Romance: Sports Romance: ON SIDE (Secret Baby Pregnancy Football Romance) (Contemporary New Adult Fiction) (3 page)

Chapter 5

“Congrats Ashton. Dad told me about the contract.”

“Well, I don’t have it yet.”

“You had it when you got here. My father never brings people home with him unless he knows that they have a future.”

He thanked her, but he wondered what she meant. He was starting to finally imagine a future, though he was still trying to keep his hopes down until he saw it for himself. Ashton would only stop worrying when he had the money in his hand and he was playing for Dallas.

“So what are you doing tonight?”

“Your dad is taking me out for a celebration dinner. Are you coming?”

Ania shook her head and smiled back at him. “Sports bore me and that is the last place I would ever want to be. I can’t stand to hear it all of the time.”

“You have the wrong dad for that.”

“Don’t I know it? I used to have to go to his practices every single day it seemed like for football season, but after a while, I didn’t have to go anymore. Maybe he took pity on me finally.”

Ashton didn’t think that was it at all. No doubt as she had blossomed into the woman she was now, there was no doubt in his mind that she would have made all of the players fall in love with her. She must have been quite a distraction. He could relate to that as he had almost knocked himself out trying to get a glimpse of her backside.

“You have the strangest look on your face. Are you even listening to me?”

He shook his head that he was.” Well, come with me then.”

“I can’t. I told your father that I would go.”

“Right, wouldn’t want to make him mad would we?” She got up from her seated position at the table and told him that he was a disappointment. “I was hoping you would be a little more fun.”

He wanted to go, couldn’t think of anywhere else he wanted to be, but he couldn’t. Ashton was not about to ruin his future with one night with her. No matter how much he wanted it to be just that.

“I am sorry. Maybe we can go out before I leave.”

She shook her head. “No, I am only here one more night. I’m going over to Florida for the rest of Spring Break.”

“Oh.” Ashton didn’t know what else to say. He was disappointed and for a split second wanted to say the hell with everything. It didn’t matter of course that he would most likely never see her again or the fact that he couldn’t actually have her anyways. The need to follow her anywhere was still there.

“Don’t look so down Ashton. Maybe I will come back tonight and visit you.”

His eyes widened as she kissed him on his cheek, lingering for just a moment before she smiled up at him with her dark green eyes. “I will see you later Ashton before I leave.”

Ashton watched her leave and groaned inwardly. He was sure that she added more of a twist to her step just to drive him crazy. That was the kind of woman that a man like him would go straight to hell for. The only problem was, Ashton would have almost welcomed the chance.

***

Instead, he was on the other side of town in another kind of bliss. Not only was Dave, his recruiter there, but the man had brought a few of his friends as well. Ashton was in the presence of all of the men that he had looked up to for his whole career, once he had realized that there was football to play. Ashton almost forgot about the girl that had an innocent smile and mischievous eyes.

“So what will you do with the money?”

Ashton shrugged. “I just want to play ball. The money is just a bonus.”

Dave nodded his head. “Sure, sure. But surely you have thought about it.”

Ashton didn’t know how much the contract was going to be for and in a way, he hadn’t really cared. Dave was right, though, he had already thought about it. What he wanted was a house and a little stability. It wasn’t very exciting, but that was what he wanted.

“I have thought about it. Maybe a new bike and a house, but I will save most of it, invest it so when my time is done, I won’t have to worry about it.”

Dave was impressed more and more by the young man that he had brought back with him. He was also aware of his attention to his daughter. It wasn’t that he was so worried about anything happening, Ania was strong willed and seemed to be toying with him, but he worried that it might become a problem. Dave was glad that Ania was leaving the next day.

“That is good Ashton. You will serve yourself well to save some of it. I have seen too many times, players that make enough to retire at thirty and they are thirty-five and broke. The lifestyle can pull at you and you have to learn to ward it off. The money, the women…”

Ashton met his gaze and for a moment he knew what women or which one, in particular, the man was talking about. His want of his daughter must not have been as easily hidden as he would have liked to have hoped it would be.

“Yeah, just with the talk of going to the NFL, I have noticed a difference.”

