But I was past all of that now. I felt healthy and strong. I had music I loved. A husband I loved even more and a baby that was going to be spoiled to death.
“I don’t want you to overdo it.” Luke looked worried.
“I’m going to listen to music. Can’t possibly overdo it.” It was cute that he wanted to watch over me. “Helena will be there too so you can text or call her.”
“Good. I’m gla
d she finally moved down here so I’m not the only one keeping you in line.” He pinched my ass playfully.
“She does not keep me in line,” I explained.
He leaned down and kissed my belly. “Be good while I’m gone.”
I looked up at him. “You know you’re adorable.”
“I’m not adorable. Save those words for the baby. I am a football player. The Warrior QB.” He scrunched up his face.
“Right,” I teased. “Ok fine. Have fun with the camp kids. Tell Charlie and Linc hello.”
He groaned. “Don’t get me started on them.”
“I think they’re cute together. It was like they were meant for each other or something.”
I was a fan of my brother-in-law and manager seeing each other. My husband hadn’t warmed up to the idea.
He eyed me. I took the warning.
Eventually he would see how they complimented each other. That Charlie had a way of being a softer version of herself when we weren’t at work. Sometimes she and Linc would come over for dinner. I would catch him doing the little things I loved that Luke did. Kissing her neck. Refilling her drinks. Making sure she had a blanket if we were out by the campfire. Linc was always more openly warm and loving than his younger brother, but I knew I had cracked every wall Luke Canton put up.
I had torn them down with a sledgehammer. And we built new walls together. The ones that sealed us inside a world with just the two of us and our baby. I knew when he asked me to marry him the road was going to be harder before it got easier.
Charlie had to work some kind of witchcraft to convince the Warriors to let the fallout from my scandal blow over. But she did it.
The biggest turning point came when she convinced me to do an exclusive one-time interview with Sports Now. A country star had never done anything like that before. Sports fans loved music, sure, but they weren’t my audience.
But her idea was brilliant. The Warrior fans rallied around me when they realized how quickly I had been slaughtered in the Nashville press. It made Luke instantly likeable that he stood by me. Even more that he asked me to marry him.
“Can we have them over for dinner?” I suggested. “And Helena and James?”
“Are we running some kind of match-making business on the side?” he groaned.
I looked at him from the corner of my eye. “It’s family. And friends. And if they all end up hooking up there is nothing we can do about it.” I shrugged my shoulders.
“Fuck,” he growled. “James is going to think I’ve adopted him or some shit.”
“Love you, babe.” I smiled. “I’ll get everything ready. You just show up with beer and your brother.”
“Love you too.” He snaked an arm around my waist.
I inhaled sharply. His eyes raked over my lips and I knew what was coming next. It didn’t matter that we were married. It didn’t matter he had kissed me so many times it wasn’t possible to count. All that mattered was that he stole my breath every time he did it.
His mouth covered mine and I moaned softly as his tongue slipped between my lips, curling with expert flicks.
He eyed me. “If you didn’t invite all these damn people over tonight I could take that kiss a lot further when I got home.”
I pulled his lips back to mine, clinging to his neck, begging for more. The passion rolled between us. The fire stirred under my skin.
“Fuck, Alexa,” he whispered.