Fumbled (The Girls of Beachmont #1) (14 page)

“I don’t stutter,” she
quipped with a wink.

“Not that. Tell me
something other people don’t know about you,” I prodded.

Dani looked deep in
thought and I figured she was going to reveal a secret tattoo or odd piercing.
But when she began speaking, I knew it was something deep and personal.

“You know, I’ve had a
pretty easy, uneventful life. But my senior year in college, I started seeing
someone. It was casual at first—no commitment—and we didn’t get
serious until I graduated. Everyone loved him. My roommates thought he was
perfect. He was cute and funny, nice—only he wasn’t like that when we
were alone. He could be rude, mean, and terribly inconsiderate. We were
together longer than we should have been, and I ended it when he hit me for the
second time.”

She said her words as if
they had no effect on her. I suppose she had time to get over it and move on.
But my entire body burned with a rage that I only felt on the gridiron, and it
was a terrifying feeling. My hand that had been touching her froze, unable to
do anything at all.

“And your friends did
nothing?” I seethed, disgusted that no one helped her.

“They didn’t know,” she
admitted. “I was always the quiet one of my roommates and I was too embarrassed
to tell them I’d let it happen. So they were disappointed when we broke up.”

“Why do they think you
dumped him?” I asked, still pained at her admission.

She shrugged. “To focus
on work. I didn’t want to chance falling back into a relationship like that, so
haven’t dated for about a year. The girls keep trying to set me up, and I
always have an excuse.”

I felt my nostrils flare
as I exhaled in an attempt to quell the anger inside. I gently pulled Dani to
me so she was curved into my side, wrapping an arm securely around her. Her
head was leaned against my chest, and knowing that she was in my arms was the
only thing to settle my erratic heartbeat. She wrapped her arm around my waist
and squeezed until I relaxed.

“I’m sorry you went
through that,” I admitted, kissing the top of her head.

“I’ve never told anyone
that,” she finally said. “Never.”

“Why didn’t you turn him
in?” I asked. “Did you ever see him again?”

She pulled away slightly
and looked up at me. “I just wanted him to stay away from me. I told him if he
ever came near me again, I had pictures that I would take to the police.”

“And that was enough to
keep him away, huh?” I asked.

“Pretty much,” she
yawned through her words. “I saw him in passing a time or two and avoided him.”

“What else do you want
to know?” I asked, rubbing my hand up and down her arm. I could tell by the
dismissive way she spoke that she didn’t want to continue talking about the
abusive asshole ex, so I changed the subject.

“What’s your family
like?” she asked, sounding miles away as her voice quieted.

“They’re great,” I
started. “Similar to your family…I liked them, by the way.”

“Me, too,” she muttered
sleepily and I chuckled.

“My dad was the best,
but after he died, Mom had to take on the role of both. She never dated, just
gave Abbi and me all of her attention. I don’t think I’d be where I am today
without her.”

“That’s nice,” she
responded quietly. Sleep was taking over, I could tell, but I didn’t want to
wake her and I didn’t want her to leave.

“Would she approve?” she
asked, soft and distant.

I didn’t answer right
away, because a cute snore escaped and I squeezed her softly to me.

“She would approve,
Dani,” I answered quietly, kissing the top of her head. “She just wants me to
be happy.”

I reached behind me and
pulled a blanket from the back of the couch, laying it over both of us. Having
Dani in my arms felt right; it was where she belonged. The thought should have
alarmed me, but it didn’t. I’d go at whatever pace she wanted to convince her
that there was something happening between us.

I rested my cheek
against her head as her breathing lulled me into my own peaceful sleep.

“Tabor,” a whisper
called out in the darkness.

“Hm?” I muttered
groggily.

“I should…” she began to
say, but I held her firmly in my grasp until she quieted.

My eyes were closed and
I thought she was asleep until I felt her inching up further on the section of
the recliner we shared. Dani placed a kiss against my neck.

“Thank you,” she
whispered before snuggling closer to me.

“’Night, baby,” I
whispered, kissing the top of her head without thinking.

My eyes shot open at the
words and I worried that she’d freak out. But Dani didn’t flinch or question
the sentiment, instead curling into me.

It was the best sleep
I’d had in a long time.

Because Dani was in my
arms.

D A N I

After the night at my
parents’ house, Tabor and I spent as much time together as we could. It had
been a month since we’d decided to make it official, dating in secret, but it
worked.

He was busy making the
rounds through his foundation, visiting sick kids and funding programs similar
to mine. I was never one to pay attention to the news, but I found myself
tuning in to catch glimpses of him in that world.

It wasn’t something I
did often, because that was the persona. I wanted the guy.

I had spent much of my
day organizing the new equipment provided to us by Hunter’s Heroes. My
principal was excited that we had received the funding and commended me on the
success. The goal was to have the program run year-round, for those kids who
didn’t have any place to go in the summer.

