My eyes start to open when I hear an awful buzzing noise. I glance down, and using the stream of light coming from the bathroom, see a blanket of dark hair sprawled across my chest. My body is wrung the fuck out, leaving me confused about my surroundings—that is, until I hear her sexy as fuck voice moan, “Is it really five thirty already?”

“Why in the hell do you have to be up this early?” Without even thinking about what I’m doing, my hand glides up and down her back, caressing her soft skin.

Her breathing starts to even out, almost like she’s fallen back asleep.

I can’t figure out what it is about this woman. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve sunk inside her, and after each time, my desire to have her again heightens.

“I need to get up.” Her tone almost sounds mournful, and I’d like to think it’s because, like me, she’s not ready for our night to officially end. “Thank God Caleb’s in court today, or he’d never let me live this down.”

Her comment causes me to frown. “If you don’t want him to know, then don’t tell him.”

Lacey pushes up and off the bed, gifting me the view of her gorgeous body. “If I showed up with an overnight bag at work, he’d bug me until I told him.”

“Then run by your apartment first.” I don’t necessarily like that she wants to pretend last night didn’t happen. But at the same time, I didn’t stop to consider how it would look to her coworkers if she showed up with an overnight bag where she works.

“I don’t have time. It normally takes me twenty minutes on the subway from my own stop. I’m looking at probably thirty from here.”

“You take the subway to work every day? Why not a cab?”

“Jake you’ve seen my apartment. Does it look like I have the money to blow on daily cab fees?”

“I don’t know, I guess not.”

She grabs her bag and walks into the bathroom. Seconds later, I hear the shower turn on. I know she doesn’t have much time before she has to leave. In normal circumstances, I would’ve been long gone before morning arrived, but right now, even with a very sated dick, I don’t want her to leave without having her one last time.

I grab a condom off the bedside table and step into the bathroom. The shower door is clear glass, allowing me the chance to watch her. Her head is tilted back as the steamy water runs down her hair and between her shoulder blades.

My dick goes hard within seconds, something I wasn’t sure would happen after last night.

Lacey jumps when I open the shower door. “What are you doing?”

Instead of answering, I hold up the condom.

Her eyes sparkle with humor. “I’m sure I’ll regret saying this, but I’m impressed.”

“It seems like my dick enjoys impressing you.”

I open the wrapper and quickly roll the condom on. I know she doesn’t have long, so I wrap my arms around her waist and lift her up before sinking into her.

Her head tilts back against the shower wall as I thrust in and out. My body and mind are completely in this moment. Never in my life have I wanted a woman with the same desire Lacey pulls from me.

“Yes, Jake. Harder.”

“Say my name again,” I plead as I continue to feast on her body. “Say it. Say my name.”

Lacey digs her heels into my ass as she arches her back off the wall, but when she says my name, I feel her pussy tighten on my dick.

“Jake. Jake. Oh, God, Jake.” Her breasts swell as her breathing escalates until finally, she rides out her release.

My hips start moving in a frenzy, needing to fall over the edge with her, and moments later, with my eyes locked with hers, the sound of my own climax thunders through the room.

I slip out of her core and slowly lower her back down. A surge of pride forms when I see a look of satisfaction on her face.

“Now I really need to hurry.” Her voice sounded serious, but she gives me a soft smile.

“I’d tell you I’m sorry, but it would be a lie.”

“No, it’s fine. That was fine.”

“I think it was a little more than fine myself. If you weren’t happy with the outcome, I’d be more than willing to finish off the rest of those condoms until you’re willing to agree I’m the best you’ve ever had.”

Her lips press into a firm line as she cocks one eyebrow.

“Hey, it was only a suggestion.” I laugh, but she just shakes her head and goes back to showering. Since I’m already wet and in the water, we end up taking turns washing up. By the time she turns off the spray, my dick is already springing to life again.

“Oh, no you don’t. I really have to go, or I’ll be late.”

