Bound and Blitzed (Knoxville Coyotes Football #4)

20. Valentina

Chapter 20

Valentina

I wake in the middle of the night to my husband’s face between my thighs.

“Avery,” I pant as he licks a path up my center.

“Need you, Lena,” he replies.

That’s all I need to hear before my body is primed and ready for him. God, the feelings he coaxes from me, the want he causes to gather and spiral through my limbs, and the way my heart races just from the timbre of his tone, is insanity.

I’ve gone ten years without sex. In hindsight, I don’t think I even enjoyed it with Dane. Not if I’m comparing that experience to last night, to this morning, with Avery.

And yet, I now feel insatiable. Desperate. Needy.

Avery hooks my thigh over his shoulder as he buries his face deeper, and I grind against him without shame. Without reservation.

I trust him to take care of me. To get me across the finish line. To light my body up and safeguard my heart.

“I love you,” I whisper, tugging his hair.

He pushes his tongue inside of me in response before pressing his thumb against my clit. I cry out his name and come hard.

“That’s my good girl,” my husband praises me, moving up my body.

When he hovers over me, he leans down to kiss me hard and I suck his tongue into my mouth, tasting my want mixed with his desire. It makes me feel wanton and sexy. It makes me do things I normally wouldn’t do.

Like nudge Avery onto his back, swing my leg over his torso to straddle him, and guide his cock inside of me.

“Tell me how to do this,” I murmur as I glide down his hard length.

“You’re doing a wonderful fucking job,” he replies, watching the place where our bodies join together. When I’m sitting on him, he clasps my hips. “Ride me, sweetheart,” he says, guiding my body up and down.

I do as Avery says, letting his hands set the pace, as I fall into a rhythm. Once I find it, he moves his hands to squeeze my ass and cup one of my breasts instead and I’m free to set my own pace.

I lift my face to the heavens, my hair nearly touching the small of my back, as I move my body up and down.

Up and down.

Faster and faster.

Until Avery is lurching up and banding an arm around my waist. Until his cheek is pressed against my chest. Until my hand is in his hair, hugging him closer. Until we’re both crying out with the release of our orgasms.

Avery wraps me in his arms then. He pulls me against his chest and intertwines our legs. I feel our arousals and needs mixing together—sticky and messy. But I don’t care. I want to stay wrapped up in my husband just like this.

I have no idea how long we lie together before Avery shifts.

“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you washed up,” he says, gently lifting me from bed. He carries me into the bathroom and sits me on the vanity. He moves to the shower and flips on the water, waiting until it’s hot and steaming before carrying me into the shower. “I’m gonna change the sheets after this.”

I laugh.

With Avery’s strong arms around me, I relax under the stream of hot water. We shower together, taking our time, and talking about the events of the last twenty-four hours.

“I meant what I said last night, Lena. It wasn’t just because of the moment,” Avery says, brushing my wet hair out of my eyes and staring at me. “I love you.”

I nod, noting the sincerity in his eyes. “I love you, too.” I lean into him to kiss his lips. “I have for a while.”

“Yeah?” He smirks.

I nod.

“Me too,” he admits. “I just didn’t know that’s what this feeling is. I’ve never felt it before.”

His words warm me from the inside out. “Me neither,” I share. “This is going to be our year, Avery,” I tell him, brushing my fingers over his warm skin.

“It feels that way, doesn’t it?” he murmurs. “Like anything is possible now.”

“ Si , yes.” I nod. “Like everything is possible as long as we’re together.”

We smile at each other, getting lost in each other’s eyes. In the moment.

Again, I feel my body stir with want. God, will this feeling ever go away?

I hope not.

I lean into Avery and kiss him again, slipping my tongue into his mouth and wrapping my arms around him.

We kiss for a long moment, our tongues mating, our hands caressing, until Avery pulls back with a frown appearing between his brows.

He shifts closer to the bathroom door, cocking his head.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Did you hear that?” he wonders, turning off the showerhead.

As soon as the water is off, I hear the ring of the doorbell.

My eyes fly to his. “Who could that be?”

“On Christmas morning?” He shakes his head. “I have no idea.”

Avery steps from the shower and wraps a towel around his waist. “Wait here. I’ll get rid of them.” He gives me a grin. “If it’s my family, I’m going to?—”

“Shh!” I laugh. “Just go and come back.”

As Avery pads out of the steamy bathroom, I step out of the shower and shrug into a robe.

I’m tying the sash around my waist when I hear my mother’s unmistakable voice.

“Where is Valentina? Where is our daughter?”

Oh, shit.

I hurry from the bathroom quickly, wincing as my family’s eyes swing in my direction.

Pure horror shades Papá’s eyes as his face reddens. He tosses a hand in the air and turns away, as if he can’t bear to look at me.

