Chapter 2
Nolan had been a rising running back until he busted his knee cap for the second time. The injury wasn’t necessarily career ending, but Nolan knew he’d never be the same.
However, that wasn’t the only reason he’d decided it was time to move on to something else, and thanks to the Miami Thunder’s ground-breaking education program, he’d already had a plan in place for when he did retired.
Only he hadn’t thought it would be at the ripe old age of thirty.
He stood behind the beautiful social-media-queen-of-Thunder, as the guys on the team called her, with his arm draped over her shoulder. Jessica had been the first person he saw the moment he stepped onto the Thunder’s field, and he remembered every detail of that encounter. She had been sitting on the player’s bench, computer on her lap, phone in one hand. She’d had just finished interviewing a couple of the new players, but he hadn’t known that at the time.
She’d worn a pair of white slacks and dark tank top, much like the one she had on tonight. Actually, she always wore the damn things, which caused a slight tightness in his groin.
He had leaned against the railing separating the stands from the players and continued to admire the blonde-haired beauty. At first, he thought she might be one of the cheerleaders, so when she approached him with her sexy smile and sweet-almond eyes, he’d acted like an asshole, not letting her explain who she was or what she did for the team.
He’d always been a standoffish man, keeping his work and private life separate for many reasons. But the day his ex-girlfriend called, telling him she was in kidney failure and would most likely not live and that she needed him to take care of his one-year-old daughter, Nolan’s life changed in another unexpected way. Heather had been the real reason he’d retired and became the offensive coordinator for the Miami Thunder.
He leaned in, trying not to inhale too sharply the coconut sent coming from Jessica’s hair that he wanted to tangle his fingers in. “So, where’s this jerk?” If it had been any other woman who’d kissed him like that, he’d push her aside, say something direct and to the point, but not too rude. He’d spent half his career trying to stay out of the limelight when it came to the press. At first it had been because he truly hated being the center of attention. But as he got older, he hated what the press could do to a person.
“Sitting to your right in the far corner table with a petite brunette with her tongue thrust down his throat,” Jessica said.
The sharp tone of resentment pained him. Not so much because she was angry, but that it seemed she was still hung up on the man.
“You mean like we were doing a few minutes ago?”
She snapped her head in his direction, narrowing her eyes. “I might have started it, but you did the shoving, remember?”
He laughed, waving at the bartender and ordering a round of drinks. “After someone licked my lips.” He kissed her check, telling himself he did it for the benefit of her ex, but in reality, he wanted to see what her response would be.
She rewarded him with a smile.
“Thanks for the drink,” Lilliana said.
“My pleasure.” He glanced over his shoulder, catching the couple she’d described. Her ex turned his head the moment he’d made eye contact.
Coward.
“Those are some big ass tits.”
Jessica nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. “You’re not supposed to be staring at her, besides, she’s pregnant, so a little help from mother-nature.”
He glided his fingers under her hair, tickling the back of her neck. He understood her bitter tone. “You’re much prettier than she is.”
“Thanks, I appreciate the compliment.” Jessica looked up at him with those sexy, gold-brown-eyes and long lashes.
He continued to keep one hand on her neck and shoulders, constantly gliding them over her smooth, silky skin. She’d been making him uncomfortable for weeks now, but standing next to her, touching her, he felt totally at ease.
Only his dick wanted to stand at attention.
“Oh shit, no,” Jessica said, holding her phone up. “Brad wants to know if he should snap a picture of us so I can post it on the team account.”
“You wouldn’t dare? Would you?” Nolan asked. In all his career, he’d done his very best to keep the women he dated out of the spotlight, even the fake ones.
Now that he had Heather, it was even more important. He couldn’t let the media make a circus out of his life…or his daughter’s.
“Never say those words to her,” Lilliana said holding up her drink. “Unless you want her to, because a dare is how she landed in a lip lock with you.”
Jessica pursed her lips, shaking her head. “I’m not going to post a picture, and he’s a good friend, so I’ll shoot him a text back about what’s going on.” She looked up at Nolan and smiled. “Don’t worry. Everything that happens here tonight, stays here.”
“Thanks.” He swallowed, reminding himself he’d come here to see her, hang with the team, and stop being so distant with everyone, as his new boss recommended.
“But I hadn’t thought this through. Hell, it didn’t even register with me that I was kissing you.”
Ouch.
