Mitch hadn’t had so much fun in a long time. Dinner had been spectacular. He’d definitely use that caterer again. Deacon had managed to behave himself, mostly. It helped that Nora was as big a competitor as the rest of them, Simon included. Becca, the poor woman, had lost the game without question or care. Simon must have gotten his need to win from his dad.

But that smile and his sincere kindness was all Becca. Hell, the kid was fun to be around. Mitch didn’t have to pretend or force himself to like the boy. Simon had a wry sense of humor he appreciated. The boy really did remind him of himself at that age.

Simon had already jumped in the pool, spraying his aunt, who shrieked. Deacon hadn’t blinked in minutes, too busy greedily staring at Nora’s fine figure.

And Becca…

“Where’s your mom?” Mitch asked Simon once the boy had come back up for air.

“Behind you, looking at your butt.” Simon thought himself hilarious and laughed until Nora splashed him with a cannonball, not to be outdone by Deacon, who joined them in the pool.

When Mitch turned, he saw Becca staring at him. And he stared right back.

She wore a one-piece swimsuit. Nothing risqué about it, yet he’d never seen anything sexier. That she stared right back at him didn’t help matters. His body, predictably, responded. And his swim trunks didn’t hide much.

Fuck.

With his back to the others, at least Becca would be the only one aware of his condition.

He could either jump into the pool before the others noticed, or—

“Mitch, can you show me where the bathroom is again?” She wouldn’t look below his chest, which seemed to have fascinated her.

Mitch liked to think he was remarkable, but beyond some muscles and height, he had an average enough body honed from working out. Some chest hair, not too much, but he was a guy and didn’t believe in shaving to look model-buff.

He nodded to the area back from which she’d come. “I’ll show you.”

Behind them, he heard Simon shriek, Deacon laugh, and Nora say something mean. They’d keep while he helped Becca.

Consigning his dick to hell and wishing he had more control over himself, he geared up to apologize when Becca grabbed him by the hand and started hurrying.

“What’s wrong?”

“Where’s your bedroom?” They hadn’t seen that on the tour; he’d just pointed to it.

“Down there.”

“Do you have condoms?”

He stumbled after her, but recognizing where this might be going—praying, hoping, promising his soul to whomever might overhear—he hurried with her.

They entered his bedroom, and he moved to his nightstand. Grabbing a condom, he showed her. “This what you wanted?”

“Put it on.”

He could only gape as she closed and locked the door behind her, then stripped down to nothing.

His voice cracked. “Becca?”

“We don’t have a lot of time.”

She had the most beautiful breasts he’d ever seen. Full, with rosy-colored areolas, the nipples like ripe berries. Her belly was trim and softly rounded, her legs long and toned. He wanted to kiss her all over. To drape her legs over his shoulders and feast for days.

“Mitch, are we doing to do this or not?” She didn’t look at all embarrassed as she stood nude, waiting for him.

“Sorry.” He cleared his throat and dropped his trunks, displaying a huge hard-on. “I wasn’t expecting this.”

“I wasn’t either.” She stared wide-eyed at his cock. “You’re…big.”

They didn’t talk anymore. He rolled the rubber on, and she moved to lie on the bed. There was no finessing, no seducing. He’d never been more aroused, and she opened for him without having to be asked.

In the middle of his bed, he nudged her thighs wider. Becca yanked him down for a kiss that devoured his control, and he shoved himself inside her without checking if she’d been ready.

Such a dick move…except he slid through until he was balls-deep. She locked her ankles around him and nipped his earlobe. “More.”

And he let go. He pounded into her, fucking with an animalistic need to come. She met him thrust for thrust. Despite his desire, he had no intention of coming without her. He reached between them and rubbed her clit. In seconds she went off with a breathy cry that pulled him with her.

He shoved one final time and exploded into the condom, unable to stop pumping as she milked him of every damn thought in his head.

After a moment, he came back to Earth to feel her sliding soft hands over his shoulders, his chest, his neck.

She turned his face to hers and kissed him.

He kissed her back, wanting to fuck her all over again. Talk about addicting.

Until she whispered, “We should get back.”

That he’d forgotten he’d left the others in the pool, that her son and cousin and his own brother awaited them, should have shocked the hell out of him. Instead he wondered how to get her alone again and repeat the experience.

“Um, yeah.” He slowly withdrew from her, already missing her warmth. “Becca, I…”

He didn’t know what to say to make this less awkward.

Except this new Becca didn’t seem to have a problem with any of it. She smiled at him. “Thanks. That was amazing.”

“It was,” he croaked, naked, his dick semi-erect and still gloved in the rubber. He watched her disappear into his bathroom, then return a moment later, dressed in her suit.

She reached for the door. “I’ll tell them you had to get the phone.”

He nodded. She left, and he lay on the bed and stared down at himself, wondering if he’d dreamed the whole thing. But no, he had a spent condom and the scent of Becca Bragg to keep him warm.

Good Christ. He’d just been fucked by a beautiful, mouthy, single mother—Becca Bragg. The implications were staggering. Things could grow awkward between him and Becca. His brother might suffer the consequences if word got out. Mitch had screwed one of the player’s moms. Hell, he might have unintentionally harmed Simon by this dumb move.

But Mitch kept coming back to one question—when could they do it again?

 

******

 

Becca spent the next two days in a kind of fog. She’d pretended nothing had happened, and she must have done a great job of it because neither Simon nor Nora had given her any grief over the evening. In fact, they’d both exclaimed what a good time they’d had and wanted to do it again sometime.

