We can play all the bedroom games we want. We can take on all the roles that suit us. We can go dirty and wild every night, but there’s only one reason it feels this good.
Because we belong together.
As her orgasm crashes over her, mine follows, taking me under and into this bliss.
After, I pull her close, kiss her tenderly. Then I brush her hair off her face. “I’m falling in love with you, sweetheart.”
She smiles. “I’m falling in love with you.”
Later, after we clean up, we return to bed together. In seconds, the dog hops up, sliding between us. “Gigi,” I chide.
Ellie laughs. “Gabe, there’s something I have to tell you.”
“Yeah, what’s that?” I ask, on a yawn, content with the world.
“She doesn’t sleep on dog beds. She sleeps with me.”
I curl an arm around woman and dog. “You mean withus,” I correct her.
Ellie snuggles up against us and we fall asleep like that.
* * *
In the morning, I’m out of bed at the crack of dawn. I take Gigi for her walk, then return to Ellie’s home, where she’s padding softly out of her bedroom, stretching.
“I need to get ready for the first day at work,” she says.
“And I need to take off.” I look at the clock on the wall. “Training camp check-in is at two.”
Her eyes pop. “And it’s in San Diego. You better go,” she says, shooing me toward the door.
But not so fast. There’s one thing I have to give her before I leave. I reach into my pocket for a little white cloth bag. Myrtle gave it to me to use, reminding me a man shouldn’t apologize empty-handed.
“I have a little something for you,” I say, then hand Ellie the bag.
She peers inside and brightens. “I love jewelry.”
“I know,” I say, then I fasten the chain around her neck. My Super Bowl ring dangles on the end of it. “Looks like that’s exactly where it was meant to be.”
30
MATCHMAKER
Gabe
A Few weeks later
Best training camp ever. The guys are sharp. The rookies don’t act like privileged jackasses. Coach has me work closely with a couple of the new receivers and they learn the routes quickly, then play tight, intense football.
The way it should be.
By the end of training camp, we already feel like a well-oiled machine.
As I head off the grass on our final day at the San Diego facility, Coach calls me over. “Clements, nice job the last few weeks. I appreciate you stepping it up to help the kids.”
“Happy to do it.”
“You bring focus and talent and you give one hundred percent to every game.”