Loved by the Linebacker (10 page)

Chapter 15

Evan

Blake and Camila stand at the front of the funeral
home, the epitome of the perfect couple. They greet the people who have stood
in line for hours, not to say goodbye to our mother, but to see the NFL
brothers. Blake had to pull me off of Buddy Dunn, the high school quarterback
whose beer belly is bigger than his wife’s pregnant one, after he asked me to
sign a Seawolves hat for his kiddo in front of my mother’s casket.

Camila walked outside with me, but didn’t
interrupt my tirade of my hatred for this town. My hometown, the place where
our father left my mother, my brother left her, and then I went and did the
same thing. Left her all by herself in a town of thousands who let her drink
herself to her death and now, here they are acting like they give two shits
about her when all they want is a glimpse at a couple professional athletes.
Once I ran out of words, Camila walked me to the far corner of the room where
no one could see me, gave me a kiss on the cheek, and took my spot next to
Blake, thanking the posers for coming to say their goodbyes.

“Taking it pretty hard, huh?”

The pew creaks under the weight of someone sitting
beside me. My mouth opens, ready to go off when I see my old high school coach
sitting beside me. His combover is the exact same, not hiding anything and I’m
shocked he’s not wearing the polyester Rawlings coaching shorts he wore every
day on the football field when I played for him.

Nodding, I lean over and we give that awkward male
hug/pat on the back. “Something like that, Coach.”

“It’s always tough to lose a parent, especially
one as young and beautiful as your mother.”

Coach Greyson was the only father-figure that
Blake and I ever had. He stayed after practice working extra with us, brought
leftovers for lunch since our mom never cooked, and I’m pretty sure the
Christmas presents under our tree weren’t from our mother, although she always
took the credit. I stare blankly ahead at Camila and Blake where she pats his
back and he nods at the person in front of him.
Wow, they’re a great pair of
actors.

“She was proud of you boys, told me just last week
that Blake was dating a smart, successful woman.”

I guffaw. “Yeah, she’s a real jewel. Where did you
see her?”

“The Mrs. and I dropped dinner off on Sunday.”

My jaw drops and I turn to him. Coach pats my leg.
“Just because her boys are gone, doesn’t mean Ann wasn’t still family to us.
Now, tell me what’s going on with you.”

I can’t believe Coach was still taking care of
her, just like he did for our whole family. I shake my head, laughing at the
disbelief. Assuming Coach wants the inside scoop on who I’ll be playing for
next season, I tell him I haven’t got a clue.

“Not your career, Evan. You, what’s going on with
you?”

I look up and see Camila staring at me. She raises
her eyebrows and I realize that she’s wondering if I’m okay sitting next to
this man beside me. I nod, letting her know it’s fine, but she doesn’t look
away. Her brown eyes stay trained on me and a hollow feeling washes over me.

“I don’t know, Coach. I honestly don’t have a
fuckin’ clue.”

“Language, boy,” he warns. “Now, what’s the
problem? You’re a big shot in the NFL, got money, got fame, but something
missing?”

Camila is talking to one of the fakes but she
bounces her gaze off them to me, the woman in front of her not even realizing
she doesn’t have Camila’s full attention.

“You could say that. I guess…I don’t know, I guess
I’m just lonely.”

A big belly laugh escapes from Coach, catching the
attention from everyone in the room. They stop what they’re doing, shocked to
hear someone laughing at a wake. I shake my head, joining his laughter. When we
both calm down, he looks at me. “No women to keep you company?”

“Oh, there’s plenty of women, Coach, just not from
the one I want.” My eyes meet Camila’s and my heart aches even deeper.
Honestly, I didn’t want to be anywhere else than in her arms when I got the
news about my mother. Camila is my safe place and I hate it.

Coach turns his head and nods. “Ah, she interested
in someone else?”

I shrug and lean back against the hard wood of the
church bench. “Something like that.”

“Does she know how you feel? Have you told her?”

Coach reclines beside me and we both watch as
Blake moves his hand to Cami’s waist, pulling her toward him. I sigh and shake
my head. “No use.”

