CHAPTER 31
Graham
“I got the job in Denver,” Lauren informed me proudly as I walked her to the door of her father’s house.
Our drive home from the restaurant had been mostly quiet except for our groaning about eating too much, and the discussion about the food that both of us had thoroughly enjoyed.
In all the confusion of seeing her again, we hadn’t actually talked about her week in DC except for some of the tourist things she’d done. I’d known she’d been hoping to get into a full-time gig in Denver with a think-tank because she was meeting up with some of the head members of the project during her week in DC.
“That’s great,” I said enthusiastically. The last thing I wanted was for her to move away. Her leaving for a position was completely unacceptable. “Are you happy?”
She stopped at the door and leaned against the brick surface of the house. “I am. I think I have a lot to offer on this project, and it’s a challenge.”
For Lauren, challenges were rare. She was too damn smart to have to work very hard to solve most intellectual problems. “When do you start?”
“I have a couple of weeks. I have to get through all the paperwork and other requirements to start.”
Her excited smile was all I needed to see. “You’ll do great.”
She sighed. “I didn’t get the job I wanted with younger people. Most of them are way older than I am.”
“Does that bother you? I know you wanted to be with some people your age.”
Hell, I’d prefer that everyone she worked with was old enough to be her grandparents, but I also wanted to see her enjoy what she was doing.
Truth was, there weren’t many people like Lauren, so surrounding herself with peers her age was pretty much impossible.
Her brows drew together, and I knew her brain was reasoning things out before she said, “Not really. It’s the position and the work that really counts, and it’s an important think-tank.”
“I know you wanted to hang with a younger crowd,” I told her. “But you’re special, Lauren. There aren’t many people as smart as you are at your age.”
“I’ve accepted that,” she said.
“How do you feel about hanging out with a bunch of dumb jocks?”
She punched me on the shoulder playfully. “You are not a dumb jock. You have a college degree.”
“All of us do,” I informed her. “Everybody starts in college. And you’re a big reason why I actually have that degree.”
I’d gotten a text at dinner from Ty. He’d set up a practice for tomorrow with some of the offensive guys.
“When?”
“Tomorrow. I know it’s short notice,” I said apologetically.
“I can do it. I did some analysis and diagrams after I watched videos of your games. I’m hoping they help.”
The fact that Lauren had worked so hard to help me made my damn heart ache. She had such a giving nature, and it still baffled me, even after all the years we’d known each other. Life hadn’t always been kind to her, yet she never stopped doing everything she could to help people. “I know they will,” I assured her. “A few other guys will be there from the offense. We’re doing some off-season practices.”
“Will I be a distraction?” she asked, her tone concerned.
I plucked the glasses from her face and opened my jacket to clean them with the softer cotton of my shirt.
“You’re always a distraction for me,” I answered as I dropped her eyewear back on her face.
She blinked behind the newly-cleaned glass lenses. “That’s not good.”
No, it probably wasn’t ideal, but I could never fucking concentrate with her around. Not anymore.
I shrugged. “I’m getting used to it. You’re too damn gorgeous to ignore.”
“Don’t be absurd,” she said as she looked away, her face flushing.
“You’re blushing,” I said with surprise.
“It’s chilly out here,” she denied.
I moved closer to her and tilted her face up. “It’s not the cold, and you’re definitely blushing.”
For some reason, it tickled the hell out of me to see her flustered.
She looked at me with a dubious expression. “That’s what happens when guys throw out false compliments.”
My temper flared just a little. It made me crazy when Lauren couldn’t see herself the way I did.
My dick was rock-hard. And every instinct I had was fucking screaming at me to bury myself inside the softness of her body. I already knew how it would feel. Nothing would ever erase the ecstasy of sinking my cock deep inside her warm, welcoming pussy.
“I’d better go,” I grumbled.
“Don’t,” she requested. “What did I do wrong? You’re upset.”
I slapped my hands on the brick beside her head, trapping her inside both my arms. “Is it so hard to believe that I want you so goddamn much that I can’t be this close to you and not want to fuck you until you start screaming my name? I have to be with you, but once I am, I’m screwed because I can’t stop thinking about how much I want to bend you over the nearest object and fuck you until we’re both satisfied.”
I heard her breath catch, and she stared up at me with confusion. “I don’t know what you really want. Is it friendship or something else?”
“Then let me make myself perfectly clear,” I grunted as I lowered my head to kiss her.
The moment my mouth landed on hers, I felt completely lost. She tasted sweet and tart, an addictive flavor that made it damn near impossible to give up.
Her arms wrapped around my neck, and I felt her body tilt into mine.
My arms snaked around her body in a possessive hold as I nipped and licked at her mouth. “Mine,” I growled. “You’ve always been mine, Lauren.”
In that moment, I knew she was never meant to be with anybody else but me. I sensed it in a way that was a little eerie, but not terrifying.
It was a come-to-Jesus experience that I should have had several years ago, but I hadn’t been willing to even contemplate the idea of Lauren and I together. Now, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. The realization didn’t come softly. It had roared over me like a Mack truck, but maybe that was what I needed. I’d been so damn stupid that I needed a slam to the head.
Before she could answer, I silenced her with another kiss, one even more powerful than the last. My hands moved down her body and cupped her luscious ass, then lifted her body until she could feel just how hard my dick was for her.
“Graham,” she said on a sigh as I released her lips. “I ache.”
“Me, too,” I said as I pulled her tightly against me, needing to feel the connection with her. “This is why I had to leave Florida. I couldn’t be with you and not want this.”
“I want it, too. But I’m scared,” she whispered into my ear.
Her words sliced through my heart. I’d done this to her. I’d made her wary because I’d been terrified myself. “I’m sorry,” I said huskily as I backed away. Having her trust me was way more important than getting laid. I needed her faith in me. It was the reason I’d kept going when everything was messed up in my life, and that steadfastness had helped me fight back against my obstacles.
“Nothing I say is ever a false compliment. Do you have that straight in your much larger than average brain?” I asked hoarsely.
“Brain size doesn’t necessarily result in higher intelligence,” she said automatically.
“You know what I mean,” I said, not giving her more time to rattle off mind boggling statistics. “Tell me that you understand that I think you’re beautiful,” I insisted.
She nodded slowly. “I understand. I don’t exactly comprehend your reasoning because I’m not what society finds aesthetically pleasing for the most part. I guess you’re an exception.”
I leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. God, she was so damn cute when she was flustered. If I’d screwed up her logic, then it was a win, even though I thought she needed to see herself like I did.
“Tomorrow?” I asked.
“Text me the place and time, and I’ll be there,” she agreed.
“What about Friday?” If she was in an agreeable mood, I’d get whatever I could. When she started thinking, I knew I was in trouble.
“Okay,” she said, her voice uncharacteristically docile.
I nodded toward the door. “Go while I’m still feeling noble.”
She scurried to the door and opened it, then slipped inside.
I waited until I saw the light go on upstairs before I took my ass back to the car and headed for home.