The older man sat back, his bald head shaking as if he understood. Dave had his own career when he was Ashton’s age and he spoke from experience. The money seemed to be endless and everything seemed like a good time. Until you hurt your knee and there were no more contracts or worse, one of the dalliances got pregnant. He had both happen to him and he was trying to warn him not just of his daughter, but of making the same mistakes that he had done.

“You have to be careful. The people that will try to become your friend will not always have your best interest at heart.” The man speaking was one of the great quarterbacks twenty years ago when he was in his time.

After he spoke, many others gave their tales of women that pushed them wayward or used everything in their arsenal to put their claws in an NFL player. By the end of the night, Ashton wasn’t sure if he wanted to date again. The old men made it seem as though they were out for him already and he would have lied to himself if he didn’t think about it on the way back to the large house. His mind went to Ania, it was bound to in the end and he didn’t know what he would do if she came to see him. With her leaving the next day, all he had to do was just stay away from Ania and he would be fine. The contract would be signed and Ashton was on to better things.

Chapter 6

Ania was a little tipsy when she got home and she went to take a shower to wake herself up. The party had been fun, though all of the same familiar faces that she was bored with. What she couldn’t stop thinking about was Ashton and his last night in her house. All throughout her shower, she thought of his hard chest in the morning while he was working out and the way he had looked at her when he thought she wasn’t looking.

Finishing up, she was more ready than she had been before, her heart pounding in her chest quickly as she made her way down the short hall to his room. It wasn’t the first time that she had stood outside of it, she had the night before, but then she was finally able to summons the courage to push the door open.

She could tell he was sleeping, but that just made it easier to slip in with him knowing. She had never done anything like that before, but something was pulling her to him and she couldn’t stop herself from wanting him. As she moved closer to the bed, Ania could see that Ashton was not wearing a shirt. His hard chest was in view again and she couldn’t take her eyes off of him. The sheet was pulled down to his middle and Ania wanted to pull it down further to see if the bottom of him was as bare as the top.

Ania climbed on the bed, straddling his calves and moving her hand to the soft sheet, pulling it down to reveal he was wearing a pair of boxers. Her fingers moved forward to pull them down and her hot breath on his manhood had him at attention long before he woke up. Ania licked one side and then moved her mouth to take in the tip.

His eyes opened as she slid his length inside of her hot mouth. Ashton’s eyes were wide and he groaned, the sight of her tiny mouth stretched around his wide cock was far better than the heavenly feel. His hand went to her red hair and he groaned, his eyes reclosing as she twisted her way back up.

“Ania! You shouldn’t be here.”

She looked up with red lips and asked him if he wanted her to stop. Groaning out his answer, he shook his head and she moved back down onto his sticky length. Taking him fully into her mouth, Ania tried to push him deeper, take him all, but her throat stopped him halfway. Each bob down made her wetter, the idea of it to be inside of her soon enough. She was so ready but liked the slightly salty taste in her mouth and the feel of him trying to push deeper into her throat. He grunted in exasperation when he tried to make it fit, but she would move up and give herself a quick breath before moving back down.

Ashton was so close to losing it and he was finally the one that had to push her away. The last thing he needed was to blow his lid too quickly and not have another chance. She whimpered as he made her mouth pop off and she was trying to get it back in when he grabbed her arms, dragging her up his body until he felt her wet skin above him. Pulling her towel off, the man sucked in a breath as all of her became visible.

“God you are beautiful.”

She giggled, used to such things being spoken to her. It felt a little different when he said it. The light in his eyes made her lean down and kiss him, the pressure suddenly on her core as he guided himself home was enough to make her close her moan.

“God you feel good.”

He chuckled as he pulled her down on top of him, his thickness spreading her wide as he tried to force himself in all the way. Just like her mouth, she wasn’t able to fit all of him in, though she did try hard. Her wetness helped him slide in, but he wasn’t going to get all of her in that way. He needed more control and flipped her onto her back, taking out his long length for only a moment before pressing back into heaven.

With a loud groan, Ashton started a nice slow pace that quickly turned manic as she urged him on faster. She was close to her end and Ania was whispering dirty things to him, begging for it faster and harder.