It was a long and
exhausting day, and I was grateful for the volunteers who had shown up to help.
When I got home, I showered and heated up some leftovers, taking them and a
glass of wine to the couch. I flipped on the evening news, wondering if I’d see
Tabor’s face there because he’d been off doing his thing all day.

Reports of accidents,
domestic violence, and politics led the news and I cringed. As a teacher, I
should’ve been eager to stay current on all things news, but the human in me
grew tired and sad by the constant bleak outlook. I muted it and opted to check
my email instead.

When the sports
highlights came on, I quickly turned up the volume and watched as if my
existence depended on it. It reminded me of my dad and I laughed at the
thought.

A video showing Tabor
with a group of kids hanging all over him led the segment and I smiled at his
comfort with them. He was a natural leader, and everyone rallied around his
civic efforts.

“JT,” a reporter asked
while he was hanging out with a group of kids.

He looked up at the
reporter and smiled before giving his attention back to the kids.

“There’s a rumor going
around that you’re dating a swimsuit model.”

I knew he was with me,
but still there was an ache in my heart at the suggestion that he was with
someone else—let alone a swimsuit model. I waited with bated breath for
his response as he paused for an answer. During the last week, we had been
debating about taking our relationship public. He wanted people to know about
me and insisted it could be as subtle as us going out to dinner. But I was
dragging my feet, wanting to remain in our bubble a little longer.

As he was opening his
mouth to answer, Tabor was interrupted by one of the kids with him.

“You have a girlfriend?”
a little girl asked with wide eyes before breaking out into giggles.

Tabor squatted down and
whispered something in her ear, making her laugh even more. She gripped her
stomach and drew the attention of the others around her. She said something to
a few of the other kids, who started laughing as well while he watched with
amusement.

How can I not fall for the guy? He is perfect.

“What’s so funny?” the
reporter asked hopefully.

Tabor looked at him and
shook his head. “Inside joke.”

“So are the rumors
true?” the annoying man pushed.

“Today is about these
kids here. They’re amazing, right?” Tabor countered, taking the attention off
of his love life.

The reporter looked as though
he’d been sucker punched and fumbled over his words. “Yeah…no, you’re right.
These are great kids.”

Tabor barely spared the
guy another glance, focusing on the tiny humans around him.

“How do you think the
Quakes are going to do this year?” another reporter asked.

Tabor appeared to like
that question better and shrugged. “We have a great team and coaching staff.
We’ll just have to see how everything pans out.”

“Are you ready for
training camp?”

He laughed and shook his
head. “I still have a couple of weeks left, guys. Besides, I’m having too much
fun with these kids here.”

The story ended and
Tabor gave a wave to the reporters before going back inside with the kids that
surrounded him, shouting more of their own questions at him.

There was a knock at my
door and I knew it was him. We’d agreed to see each other that night because
his mom and sister were supposed to visit for the weekend and he wasn’t sure
how much I’d see of him.

It was strange to think
that Tabor was the same guy everyone in the city admired—though it was
easy to see why.

I opened the door and
raised an eyebrow, blocking his entrance. “So who are you dating?”

He stepped closer and
wrapped his arm around my waist, kissing me senseless.

“Good answer.” I
grinned, finally allowing him to enter.

“So you saw that, huh?”

“What model are you
supposedly dating?” I asked nonchalantly, though I had to admit there was a bit
of jealousy swarming in the pit of my stomach. But it was hidden well.

“Candayce Evans posted
something on Instagram about an upcoming photoshoot we have,” he said,
following me into the living room.

Yeah. Full-on green-eyed
monster threatened to emerge and I fought to keep her at bay. I took a deep
breath and sat down, reaching for my glass of wine.

“Where’s the shoot?” I
asked, impressed with my impassive tone.

“PB. Next weekend,” he
said.

Pacific Beach! Where everyone can see you two all cozy?

It was on the tip of my
tongue to shout that very thing at him, but I couldn’t. It was my idea to keep
this thing between us a “secret.”

“You can come if you
want,” he said, laying my legs over his lap and pressing his lips to my neck.
“I can tell them you’re my PA.”

“Very funny,” I snorted,
taking a leisurely sip of my wine.

“Why not?” he asked, not
letting me off the hook.

“You can’t be serious.”
I rolled my eyes and watched his smile disappear.

“You’re not worried, are
you?”

“No,” I lied.

“Dani.” He said my name
as if he were talking to a petulant child, and didn’t continue until I looked
at him. “When you lie, your lips do this thing…like they’re doing right now.”

“Don’t act like you know
my quirks.” I forced out a laugh.

“I just thought maybe we
could go and hang out afterward…in public.”

“I think I’d rather not
witness some gorgeous bombshell hanging all over you,” I admitted. In that one
statement, I felt like I set the entire feminist movement back years. But I
didn’t care. I needed to be honest. “Besides, I think I have something going
on.”

“Yeah,” he laughed.
“With me. Remember? Last week I asked you if you wanted to go to Wilson’s house
with me.”

