Chapter 8
GAGE
“You look beautiful, baby,” I murmured as I came up behind Rory and slipped my arms around her waist. She stood in front of the mirror in my bathroom, finishing up her makeup.
Her hair was up in a ponytail, leaving her neck exposed so I brushed my mouth over a particularly sensitive spot and grinned when she shivered.
Rory raised an eyebrow as she dropped a black tube into her toiletry bag. “I’m wearing a jersey and jeans, geek. Beautiful is not a word that describes me right now.”
I moved my hands to her hips and turned her around so I could stare directly into her gorgeous hazel eyes. “First of all, nerd, you are always beautiful. But when you’re wearing my number, it’s sexy as fuck.”
Twin spots of pink appeared on her cheeks, and I kissed each one before taking her mouth in a searing kiss. Only when we were both shaking with need and I was seconds away from saying “fuck it” to the game and taking my woman to bed did I pull back.
“I also like seeing you wearing it here, in my space.”
“You haven’t gotten sick of me?” Her tone was teasing, but there was a hint of vulnerability in it.
Ever since we returned from the away game and that unbelievable flight home, I’d talked her into staying with me.
I loved being with her, and sometimes the evenings were the only time we had to see each other.
And it would only get worse once she started classes this week.
I’d been playing it slow, dropping subtle hints, but it seemed like the right time to start being clearer about how I felt and what I wanted from her.
“I will never get sick of you, Rory. If I could keep you with me every minute of every day, I would.”
“Really?” She beamed at me, and I wrapped her up in my embrace, plastering our bodies together.
“Really. Which is why you should move in with me.”
Rory’s jaw went slack, and she gaped up at me.
“We don’t have a lot of time together now, and with classes starting, and my schedule with the team getting more hectic, it will only get worse.”
She sputtered for a moment, then croaked, “Move in? We’ve only known each other for a week.”
I shrugged. “I miss you.”
Her face softened, and she gazed up at me with wonder and doubt.
“Don’t you like it when I wake you up in the morning?” I crooned. Her face turned pink, presumably thinking about how I’d woken her up every day with my mouth between her legs.
I loved that after all we’d done, she still blushed like a virgin. It was adorable.
“And the way I put you to sleep every night?”
One way or another, we ended up naked and tangled together after fucking or making love. Or both. Several times, I’d passed out still buried inside her. And a few too many times I’d forgotten to wear a condom. But neither of us had brought it up.
I shook my head, trying to clear away the memories since I was already swollen and hard as hell.
“I do love it.”
“Then why the trepidation, baby?”
“It’s just so fast.”
“Fast for the rest of the world? Or for us?”
Rory cocked her head to the side and studied me thoughtfully. “You have a point,” she eventually conceded. “But let me think about it a little, okay?”
“Take as long as you want, nerd,” I told her with a grin. “As long as you accept the fact that I will continue to try to convince you to see things my way.” I winked, and she laughed, sending prickles of pleasure over every nerve ending. I touched my forehead to hers and sighed, “Damn, I want you.”
She made a similar sound and muttered, “I wish we had time too, but neither of us can be late. They won’t exactly hold the coin toss for us.”
Grumbling, I gave her a quick, hard kiss, then let her go so she could gather her things.
When we arrived at the stadium, I grabbed my duffel and her backpack, slinging them both over one shoulder.
She slipped her hand in mine, and I laced our fingers together as we entered the building.
When we reached the spot where we needed to head in different directions, I kept going toward the press box.
“Um, Gage? The locker room is that way.”
“But the press box is this way,” I bantered. When she looked confused, I chuckled. “I’m walking you to work, nerd.”
“Oh!” Her face flushed, and she beamed a pleased smile at me.
“Stop looking at me like that, or I’ll find the next empty room to fuck you in.”
Rory’s expression made it clear she didn’t hate the idea, but then she huffed and faced forward as we stepped into an elevator. “I can’t be late,” she muttered.
I laughed and wrapped an arm around her waist, snuggling her into my side. “Maybe we should come early next time…” I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively.
Rory giggled. “How are you so rugged and so cute at the same time, geek?”
I scowled. “Cute is not an adjective that describes me, nerd. Rugged, sexy as hell, manly, geek, I’ll even cop to dork from time to time. But cute is not in my repertoire.”
“If you say so.”
The elevator doors glided open before I could respond, and when we stepped off, I nearly ran into Percy, our director of football analytics and Rory’s boss.
“Sorry,” I apologized as I sidestepped so he didn’t crash into me. It would hurt him a fuck of a lot more than me. “How are you doing, Percy?”
“Um, fine.” His head swung back and forth between me and Rory a couple of times before his gaze dropped to our joined hands.
I was surprised when his mouth turned down in a frown, and the air around him turned a little frosty. After a few seconds, he turned to Rory, effectively dismissing me. “Glad you could make it, Rory. Shall we get to work?”
Rory’s face showed her confusion at his attitude, and she glanced up at me before looking back at him and replying, “Sure. I’ll be right there.”
Percy shot a glare in my direction, then stalked through the door to the press box.
“Is he always like that?” I asked, my voice laced with concern.
“No. He’s always been professional but friendly.” She paused and bit her lip before adding, “Although…in my interview, I got the impression that he doesn’t like when the office staff dates players.”
“What?”
Rory sighed. “Maybe I misunderstood. I’d better get in there. I’ll see you after the game, okay?” She went up on her tiptoes and pecked my lips before grabbing her backpack and waltzing into the press box.
As I made my way down to the locker room, I pondered our interaction with Percy. Could dating me threaten her internship?
“Save that murderous expression for out on the field, Ledger.”
Cole’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I looked to my left to see him leaning against the wall outside the locker room door. He was scanning the papers on his clipboard, but he dropped it to his side when I moved to stand next to him.
“What’s on your mind, Gage?”
“The girl you introduced me to a couple of weeks ago. Rory Abernathy?”
“What about her? Other than that I’m pretty sure you’re dating her.”
I glanced at him, expecting to see the same disapproval in his eyes that I’d seen in Percy’s. Instead, he was smiling smugly and seemed amused.
“How did you…?”
“When will you boys learn?” He tapped his temple. “I know everything.”
I laughed, but honestly, it really seemed like he did sometimes.
“Is it a problem?” I asked. “Rory and I being together?”
Cole frowned and pushed away from the wall to fully face me. “Why the hell would that be an issue?”
“Percy seemed unhappy with the situation. I’m worried. I don’t want to get Rory fired, but I can’t give her up.”
Cole’s frown intensified. “Don’t worry about that asshat. I’ll make sure Rory’s job is safe and that he doesn’t make things uncomfortable for her.”
Relief flooded my body, and I felt my muscles unclench a little. “Thanks.”
“As long as you crush it out there, no thanks is necessary.”
I nodded, and we entered the locker room together. He made a beeline for one of our offensive linemen while I went to get dressed for the game.