Ania got so loud that he had to silence her with his mouth, kissing her to take away all of her screams so that she didn’t wake up the whole house. Finally pulling away to watch his meat disappear inside of her, Ashton wanted more, but his own body was going to stop him from getting it. Shaking above her, he drove deep one last time before losing himself inside of her, filling her with his hot seed.

It was several minutes before he moved aside, his chest heaving. Ashton was covered in sweat and when Ania tried to pull away from him, he yanked her back down. “Where are you going?”

His lips moved to hers and then down her neck. Taking one of her rosy lips into his mouth, she sighed at the contact and almost forgot why she was leaving in the first place. Ania knew that she wasn’t going to get any sleep if she stayed with him, not to mention the fact that she wasn’t supposed to be there at all.

“Sorry Ashton, but I really need to get to my own room and find some clothes to wear.”

“Will you come back?”

She said that she wouldn’t and even though she knew she had to leave, Ania couldn’t help but like how much he wanted her to stay. She could have made love to him all night and Ania was sure that it would be exactly what she would do if she stayed.

“No, I won’t be back before you go.”

“When can I see you again?”

His words stopped her and Ania wasn’t sure what there was to say. She had not taken him for the type, to get attached, but it was clear that he was all of a sudden. Ania wasn’t certain if she liked the idea of it or not.

“I doubt we will see each other for a while. Maybe after you finish up your classes and start training here, I will run into you again.”

Ashton didn’t like the way she was saying any of it. Ania didn’t seem too worried about a next time, but that was all he could think about. He was still wet with her pleasure but wanted more already.

“At least give me your number.”

“You have it.”

She was not going to give him an inch and Ashton found himself feeling a little awkward. He felt awkward because all he would think about was the next time and it was like she was already forgetting him. Had she not been there, felt the same thing that he had felt? But he had to stay strong, not wanting to look desperate like the girls he pitied when they clung to him so hard and all he was trying to do was shake them.

“Okay, I guess this is it then.”

Ania smiled up at him and took his breath away. As she went to her tiptoes to kiss him, he cupped her cheek and made the best of it. He kissed her with passion, hoping that she would feel his need and remember what he could do to her. She sighed as she pulled away, but there was still no promise of a next time before she turned to leave him.

Chapter 7

Ania didn’t see him again. She made sure that she was up and gone before he came out of his room. The last thing she wanted was for him to pull her back into his web. While he was handsome and far better and more giving in bed than she had imagined, at the end of the day he was trouble. Men like Ashton had a way to warp her mind to the point she couldn’t think and she knew that there was no way that it would come of anything. He liked her then, his body still throbbing from sex and his mind filled with thoughts of love that were really just his hormones talking. She was sure that he would forget about her and all Ania could hope for was the chance to forget about him.

Time went on and after a couple of weeks, she started to slowly forget about the running back that had stayed with her family. She had heard through her father talking about it that Ashton had gotten the contract. She didn’t ask any other questions, but she had the small wonder in the back of her mind if she would actually see him again. It had been a while, but she was still hoping she would. Even though Ania had pushed him away when he was talking of later, she regretted it almost as soon as he left Dallas.

He was due in town to look for a place to stay after he got out of school and Ania overheard her father saying something about it. Ania wondered why he hadn’t called her but then realized that he had done exactly what she knew he would do. He wasn’t worried about her in the same way she was worried about him. Ashton had most likely moved on.

She was more than a little surprised to hear that he had asked about her. Dave didn’t seem too keen on telling her too much and she didn’t like the way her father was looking at her, so Ania had brushed it off. There was nothing she could do about how she felt and the idea of Ashton back in town made her smile to herself like a nob. Ania didn’t want to have this small sliver of hope that they would meet again, but she did.

Her hopes were unfounded, though. Ashton never came to see her and she heard he was leaving town and she hadn’t seen him once. Maybe he didn’t want to see her as much as he had claimed. He didn’t seem to want the next time again, though she could only think of that. When she heard that he was gone again, she tried to really forget about him. It had been a couple of months and it was time to let it go.

