Play Maker (20 page)

James ran a hand through his hair, messing it up, but to me it looked perfect. He took another deep breath and looked right at the camera again. But this time I could tell he was looking at me. Hope rose inside my chest.

“And because I might not even have a chance to tell her this myself, I wanted to take this opportunity to address someone in particular.”

My heart was in my throat.

“Nicole,” James said. “I am so incredibly sorry for hurting you. I never expected any of this. Then again, I never expected to meet someone like you.” One corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. “But I’m glad I did. Because I have fallen in love with you.”

A sigh seemed to spread through the press room and through our living room as well. I looked up and saw Maya’s eyes fill with tears and felt my mom’s hand clutching mine.

“I should have told you. I should have told you everything,” James was saying. “But I can only hope that you are watching and that you believe me when I say that I love you and will do everything in my power to make this up to you.” There was that smile again. “I’ll spend the rest of my life doing so if I have to.”

I was pretty sure that my heart came to complete and utter halt.

Maya gasped. “Oh. My. God. Did he just say what I thought he said?”

“Shh,” I waved a frantic hand at her, my ears buzzing. I needed to hear him say it. His blue eyes seemed to focus on me even though we were miles apart.

“I love you, Nicole,” James said, and then looked back at the room. “Thank you,” he told them and stepped away from the podium.

I was breathless, and my eyesight went all fuzzy. Had he just said—? On TV? To me? The remote dropped from my hand and bounced on the carpet at my feet.

“What are you waiting for?!” Maya yanked me to my feet. “Go and get him!”

It took a moment for everything to come into focus. Slowly what he had said began to sink in. He hadn’t cheated. And he just told the entire world that he loved me.

“Oh my god,” I breathed. A rush of pure joy flooded through me, washing away all the bitterness that his perceived betrayal had wrought.

Maya’s hands were clutching my upper arms. “Oh my god,” she said again. “Come on!” She started dragging me to the door. “I’m taking you to him right now.”

“Wait,” my mom said, getting off the couch. We both froze and I turned to look at her, realizing that I wanted her input. It was suddenly very important that she approve of what I was doing. That she thought it was a good idea.

“You need to shower first.” She gave me a big grin. “You can’t go meet the man of your dreams in your pajamas with dirty hair.”

I looked down at myself. She was right.

“Thanks, Mom.” I gave her a hug.

She hugged me back. Hard. “I’m so happy for you, Nicole,” she said. “Now go get him!”

T
he house was quiet
. Too quiet. And too big. Stripping off my jacket and unbuttoning my shirt, I collapsed onto the only piece of furniture I had in the place – the king sized bed. I thought that going to my new place, instead of the hotel, after the press conference would make me feel better, but it just felt kind of lonely.

I knew that I needed to fill the place up with furniture and books and art, but right then, the only thing I wanted, the only thing I needed, was Nicole. I lay back on the sheets, hoping that she had watched the press conference. Right afterwards and the entire drive home, I had kept checking my phone but there had been no messages from her, no texts.

Glancing again at the screen, I sat up, thinking that maybe I should try her again. Just once more. But before I could do anything, the doorbell rang.

No one knew I was here. No one except for Ethan. I had told my best friend to take the night off, to go see Maya or do whatever he wanted to do, but maybe he had taken pity on me and decided to come check out the new place and drink beer on the beach. I ran a hand through my hair. I didn’t really want to wallow around company, but I dragged myself off the bed and went to the door.

But when I opened it, I found Nicole standing on the doorstep. She was holding a bag.

“Hi,” she said, looking adorably nervous. And hot as hell. I practically did a double take at the red dress she was wearing. It was tight and short and extremely low cut. I wanted to dive right into that cleavage.

But I didn’t want to get ahead of myself.

“Hi,” I croaked, finding that she had left me a little breathless. “Would you like to come in?” I asked, feeling like a bumbling teenager on his first date.

She nodded and brushed past me, the scent of lavender drifting behind her.

“I like what you’ve done with the place,” she told me, looking over her shoulder.

“Thanks.” I assumed that she had seen the press conference, but this was not the response I had been expecting. Not that I minded. The view was fantastic. That dress was going to be burned into my memory for years to come.

“I’m glad to see you.” I closed the door and when I turned, she was gone. It took a moment to find her but when I did, she was in the bedroom, staring out the enormous window that looked out onto the ocean.