“No use? What kind of attitude is that? The Evan
Purser I remember never just rolled over and gave up. No, he walked up to that
line of scrimmage and growled at his opponent, daring him to cross the line.”

“Coach, football is different and it’s obvious
there’s no use fighting for her.”

“You’re sitting here, pissed off at all these
people who are here who never gave a rat’s ass about your mother. Am I right?
You think they’re all phony?”

I nod. “Yeah, exactly.”

“Well, if you don’t use that same determination
off the field as you do on the field then you’re a fake just like all of them.”

Wow, a punch in the gut.
“Come on, Coach.
This is diff—”

“Different? I don’t think so. You’re settling,
just like Buddy Dunn. He could’ve played ball in college, maybe gotten drafted,
but you know what? He didn’t put in the effort. He settled for a job at his
dad’s shop and gave up. You have nothing to lose, Evan. Give your brother a run
for his money and see who comes out the man on top.”

I nod, I don’t want to fuckin’ settle. That’s
exactly what my mom did. She got knocked up with Blake, married our asshole
father, and when he left, she drank herself into oblivion, never trying to rise
above it. I’m not going to be mediocre. I’m going to push myself outside my
limits. Fuck San Diego, Chicago here I come.

Camila

The hearse leads the processional from the funeral
home to the cemetery. I sit between the Purser brothers, neither of them
speaking. In fact, Evan hasn’t said a word since I broke the news to him back
in San Diego and we’ve pretty much been together non-stop. Immediately, the two
of us flew to Florida and I began planning the funeral on my own, Evan was by
my side but wanted no part in making decisions and Blake couldn’t fly down
until the next day.

I reach over and take Evan’s hand in mine. He
doesn’t pull it away, but he doesn’t acknowledge it either. While he hasn’t said
it, I know Evan blames himself because he wasn’t with her. Hell, I’m blaming
myself because I didn’t push the brothers to follow-through on the idea to move
her to California. I tighten my hand around his and rest my head on his
shoulder.

The town car we’re riding in comes to a stop.
Blake steps out of the vehicle, shaking hands and guiding guests under the tent
that’s set up to block out the Florida sun. Evan is like a statue as he stares
at the hearse in front of us and the pallbearers pull out the casket. A fat
tear rolls down his cheek and I wipe it away with my thumb.

“How’re you holding up?” I obviously know the
answer to the question but this will at least force him to speak to me.

“Don’t, Cami, I’m not in the fuckin’ mood,” Evan
mutters, not taking his eyes off his mother’s burial box.

I brush my lips across his shoulder. “Evan, I’m
here if you need anything.”

Evan roughly shrugs me off and I fall back into
the space Blake was sitting. “See, Camila, you’re not. You’re not my fuckin’
girlfriend, you’re not my fuckin’ friend, all you are is my fuckin’ agent.”

I suck in my breath at his words while he leans
forward, his elbows on his knees and his hands hiding his face. Taking a
chance, I run my hand down the stiff material of his suit coat that we just
bought two days prior. Evan wipes his hand across his face, trying to hide the
tears coming hard and fast.

“She’s gone now, Cami, and I have no one. She
might not have been the best mom in the world, but she’s the only woman who’s
ever loved me.”

“Evan, you’re not alone. I may not be your
girlfriend, but we’re still friends.”

Evan stares at the floorboard. “I’ve cared about
two women in my life, one is dead and the other’s sitting right beside me but
couldn’t be further away.” He looks up, staring into my eyes. “You don’t want
me, that’s fine, but I’m not going to sit around and watch you and Blake flaunt
your relationship. I’ll sign with Chicago.”

My heart sinks but before I can respond, Evan is
out of the car. Desperate times call for desperate measures and I know exactly
what I have to do.

Chapter 16

Camila

“Camila, if you wear a hole in the rug, you know
the big boss will make you pay for it.” Kip speaks to me without looking up
from his computer.

I smooth out the cream colored, mid-thigh pencil
skirt I’m wearing and glance down at my green heels. “Why did I wear this? This
outfit is all wrong,” I announce, turning to go back to my office.

