“Do you know how good you make me feel?” She craned her head back, and those gorgeous eyes appeared backlit with the prettiest light. “Every once in a while, I feel as though I’m dreaming.”
“You’re not dreaming, Charlie.”
She opened her mouth to say something, but mine covered hers before she could. I needed to be inside of her. Waves of desire coursed through every part of my body. Knowing she was sore from the game, I didn’t want to push the issue in a hard tub. Reluctantly, I broke our connection and slid my hands beneath her.
Charlie giggled when I lifted her body in my arms and stepped onto the heated tiled floor. “You’re getting water all over.”
“I don’t care. I want you in my bed.”
“Can I be dry first?”
“Why bother? You’re just going to get wet again.” Her eyes widened, and she bit her top lip in the cutest of ways.
“I can’t believe you just said that.”
“Am I lying?” When she shook her head, I smirked. “Damn, you’re sexy.”
In only a few steps, we were on my bed, and I had reached for a condom when she shook her head. “I trust you.”
Making good on my promise, I made sure she was ready for me. When I looked at her taut stomach, I noticed a bruise on her hip, and I felt like an idiot. But that hadn’t been her only injury. “How’s your ankle?”
That was another issue. Someone had landed on her when she fell to the turf and twisted her foot. The team doc gave her a low-dosage cortisone shot. “It feels fine. Tomorrow might be a different story, but now, I’m okay.”
“Babe, we don’t need to do this. I don’t want to put any weight on you.”
“Then don’t.” Charlie pushed my shoulder, rolling us until I was on my back. Her wet hair dripped as she brought her legs on either side of me. “I’ve never done it this way before.”
I knew that since I was the only man she’d been with. My chest puffed out at that thought, and if my hands weren’t creeping up her thighs, I would have beat my chest. “You’re a smart girl. You’ll figure it out.”
Without haste, she arched her back and positioned herself over me before bringing us together. My hiss had her stopping. “Is it okay? Should I stop moving?”
“If you stop moving, I might die.”
She laughed, and I fell deeper in love with Charlie Nicholson… and she didn’t even know it.
###
Waking up to Charlie being in pain wasn’t anything I wanted to ever experience again. Along with the pain in her ankle, her hip, arm, and back were bruised. I’d been used to feeling it myself or seeing the guys in the locker room banged up, but seeing her in that state was a different story.
We’d made an appointment with the team’s orthopedist for the afternoon, which is where I was pacing their carpeted floor. I’d been waiting so long I knew that little Jimmy had dislocated his knee playing hockey, and Hanna had torn her ACL cheerleading. Then there was Abigail, who’d pushed her twin brother, Anthony, after he pulled her hair. Poor kid had plaster from above his elbow to his thumb. When he walked out of the room, he stared at me with wide eyes.
“Hey, cool cast,” I said, hoping to make him feel a little better about it.
“Are you Collin St. James?”
I nodded. “Yes, I am. You’re Anthony, right?”
His mouth dropped open. “You know my name?”
Not bothering to tell him I knew it because his mom had said it more than once while waiting for him to be seen, I just smiled. “You’re a football fan?”
“Am I ever. Your jersey was the first one I got. I would have worn it today, but someone spilled chocolate milk on it.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “I play football too.”
“Let me guess… quarterback?”
“I wish. I’m too short.” This kid was too much. “I’m the kicker.”
“I like kickers.” He chuckled.