Game for Marriage (17 page)

Chapter Eighteen

“Tell me you’re going to keep me on the field today.” Jared studied Walsh, his gaze never leaving the older man’s. The game that day was beyond important. They win this one, they were in the playoffs for sure. He needed that reassurance, didn’t want to chance it and watch them turn into a wildcard again.

At the moment, he was in peak physical condition. They all told him that. He’d been training like a madman, watching what he ate, he and Nick working out extra hard. But mentally?

Mentally, he was fucked up and they knew it.

“I’m telling you I’m going to keep you on the field today,” Walsh said, glancing at the open door of the locker room. They were suiting up, getting ready for the game, which was going to start in less than twenty minutes. “I don’t want to hear any bitching or complaining if I need to pull you, though. It’s only for your own good.” He strode off, muttering something under his breath.

Right. For his own good.

The ensuing drama that had exploded after the fake marriage was exposed had been a nightmare. The constant media attention had worn thin fast. The endless speculation as to their marital state and what would happen next drove him insane. That they mentioned the sex clause within the contract made him feel like a complete ass. Thank God his teammates respected him enough that they didn’t give him too much shit over it. Even Nick, who gave him shit over everything.

And then there was Sheridan.

He refused to contact her, wanting to wait her out and see if she came to him first. Which was stupid and egotistical and selfish, but he couldn’t help himself. At his very core, that’s who he was. And he was keeping true to himself by being too stubborn and not going to see her.
Damn, that was painful.

But it hurt even more, doubting her. The fear that she’d really become sexually involved with him because of the clause was always there, hovering in the back of his mind. He hated it. That maybe she had faked their relationship the entire time…

He flat-out couldn’t go there. No way could it have been true. She cared for him. He knew it.

So why wouldn’t she talk to him? See him?

It had been more than a week since he’d last seen her. The very next day, he’d gone out on the field to the jeers and boos from his own damn fans and got his ass royally kicked. Fucking Craig Wallace had gloated for days after the Hawks’ spectacular loss to the Raiders.

Closing his eyes, Jared breathed deeply. He couldn’t stand thinking about that game, the worst in recent memory. Hell, that entire weekend would go down as the worst two days of his life.

He’d been on top of the world that fateful morning. With Sheridan in his arms, naked and willing, whispering how he was falling for her. Coming close to full on saying he was in love with her. He’d been about to risk it all. Everything for a woman, something he would’ve never thought he’d do.

“Someone’s here to see you.” Walsh reappeared, standing in front of him.

Jared blinked. “Who?”

“She’s out there.” Walsh jerked his thumb toward the locker room’s open doorway. “Don’t take too long.”

“If it’s a reporter, I’ll kill you.” Jared shook his head. “I won’t talk to them.”

“It’s not a damn reporter. Like I’d do that to you. And hey, take your helmet. You need to get out on the field soon and I want you ready.” Walsh stalked off.

Grabbing his helmet, Jared shut his locker and headed toward the door, nervousness gnawing at his gut. Who the hell could be out there wanting to see him? A woman, he knew that. No way could it be Sheridan. She wouldn’t come to a game, not now, even though the media attention had died down some. But she’d hardly shown her face since everything went public. She was in hiding.

Even from him.

He emerged into the darkened hallway, his footsteps echoing. She stood to the left, fully decked out in Hawks gear. She wore a Hawks hat, her hair in a low ponytail pulled through the back of it. A long sleeved gray T-shirt with San Jose Hawks written down the arm with an official jersey as the second layer, his number prominent on her chest.

“Sheridan,” he whispered, emotion clogging his throat. The pure joy that swept over him at seeing her was almost overwhelming. “Wh—what are you doing here?”

She stepped closer, her scent washing over him, fragrant and sweet. She smiled, the sight of it sending a zap straight to his heart and he wanted to touch her. Wanted to pull her into him and never let her go.

But he remained standing there, his helmet clutched in his hand, decked out in full uniform, all the layers and pads he wore working as walls between them.

“I heard you needed some encouragement.” Reaching out toward him, she rested her hand on his chest. He wished she touched his bare skin. “You look good, Jared.”