“It’s beautiful here,” her voice was quiet. I noticed she had put the bag down next to her.

“Nicole—” I crossed over to her. “I am so sorry.”

She took a deep breath and turned to face me.

“You really hurt me,” she confessed, and I could see that hurt in her eyes. It made my stomach twist to know that I had caused her such pain. “I thought you had betrayed me.”

“I know,” I reached out and smoothed back her hair. “I should have stopped the whole Play Maker thing a long time ago.”

A smile lifted the corner of her mouth. “It
is
a ridiculous nickname.”

I held up my hands. “
I
didn’t come up with it.”

She arched an eyebrow at me, and I relaxed, now seeing playfulness in her gaze.

“I would have come up with something much cooler.” I promised her. “Like, Sexiest Man Alive.”

“Ha!” She snorted.

“Or, Best Legs on the Field.”

Nicole rolled her eyes.

I grew serious. “Or The Sorriest Wanker That Ever Lived.” I took a deep breath. “I promise you that I will never give the paparazzi any reason to photograph me. Unless it’s for doing something really, really awesome. Like saving kittens from trees.”

“Or helping foster kids,” Nicole added, her lips now curved in a familiar smile.

“Or that,” I agreed. My pulse was racing. “I would never, ever betray you,” I said earnestly. It was important that she knew that. And I felt a weight lift when she nodded.

“I know,” she said. “For so long I’ve been afraid. Afraid of letting someone new into my life. And then you came along and suddenly all of this—” she gestured to the space between the two of us. “Was more than I knew how to handle. But now—”

I took her hands. “Now?”

Nicole lifted her eyes to mine. “Now I think I’m ready to let you in. Really let you in to my life.”

My heart felt like it was going to burst, but before I could kiss her, she had pulled her hands from mine and was bending to pick up the bag she had left on the floor. She handed it to me. It was heavy and when I looked inside I saw there was a bottle. I pulled it out, along with two glasses. It was the cognac I had given her after that first night together. Unopened.

“A housewarming present,” Nicole said.

I quickly opened the bottle and poured us two glasses.

“Cheers.” I clinked my glass against hers.

But she didn’t drink. “We should toast to something,” she told me.

“Ok.” I took her hand. “Let’s toast to love.”

She peered up at me through her lashes and I could see that there were tears sparkling in her eyes.

“To love?”

I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her to me. “Because I am in love with you,” I told her, my eyes never leaving hers. “Completely, utterly, wonderfully in love with you.”

“Well that’s good,” she whispered. “Because I’m in love with you, too.” And then she tilted her head up and kissed me.

I
t was
unlike any of the other kisses we had shared. This one was sweet and tender, his lips firm against mine, his hand on my back. I felt safe and loved and happy. And I wanted more. Parting my lips, I licked into his mouth, enjoying the way his grip tightened on me. His tongue found mine and I tasted heat, my skin warming, my pulse quickening. James pulled away, his eyes burning with need.

“Have I mentioned how much I love that dress?” he asked, his voice low.

“This old thing?” I teased, swiveling my hips against his.

He groaned and I felt his cock harden, our bodies pressed close together.

“Might I recommend something?” His lips were close to my ear, his breath hot on my neck.

“Anything.”

“Let’s see how good it looks on the floor.”

Sliding his hand up, he found the zipper and slowly eased it down, the stretchy material gaping to expose my back. My naked back. After all, this dress was too tight to wear a bra. Or underwear. Stepping away from him, I handed him my glass and let the red fabric drop away.

Without a word, James put the glasses down on the floor and before I could blink, had me in his arms, my naked body against his completely clothed one. His lips slanted against mine, his tongue hot in my mouth. There was something so deliciously erotic about the whole thing, and I grabbed for his shirt, wanting to feel his skin against mine.

His own hands were busy, smoothing up and down my curves, his fingers claiming me as his, not a single inch ignored by his exploration. Somehow I managed to unbutton his shirt, shoving the fabric aside and directing my attention towards his belt and zipper. But I kept getting distracted by his tongue, which was doing dangerously wonderful things to my ear.

“You’re bloody gorgeous,” he murmured as I managed to free him from his pants, the fabric pooling at his feet. He stepped away from it, and there he was, his body bare and all mine. But I didn’t have much chance to admire it because I was in his arms again, now without anything between us.

