47. Gwen
forty-seven
Gwen
Present
The morning sun shimmers along Lance’s wet, muscular arms as they slice through the water.
Like I do each morning, I sit at the end of the pool beside the stairs and swirl my feet in the water, waiting for Lance to finish swimming laps. I was surprised to wake up to an empty bed and the incessant buzzing of my phone.
It’s been two days since the showdown with my father, and I’ve been ignoring everyone. Except for Lance. He’s been amazing to talk to about everything. He’s been so supportive and is one hundred percent on my team.
When I woke up this morning and checked my phone, there was a text from Mom and Juju asking me to meet them for lunch. Guilt for not talking to them sooner made my stomach hurt. I let the anger directed toward my father shut them out, and that’s not fair.
I’m not sure what I want to do about my dad yet.
Or about my job. I need more time to figure it all out.
Without giving too many details, I sent Maryse a message, letting her know I wouldn’t be in for the rest of the week.
But my return is looming over my head, and I’ve yet to figure out my plan.
My dream was always to work for the Evaders.
Pushing away my anxiety, I watch my husband swim. Focus on his speed and strength. The soothing sound of water and birds chirping in the backyard.
On Lance’s next turn, he notices my presence and slows his strokes.
As he closes the distance between us, he dives underwater and reaches out for my ankle, giving it a tug. Hand on my foot, he pulls himself to a stand. I can’t take my eyes off his hard body as water cascades down his broad, heaving chest and rolls over the defined ridges of his abs.
Fucking hell, he’s so hot.
My mouth waters, and my overused lady bits scream in protest at the gush of liquid lust that shoots through me.
“Good morning.” His voice is coarse and ragged as he catches his breath, pulling me from my dirty thoughts.
“Oh, um, good morning.” My eyes jump away from his delectable abs to his face, my cheeks flaming at being caught.
He chuckles, tossing his goggles to the side and wiping the water off his face. “Did I wake you up?”
I frown. “No. That would be my phone.”
Lance steps between my legs, placing his hands on my thighs. “Your dad?”
“Mom. And Juju. They want to meet for lunch.”
Nodding, he steps closer and glides his hands up my legs, under my shirt, and over my ass, bringing us chest to chest. Water soaks my shirt as I wrap my arms around his shoulders.
He pecks me on the lips, and I melt. “You should go.”
I rear back. “You misunderstood. They want you there too. Juju’s exact words were, ‘Don’t forget to bring that fine-ass man of yours,’ so you, yeah. What do you think?”
Lance smirks. “I think I have a date with three ladies for lunch.”
“Save the charm for Juju. You’re going to need it,” I half joke, making Lance throw his head back and laugh.
“Duly noted. So what would you like to do before lunch?” His big blue eyes find mine, and a zip of lust rushes through my system. The swollen ache between my legs is long forgotten as my core turns hungry.
Fuck it.
If I can’t walk later, it will be worth it.
“You. I want to do you.”
With a devilish smile, Lance slides his hands under my ass and lifts me up. “Good answer.”
“I thought so.” I lock my legs around his waist and my arms behind his neck, and hold on as he carries me out of the pool and into the shower, where he gives me exactly what I asked for.
Him.
On his knees.
Worshipping my body.
And when he’s done, I happily fall to mine and return the pleasure he showered on me.
Fist raised to knock, I pause and stare at the whalebone-gray painted door of my parents’ home.
When I agreed to meet Mom and Juju for lunch, I thought it would be at a restaurant, not here. Being here at my childhood home feels like an ambush.
“Hey.” Lance grabs my wrist, turns me to face him, and then pulls me in for a tight hug. “What’s going on?”
“What if my dad’s in there?” My voice sounds weak and scared … and I hate it.
I have every right to be angry with my father.
Not just because he said terrible things about Lance, but for the years of blatant favoritism he’s given my brothers.
For the way he doesn’t see my value or worth at the organization, or in life.
How he treats me as though I’m a little girl and not the grown woman I’ve become.
And yet, here I am, nervous as all get-out and ready to tuck tail and run just to avoid him.
Lance shrugs. “Then he’s inside and you’ll talk to him.”
“What if I don’t want to talk to him?”
“Then we leave,” Lance says plainly.
“Just like that?”
“Just like that.” He pushes a curl off my cheek and tucks it behind my ear. “But can you promise me something?”
“Depends.”
“If your dad is in there, just hear him out.”
“Seriously?” I rear back as if slapped. He heard what my father said. Why would I want to sit and listen to another round of “what did Gwen do to disappoint the family” again?