“You do, too.” He smiled. He couldn’t help it, having her stand there in front of him. The first real smile he’d worn in days. His anger, his worry, his doubt slowly ebbed away. “Wearing my jersey, I see.”

“Of course.” Her smile brightened.

Pausing, he studied her. Let his gaze rove all over her beautiful face, drinking her in, memorizing her features. After spending so much time with her, then to have her vanish, it felt like an eternity since he last saw her. “You going to watch the game?”

“I am. I came to watch you
.
” Stepping in closer, she stood on tiptoe, braced her hands on his chest and kissed him lightly. He felt the too-brief touch of her soft lips to the very depths of his soul. “Good luck, husband,” she murmured.

He slipped an arm around her, holding her to him, not wanting to let her go. “You came to see me, and I should’ve been the one to come to you first.”

She touched him, like she couldn’t help herself. Trailing her fingers down his cheek, she pressed her finger to his bottom lip. He wanted to bite it. “Walsh asked me to come.”

Disappointment settled over him. He’d turned into a sympathy case. “So you did it for him.”

“I came here for
you.
He told me you needed me.” She pressed her lips together. “And when he said that, he made me realize I—I needed to see you, too. Everything that’s happened between us, it was real for me, Jared.”

His heart lightened, and didn’t feel so much like a dead, leaden weight any longer. “We need to talk.”

She nodded slowly, her finger still tracing the curve of his lower lip. “Maybe we could after the game?”

“Yeah.” He closed his eyes when she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him, bulk and all. He hugged her back. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too,” she confessed, her voice muffled against his chest. “You know how much I care about you, don’t you? What we share isn’t about a fake marriage or breaking a clause or doing something because Harvey made us. It’s about you. And me. Together.”

He was left momentarily breathless, like when he took an extra hard hit out on the field. Her confession gave him so much hope he almost wondered if he were dreaming.

“I want to make this work,” he murmured, floored that he would admit such a thing. But damn, his life just didn’t make sense without her in it.

“Oh, Jared.” She withdrew from him, her arms falling away but he didn’t let go. Found that he couldn’t let go of her. “No matter how much I want you…I don’t know if we can.”

He frowned, gave her a little shake. “Why not?”

She nibbled her lower lip, lowered her gaze. “Everyone thinks we’re faking it. How can they believe we’re real after what happened? How can I…” She swallowed hard. “How can I believe it’s real?”

Slipping his fingers beneath her chin, he tilted her face up. He could hear from within the locker room his team getting ready to go out onto the field. Coach was talking, getting everyone fired up. Jared knew he should’ve been in there, listening, yelling his encouragement, getting pumped.

But he couldn’t leave. Not when the woman he loved was in his arms but somehow still slipping out of his grasp.

“It’s real,” he murmured, dipping his head so his lips settled over hers. She opened to him, allowing his tongue to sweep the depths of her sweet mouth. Her familiar taste exploded within him, fueling him, giving him hope. “I’ll prove it to you,” he whispered after he broke the kiss.

A burst of noise exploded within the cavernous hall and his teammates came running out. Jared and Sheridan sprang away from each other, his body vibrating from the too-short kiss.

Nick flashed them a lazy smile when he passed. “Hey, Miz Quinn,” he said to Sheridan.

“Hi, Nick. Willow says hello,” she called to his retreating back.

Jared laughed. His wife was as feisty as ever. He turned to look at her. She was so beautiful it hurt. “Meet me here after? I’ll text you when I’m ready to go.”

“I…I don’t know—” she started but he grabbed her again. Kissed her in front of God and everybody—as in his team. He didn’t care who saw.

“Just say yes, wife,” he commanded with a smile.

“Okay, fine.” She smoothed the front of his jersey with the tips of her fingers. “Yes.”

…

“You look petrified,” Willow muttered, shaking her head.

“Of course I am.” Sheridan gripped her hands together, her gaze glued to the field. “There are less than two minutes left and it’s freaking tied.”

The game had been a nail-biter from minute one. They’d run neck in neck the entire game, Jared getting sacked at one point, causing Flynn to go in to finish out the first half. She’d been afraid it would mess Jared up, make him think they had no confidence in his playing, but luckily enough, he’d come right back out onto the field to start the second half with a killer instinct, playing as if his life depended on it.

