Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Decker had seen a lot of things in his life—Super Bowl crowds, stadiums on their feet roaring his name—but nothing hit him quite like watching his big brother finally get married.
Only about fifty people attended the surprise ceremony, but it was all their closest friends and family. Ava officiated, and Jude seemed to be having a hard time believing Finlay had planned this whole wedding right under his nose.
The storm had passed, leaving the wreckage of downed trees, scattered leaves, and the scent of wet earth, but the sky was bright, and the sun was high in the sky. All in all, a perfect day to get married.
As the couple stood beneath an arbor cascading with white and pink flowers, Jude hooked an arm around his bride’s waist. “What about a honeymoon?” he whispered in her ear—but loud enough for those in the front row to hear.
“That’s something we’ll plan together,” Finlay said, beaming up at him. “But we do get to spend two nights at the Sweetwater Inn and Resort.” She glanced at the owner and gave the woman a smile of gratitude.
“We’ve also got a place in Iceland, if you want,” the owner’s husband and retired movie star, Trevor Montgomery, called out.
“You can hash out the details later,” Ava said. “Let’s get to that kiss.”
Kiss. That was all it took to throw Decker back to the rose-scented cabin, the vibrating bed, and the sexy woman he’d shared it with.
He glanced across the aisle at her. My God, she looked gorgeous.
Sunshine highlighted the caramel and gold tones in her blonde hair.
Her pink-tipped toenails peeked out of delicate sandals decorated with crystals.
She wore a swishy floral dress that covered her thighs and knees, but he’d already committed those smooth legs to memory. He’d seen the shape of her nipples aroused and beaded.
He’d wanted them in his mouth. He’d wanted to cup her tits, press them together, and lick the sensitive tips until she squirmed beneath him and cried out.
He still did.
“By the power vested in me by the State of Wyoming,” Ava said, “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Jude hauled his bride over and planted a kiss on her mouth. Decker saw the moment it ignited, turned hot, and he glanced over at Willa to find her watching him.
Last night could’ve been awkward. He shouldn’t have held her hand—that was a no-no. He knew that from experience. It gave the wrong impression. But at that moment, he’d been hard enough to hammer nails, and he’d needed the connection. To her.
But it had all gotten too intense. He’d never reacted that way to a woman before. He was glad she’d stopped it when she had. Otherwise…
Well, they’d have to see each other for the rest of their lives. Best to leave it where they had.
He didn’t want her pissed at him, so he’d put the quarter in the slot and vibrated the bed just to break the tension. It worked. When she’d let that laugh loose, he’d known they’d be all right.
Finlay tossed the bouquet. It went sailing toward her friends. Strangely, all of them ducked, and one of them got out of her seat and dashed off. The guests broke out laughing.
The flowers landed squarely in Willa’s lap. “Oh, hell no.” She handed them to the woman next to her. “Here, you take it.”
“Not me.” Eloise, the photographer and single mom, hurled it at the woman beside her. “Here.”
“Oh no,” Molly said. “Thank you, but—"
“Guys, they’re flowers,” someone said. “Not nuclear waste.”
Everyone laughed, but it was Willa who caught his attention. Who made his chest ache in an unfamiliar way.
And it made him think about the moment he’d pulled his hand away.
The hurt she must’ve felt.
The lie he’d told. It was just a kiss.
He got out his phone, and while she was belting out that big, uninhibited laugh—the one that gave others no choice but to join in—he texted her.
Decker: It was.
She was too busy with the hot potato bouquet to notice.
They’d checked out of the lodge at the crack of dawn. The owners had gushed over Willa’s kindness for the couple who’d missed out on their honeymoon and packed up a batch of fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies to take with her.
The rest of the drive, they’d had friendly conversation. No hint of the explosive chemistry between them.
Sunday night, he’d fly back to LA.
It was all good between them. So, why stir things up with a text like that?
The flowers landed in the hands of an appreciative woman, and the ruckus quieted.
Willa picked up her phone and read his message.
Willa: What was?
Decker: The hottest kiss of my life.
She lowered her phone, turning to him from across the aisle. Their gazes locked, and a shock hit his heart, making it beat in triple time.
His hands wanted to finish what they’d started—the exploration of her smooth, scented skin. He wanted to see how wet she was, watch her fall apart under his tongue.
What is happening to me?
Decker: I’m leaving tomorrow.
He lowered the phone to cover the boner he was popping.
