Love Unmatched (8 page)

Coach patted me in the back and I took a bottled water from the water boy and splashed it on my face. This was my moment, my dream.

My first pass in the NFA. There were going to be other moments, other throws, other passes, and other touchdowns.

But I will savor this one for a while. Well, at least for the next few minutes, until we get the ball back. I looked up at the stands again. Somewhere out there, Sedona was standing and cheering for me.

She knew what this one was for. I pressed my right hand, where my condor tattoo was, close to my chest. This one was for my sister; I knew she was watching me from above. She was cheering and saying, “Great throw, Z. Now get your ass back out there and throw another one.”

*****

Sedona

Zander’s first game was a loss for the Minnesota Fox. By a field goal. Carolina Raptors won 30-27.

I knew he was going to sulk about this one. He wanted that win. He always wanted a win.

It was what drove him to be the best at what he did, what pushed him to wake up in the early mornings and run for an hour, even before he went to regular trainings. It was what made him stay up late into the night to watch video footage of the opposing team’s defense, what made him stay away from me when all he wanted was to be by my side.

After showing my special guest pass to the security guard, I waited on the chair close to the team’s locker room.

Zander’s head was down as he walked towards me. He was wearing a long-sleeved green shirt with black pants and black shoes. John, in a brown dress shirt and dark brown pants, was walking beside him. They were both dressed in professional attire. The NFA had strict regulations on players wearing professional attire before and after games. If they didn’t then the players would have to pay a fine.

“Hi, babe,” I said, touching the side of my face to his shoulder. He smelled clean and masculine. I smiled at John, who gave me a nod and walked ahead.

Zander pulled me to his side and lowered the side of his face closer to my mouth. “Hey,” he said, his voice somber. “I have to do a couple of interviews, and then I’ll be right back.”

I nodded and hugged him tighter. “You did great. You threw three touchdowns.”

He looked at me with dull eyes. “I know. But we lost.”

Some of his teammates passed us by. I stood up on my tiptoes and whispered in his ear, “What matters is that you did your best. I know you did. Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win.” I placed my hand up against his chest. “You gave it your best shot. And remember? You promised Chrissy that your first touchdown in the NFA was going to be for her. I know she’s smiling at you for that one.”

He kissed the top of my head. “I know.”

I clasped his hand against mine and slowly walked towards the press room for the post-game news conference. I had a feeling Zander was going to be grilled by the vultures in that room. They were going to drill him on how his team lost, on how they could have won, and on how things went wrong for the Minnesota Fox. It was all a part of his role as a quarterback.

I stepped in front of him, blocking his way. “I’m proud of you Zander. I always will be.” I placed his right hand on my stomach inconspicuously, so as not to alert the media of our little bun-in-the-oven, and whispered, “Baby’s proud of you too, and it’s saying, ‘Daddy’s an awesome quarterback.’”

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” I patted his butt and said, “Now get in there so I can take you home.”

He stood straighter, flashed his mega-watt smile, and walked inside the room.

“Of all the places in the world, in your arms is what I call home.”

Zander

I haven't seen her in days because she was busy with her internship. I knew that it was going to be difficult being separated like this, but I just didn't know how much until now.

We video chatted every day, but most of the time she could barely keep awake during our conversations. The long work hours and the mental stress were draining her. I advised her to take it easy, that she had to rest up for our little one. She said she knew, but it was just that she wanted to do her best, to take in all the work experience that she could. Man, it didn't matter if she was pregnant or not, her hormones certainly did not affect her drive.

Sitting here alone in our townhouse, my body ached from the hit that defensive end Rowland More of the Tennessee Wolves had given me. I thought I was going to faint. I had blacked out for a moment. My teammates had scrambled to my side and shook me. Sedona was frantically calling Coach Benson during the game and did not stop until she could get a hold of me. She refused to hang up until she heard my voice.

It was during moments like those that made me think,
Should I continue doing this? Should I keep playing football? What will happen to Sedona and our baby if something happened to me?

Unease crept through me. It really wasn't just about me anymore.

Every time I stepped on the field it still felt like home. But now there was an added element to it. A sense of responsibility to myself, to her, and to our baby. That I needed to come off of the field the same way I went on it -
alive
.

I stood up to grab another ice pack in the fridge when I heard the key latch open. Only one other person had the key to this place.

I walked towards the door. My heart was thumping with excitement. I stood on the side,  leaning against the wall to hide myself from her view.

I saw her leg first. She was trying to prop the door open. She probably bought more of those weird lampshades for the house. How many lampshades did someone need? When I asked her about it, she had just shrugged and said that the designs on the lampshades made her feel happy. We’d end up with a storage space filled of lamps and lampshades by the time she delivered our baby.

When did she get here? She didn't tell me she was flying in today.

I stopped myself from reaching out to her and hugging her. It was hard, but I had to.