My mother’s expression is slightly more sympathetic. “Go get dressed, Valentina,” she commands in clipped Spanish.

“Fuck,” Ale mutters, narrowing his eyes and glaring at Avery. “What the hell? Vale…” He trails off, disappointment coloring his tone as he follows Papá into the living room.

“You might want to get dressed too,” Carla says, pointing at Avery’s towel.

My husband nods. “I’ll do that. Please, make yourselves at home.” Avery turns toward me and takes my arm, hustling us into our bedroom.

“My family is here!” I hiss at him.

“Yeah, seems like it,” he replies, his eyes bewildered. “Did you know they were coming?”

“Of course not!” I nearly cry, wringing my hands together. “I can’t believe they just saw you—me—like…like this.” I gesture between us.

Avery rests his hands on my shoulders. “Look at me, Lena.”

My eyes snap to his.

“This is hardly ideal. Obviously, I would have preferred to meet your father over dinner and not in a fucking towel,” he says, and I hear the humor in his tone, “but baby, we’re married. You’re my wife and I love you. It could have gone better but it also could be worse.”

I consider his point and nod. Avery and I are married so it should hardly surprise my family that we’re sleeping together. Still, I wish it wasn’t so obvious. Especially when my family, save for my sister, has never met Avery. They don’t know him like I do. They don’t know anything about him except he married their daughter without their blessing.

Ah, maybe it is a lot worse than either of us realizes.

“Come on, let’s get dressed,” Avery says before kissing me hard on the mouth. He smirks. “Merry Christmas, Lena.”

I snort and shake my head. “Merry Christmas, Avery.”

He smacks my ass lightly before turning toward his closet. Avery pulls on a pair of jeans and a cream-colored sweater. He shoves his feet into slippers, fixes his hair, and brushes his teeth. Then, he’s out the door. “Who needs coffee?” he asks, as if my family showing up on Christmas morning is the most natural thing in the world.

“You have anything stronger?” I hear my brother mutter.

Realizing Avery is alone with my family springs me into action. I dress quickly—tugging on cranberry cords and a black turtleneck. I brush my wet hair and pull it back, twisting it into a low bun. I brush my teeth, spritz some perfume, and spend five seconds applying basic makeup.

Then, I take a deep breath and stare at my reflection.

I look happy. I mean, stressed as hell, sure, but overall, truly happy. Content and at peace and at home.

Grinning at myself, I murmur, “You’re an adult. You’re a married woman. This is your home and your husband. Next year is going to be your best year yet. You can do this.”

Then, I flick off the bathroom light and relocate to the living space, where my family and Avery are having morning coffee.

A spread of pastries, an assortment of bagels, and a platter of fruit is laid out on the kitchen island.

I furrow my eyebrows at Avery, and he shrugs. “My sister sent them,” he murmurs.

Ah! So that’s how my family learned of our address. Carla must have asked Raia.

I snatch my phone up off the kitchen island where it was charging overnight and note all the missed calls and texts from Raia and Cohen. I read through the thread in the “New Fam” group that Raia created.

Raia

Vale, your family is about to crash your Christmas morning.

Hello? Your parents flew in early!

Your brother and sister are with them.

Avery! Alejandro is going to kill you!

Everyone is angry. And frantic.

This is serious. Why are you guys not answering your phones?

Cohen

Why do you think?

For the same reason we shouldn’t be on our phones…

Come back to bed, Raia.

Raia

This is an emergency.

Cohen

It’s fine. It’s Christmas.

Raia

That doesn’t make everything magically better.

Cohen

Doesn’t it?

Raia

Avery, I’m ordering breakfast to your house.

Cohen

No places are open…

Raia

They are when I name-drop you.

Cohen

Really? That works?

Raia

No. I need to name-drop the Sexiest Man Alive. I just didn’t want to hurt your feelings.

Cohen

You can’t. It’s Christmas morning.

Raia

Done! Pastries arrive within the hour!

Cohen

COME BACK TO BED!

I chuckle at Raia and Cohen’s exchange.

“You think this is funny?” My mother’s voice pulls me back to the present and I drop my phone. It clatters across the countertop.

I suck in a breath and face my family. “Merry Christmas! I had no idea you were all coming, or we would have?—”

“Not been in the shower together?” Ale interjects.

I frown at him. “Exactly. Not that it should be shocking—a husband and a wife, showering together. Don’t you do that with the random women you meet, Ale, who?—”

“Enough,” Mamá bites out, giving my brother a look.

Ale sighs and laces his fingers behind his head, looking at me as if he can’t believe I just snapped at him. That’s Carla’s role. I’m the sister who is docile and agreeable.

“It’s nice to see you, Ale,” I say instead, moving closer to kiss his cheeks in greeting.