He arched a brow. “Exactly who did you think you were jumping then?” This should be good, he thought.
“A guy with sexy feet, in pink shorts, with green eyes. But I recognized them, so I knew it was you, but not until after the kiss started.”
“Sexy feet, huh?” He set his beer on the bar, turning the stool to face him, reminding himself that he could have a night out and that didn’t make him a bad son or a bad father. Kissing a woman wouldn’t be the end of his world, as long as it was kept private.
He ignored the tickle in his brain that told him he was standing in a public place.
“Now this time, know it’s me before we kiss.” Resting his hands on her bare thighs, just below her shorts, he pushed his broad body between her legs. He smiled as she locked gazes with him. Her eye lids fluttered when he cupped the back of her neck, threading his fingers in her hair, tilting her head slightly, parting her luscious lips.
She let out a soft moan when his mouth connected with hers like two ends of a magnet. Her tongue greeted his with a swirl, sending electricity from his head to his toes. Her firm thighs flexed as he teased the skin just under the hem of her black shorts.
It had been two years since his mouth had been anywhere near a woman and his body reacted to her touch with a powerful hunger he’d thought he’d lost.
“Get a room, coach,” a male voice shouted from somewhere in the back.
He jerked his head back, but the rest of his body remained pressed against hers.
“That was the third string quarterback, wasn’t it?” he whispered, forcing his breath to remain even. His mind told him to back away from the woman. His body said something entirely different.
Currently his body won the tug of war.
“Actually, it was the rookie field goal kicker, not that it makes a difference.” She kept her stare with his, which didn’t help the pounding of his heart, nor the thought of scooping her up and carrying her out the door to his car where he doubted he’d be able to control himself.
“Robert and his wife are heading this way,” Lilliana said.
“Wife?” Nolan sucked in a breath, remembering his only role was to make another man jealous. The moment he walked out of this bar, his fake relationship would be over, which shouldn’t matter.
But it did.
Worse, he’d come here tonight because he’d over heard her saying she’d be here and he wanted a chance to talk to her in a different setting.
Nolan eyed Jessica’s ex, making sure he conveyed a strong message to the weasel. The woman he’d married was probably nice enough, but still, don’t cheat, assuming he’d married the woman he’d cheated on Jessica with.
Robert stole a glance over his shoulder as he ushered his wife out the front door. For good measure, Nolan kissed Jessica’s temple, while keeping eye-contact with the asshole.
“Hey good looking. Can I buy you a drink?” A man asked as he leaned in next to Lilliana.
“Sure,” she said.
Nolan wanted to thank the man for distracting Lilliana so he could focus on Jessica, who had turned her head with questioning eyes.
“You okay?” He knew he should swivel the bar stool, removing himself from between her legs, but he couldn’t any more than he could stop caressing her thigh.
“I’m just glad they left. Thanks for being a sport about this. I put you in an awkward position with the team, just because I don’t want some asshole who doesn’t deserve me to think I’ve been sitting around pining over him.”
“Have you?” He carefully studied her facial expressions, hoping he’d be able to read how she really felt about her ex, but she just blinked.
“I’m still angry at what he did to me.”
He arched a brow. “What exactly was that?”
“That, my friend, is a loaded question.”
Normally, he wasn’t the kind to pry. He valued his privacy and respect others. “I’m all ears.”
She shook her head letting out a long sigh and looked everywhere but at him. “I didn’t know he was married.”
“What the fuck?” He stepped back, staring at her. “Does his wife know about you?”
She eased back on the stool, swiveling toward the bar, shame written all over her face. “I have no idea what she knows or doesn’t know.”
His phone buzzed. He pulled it from his back pocket and read a text from his dad.
Call me as soon as you can.
“I’m sorry, I’ve got to take this.” He gave Jessica a quick kiss on the lips before racing outside, pressing the contact information for his father.
It rang once.
“Nolan,” his father’s voice boomed from the cell phone speaker.
“What’s wrong, Dad? Is Heather okay.”
“I think she’s handling this better than I am.” His father made a sniffling sound. “It’s mom, she’s not doing well and is asking for you.”
When Nolan had retired two seasons ago, he knew he wanted to coach, and spent a year learning from some of the best. When it came time to send out resumes, he’d been looking more up north, until his father had called with the bad news.
Stage four ovarian cancer.
“I’ll be there in less than thirty minutes.”