Kip jumps up, blocking the exit and closing his
door. He shakes my shoulders as he speaks to me in that authoritative tone
usually reserved for negotiations. “Your outfit is fine, you’ve already changed
three times since you got here. Besides, I really don’t think your outfit will
be the thing that shocks him, so stop worrying about it.”

Taking a deep breath, I nod. “But, what if he
tears up the contract?”

“Then he’s an idiot. You got the man a million
dollar signing bonus, he should be more than happy with what he’s about to
get.”

I frown, sticking my bottom lip out for emphasis.
Kip’s worked with me long enough though and is immune to my pouty face.
Laughing, he jostles me again. “Find your confidence, Lemos and get your
gameface on.”

Swallowing the fear that’s creeping over me, I
tilt my head up. “You’re right. This is just another business transaction. Why
am I so worried?”

“When was the last time you talked to Evan?”

My shoulders drop because this is the real reason
I’m worried about the contract signing about to take place. “Spoke to him? At
his mother’s funeral. Saw him? At Blake’s celebratory dinner after he signed
his contract.”

The Seawolves wouldn’t budge. They only wanted one
Purser brother and it wasn’t Evan. Despite my best negotiation skills, which
may have resorted to begging in this situation, they wouldn’t offer Evan anymore
and Blake signed for much more than any of us could have dreamed. Blake is set
to be a Californian for the next five years with no money worries to bother
him.

Evan told me he’d sign with Chicago and no more
work was needed on my end. Whatever happened between us is in the past and he’s
still a client so I did for him what I’d do for any of my athletes. I managed
to get the Lancers to put in writing a deal that included a million dollar
signing bonus, five million dollars for five years with the option to extend
for another two. Plus, I already have Evan a penthouse apartment on Grand Plaza
set up and ready for him to move in. Of course, the stubborn younger Purser
hasn’t returned any voicemails and the only confirmation I had that he’ll be
here to sign today is a text message that said, “Sure.”

Kip lets out a low whistle. “Wow, so he doesn’t
know anything? What about Blake?”

Almost giving myself whiplash, I shake my head
quickly. “It’ll be a surprise for both of them.”

Kip steps aside, giving me access to the door.
Looking over his shoulder, we both see Evan Purser standing at the receptionist
desk. My heartbeat works triple time as I take him in, he’s wearing a pair of
tan cargo shorts, a skin-tight, white V-neck t-shirt and a pair of flip-flops.
If any other of my clients showed up to a contract signing wearing that, I
would tell them to march back outside and change clothes. As it is, I just want
to get this over with before my nerves eat away at my stomach.

Kip turns back to me. “Last chance. You sure about
this?”

Taking one step past him, I strut out of his
office. “I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.”

Evan

The blonde behind the desk at Netsports is cute, a
little flat chested for my liking, but I’m sure she’d be willing to go out and
“celebrate” with me after my signing. Not that there’s really anything to
celebrate. As always, Blake got exactly what he wanted and gets to stay in San
Diego while I’m getting shipped off to Siberia, or so it seems to me.

Worse than football in snow, Blake got the girl.
Not that there was really ever any competition. Camila is a saleswoman and
that’s exactly what she was doing to me. She got me to trust and lust after
her, but her plan was foiled when I refused to be her puppy on a leash. Except
in the end, that’s exactly what I am. Fuck it, I don’t care, I’m going to be
two-thousand miles away so I’ll rarely see her. Out of sight, out of mind… or
so they say. No matter the amount of distance I’ve put between us since the NFL
draft, she’s been front and center in my mind.

A woman clears her throat behind the blonde
receptionist and I look up to see Camila looking sexy as ever. Her short skirt
makes her long legs look even longer and the lace of her bra peeks out
underneath her white button-up blouse. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep
from licking my lips.
Thank God I won’t see her too often.

“Ready, Evan?” she asks. Her self-assured voice
pissing me off even more than my body’s reaction to the sight of her.