She’d been in awe of him the entire time, her eyes never leaving him. He looked amazing out there, just like the fan behind her said. How fast he’d been when the opposing team went after him, agile and quick. The fans cheered him on, having forgotten his earlier troubles, and she’d cheered along with them, excited that the man she loved was the one everyone adored.

“Jared will be fine.”

Sheridan’s head whipped around to find a woman sitting with whom Sheridan assumed was her husband. She smiled at Sheridan and patted her shoulder. “Your husband is amazing and he’s playing so well today. Don’t worry about him.”

“Um, thank you.” Surprise filled Sheridan at the woman’s reassuring tone, her easy acceptance.

“I think you guys make an adorable couple,” the woman continued with a gracious smile. “I don’t care what the media says. I believe in you two.”

Sheridan was touched. She had no idea anyone believed in them. Of course, she’d hardly ventured out in public or read anything to know how anyone felt.

“They like you,” Willow murmured after Sheridan turned back around. “They like you and Jared together. Looks like you have the fans’ support.”

Yeah, it did. She couldn’t quite believe it.

“If he’d just throw the ball to Nick, everything would be fine,” Willow continued breezily. “They’d score another touchdown, problem solved.”

“If this goes into overtime, I don’t think I’ll be able to take it,” Sheridan said, chewing on her index finger.

“For a girl who couldn’t give a crap about football six months ago, you’ve certainly changed,” Willow observed dryly.

“Please, like you’ve ever been a big football fan. Now look at you.” Sheridan rolled her eyes.

“I’m here for you. Moral support.”

“Nick Hamilton support,” Sheridan added.

As if he heard his name, Nick went running by, flashing a giant grin at the two of them. Fans sitting above them went nuts, the women cheering his name and he waved, revealing the sexy tribal tattoo that wound around his right bicep.

Willow sighed. “He’s such an ass.”

“He’s a gorgeous ass. I bet he
has
a gorgeous ass, too.” Sheridan laughed.

Willow socked her. “Look at your own man’s butt.”

“What? You staking claim?”

“Ha, never. That man goes through women like they’re Kleenexes.” Willow crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Whatever’s happened between us is nothing. Meaningless.”

Sheridan thought her friend’s frustration was sort of cute.

“Get rid of the smirk. You’ve been smiling the entire game.” Willow shook her head. “I’m guessing you two kissed and made up?”

“Sort of.” She didn’t know. She’d been fully prepared to let him go—or at least that’s what she told herself—but clearly he didn’t feel the same. Which thrilled her. He’d been so possessive, how he touched her, kissed her. His voice full of promise when he’d told her it was real between them. And that he was going to prove it.

She couldn’t wait to see how he’d prove it.

The crowd yelled and she returned her attention to the field. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw Jared throw the ball just in time before he was taken to the ground by two huge linebackers. Nick caught the ball with ease, running with at least three players from the opposing team nipping at his heels. He sped up, making it look so easy as he crossed the line and scored another touchdown.

The entire stadium erupted in cheers, the sound deafening. Sheridan stood, her gaze locked on Jared’s prone figure, all the while Nick showboated in the end zone, riling the crowd up into a frenzy. Not that she could blame him.

But omigod, her heart was in her throat as she waited for Jared to move.

Which he did, like, no problem. He sprang to his feet, pumping his fist in the air as other teammates approached him, slapping his helmet, his back, his butt. A big smile broke out on Sheridan’s face as she watched him run to Nick, whom he embraced like a long-lost brother.

“I told you that’s all it would take,” Willow said smugly.

Once the extra point was made, time seemed to tick by so slowly. That remaining one minute felt like twenty as endless time-outs were called, penalties, first down calls. Sheridan sat on the edge of her seat, afraid another touchdown would be made and the game would slide into overtime. Willow looked just as nervous, the both of them not speaking as they waited anxiously for the game to wind down.

When finally it was called a Hawks victory, Sheridan and Willow leapt to their feet, bouncing up and down as they hugged. Relief swamped her. Jared had played like a superstar, thrown two touchdown passes and essentially won the game, along with Nick, at the last minute.