She was holding a strange-looking piece. Yup, another lamp and a tiny lampshade to go with it. This place would be all lamped-out! Our apartment in New York was the same thing. The bedroom had three lamps as it is! What the hell? Did the baby make her do these things? She never had any fascination with these light inventions before.

Her back was turned away from me. She was wearing jeans that showed off her fuller figure and shit, one of her frilly tops. The kind of tops that always ended up away from her body once I got a hold of her. Her jeans outlined the shape of her ass as she bent over the side of the couch. Her breasts were bigger now, and it wasn’t that I didn't like them before. She was perfect, just the way she was. She told me they were only 36B, that one time I was teasing her. I had said, "I don't care what they are, as long as I can latch on to them when I want to."

She put her new lamp acquisition on the side of the sofa. She turned her face to the side, her eyes careful. Was she trying to hide them from me?

I faked a cough.

She jumped and almost hit her head on the side of a lamp.
Shit
. That wasn't what I had intended to do.

I moved closer. Her eyes were surprised, and grinning she said, "I thought you were still at practice."

"I was. I got home about an hour ago." This time my hands were on her face and she blushed. After all this time she still blushed at my touch. I pulled her closer to me. Her face was tilted up towards me, her lips in a half smile. I slowly pushed down on her lips with my right finger. She stared at me with glazed desire, her eyelids slowly closing.

"Babe," she said huskily.

"Was this a surprise?" I asked, my voice hoarse. "Were you trying to sneak in that lamp from me?" My other hand was now skimming her top, and I cupped one of her breasts and hovered over her nipple with my finger.

Her breath hitched. "No, I was, umm. Oh, that feels good." Both of my hands were now under her frilly top, running circles over her nipples. I swore she wore these things to tempt me.

It was difficult to concentrate when I could smell her heated arousal. She smelled of strawberries and peaches mixed with desire. I missed her, desperately. I had wanted to fly to New York last night, but I had a meeting with the Minnesota Fox owner today. He wanted to discuss how I was feeling about the team. I thought I could go to her today, since she was so into surprises now. She liked doing them for me, and I liked being on the receiving end.

She was getting impatient. Her hands were roaming down the front of my jeans, kneading and tugging hard. I placed her hands back to her side. "Let me."

She reluctantly obeyed. I felt her need from where it pulsated from her and reached me.

"Hurry, babe."

I took my jeans and boxers off then proceeded to take her jeans off, leaving her panties on. Sedona knew I loved taking my time taking off her underwear. She slowly removed her blouse and was now in the process of taking off her bra. Her eyes were fiery, her need rolled off of her in waves. I lowered her onto the couch, propping her head with the dark brown pillow she bought from one of those decoration stores.

"You missed me?" I asked.

"You know I did," she gasped as my right finger grazed the outside of her dripping pussy.

"How much?" It was a wonder I could even speak when my body just wanted to sink into her.

She took my finger and pushed it inside of her pussy.

"Isn't that enough to let you know how much I missed you?"

I sucked her wetness from my finger and said, “Mmm, you taste so good.”

“Zander,” her voice pleading, “please…”

One of my hands worked on pulling her panties off. My other hand was busy working her pussy into a frenzy and rubbing at her clit, causing her eyes to dilate in pleasure. She was so fucking sexy when she was close to coming.

I replaced my finger with my cock, pushing inside of her, and sliding home.

She wrapped her legs around me as I continued pumping inside her. Being inside her was the best feeling in the world. She was tight, slick, and wet.

I gently rocked into her. She fastened her legs tighter around my ass.

“Baby, more.”

I sped up my rhythm and heard her gasps of pleasure. “Ah, feels so good.”

She was so close.

I plunged inside her again and timed her release with mine. Damn, she knew just how to give it to me.

I slowly pulled out of her and gently lifted her, walking towards the bedroom. As I carried her naked body, she leaned her head against my shoulder, lightly nipping my skin with her teeth. She let out a satisfied sigh and said, “Wow, what a welcoming home present.”

Chapter
Ten

“Our friendships are built by laughter, hardened by pain, and solidified by trust.”

Sedona

“Ace, I like your place.” Kieran’s 6’2” frame dwarfed the four seat couch in my apartment. His brown eyes were glued to the wall of the living room. “There’s something missing though.”

Earlier he walked around my two bedroom, 1135 sq. ft. New York apartment and checked out the solid hardwood oak entry door, generous walk-in closets with organizers, and floor-to-ceiling windows. He showed his appreciation for the marble tile floors by removing his shoes before he entered. “What?” I asked.

“It needs sprucing up.” Sprucing up? Where did Kieran get these words?

He pulled out something from the paper bag that he had been carrying along with his luggage since he had arrived from the airport. He was staying with me for two days since he had a four day break from his training.