I follow her down a hallway, watching her tight
ass sway back and forth. The urge to grab her and shove her against the wall is
strong. I cram my hands deep in my pockets to keep from doing so. Camila opens
a door and stands in front of it. I have to turn sideways to step into the
conference room, her breasts brushing against my chest. I fight the groan
wanting to escape and take a seat at the table. Geez, I’ve gotten head or been
laid almost every other day, so I’m slightly irritated at how much I want her.

Camila closes the door and steps inside. I look
around the room, realizing it’s just the two of us. “Where’s everyone else? I
thought the Lancers’ staff would be here?”

“Oh, is that why you dressed up?” she says boldly,
lifting her eyebrow in an accusatory way.

“Like it fuckin’ matters? The contract’s done so who
cares what I wear?”

Camila moves the empty chair beside me and leans
against the table, her legs going on forever and tempting me to run my hands
between my thighs. She drops a set of papers in front of me. “Thought you might
want to read through it before the Lancers get here, you know, since you
haven’t returned any of my phone calls.”

Yeah, because I’m trying to avoid you,
which is really hard when her and Blake are constantly together. Looking away
from her, and her legs, I skim the legalese part of the contract, skipping to
the monetary agreement. Five million—yeah, I already knew that. Possible
contract extension—ha, like I’ll really want to stay there after five years.
One million signing bonus.

I glance up and see Camila chewing on her bottom
lip nervously, something rare for her. “One mil signing bonus? Seriously?”

She moves her head up and down. “Keep reading,”
she mutters, barely audible.

Definitely wasn’t expecting that, it’s a perk,
although I’m not sure what the hell I need all that money for. I’ve never been
in this game for greed, only for the sport. I would’ve accepted the Seawolves
offer, lowball and all, but I needed away from the constant reminder of Camila.

I finish reading the contract and start to look up
then I notice the signature lines. My jaw drops and I look up at her. “What the
hell is this?”

Camila’s hands grasp the table to hide her
shaking, all signs of her poise out the window. “I know you don’t believe me,
Evan, but there is nothing going on between Blake and me. When I said that I
don’t sleep with my clients, I meant it.”

My eyes go back to the document. Beside my name is
a line for my agent to sign. The agent listed is Kip Deevers. A mixture of
anger and relief flood my body. Anger that she didn’t clue me in on any of this,
anger that I didn’t believe her, that I wasted time. And relief because—

“So, what’s this mean, Camila?” I ask, not ready
to drop my guard just yet.

Her slender fingers cup my cheek and for once, she
towers over me. “It means, you’re not my client anymore. It means we can pick
up where you ran off.”

I laugh, grabbing her hips and sliding her between
my legs. “I ran off, huh? Gonna blame that on me?”

She narrows her eyes, giving me her “no bullshit”
look, all of her confidence back. My hands move up and down the back of her
thighs, venturing beneath the hem of her skirt. “Alright, I was the one that
ran.”

“Are you going to do it again?” she asks, her eyes
serious with a hint of apprehension.

I pull her to my lap, my fingers running through
her hair. “Not unless you ask me to.”

Her long, soft hair tickles my arm as she shakes
her head. “As long as you believe and trust me, I won’t ask you to go
anywhere.”

I hang my head in shame for being such an ass.
“God, Cami, I’m sorry. It’s just you and Blake—”

“Stop, I don’t want to ever hear you say me and
Blake like that again. We’re friends, we’re great friends, we understand the
industry, we protect our privacy, and we sacrifice for each other, but the only
Purser brother I want in my bed is you.” Camila says this with a seductive grin
and I lean forward, crushing my lips against her sweet, delicious mouth that
I’ve missed.

My hand parts her legs, wandering beneath that
restrictive skirt of hers. Damn, I love to see the material hug her body but in
this moment, I want to rip it off her. Helping me out, she spreads her legs and
my fingers find her thong. My index finger traces the thin material and her
moan vibrates in my mouth.

“So, you want me in your bed? What about the
conference room table?”

She giggles, leaning her head forward against mine
and rubbing our noses together. “Tempting and maybe another time, but the
Lancers crew is due here any minute.”

I sigh and kiss her softly. She’s mine. Camila
Lemos is mine. Finally, I got the better deal.