Ania even stopped waiting for him. She tried to get back into the dating scene, but it never went past a couple of dates. She was not feeling herself and one evening when she was on a blind date, Ania got light-headed and ended her date before the entrees were even out. It was a weakness that she had not experienced before, but she had been more and more tired as of late it seemed. She didn’t know what was going on with her body, but the last thing she needed was to stay out on another blind date. It was exhausting and the last thing that she wanted to do was date. After Ashton, no man measured up and she still kicked herself for giving into her desires. Ania had known that he was no good.

She went home and tried to lie down, hoping she would feel better. Instead, the way she felt got worse and finally her mother insisted that she go to the doctor the next morning after a night of tossing and turning. Ania was sure that it was nothing, but there was a part of her that wondered what was wrong. Something was different in her body, she just wasn’t sure what.

“You are pregnant Ania. That is good news!”

She had him repeat himself, so sure that she had heard him wrong. How could she be pregnant? Ania looked over at her mother who was sitting there with her and she could see the shock on her face as well. The doctor seemed to pick up on the fact that the news wasn’t quite as good as he thought it was.

“Why don’t I give the two of you some time…”

“No doctor, we don’t need anytime. I just need to make sure you are sure.”

“Yes, we are sure. You are definitely pregnant my dear. I will leave you with a couple prescriptions for vitamins. I will need to see you back in a couple of weeks.”

He had a good way of backing off to let the two of them handle the delicate situation. Ania found it impossible to meet her mom’s gaze, but she surprised her with a hug and kiss on her forehead. “It is going to be fine, Ania. We are just not going to tell your father for a bit.”

Ania agreed rather readily. The last thing she wanted to do was tell anyone. She wouldn’t have told her mother if she would have waited in the waiting room like she had asked. There was a question that she was waiting for and Ania was unsure how to answer it when she asked.

“Who is the father, Ania?”

She just shook her head. “I really have a headache. Do you think we can just drop the prescriptions off to get filled and go home?”

Her mother agreed, but she was poised to ask more. “Is there a reason you don’t want to tell me?”

“I am still trying to process all of this. It is going to take time. I have to tell him first. I don’t want him to find out from someone else, so can you please keep this between us?”

“Of course, Ania.” Her mother was just relieved that she knew who it was. Once she became eighteen, the older woman was out of the loop.

The rest of the way back to their house, the silence stretched out between the two of them. Ania didn’t want to talk, but her mother was not going to let it drop. “You know we are going to have to tell your father. I can’t keep anything from him. I have never been good at lying.”

Ania sighed to herself. Her mother was not one to keep her mouth closed about anything. She was the one that all of the ladies in town went to for gossip and even though it was about her own daughter, there was a good chance that Lisa was going to let it slip. She was already making a loophole to get her out of it.

“Whatever you do mom, don’t say anything. At least give me a few days to figure this out. You don’t have to lie to him. Just don’t say anything.”

Lisa nodded her head, but they both knew that the secret was doomed. As they pulled up to the house, she noticed a truck with dealer plates. “Who is that?”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. Your father has one of his recruits over. They just signed a big deal and are celebrating.”

Ania closed her eyes, telling herself that there was no way it was Ashton.

“Which recruit?”

“Oh, the one that stayed with us a while back. Real handsome boy, good manners, what was his name…”

“Ashton.”

“Yes, that’s it. Your father invited him to dinner. Well, that will be good. Keep me from opening my big mouth.”

Chapter 8

“It’s good to see you again Ania.”

His voice made her lift her head. She had gone to her bedroom to change and was not expecting the man to be there waiting for her when she got out.

“What are you doing here Ashton?”

“Celebrating a contract with Dallas. I thought you would have heard.”

“I have other things to worry about Ashton.”

She moved to go past him and he stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Wait.”

Her eyes moved up to his dark depths and like before, she found it hard to think when he was looking at her like that. More than anything, Ania wanted to blurt out the truth once and for all. She wanted him to know what she had just learned but knew that she couldn’t. He would just think her one of those women that got pregnant on purpose or worse yet, he just wouldn’t care. If he had cared, he would have called, came to see her while he was in town. But he had done neither of those things and Ania knew that it was best to cut him loose. Let him live his life and she was going to live hers.

“Please let go of me, Ashton.”

“I thought you would be happy to see me.”