I kiss my parents hello and while they reciprocate, their body language is stiff and awkward. Hardly the warm embraces I’m accustomed to.

Only Carla hugs me tightly, whispering in my ear, “I got your back.”

I smile at her in thanks.

Moving to Avery’s side, I lace my fingers with his. My brother’s eyes narrow on our clasped hands. Papá studies Avery, and Mamá’s eyes are glued to me.

“I’m happy you’re here,” I tell them and as I say the words I realize they’re partly true. While I wish I had more warning of their arrival, I am happy to see them. I missed them. “I really want you to meet my husband, Avery.”

“We’ve met,” Papá says coolly. “The fact that you married without telling any of us?—”

“I told you!” I interject.

Mamá huffs and glances away.

“This is the most reckless, irresponsible thing you’ve ever done, Vale. I cannot believe you. I came to see with my own eyes and…” Papá trails off. “I cannot believe this. I will not accept this.” He gestures between Avery and me.

“This was a mistake, Valentina. You hardly know this man and you think playing house for a few weeks constitutes a marriage?” My mother’s voice is hard. Unyielding.

“Come,” Papá says, standing. “Pack your things. You are coming with us to Chicago. And then, home. It’s clear you need to be back home, with your family, and?—”

“With all due respect, sir,” Avery cuts in, “I’m also Lena’s family.”

“Lena?” Ale scoffs.

Carla shoots him a look.

“Valentina and I are married. She’s my wife,” Avery continues. “Now while I regret not calling to ask for your blessing in advance, I won’t apologize for falling so deeply in love with your daughter that I was caught up in the moment. My parents weren’t thrilled with the way we married either. And I understand that you don’t know me. I’d like the chance to get to know you, to prove to you that I care about and respect Valentina, and that I’m not going anywhere. We’re family now,” he states.

“You say this now,” my father replies, his voice rising with his anger. “But what about when you’re traveling for your games? You think I don’t know the life you live? I’ve lived it.” He smacks a hand against his chest. “I’ve seen Ale live it. The women, the temptations, the glory.”

Mamá averts her gaze.

“No man is immune to the charms of the lifestyle. Not forever,” Papá bites out bitterly.

“I respect you, Mr. Garcia,” Avery says evenly. “I also love and respect my wife.” He squeezes my fingers. “And I’ve already lived this life for many years. I’m not interested in the women, the temptations, or the glory anymore. I just want my wife, my family.”

A muscle in Alejandro’s jaw tics at this. My brother crosses his arms over his chest and studies Avery thoughtfully.

“Get your things, Vale,” Mamá repeats.

I suck in a breath. Pins and needles cause my legs to grow numb and my palms to tingle. A shiver travels up my spine. This is it. I have a choice to make, and the consequences of my decision terrify me. Still, when I open my mouth, I’m relieved my voice is clear. “No.”

Papá’s eyes snap to mine. Alejandro stares at me like he’s seeing me for the first time.

“Excuse me?” Mamá says.

“You dare to disrespect your mother this way,” Papá tacks on.

“Disrespect?” I laugh, gesturing toward my family. “You showed up on my doorstep on Christmas morning demanding that I leave my husband because you think my marriage is a mistake.”

Mamá sucks in a breath.

“I’ve been in Tennessee for months. None of you have ever come to see and learn about my life, about the work I’m doing here. I’ve dedicated my entire career to a topic I care about yet the first time you show up, it’s because you don’t like that I married a good man. A man you know nothing about. You want to talk about disrespect?” I stare at each of my family members. My sister winks at me conspiratorially and I continue. “I’m a grown woman. An adult. I’ve lived on my own for years. I’ve completed field research, surviving for weeks in forests and jungles. I’ve finished a bachelor’s and a master’s degree program, both with honors, and published papers. You have not asked about, or shown interest in, anything that I’ve cared about for years. And when I finally find a partner who cares about my interests?—”

“Really? He cares about birds?” Ale cuts in, gesturing toward Avery.

“Solely because they are important to me,” I bite out, giving my brother a look. “Isn’t that enough?” I tilt my head. “But now, you all show up and try to tell me this is a mistake? Are you serious?” I shake my head. “Your disrespect for me, for my husband, for my marriage, is not only hurtful, it’s unwarranted. Being concerned is one thing. Being headstrong, uncompromising, and demanding is quite another. You are in my home.” I point to my chest. “And I’m introducing you to my husband.” I lift my joined hand with Avery’s. “His name is Avery Callaway, and I love him.”

For long seconds no one speaks. No one moves. I’m not sure my parents even breathe.

Finally, my sister stands and moves toward Avery. She wraps him in a hug and smiles. “Merry Christmas, Callaway. You sure you want to be married into our brand of madness?”