“Let me give you money for a cab, it’s the least I can do.”

Lacey stops buttoning her shirt and turns her almost dangerous stare on me. “I’m not a whore, Jake. I don’t need or want your money.”

Holy shit. My heart starts to race. “No, that’s not what I meant. Not at all.”

In a huff, she starts tossing the clothing she wore yesterday into her bag. “I have a good job; I make decent money,” she mumbles.

“I know you do,” I say, but she doesn’t acknowledge my comment.

“I don’t need a handout. Maybe that’s what you’re used to? Women fucking you then expecting you to shell out something afterward?”

Her remark hits close to home, but instead of agreeing with her, I shake my head. “I don’t want you to be late for work. Especially because of me. That’s the only reason I offered.”

Her stormy expression softens slightly, but not by much. “I’m fine taking the subway.” She immediately goes back to packing her things, leaving me standing here feeling like a jerk.

Deep down, I know I’m an asshole, or at least I can be, but this is one moment when I didn’t intend to act like one.

Lacey breezes in and out of the bathroom until she’s finally dressed and ready to leave. She starts to walk toward the door before she turns around and looks me directly in the eyes. For a brief moment, I think the last ten minutes have been long forgotten—until she opens her mouth.

“Thanks, Girard.”

Girard. Not Jake. Hearing her talk to me like my teammates do feels wrong. However, before I have the chance to reply, she steps out of the door without looking back.

I checked out of the hotel less than thirty minutes after Lacey left and went back to Chase’s empty apartment, debating my next move. Plain and simple, Lacey should be out of my system by now, but she’s not. I don’t have time in my life for a woman, especially one like Lacey Davis. I’m positive that woman would give any man a serious run for his money. A knot starts to form in the pit of my stomach when I think about her with another man. She’s not mine. What she does when we’re not together shouldn’t matter…yet it does.

I ponder the possibilities of a way to continue our arrangement—possibly long-distance fuck buddies. An agreement where she doesn’t fuck anyone else. But it dawns on me how little I’d actually see her.

That won’t work. I just need to camp out in New York until I’ve officially fucked her out of my system. Hopefully, that won’t take much longer, then I can return to San Diego for a few months. It’d be nice to spend more time with Bridgett and Mom before I have to report to training camp.

In the meantime, I’ll get a membership at that damn gym Chase likes. I need to keep my body in tip-top shape, and it looks like I’m about to have time during the day to kill.

I snap out of my thoughts when I hear my phone ring. I slide the bar open after I see my agent’s name.

“Yo, what’s up?”

“Just checking in with one of my favorite clients.”

I huff. “I better be your number one client.” I know without seeing him that he just rolled his eyes.

“Of course, Girard,” he says soothingly. “Look, I wanted to talk to you about this contract. Steel isn’t liking the numbers we’re giving him.”

“What the hell?” Frank Steel, the Cardinals owner, isn’t one for big contracts. I’ve gone with the flow since I was traded to his team, but I’m done. I need to look out for myself. “I caught over eighty passes for well over a thousand yards with ten touchdowns, and that was during an overall shitty season. I’m their fucking go-to man.”

Harvey defensively answers. “I know this, Girard, but Steel is worried if he pays you what we’re asking, he’ll be forced to keep Kruse, and from what I’ve heard, he’s been shopping around.”

“Kyle Kruse is a decent fucking QB. He had big shoes to fill when Adams went down, but he’s coming into his own.”

“Again, you’re not telling me anything I don’t already know. I’m just letting you know where Steel’s head is at.”

“Harvey, I pay you a shit ton of money. I want to finish my career in Arizona, and I’m not settling for another crappy contract. Make it happen or I’ll be the one who’s shopping around.”

I end the call and toss my phone onto the bed. If Harvey had called me yesterday when I wasn’t already pissed off at Lacey for fucking with my head and making me want her, then I probably would have been a little nicer. But as it is—even after an entire night filled with the best sex of my life—I’m in a shitty mood.