It made no sense. Years of sports psychologists had given him damn good self-discipline. To the point he could block everything out and focus on his goal. It was what made him so good at what he did.
Growing up, there were plenty of teammates who’d had potential, but they’d married young, had kids, gotten DUIs… So many had fallen away.
He’d never succumbed to temptation before.
But his self-discipline couldn’t hold up to all that was Willa. He understood lust. Knew how good it felt to get relief from pent-up sexual energy.
But affection combined with desire was a potent combination he didn’t have the tools to fight.
Willa: Same. Noon flight.
Decker: When I get back to LA, it’s all rehab, training, and football practice.
Willa: When I get back to NYC, I dive right into the case.
Was he misreading this conversation? No, he wasn’t. He knew her. She was bold. She was direct. She’d pulled away last night because she’d wanted to preserve a cordial relationship with him in the future.
But there was no denying the attraction.
And there was nothing more he wanted than to peel off that flirty dress while kissing her sweetly scented neck and hearing the fabric swish to the floor.
He wanted to continue the kiss that had turned him wild.
Decker: My bedroom’s the last door on the right.
Willa: Does it smell like a gym bag?
Ducking his chin, Decker grinned. Warmth burst in his chest, spreading through him hot and thick. It was such an unusual sensation, he didn’t know what to make of it.
Decker: My idiot younger brother spritzed me with cologne, so I’m pretty sure that’s all you’re going to smell when I get you alone.
As Willa’s thumbs started tapping out a response, she tried to suppress a grin, but the bride and groom started down the aisle, and the front row guests rose out of their seats to follow, so she had to tuck her phone into her little crystal handbag.
They met in the aisle, and she hooked her arm through his. “I can’t wait to see your trophies.” With subtle pressure, she drew his arm tighter against her.
The feel of her breast made him want to throw her over his shoulder and bolt to his room. “I’ve got a lot of them. One in particular, I think you’re going to like.”
“Is it big?”
“Oh, yeah. Real big.” He tried to walk normally, but between his hard-on and the boot, he struggled. Which wasn’t good. The last thing he needed was anyone noticing his bulge.
“You realize we can’t miss the reception,” she said. “Or the cake cutting.”
“I don’t care about cake. I want you.”
“Honey buns, it’s your brother’s wedding.”
She was right about that. And he didn’t want a quickie with her. He wanted to take his time. “Fine, but no one will notice if I sneak you into the pantry for a kiss.”
“Just one?” She smiled at the guests as they moved down the aisle.
“I might grab your ass. Maybe cop a feel.” He gazed down at her. “That okay?”
She let out a long-suffering sigh. “I mean, I guess. But do I get to cop one, too? You can keep your pants on. I’ve just never gotten my hands on an ass as tight and round—”
“Excuse me?” A woman on the patio called out to the crowd. “I’m looking for Decker McKenna?”
Jude twisted around, eyeing him questioningly, but Decker had never seen her before in his life.
The woman was pregnant.
Fear detonated in his chest.
She stood there nervously, scanning the crowd. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but this is really important. Is he here?”
The music stopped. The crowd went quiet.
Because the stranger was not only pregnant, but she was holding the hand of a little girl.
A girl with blonde hair and bright blue eyes.
Like me.
His stomach plummeted. Twisted.
Bile hit the back of his throat.
No.
“She’s not mine.” He said it just loud enough for Willa to hear. “I’ve never seen that woman in my life.”
He’d been meticulously careful to make sure things like this didn’t happen to him. His NDA took care of most women who wanted a big payout. But it wasn’t uncommon to be targeted. One of his teammates had a woman go to the press over a kid that turned out not to be his.
But he had to handle the situation without ruining his brother’s wedding. Releasing Willa’s arm, he stepped forward. As he passed his brother, he said, “Go on. I’ll handle it.” Then, he strode right up to the woman. “I’m Decker.”
“Oh.” The woman’s eyes went wide, and she placed a protective hand on her big belly. “I’m so sorry to interrupt your special day.”
He glanced at Willa—he didn’t know why. It wasn’t like she could help him. But the look in her eyes—strong, confident—kept him grounded. It said, “Don’t freak out. Let’s get more information. We got this.”
His brothers moved in, a force field surrounding him. Boone gave a subtle nod before turning back to the guests. “Who’s hungry? Let’s get this party started.” He led everyone to the long white tables.