“Shit,” I muttered.

“Yep,” he laughed.
“You’re free. So what do you say?”

“I really don’t want
to,” I said, “but if I have to cut a bitch I’m going to blame you.”

“Aren’t you tired of
being here or at my place all the time?” he asked.

“We’ve gone to my
parents’ and Millie’s house,” I said.

He pulled me up so that
I was straddling him and held my face in his hands. He brought my lips to his
and kissed me. My arguments faded as I surrendered to his grasp, loving the way
he tasted. Tabor’s hand trailed down my back, resting against my waist. When we
separated, he looked into my eyes, my hands braced against his pecs, and I
tried to decipher what was going through his mind.

I knew the
one
thing he was thinking about, but sex
was something I had taken off the table. I needed to get to know him and the
thing was, the more I learned, the more I loved. I’d know when the time was
right with Tabor, and I wanted to make sure we knew what we were getting into.

“Please come with me to
the shoot?” he pleaded and all I could do was nod.

***

“Call you when I get
home,” Tabor promised as he stepped outside.

I loved our goodnight
kisses. They were filled with so much promise and I fell for him a little more
every time.

“I—” It was on the
tip of my tongue and I almost choked on the words that tried to escape, but I
covered quickly. “I was just going to say drive safe.”

After another quick
peck, I watched as his form retreated to his waiting SUV.

“Shit,” I muttered to
myself, waving as he drove away.

I closed the door and
found my phone that was charging in the kitchen. Millie had texted, and instead
of answering, I dialed her number and waited for her to answer.

“I almost told him I
loved him,” I admitted when she finally answered.

“Really?” she asked,
stunned. “Is that how you feel?”

I closed my eyes and
swallowed hard. “Yes.”

Millie squealed over the
phone and I heard her telling Nick, who let out an
un
enthusiastic “yay.”

“So why don’t you tell
him?” she asked.

“It’s too soon, Mill.
It’s barely been a month,” I said.

“So?”

“What do you mean,
so
? It’ll freak him out.”

“How do you know?” she
asked.

“I just know. Hell, I’m
the one who feels it and
I’m
freaked
out.”

“You’re ridiculous.”
Millie snorted. “What if he feels the same way?”

“What if he doesn’t?” I
said aloud, realizing that that scared me more than admitting it for myself.

“Let me ask you this: do
you see a future with him?”

“I think so.”

“Do you want to continue
spending time with someone who doesn’t feel the same way? Or at least isn’t
moving in that direction?”

“I guess not,” I
answered weakly.

“Do us all a favor and
think about it. Where do you see this thing going? Is Tabor the one you want to
be with in the end?”

“Millie, you’re talking
big words here to someone who’s still trying to accept that she almost said
something she can barely admit to herself.”

“Think about it,” she
said. “And then call me tomorrow when you figure it out.”

“Yeah,” I muttered.
“Okay.”

We ended the call and I
was left to my own thoughts, which were screaming too many things to put in
order. I knew that Tabor wanted me; I could see it in his eyes. And even though
I felt like his feelings for me were growing, he hadn’t admitted it to me. All
I could do was assume.

I didn’t feel we’d
reached the point in our relationship to assess where we thought things were
heading. In a couple of weeks he’d be spending his days at training
camp—something I was told was rigorous. And in another month he’d be
knee-deep in regular season football. I didn’t want to add to his stress, not
to mention my own. I was still trying to get the after-school program set up
for August, and I hadn’t even started getting my classroom together.

Even though Tabor was
imperfectly perfect and I knew I wanted him, I had to wait. It wasn’t the right
time to figure all of it out. With or without him.

My phone buzzed in my
hand and I felt the butterflies before I answered.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hey yourself,” Tabor’s
deep voice rumbled. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m good. You?”

“I think so,” he said
before adding, “I’m sorry if you felt pressured to go with me to the shoot. I
don’t want you doing anything you don’t want to do.”

My heart swelled and I
wished he were there with me so I could kiss him.

“I love…” I said, before
panicking, “being with you.”

I heard him exhale and
sound lighter when he said, “Me too.”

I was smiling from ear
to ear and I knew I was feeling the real thing. “So if you want me there, I’ll
be there.”

“I want you,” he said
and then laughed. “There.”

“Cute,” I answered.

“You know, Dani, one of
these days we’re going to have to admit what’s happening here.”

“And that is?” I wanted
him to admit whatever it was before me.

“That you’re falling for
me,” he answered as if he simply knew this to be true. Honestly, it freaked me
out that he said it so casually, because it completely shook me up.

“Don’t confuse me with
your groupies.” The moment the words came out I winced, because it sounded so
much crueler than the playful way I’d intended it.

“Play it that way if you
want, but I think we both know it’s true,” he said.

“I was kidding,” I said,
closing my eyes and wishing I could take the words back. Tabor had never
treated me like I was anything other than someone special, and I was throwing
accusations at him so heartlessly.