“I am. It has been months though Ashton and it was one time. We barely know each other.”

He released her and looked at her as if she was lying to him. There was no way that she felt nothing. How could she feel nothing when he had thought of her day and night for months?

“I am sorry to bother you, Ania. I was just hoping that we could talk. I have missed you.”

Ania wanted to believe him, but something inside of her wouldn’t accept it. If he had loved her, he would have been there a long time before. She wasn’t going to just be a convenience for him. Ania didn’t look back as she went downstairs to the dining room. Ania had almost forgotten about the doctors, Ashton taking over all thought, but was reminded when she saw her mother sitting there like she had just eaten a canary.

Sitting down, she waited for Ashton to get back down there so they could start. He was staring at her all through dinner and her mother seemed to notice. Lisa, always one to put her nose in things that were not her business, started a conversation that no one at the table wanted to have.

“So Ashton. Are you seeing anyone?”

Ania almost spit out her drink and glared at her mother. “No, I am not. I have a girl that I am trying to get to notice me, but she is not interested.”

“Well with that big contract, I don’t think anyone will be able to tell you no.”

He looked at Ania for a moment and smiled back at Lisa. “I wish you were right, but nothing seems to work.”

Dave didn’t know what they were talking about and interrupted with a request for the peas next to his wife. He was unaware of the small drama going on in front of him. Ashton wasn’t unaware though and it made him uncomfortable in front of Dave.

Ania went for the wine, her mind not thinking and it was her mother’s comment that reminded her that she couldn’t. “Dear you know that you can’t drink anymore. You have to think.”

She looked down at the half-glass and her eyes widened. “I wasn’t. I mean, I didn’t think about it.”

“Think about what?”

Ania looked over at Ashton and shook her head, trying to get him to be quiet. “Nothing Ash.”

“I wouldn’t say it was nothing Ania. She is going to be having a baby, Ashton.”

“Mom!?”

Dave heard the last part and pulled his eyes from the football game that he was watching under the table on his phone. “What?”

Ania looked down, not able to look at any of them. There was one set of eyes that was watching her harder than all of the other ones and she finally got up and ran to her room. Her mother had ruined everything and though she should have stayed and faced the truth, Ania couldn’t. She never wanted to see any of them again.

When she heard a knock on her door, Ania wished that she had locked it because before she could tell whoever it was to go away, the door was opened. She looked up expecting to see her traitorous mother, but instead found Ashton staring down at her with a look of panic in his eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It’s not like you ever called or came to see me when you were in town. So why would I?”

“You told me that you didn’t want me to. I was trying to give you your space.”

“Well I and the baby don’t need you, so you can keep giving me space.”

“Is it mine?”

She looked up mad suddenly, her green eyes blazing. “Are you really going to ask me that?”

“I want to know.” Ashton hoped that it was, but he knew that she was a beautiful girl. He may not be the only one.

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am sure.”

“Then we have to be together.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want you to be with me because of the baby. Don’t worry. I won’t name you or anything, now that you are in the NFL.”

He just shook his head back at her. Sitting next to her on the bed, he lifted her chin up to meet her defiant gaze.

“I want to marry you, Ania. I came here to ask you to marry me. I already talked to your dad about it. I tried to forget you, but I just couldn’t.”

“Why would you ask him?”

“Because I respect him and if he is going to be my father-in-law, he should be asked.”

She searched his dark eyes for a lie. It was all too perfect. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am always the more serious one. Marry me Ania. You have to know I love you. It just took me time to realize that is what it was. I tried to forget about you, but I couldn’t. I tried to move on, but there was no comparison. We were made for each other and I knew it that night.”

Ania wanted to believe it. She had tried herself to rid her mind of Ashton, but it was impossible. Now they were going to have a baby together. Could it really all just work out? “You really want to marry me?”

He pulled out a large princess-cut diamond ring and went down to his knees to ask properly.

“Of course, I will marry you, Ashton.”

He kissed her, tasting her tears as he leaned in to kiss her. It had been too long and before long, the two of them were getting a jump-start on their new status. There would be explanations and apologies made later, but right then, all Ania could think about was Ashton and his magic hands that she had missed so much.

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