Chapter 4
Fin
After Vee helped me remove the splint, we stepped into the steamy stall. My palm cupped her cheek as the water rained down over both of us. “I want to be honest with you.”
Vee stepped back. “What aren’t you honest about?”
“Your question. Why did I go back on the field? For you or the Coopers? I think the answer is both. I’ll do whatever I can to make you happy and keep you safe.”
She smiled as she pushed up on her tiptoes and our lips united. Such as a man on the brink of dehydration, I drank her in, tasting her sweet toothpaste-flavored kiss.
Pressing her body against mine, Vee’s touch skirted over my shoulders and down my chest. Her emerald orbs met mine as her fingers splayed on my chest.
“I feel it,” she said. “I feel your heart, Fin. I know what you’ll risk.
The thing is, I don’t want that. You don’t have to play a game injured to show your love.
” She tilted her head. “I feel it. And this heart, I want it to keep beating for a long time.” Her lips left a wake of kisses over my skin and down my abdomen.
Looking up through veiled lashes, she grinned.
“I just want to take our minds off yesterday’s game for a little while. ”
I braced myself with my right hand on the tile as Vee’s kisses moved lower, her knees bent, and her lips opened.
“Fuck,” I growled.
Forcing my eyes to open, I took in the current vision.
The woman I loved.
On her knees.
Her head bobbing as she took my hardened cock as deep as she could while her fingers moved up and down the root of my erection.
With a single goal, Vee was beyond perfect.
Her lips tightened with suction as her tongue swirled the tip.
Her breath came in gusts as she fidgeted with her own growing arousal.
Mission accomplished.
The game was over.
My shoulder forgotten.
The pain was an afterthought.
This, under the hot spray of the shower, was fucking bliss.
I could easily get lost in the ecstasy. However, I had an urgent desire to give as well as receive. Vee had the reins when it came to the Coopers. Now we were in our realm where I needed to be in control, in complete control.
Releasing the wall, I reached for Vee’s chin and lifted until her lips parted and her wanton green stare was upon me. I offered her my hand. “I love your mouth, but I want to come in your pussy.”
Nodding, she stood.
Kissing her, I tasted my own saltiness before spinning her toward the wet tile. This was a dance we’d rehearsed since finding one another again. Our steps were choreographed by a combination of muscle memory and carnal knowledge. We each were tuned in to what the other wanted and desired.
I’d been right about her arousal. Her tight pussy gave little resistance as we became one.
The way Vee responded, the goose bumps upon her flesh, and the hardening of her nipples were glorious to watch. Even from over her shoulder, I saw the way her breasts grew heavy and her areolas darkened.
My injury was forgotten as my grip of her hip tightened as I continued to take her, positioning her in a way I could dive deep, thrust after thrust.
With her wet hair hanging down, Vee pushed back, her fingers blanching on the tile. Her words turned to gasps and faded to whimpers. Her lustful noises were fuel to my desire.
The way her pussy clamped down on me, strangling me as she came apart was the magical finale. I let out a guttural roar as I also came, until I collapsed over her back. My left arm hung to my side as I laid my chin upon her shoulder. “I love you.”
My heart pounded against her skin as she craned her neck, peering back at me. “I should have known.”
“That I love you?”
“That a dislocated shoulder wouldn’t keep you from playing and it sure didn’t stop you from what you just did to me.”
“Me?” My laugh reverberated through the steamy stall.
Disconnecting our bodies, Vee spun, reaching for my torso. Pushing up on her tiptoes, she brought her lips to mine. “I couldn’t have come that hard by myself.”
I stared into her bright green eyes, and a smile curled my lips. “You started it.”
“Guilty as charged.”
Time wasn’t our ally. I had to be at Maker’s Mark by one. If time was on my side, I would happily bring Vee another round or two of memorable orgasms. Instead, she got to help me with the cooling wrap, put on a Coopers t-shirt, and place the sling.
Wearing sweats, I went to the kitchen. It may be almost noon, but my stomach was thinking about breakfast. Maybe it was brunch. Cooking one-handed wasn’t too difficult. My arm was safely back in the sling. No residual effects from our earlier shower.
After putting our muffins in the oven and with Vee in the bathroom finishing her hair and makeup, I remembered a question that was of utter importance two days ago. It was the question I asked Clark. I scrolled my messages, finding the ones we exchanged Saturday morning.
“TELL ME YOU TOLD VEE WHAT I SAID.”
My reply.
“SHE KNOWS.”
Clark’s reply.
“WATCH OVER HER. THEY DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE ASSISTANT. THE PILLBOX WAS VEE’S.”
My question.
“ARE YOU SAYING SOMEONE TRIED TO FRAME HER? HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?”
More accurately, my still-unanswered question.
I sent a reply.
“WE NEED TO TALK.”
Three dots bubbled and stopped. They bubbled again and disappeared.
“I hope you’re contacting Lisa,” Vee said, entering the kitchen.
My smile returned as I scanned her from her shiny hair to her pointed-toe boots. She was gorgeous, wearing blue jeans that flared and a black turtleneck sweater that hugged her figure perfectly.
I darkened my phone and shook my head. “I called Mom on Sunday night before the team took off from Houston.”
Vee scooted onto a stool at the breakfast bar where a warm mug of coffee was waiting. “I remembered her saying she watches your and Zane’s games with a fifteen-minute delay. I bet she was happy to hear from you. You know, I’d complain about you cooking while injured, but after this morning—”
“You’re complaining?”
She shook her head. “No. I’m confident you can do whatever you put your mind to.”
“I need you to remember that if Lacy Reynolds tries to put me on the IR.” Lifting my coffee, I took a sip. “Remember that pillbox that was in your dad’s glove compartment?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“You said it looked like one you have. Were you able to find it?”
She scrunched her nose. “I kind of forgot about it. I looked around my office and in my bag. I thought maybe it fell out when I ran off the road.” Vee shrugged. “It wasn’t in my car when I got it back. I don’t know where it is.”
The buzzer rang and I turned to remove the high-protein muffins from the oven. I set the muffin tin on the counter.
“Are those blueberries?” she asked.
“I’ve never made these before. They have cottage cheese, blueberries, and honey. I added a little oatmeal.”
“They smell amazing. I’m game.”
It was a quarter past noon by the time we finished our coffee and muffins. Vee helped with the rinsing of dishes and the muffin tin as I loaded the dishwasher.
“Who would have access to your bag—that’s where you think the pillbox was, right?”
“No one.”
“Where do you put your bag when you’re at Maker’s Mark?”
“In my desk drawer.”
“Is the drawer locked?” I asked.
Vee stared up into my orbs. “What’s your obsession with the pillbox?”
“Tylenol gives me weird dreams. I remembered the pillbox.” I followed Vee to the en suite bathroom. “I wonder if it is important. Like a clue.”
“You have access. My bag is here. I suppose Jen has access. Anyone who enters my office has the possibility of access, but I can’t imagine anyone rummaging through my drawers.
” She applied toothpaste to her toothbrush and looked at me through the reflection of the mirror.
“Besides, it’s too cold for allergies. I’ll get another one next spring.
And no one has officially questioned me except the detective right after Dad’s accident. ”
After we finished brushing our teeth, Vee said, “I think I should drive. You can’t drive with one hand.”
My lips quirked. “I can do a lot of things with only one hand.”
Vee smiled. “We can drive separately.”
“No. There’s over an inch of snow out there.”
“It’s afternoon. The roads will be clear.”
“Ms. Hubbard, gather your things. My truck is big and will handle better on the roads whatever their condition. I’m driving.”
“You know,” she said with a grin, “you can be stubborn.”