Chapter 12 Colton #2
Lucia had already turned back to Jenna and another woman when Colton approached. In keeping up with appearances, he slid an arm around Lucia’s waist. She tensed for half a second before leaning against him.
He bent his head down to rest his lips against the shell of her ear. “Moretti,” he whispered. Her whole body shivered, and he grinned wide.
When he was satisfied with the teasing, he turned to Jenna. “Hey, Jen. How are you? And the kids?”
“Colton damn Beaumont. Come here.” She gave him a bear hug, and because his arm never left Lucia, she became a part of it. “The kids are good. Rudy’s mom’s got them tonight. I’m so glad she lives nearby. Can’t miss a party at Devin’s.”
Devin. Star wide receiver and notorious partier. He’d bought his house between two other teammates to ensure he wouldn’t get noise complaints. Not Coach Turner’s favorite man, but he certainly did his job well.
Lucia turned in his arm slightly, her nose scrunched. “What’s so great about a Devin party?”
Jenna answered before Colton could, gesturing above them. “Besides all the condoms hanging from the trees out here?”
Lucia’s eyes widened, and she turned her head to take in her surroundings. “Oh my god, I didn’t even realize.”
Jenna laughed. “That’s tame. Once Devin gets nice and drunk and convinces some of the rookies to drink too much, you’re really in for a treat.”
Lucia whispered to Colton, “I’m scared.”
Squeezing her waist, he whispered back, “It’ll be so much fun, just you wait.”
She raised an inquisitive brow. “Do you party with him a lot?”
“Nah, not really my scene. I’ll come to bye week and New Year's. Maybe a couple others during offseason, but I’m usually—”
“Yeah, yeah, focused on winning. I know, Superstar.”
“Mm, trying new nicknames? I like that one, you should call me that more.” Her cheeks pinked, and Jenna and her friend seemed to take the hint to turn further toward each other and talk.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
They continued mingling. He introduced her to as many of the partygoers whose names he knew, and some he didn’t, his arm never leaving her waist. She was nursing her third drink by the time Devin’s antics started.
The minute all the rookies came out of the house naked (but for a tiny, incorrectly-sized loincloth) and shivering, Colton knew it was about time to go. They each had one green and one yellow pompom, shaking them awkwardly.
“Alright, now for the pyramid. Sanders, you’re on top. Don’t look at me like that, you lost at straws.”
Lucia’s hand came up to cover her mouth as she giggled. Colton joined the rest of the people at the party as they cheered and whooped for the oversized men pretending to be cheerleaders.
Only a moment after they got into formation, the pyramid began to sway, and nine players fell into the Olympic-sized swimming pool, splashing everyone within thirty feet. Devin clapped gleefully and jumped in after them.
“Alright, this is about the time I typically leave. Let me check on Coop…” Cooper somehow had three women wrapped around him—one of whom had stolen his cowboy hat—and the biggest smile on his face. “Yeah, I think we’re probably good to go.”
Lucia looked in Cooper’s direction, her laugh melodic.
“Okay, let me say bye to Jenna and Leigh.”
He reluctantly let her go, making his rounds quickly before meeting her at the door. She swayed as she stepped onto the front porch, and Colton reached out a hand to steady her.
“Alright, Moretti. That’s it, we’re gonna walk this way. Remind me to tell you tomorrow morning that you plus alcohol plus your highest heels are not a good combination.”
“Hey! I’m great in heels. And, I wore them for you.”
That lump in his throat hadn’t been there a few seconds before. He tried clearing it, to no avail. “What do you mean?”
“You know, in case you annoyed me. They double as a very solid weapon in dire situations.”
He guided her toward his car, shielding her from the flashes of cameras around them. “You won’t find yourself in any dire situations when I’m around.”
“I don’t know about that,” she said breathily, falling into his passenger seat the moment he opened the door.
He stopped at the insinuation, taking a step back in shock.
Had he been giving off strange vibes? Was it clear how attracted to her he’d been all night?
He’d tried to be on his best behavior, his hand never going lower than the small of her back.
“I would—I’d never do anything to you that you didn’t want, Lucia. Tell me you know that.”
Her head swiveled to his, her eyes wide. “I didn’t mean it like that, Superstar.”
“How did you mean it?”
She blew out a breath, crossing her arms across her chest. “You make me feel jittery. And warm. And I don’t like it. It’s very disconcerting, especially because I’m just here to do a job. My dream job.”
That wasn’t so bad. He would take jittery and warm. “I’m your dream job?”
She rolled her eyes, tucking her legs into the car. He closed the door and walked around the car, sliding inside and starting the engine.
“There’s that big head of yours again.”
“Yeah, TBI brain. Gets the head all swollen.”
He waited for a witty comeback, but when he turned to look at her, she was watching him.
“You okay?” She seemed mostly coherent, using words like disconcerting, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t feeling sick.
“Have you had a lot of concussions?”
He hadn’t been expecting that. “Oh. Two, maybe three.” He felt her eyes remain on him as he drove. He’d already memorized the route to her house, though he’d only been there a couple of times.
She was startled when he pulled to the curb out front, as if she hadn’t realized how close they were.
He helped her out of the car and up to her front door, once again trying to shield her from the person who had seemingly followed them from Devin’s house, camera flashing.
He thought she’d search for her keys, but she turned to him instead.
They stared silently at each other for a moment, neither sure what the next move was. Logically, he knew she should go inside, and he should walk back to his car and go home. But she was glowing from the small porch light she’d left on, and she was breathtaking, and he couldn’t stop staring.
He watched her hand warily as it came to rest on his chest. She moved forward slowly, leaning in just enough to place a soft brush of her lips on his cheek.
She didn’t pull back, and he wrapped his arms around her, tight, breathing in the smell of her shampoo.
He liked it when she wore her hair down.
She rested her head on his chest, their breathing synchronizing. “Mm. This is good. Very good for the cameras. Tessa will love this,” she whispered.
“Oh, don’t pretend you don’t like it too.”
She fisted his button-down with the hand that was on his chest. “That’s not your business.” The right side of his mouth lifted slightly, involuntarily.
After a few minutes, when he thought she might be falling asleep right there on her porch, he pulled away gently. “Where are your keys?”
“Purse.”
He kept one arm around her as he pulled her keys out. “Are you going to be able to change and get ready for bed okay?”
“If you’re insinuating that I should let you in to help me undress, think again, my friend. We may be fake dating, but none of that nonsense.”
He slid the key into the doorknob and opened the door slowly. “You’re right, you’re very coherent despite all the stumbling.” She walked into her house, pulled the keys from the doorknob, and stared back at him smugly from inside.
“Goodnight.”
“Lock the door, please.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.”
He waited until he heard the lock click into place before he walked back to his car.