I shake my head as Lance cups my cheek in his palm, stopping me. “You never know. He might surprise you.”
“Doubtful,” I grumble.
Leaning down, he places his warm lips by my ear and whispers, “If you promise to listen to him, then I promise to eat your pussy until you come on my tongue before my game tonight.”
“Lance,” I moan, gripping his shirt in my fist for balance.
“Do we have a deal?” he asks, pulling back to see my face.
The saliva in my mouth dries faster than the California desert in a drought, and I’m pretty sure my face gives away my answer.
Lance smirks as he curls one hand around my hip and buries the other in my hair, tugging the strands and forcing my head back. “I’ll take your silence as agreement.”
He seals his mouth over mine. His drugging kisses make my head spin and forget the world around me. My arms circle his neck as I stand on tiptoe, sinking into his hold. As our tongues twirl, that same greedy ache builds between my legs.
Lance says I cast a spell on him, but I’m starting to think it’s the other way around.
“Ahem, are you two planning to come inside or suck face on the porch all day?”
With a jump, I break away from Lance and bury my face in his chest.
Of course, my grandmother caught me making out with Lance and made it embarrassing.
He chuckles, wrapping his arms around my back in a protective, comforting hug. “It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”
“Ma’am.” Juju scoffs.
Sucking in a deep breath, I turn to face my grandmother. “Hey, Juju.”
Dressed in one of her favorite summer sets—cream linen pants and matching blouse—and grinning like a loon from ear to ear, Juju extends her arms. “Hello, sweet girl. Now get your ass over here and give me some sugar.”
Leaving the safety of Lance’s arms, I wrap Juju in a tight hug, breathing in her powdery, sweet perfume. Arms on my biceps, she pushes me back to run her eyes over my body, checking me out.
“You’re glowing,” she says with a wink and turns to Lance. “I can tell you’re taking excellent care of my Gwenny.”
Lance chuckles. “I am. It’s a pleasure to take care of her.”
“Lance,” I groan, slapping him in the stomach.
“What? I do take pleasure in taking care of you,” he teases, blue eyes gleaming, as he presses a kiss to my forehead.
The smile on my face makes my cheeks hurt as I stare up at Lance.
Juju laughs. “I like you, Lance. I’m Judith, but you can call me Juju, as long as you keep making my granddaughter smile like that.” She points at my face, making my cheeks heat again.
“Juju it is, because I plan on making Gwen smile like that every day of my life.”
My grandmother faces me and grins. “Well, damn. No wonder you picked this one. He’s a charmer.”
I glance at my man and smile. “He is.”
“Mom, quit hogging our girl.” My mom steps into the doorway and grins. She moves around Juju and pulls me in for a hug. “I missed you so much, baby girl.”
“I missed you too, Mom.”
When we pull apart, Mom turns to Lance and extends her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Lance.”
“The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Montgomery,” he says, shaking her hand.
“Please call me Dawn.” Mom waves us inside.
“Thank you for inviting me to join you ladies for lunch.” Lance laces his fingers through mine as he leads me into my childhood home after the two most important women in my life.
As we make our way to the dining room, I glance around. To my relief, my father isn’t here. Not surprising. He could be on his deathbed, and he would still rather be in his office at the stadium.
Over her shoulder, Mom admits, “Lunch is a pretense. How else are Juju and I going to get to know you?”
Lance barks a laugh. “I appreciate the honesty. And the meal.”
Mom leads us to the dining room, where the entire table is littered with different dishes full of food. She points at each plate. “I know you have a game tonight, so I whipped up some grilled salmon, chicken, steamed rice, a veggie mix, pasta salad, and a strawberry cake for dessert.”
“Geez, Mom, are you planning to feed the entire team?” I ask in awe. My mom is an excellent cook, but she went overboard.
Her eyes light up. “Do you think they would come?”
“If you say food, every player on the team will show up.” Lance chuckles, pulling out a chair for me to sit in. I take my seat, and he grabs the chair beside me, while Mom and Juju sit across from us.
For the next hour, my mom and Juju fire questions at me and Lance.
When did we meet? Who proposed to whom? Are we in love? And when they run out of questions about our relationship, they switch to grilling Lance. He handles their nosiness perfectly. Not at all disturbed or mortified by their poking and prodding, he tells them all the important details.
At one point, when he speaks about his family, mainly his father, I sense his demeanor change. It’s imperceptible to anyone else, but I see the tightness in his jaw and feel the flinch in his palm. Lance will never say it out loud, but the estrangement between him and his father hurts him deeply.
The front door slams shut in the distance, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.