VIVI LAYS another shirt into her suitcase and then drags her fingers through her hair. “I don’t even know what to pack.”
I sit on the edge of the bed and grab her hand, tugging her down to sit in my lap. “Don’t overthink it. It’s a football game. Pack some jeans and your favorite football player’s jersey and you’re set. Clothes at the hotel are optional.”
She giggles and I press my lips against the soft skin just below her ear. “Clothing optional? Hmmm. I think I like the sound of that.”
“Since you like the idea so much, we can turn this entire house into a clothing optional zone now that Bella moved back into her own place,” I tell her. “Clothes just get in the way for us most of the time, anyway.”
Her pretty pink lips twist as she threads her fingers into my hair. “That could work, but we have other people in this house pretty often, so I don’t think I’d feel comfortable running around naked when Tina or Beckett can waltz in any time they please unannounced.”
I blow out a deep breath through pursed lips. “You’re right. Beckett seeing you naked is the last thing I want to happen.”
“I don’t like the idea of Tina seeing this sexy body of yours, either. I don’t like other women drooling over my man.”
I wave her off. “Tina is a happily married woman with three children. I highly doubt she would have any interest in me what-so-ever.”
She rolls her eyes. “Are you kidding me? Kids or not, she’s still a woman, and her eyes fully function. You’re one desirable piece of man meat.”
I throw my head back and release a deep laugh from the pit of my stomach. “Man meat? Is that all I am to you?”
She shrugs, wearing an ornery grin. “You’re also my person chuffer and chief.”
“Damn. Maybe I need to get paid for all the work I do for you,” I tease.
She bites her lower lip. “I bet I can think of a few things to work off my debt.”
My cock jerks as images flash in my mind from when just a couple of hours ago, I had Vivi bent over on this bed, fucking her from behind as she moaned my name. Sex with Vivi is mind blowing. I love her soft curves and the way she fits perfectly in my hands. It was like she was made just for me. If it were up to me, we would never leave this room and I would keep her in my bed all the time, but I know that’s not realistic, given we both still have jobs we have to do.
Vivi has been working her ass off ever since filming has resumed on the show she works for. She loves her job, and her coworkers mostly, except for that dickhead Harry. It seems to make her really happy that she’s learning so much about the television industry, but she’s been discouraged lately because there’s not much room for advancement for her on the current project. I wish I could help her, but I don’t have any Hollywood connections to reach out to.
We’ve both been under a lot of pressure lately and haven’t left this house much, and I think it’s time to change the pace.
“Let’s go out tonight. We’ve never been on a proper date, and I think it’s time we do,” I tell her.
“Where do you want to go?” she asks.
“There’s a restaurant at the country club I’m a member of that stays pretty private. Most of the members are richer than me and pay little attention when myself or one of the other guys from my team shows up there. A lot of the pro basketball players and golfers hang out there as well. I think it could be a spot where we get out for a while and stay out of the public eye.”
“When do you want to go?”
“How soon can you be ready?”
“Thirty minutes.”
I nod. “I call and reserve us a table.”
The restaurant at the club isn’t busy at all on this Wednesday evening and they prepared the steak to perfection. The chief here definitely has much better cooking skills than I have.
Vivi uses the white cloth napkin on the table to dab at the corners of her mouth. “That may have been the best steak I’ve ever had.”
“The food is great here, which is why it’s a popular spot for all the guys to hang out. The privacy here is a bonus.”
She frowns. “It’s sad you all need privacy like this to begin with. I never realized how much professional athletes get bombarded by their fans. If I didn’t know how much you loved the game, I would wonder if it’s all worth it.”
I reach across the table and take her hand in mine. “Sometimes I wonder the same thing. My life could’ve been so much different if I never made it as a professional football player, but I believe everything happens as it’s meant to. For example, if I didn’t play for the Devils, you would have never come here to stay with me, which means we would’ve never met.”
She squeezes my hand. “I’m so glad I came to stay with you. Meeting you has changed my life.”
I run the pad of my thumb over the smooth skin of the back of her hand. “You’ve changed mine too—for the better. I can’t imagine ever being without you now. When I think about my future, I think about you—about us—being married someday and having a couple of kids.”
Her eyes light up. “Really? You can see all of that with me?”
“Of course I can. I love you, Vivi, and when the time is right, I plan on making you my wife.” I mean that, but proposing to Vivi has to wait until we catch Annabelle, and Vivi is safe from that psycho bitch who wants to hurt her because of me. Proposing to Vivi may send the woman over the edge and push her to go after Vivi.
“I love you too, and whenever you’re ready to ask me to legally to be yours, know that my answer will be yes.”
I smile. “It’s good to know you’re a sure thing. It would wound my massive ego if I gathered up the nerve to ask you to be my wife, and you shot me down. When the time comes, it will be easier to ask.
Once I pay the server for the check, I take Vivi’s hand and lead her out of the club to where the valet has my Jeep waiting for us outside the front door. We hold hands the entire ride home, and even amid all the craziness surrounding us, I find comfort in the simplest touch from Vivi. She is quickly becoming my safe place and I crave not only her body now, but also her mind. Vivi is such a beautiful person, and I never knew I could love someone so deeply.
Vivi waves at the security guard at the front gate of my neighborhood as we pass by him. Poor Cliff had no clue when Vivi first showed up at my house that she wasn’t some random fan and barred her access, but now that he’s seen her with me numerous times, they wave at one another like they’re old friends.
“Cliff is so sweet. Did you know he’s got three granddaughters who are seniors in high school? He’s so cute when he talks about them. You can really tell he loves them a lot. I bet he’s a good grandpa.” She sighs. “Makes me miss my grandmother.”
“If you ever want to see her, we can make that happen,” I tell her after I risk a quick glance in her direction and spot the longing expression on her face.
“I wish that were possible. My grandma passed away a few years back.” For a moment, she is quiet. “She raised me, you know. She was always more like a mother to me than a grandmother. My mom didn’t know how good she had it growing up, because I bet my gran was an excellent mom.”
I pull into the garage and then press the remote to close the door behind us. “Your grandmother sounds like she was an amazing person.”
“She was,” she whispers. “She really was.”
There’s nothing I can do or say that will take the pain Vivi feels from such a great loss, but all I can do for her now is just be there for her and do my best to help her have a happy life from this point forward.
“I love you.” I lift her hand to my lips and kiss the warm flesh on the back of her hand. “Let’s get inside, gorgeous.”
I follow behind Vivi through the door leading inside the house, and I instantly stop in my tracks. Dobby isn’t here to great me. That’s odd. He never misses an opportunity to say hello to me the minute I step inside the door. He’s usually so excited, I can barely get through the door before he’s jumping on me.
“Dobby? Where are you?” I call through the house and Vivi’s brow furrows.
“Maybe he’s outside? Did we leave him out there while we were gone?”
I glance around the empty house. “I don’t think so, but never say never.”
“I’ll go check,” she says before heading for the glass sliding door leading to the backyard. “I see him. He’s laying down.”
In a few quick strides, I’m across the living room, calling for Dobby to come inside. Panic sets in and my stomach drops so hard, I swear it’s about to hit my feet. When Dobby doesn’t make a move, not even to lift his head at the sound of my voice, I know there’s something seriously wrong.
I run out the door as quick as my legs will carry me to my dog. My knees hit the grass as I lay my hands on him and watch as he struggles to breathe. “Fuck.”
“What can I do?” Vivi asks from over my shoulder.
I scoop Dobby’s limp body into my arms. “Grab the Jeep keys. We need to get him to the emergency vet.”
