Chapter 11
My daily five-mile run exhausts the fuck out of my body. I walk through the quiet bedroom and find Maggie still sound asleep. I rush into the bathroom to shower before I wake her up by shoving my tongue deep in her sweet pussy. Steam fills the bathroom as fog clouds the glass doors. I step under the hot spray, feeling my muscles relax. The door slides open and Maggie slips in, all silky skin and luscious curves, wet and slick and intent on driving me insane. Damn. She smiles, and I drag her against me, nothing but heat and pressure as I crush my mouth to her soft lips. Hunger tears at me, and my hands roam over her sweet curves.
She falls into my kiss, drawing a groan out of me. Maggie presses closer, slick and perfect against me, and I’ve lost any chance of being in control here. My mind’s blank except for the need to feel her everywhere at once, to cover every inch of her skin with my hands, my mouth. I back her against the wall and she gasps, fueling the fire roaring through me.
“Thought you could use a hand washing up,” she says, her words a breath against my lips. The world narrows down to that sound, the press of her body against mine. Her sass is a challenge, one I can’t help but meet as I pin her wrists above her head and take her mouth again, hard and greedy.
Five goddamn miles and the only thing that takes the edge off is her naked, in my arms, driving me out of my mind. My fingers thread through her wet hair, tugging just enough to make her arch against me, and she’s so goddamn soft, so responsive, my knees almost buckle.
“Maggie,” I groan, her name rough in my throat. “You’re about to make me lose my mind.”
“Good.” The hot spray stings my back, but all I feel is her and the need to have her, own her, takes over completely. I slide down, lifting her, forcing her to wrap her silky legs around me.
Her mouth moves to my jaw, my neck, and I’m dizzy from the way she kisses me, each touch telling me exactly how much she wants this. Wants me. It’s hot and wet and endless, my hands traveling down the smooth skin of her back. Over the curve of her ass, slippery and perfect. She moans, a soft, needy sound that has me aching, and I crush her closer.
Water trails down her body, over her perfect tits and down her stomach. She’s all fucking mine. My lips find her shoulder, then move lower, tasting her sweet skin. She shudders, breath hitching as I linger on the sweet spot between her neck and collarbone, marking her with my mouth. Her nails dig into my back as she gasps my name.
Maggie breaks the kiss. Her body presses even closer as she finds me, and her hand wraps around my length. Everything inside me seizes, pulls tight, and gets lost. My muscles lock with the need to own her, but she doesn’t let go. She works me like she wants me to lose my mind, like she knows I already have.
I lift her leg, hooking it around my waist. My fingers slide between her legs, finding the wet heat at her center, and Maggie bucks against me. I lift her up against me and thrust deep into her tight pussy.
Her legs squeeze around me, and I press her against the wall. We move together as her moans fill the steamy shower, her breathing heavy, and I thrust again and again, each drive of my hips more insistent.
I keep moving, the world exploding around me, the pleasure white-hot. I bury my face in her neck and breathe in her sweet scent.
Her arms slip around my shoulders, our ragged breathing filling the small enclosure. I finally ease out of her, and she shivers. She leans in and kisses my neck as I grab a bottle of shampoo and gently lather up her long hair. She takes a sponge and soaps up my body, causing my cock to wake up and stir again. Fuck. I’ll never get enough of her.
* * *
After our shower, Maggie heads down to the kitchen to make some coffee while I slowly pull on my clothes.
My phone dings and I glance down to see another goddamn text from my agent. My eyes skim the screen.
Norton
What the Fuck? Are you avoiding me?
The real answer is yes. Maggie and I haven’t talked about it, but I’ve made up my mind about what I’m going to do. I finish dressing before I head to Maggie’s office to call Norton. This news requires a phone call.
I sit at her desk and dial my agent’s number. I put him on speaker and toss the phone onto the dark wood desk.
"It's about damn time you got back to me." His voice is flat and dry. "The team needs an update on your return to San Francisco. Plus, I've got three sponsors eager to talk. Colton even offered his private jet to fetch you, so I set the flight up for Monday."
I'm trying to figure out how to tell him I'm planning to retire when his words sink in. "You arranged a flight for me on Monday? In two days?" This guy has truly overstepped his bounds.
"I might be able to extend it to Tuesday," Norton suggests, his voice carrying a hint of uncertainty.
"I'm not coming back," I growl, my voice low and firm, cutting through the air like a blade. Immediately, an eerie silence envelops the line. It's as if the world pauses for a brief moment, leaving nothing but the sound of my own breathing in the void. I’ve finally managed to silence Norton Anderson, a feat that feels as monumental as it is gratifying.
"Don't be foolish," he says. "We've discussed this before. They'll renew your contract for another three years, and the current offer is double your current salary. You're only twenty-eight; you have plenty of seasons ahead of you."
“I already have more money than I can ever hope to spend.” Money isn’t everything. “I’m not going back, Norton.”
“Don’t be a fucking idiot?—”
“Let the Riptide know they need to look for a new quarterback.” I make sure the tone of my voice matches the seriousness I’m feeling.
Before he can get another word in, I hang up and slip the phone into my pocket. I don’t feel bad at all. I’ve spent too many years in hotels and training camps, always praying I don’t have a career-ending injury or an injury that ruins the rest of my life.
Garrett, my brother-in-law, came home to Silver Spoon Falls after an NFL career to coach at the local high school, and he doesn’t miss his professional career one bit. In my heart, I know I’m making the right decision in following my own path.
The phone rings again, its shrill tone cutting through the silence. Damn it. He’s going to keep calling, but nothing will change my resolve. I'm staying in Silver Spoon Falls, right here with my soulmate.
I wander through the cozy rooms, calling her name. Each echo bounces off the walls as I wonder where she could have vanished to. The soft glow of the late afternoon sun spills through the windows, casting gentle shadows that dance across the wooden floors, but there’s no sign of her.
The coffee's brewed and steaming in the pot, but there’s no sign of Maggie. My head starts spinning, but I tell myself she’s around here somewhere. I open the door to the garage.
Fuck.
She’s gone. The driveway’s empty. Motherfucker. I grab my phone and dial her number, but it goes straight to voicemail. The knot in my stomach tightens, and my pulse is through the roof.
I dial her number again with the same results.
A few minutes later, another text comes through, and I glance down, expecting to see my agent’s name but it’s an unknown number. I open the text and read.
Unknown
Dumbfuck.
It’s probably one of the team executives. I guess Norton let them know.
Me
I appreciate the opportunities I’ve had with the Riptide, but I’m ready to move on to something different.
There, that should be vague yet convincing.
Unknown
Huh?
Me
Norton contacted you
Unknown
Who’s Norton?
Fuck me. I’ve just announced my intention to retire from the NFL to some stranger. Could this day get any worse?
Me
You must have the wrong number
Unknown
Nope. You’re the soon-to-be motherfucker who hurt my sister.
Me
Who is this?
Unknown
Silas. Dipshit
Fucking hell. I guess the day could get worse.
Me
How did I hurt Maggie?
I send the message then decide I need to fuck with him a little bit.
Me
The last time I saw, her I was blowing her mind in the shower
Unknown
Get over to my house and straighten this shit out while I drink enough to drive that vision out of my mind.
I leap into the truck, my heart pounding with urgency, and push the pedal to the floor, disregarding every speed limit in my path. The engine roars as I navigate the winding roads, my mind focused solely on reaching her. Every fiber of my being screams that I have to fucking fix whatever drove her away. I can't bear to live without her. The world blurs around me, each second stretching into eternity as I race to her.