkward after the other night.

Dammit. He’d told her
he
was in charge of what was going to happen between them. She’d texted him anyway. And now she was here.

“You better be here to see your brother.”

She propped her hands on her hips and a gust of wind whipped her hair back, making her look even haughtier than she already did. “Why would I be here to see my brother?”

“Why else would you be here?”

“To find you and see why you haven’t called me.”

Even that made him hot and hard. She wanted him to call her. She was impatient about it. There was no way he could not be affected by that.

He gave her a lazy smile. “It’s only been thirty-six hours.”

She raised both eyebrows. “Thirty-eight hours and forty-one minutes.”

She was something. “No pride, Emma?”

“You said that there’s something about taming a wild spirit,” she said, moving closer. “I’ve
never
chased a guy in my life, Nate. I figured the fact that I’m here would be making you feel really good about yourself.”

It did. God help him.

“But you’re not supposed to be chasing me. You’re supposed to be waiting by your phone for my call or text. Remember?”

“I did that.”

“For less than twenty-four hours. The schedule is up to me.”

She narrowed her eyes and he braced himself for her to tell him to go to hell. That was what he wanted. Sort of. This was all about pushing her away, rubbing her the wrong way, turning her off. But the idea that she wouldn’t be waiting with her phone on for him to call rubbed
him
the wrong way.

“Fine.”

She turned on her heel and walked back down the cement ramp.

Nate watched her go, wishing that he’d kissed her first. He appreciated the sexy sway of her hips, the way her heels clicked on the floor, and the fact that she was walking away. She hadn’t fought him, hadn’t told him to forget the whole thing.

Nate made himself stand still and not run after her. But he could call her back. She’d come. And it would irritate the hell out of her.

“Emma.”

The concrete made the sound carry easily and she stopped immediately and turned back.

“Come here.”

He could see her start to retort, probably with a
fuck you
.

He didn’t typically get involved with women whose first instinct was to swear at him.

The women that he spent time with were strong, confident and sexy. But they didn’t talk like sailors. They were polished and sophisticated. They were certainly not virgins, but had not been particularly sexually adventurous prior to meeting him. They were curious, willing, and always in positions where they had a lot of demands placed on them, made a lot of decisions and were responsible for a lot of people. He’d been involved with the CEO of a highly successful makeup company, the chair of a prestigious charitable organization, a high-powered attorney and now Rebecca, a nationally renowned cardiac surgeon.

It was as if they made so many important decisions and had so much stress in their everyday lives, that being with him and surrendering their sexual adventures to him was a relief, a needed vacation, a true break from real life. They were enthusiastic and definitely enjoyed every minute of it.

And the fact that it was always short-term worked for them. Though he and Rebecca had been involved for a while, it was only for a few days at a time and they went weeks without seeing one another in between her visits. It was damned near perfect. When Rebecca was here, she was just what he needed. Then she left.

Emma wasn’t going anywhere.

Emma also wasn’t a high-powered, sophisticated woman who had been somewhat repressed in her sex life before him. She owned her own business, she was confident and independent, and it wouldn’t surprise Nate a bit if she could teach him a few things sexually. And polished didn’t really fit the girl who could do more tequila shots than Shane Kelley, knew more raunchy jokes than any of the guys on the team, and had been thrown out of a Hawks game for yelling at the ref. Twice.

But dammit, there was something about taming a wild spirit like hers. He would bet good money she’d never let another guy be so demanding with her. He knew from her brother’s complaints that Emma didn’t let anyone tell her what to do, including her older brother, sisters or their mother.

She stopped in front of him and looked up. “What?”

“Kiss me.”

Her eyes widened, then she gave him a mischievous smile and stepped close. “Say please.”

He fought a smile. “No.”

She sighed. “You and that word.” But she ran her hand up his chest to the back of his neck and pulled him down to her mouth.

Heat and want exploded in his gut the moment their lips touched. She was soft and sweet like this—a direct contrast to how she came across when she was using her mouth to
talk
—and he loved knowing this side of her. As he cupped the back of her head with the hand not holding his helmet, a part of him wished that he was the only man to ever know this side of her.

Which further fueled the desire to have this week to dominate and possess her. Even if it wasn’t forever, she would be all his for these few days and he could have her do things she’d never done. Maybe not in the actual sex act, but certainly in the foreplay…and obedience.

A niggle in the back of his mind tried to remind him that he’d intended to avoid her completely for these days he had her waiting on him, but with her mouth under his, he had to admit that idea was not going to work out.

Emma arched against him, and he fought to keep his opposite hand on his helmet when he wanted to pull her up against him firmly. He’d had an erection for her since she’d asked him about taking her clothes off in his office. He wanted to play with her, but he also wanted to hike up her dress and drive deep.

This was going to be a test for him too.

She opened her mouth under his and Nate gratefully sank into her, his tongue stroking along hers, drinking in her moan and memorizing the way she gripped the front of his practice jersey in one hand while her other hand gripped the back of his neck.

Finally she pulled back and stood, staring up at him, panting slightly.

After a moment she said, “At least say thank you.”

He did smile at that, briefly. “No.”

She let go of him and stepped back, taking a deep breath. “Swear to god, Nate, I’m going to hear some
yes, Emma
s out of you or die trying.”

And that was the moment when he fully gave up the idea of
not
calling her. “Keep your phone on,” he repeated from Friday night.

“Yeah, yeah, I got it.”

She looked at him for another second, then turned and again walked away. He finally let his grin loose.

Nate headed for the locker rooms and showered, then figured enough time had passed. He pulled his phone from his bag and texted her.

Meet me in Memorial Park in an hour by the pedestrian bridge. No panties.

He tucked the phone away. It didn’t matter what she responded with. He needed to see if she’d do what he said with no more explanation or direction than that.

Chapter Six

Nate pulled into Memorial Park an hour and fifteen minutes after he’d texted Emma. He made himself walk casually, hands tucked into his pockets, but he felt his heart rate picking up as he neared the bridge. He hadn’t been excited about seeing a woman in a long time. And he’d just seen her. This was crazy.

“You’re late.”

She was perched on the railing of the bridge, wearing the same dress she’d worn earlier. She looked like Emma always looked—hot, sexy, free. She hadn’t given any apparent special attention to her appearance. Yet seeing her there according to his instructions fired his blood.

He didn’t respond to her sassy greeting. Instead, he stepped close, forcing her to spread her knees, cupped the back of her head and kissed her.