Hoisting me into his arms, James brought me to the bed and I made sure to pull him down with me. Wrapping my leg around his waist, I pressed against him, my hips greedy and wanting him, my entire body burning with desire. I could feel his cock, hard against my thigh, and I let my legs fall open, eager to have him inside me.

His hand smoothed down to my ass, his mouth finding the hollow of my neck and kissing his way lower until his lips captured my breast. I arched up against him, gasping at the sensations that flooded through me. His fingers curved around my hip, sliding between my thighs, finding the wetness and the heat that waited for him.

I moaned as he stroked me, his thumb firm against my clit, his hand coaxing pleasure from my core. It wasn’t long before I exploded beneath him, his tongue teasing my nipple, his fingers deep inside me. But it wasn’t enough.

“James,” I begged, lifting my hips, eager for his cock.

He reached past me, towards the lone drawer next to the bed and pulled out a condom. Quickly, he rolled it on, situating himself between my thighs. But he didn’t move, his hand reaching up to cup my face. His eyes locked onto mine.

“I love you,” he told me and then thrust his cock into me.

My heart and body exploded into a million pieces, and I felt nothing but pleasure and sensation and heat and wildness. His hips rocked against mine, his eyes never leaving my face, as he made love to me in a way only he could.

I was mindless with desire for him, the delicious slide of his cock inside me, the thrust of his body against mine, the bed shaking beneath us. I couldn’t get enough of him, my hands frantic in their need to touch him, to feel him.

Pleasure built inside of me and I felt James’ pace quicken. Knowing he was close, I captured his lips with mine. He tasted of whiskey and heat, his tongue matching the rhythm of his cock.

Tearing my mouth from his, I arched up towards him, opening for him, feeling him sink even deeper. His hand found mine, our fingers linking together.

“I love you.” The words vibrated through me and I came, harder than I ever had before. My body clenched around him and I heard him groan, and he thrust deep inside me, his entire body stiffening before he shuddered his own release.

We lay there boneless, a tangle of limbs and sweat. His hand refused to release mine. I watched him catch his breath, his eyes closed, my own lungs gasping for air. He was gorgeous. I would never tire of looking at him.

“I love you,” I told him, and one blue eye popped open.

“You’re just saying that because I rocked your world,” he said.

I shook my head. “Nope. I love you.”

He propped himself up on his elbow. “Are you sure?”

“Completely sure.”

“Good,” he said, rolling away from me. I propped myself up on my elbow to watch him grab for his pants, searching the pockets. When he found what he was looking for, he returned to the bed, his hand a fist.

“There are probably more romantic ways to do this, but I can’t wait,” with his unclenched hand, he pushed back a strand of hair that had fallen across my cheek. Then he knelt next to the bed.

My heart came to a complete stop.

“Nicole Grant, I think I fell in love with you the moment you poured me that first glass of whiskey. You’re gorgeous and funny and kind and wonderful and there’s nothing I would want more than to spend the rest of my life with you.” James opened his fist and there was a diamond ring sparkling up at me. “Will you marry me?”

I was speechless. The logical part of my brain said that it was too soon, that we barely knew each other, that we were rushing into it. The rest of me screamed “screw it, girl, this is the man of your dreams, naked and on his knees. Take him and never let him go.” I decided to listen to that part.

“You know, a nod would also suffice,” James teased when I opened my mouth and words didn’t come out.

I nodded immediately, my voice coming back to me halfway through.

“Yes! Of course, yes!” I leapt off the bed, and into his arms, tackling him to the ground. I felt him laugh beneath me as I showered kisses all over his face.

“Thank god.” James smoothed the hair back from my face, grinning widely. “I like a woman who knows what she wants.”

“I want you,” I told him.

“Good.” He slid the ring onto my finger. “Because I don’t want to spend another day without you in my bed, in my house, in my life. These past few days have been bloody miserable.”

“I know.” I was momentarily distracted by the enormous rock now glittering up at me from my hand. Then, I looked back up at him, my handsome husband-to-be and felt warmth spread through me. I arched an eyebrow at him. “Luckily we have the rest of our lives to make up for lost time.”

Then he kissed me, pulling me to the floor, and showed me exactly how he intended to spend that time.