Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 74844 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74844 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Her lips tip up, but she fights it as she gives me a dry look. “I’m aware that could happen.”
“It will,” I tell her, kissing her nose once more, and my heart does a dance in my chest. It almost feels as if a pair of hands is molding my heart just for her. As I gaze into her eyes, I realize those are her hands on my heart.
Her smile.
Her soul.
Everything.
“And we’re going to be so fucking happy.”
This time, she truly smiles, and my heart skips a beat. “You think?”
“I know,” I tell her, stroking her cheek. “I’m going to love you for the rest of my existence.”
Her breath catches at that confession, and I take that moment to kiss her deeply.
As our lips duel and play, I know the game of Elliot McDavid is mine to win.
I only need her not to block all the shots I intend to make to ensure my victory.
CHAPTER 21
Elliot
I should have taken the elevator.
My calves are burning, as are my thighs, and I feel like I’m jostling my kid around as I hustle down to get to the players’ entrance so I can shoot footage of the guys coming in. I’m in my trusty ankle-length slacks and my orange away jersey. I had curled my hair, but I got hot quickly with it down, and I threw it up in a messy ponytail that’s still adorable. Or at least, that’s what Alex said when I left the hotel before him. I don’t ride over with the guys. I ride with staff, and when I was leaving, he made sure to kiss me long and hard before telling me how cute I was.
Making it damn hard for me not to want him forever, like he’s promising I will.
I can’t fight back the little grin that pulls at my lips when I show my credentials and head to the players’ tunnel the guys will be walking down to the locker room. We got to Texas yesterday morning, and once we were done with the media and morning skate, Alex and I stayed in his room and napped all afternoon. If I thought the first time he felt our baby kick was a memory I’d never forget, watching him lie between my legs and trace my belly while waiting for the baby to kick is something I almost want tattooed on me.
So I’ll never forget it.
Alex looked so handsome, so excited and proud, as his baby kicked and shifted in my belly. While I’d thought the first time they moved was something out of an Alien film, Alex got this dreamy expression on his face, looked at me, and I swore, love radiated off him. I can’t believe I thought he’d be mad or not excited for his child. I still wish I hadn’t been an idiot and kept this from him for so long, because boy was I wrong.
He’d caught me looking at stuff on Amazon, and when I was in the bathroom, he put in his card information and bought me my whole cart. I’d thought my cart had deleted itself when I saw it was empty, but then I got the order confirmation email. When I complained, he completely ignored me. Didn’t even acknowledge my protests, leaving my heart doing a jig in my chest. I even caught him looking at wearable baby carriers, and let me tell you, there is something incredibly sexy about a man looking at baby things.
Still, though, I worry this is all because it’s new. Soon, when it gets hard, he’ll remember I kept this from him and he’ll kick me to the curb. The thought of facing his mother is downright terrifying, for the simple fact she’ll know that I fucked up. That I hurt him. Yet he is still choosing me. Alex doesn’t chase; he doesn’t have to. Girls flock to him, but he wants me. Desperately. And while he says it’s not because I’m pregnant with his child, I can’t kick that thought.
He could do so much better than a lying, cult-escapee whore.
I can almost hear Clara scolding me for calling myself that. She would remind me that I did what I did to survive and protect us.
But would Alex see it that way?
The sooner I give up my past, the sooner I’ll know if we have a future.
Problem is, knowing there’s a chance I might not have one with him is what’s holding me back.
I want the forever he promises, and I almost consider leaving my past behind. However, my insecurities stem from that, and I fear the only way to get rid of them is to tell him the truth.
See what happens.
How fully and completely I’ll be heartbroken.
I exhale as I lean against the wall with my phone in my hand, waiting for the guys to start down the hall. I know the bus is here because Alex texted me like I’d asked. I crouch down, using the wall to lean my ass against as I hold up my phone, ready to film. When I hear laughter, I hit record as the guys start coming down the hall. They pay me no mind, just like I asked them to, and I love the angle I’m at. The guys look striking in their suits, all with their game faces on. I’m excited to see this series play out. We have a really good chance of winning, and I want that for Alex. For the whole Bears organization.