Simon seemed half in love with Mitch. Nora actually appreciated Becca introducing her to Deacon, despite not exactly connecting with the man as anything other than a friend. She’d said something about steering clear of a man with trust issues. And Mitch, for all that he’d been buried inside her for a few glorious minutes, acted as if he’d never seen her naked.

Which should have bothered her, except he’d acted exactly as she’d wanted, hadn’t he?

By Wednesday evening, she’d worked herself into a knot of annoyance. She couldn’t stop obsessing over the blasted man, and he, obviously, hadn’t given her a passing thought.

She knew she’d surprised Mitch by getting naked in his bedroom. His shock might have been funny if she hadn’t been in the grip of extreme desire. And holy cow, he’d rocked her world. A serious end to her sexual dry spell. Had he not looked so spectacular in nothing but a pair of swim trunks, she might not have been so brazen. But when he’d stared at her and grown aroused?

She hadn’t thought. She’d acted. And wowza, had she been richly rewarded.

They hadn’t seen each since Saturday night. It was going on four days, now. He hadn’t texted or called or mentioned her to Simon either. She’s subtly asked her son, and Mitch had been nothing but Simon’s enthusiastic football coach.

Apparently one time had been all Mitch wanted.

The bastard.

And yet…she hadn’t exactly reached out to him either. Maybe he thought she’d just used him for sex? Which she had…kind of. That bone-deep hunger had been assuaged for a bit. Unfortunately, now Becca thought about Mitch all the time. And not just about that glorious body. She wondered if he’d been tending to his roses. If he wandered about, lonely, in his monstrosity of a house. If he had any other women over to test out that firm mattress.

That bothered her, the thought of him and other women. It shouldn’t. She hadn’t done more than thank him for an orgasm. But still. She didn’t like the thought of him with anyone else. As if any other woman should be responsible for that cute dimple that appeared on his left cheek sometimes…

“Hey, Becca, you busy?”

She yelped and jumped three feet in the air.

Her assistant, Ruth, laughed. “That’s a no, then. I just wanted to let you know I’m leaving. Oh, and two messages for you. Simon is staying over at Landon’s tonight. They’re going to study for a test, and it’s a hard one.”

Since Landon and Simon had often studied together and achieved high marks, she had no problem with that. “Thanks. The other message?”

“You have a visitor.” Ruth lowered her voice. “And he’s hot.”

Becca knew without question who awaited her. She did her best to show no reaction except mild curiosity. “Okay. Send him back, would you?”

“Sure. And I’ll lock up as I leave.” Ruth winked at her.

Becca crossed her eyes at the young woman, who hooted with laughter as she left. But the man who entered the kitchen was not the one Becca expected.

“Deacon?”

Mitch’s brother took a whiff and sighed. “Oh man. Mitch was right. It smells so dang good in here.”

She smiled and handed him a broken cookie.

He ate it in two bites. “I don’t suppose you have any more you crushed? I’m happy to eat crumbs.”

“Ah, no, sorry. But you can have a few whole ones.”

“How much?” He reached for his wallet.

“Free. For not strangling Simon all season.”

“That’ll cost you at least three dozen then,” he said drily.

She laughed and handed him a cookie. “Not that it’s not nice to see you, but why are you here?”

“It’s my brother.” Deacon finished the cookie and sighed. “Amazing.” Then he frowned. “But, it’s… Hell, Becca. This is awkward.”

She had a bad feeling he knew what she and Mitch had been up to. Had Mitch blabbed? Heat emblazoned her cheeks.

“I’m worried about Mitch. He won’t talk to me.”

“Wait. Worried?”

“He’s been acting strange lately. He won’t talk to me. Won’t open up. And I think he’s depressed.”

“Mitch? Depressed?”

“I know it doesn’t seem like it, but Mitch is kind of at a crossroads.” He seemed intent on studying her as he spoke. “His life in the NFL is over. He never wanted to be big and famous. He’s just good at football. But now he doesn’t know what to do with himself. You’re the only other person in town he’d call a friend. Sounds like I’m making that up, but I’m not.” Deacon ran a hand through his hair. He looked tired.

“What did he say that has you so worried?”

“That’s just it. He won’t talk to me. He looks dejected when no one’s around. And he missed practice yesterday and today.”

“He did?” Hadn’t Simon mentioned Mitch the other day? Perhaps she’d misunderstood.

“Yeah. Look, I know it’s an imposition. But would you mind talking to him in person? He’ll ignore his cell, or I’d ask you to text him. I know this isn’t your business, but he’s a good guy. I want him to be okay.”

“I don’t know what I can do.” She worried for the man.

“Maybe nothing. Maybe he’s fine and it’s my overactive imagination. But I’d feel better if someone else who knows him gave me their opinion. I can watch Simon for you if you’re weird about leaving him alone.”

“No, he’s going to sleep over at a friend’s house tonight.”

Deacon nodded. “I hate to impose, but it would mean a lot. Mitch and I don’t trust too easily. Price of fame, unfortunately.”

She understood. How difficult it must be to share yourself with others who often had an agenda. “You’re not worried I’m out to use your brother?”

“No.” He smiled. “After meeting Nora, it’s clear. Anyone who can handle that she-shark—her words, not mine—has to be a genuinely nice person. And then there’s Simon.”

“What about my son?”

“Not a thing. That kid says what’s on his mind. I like his honesty, and he says he gets it from you.” He chuckled. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your help. Mitch is home right now. He texted me a few minutes ago about a play we’re working on, but he won’t respond to anything personal. That’s not like him.” Deacon frowned. “I mean, Becca, he’s not even helping us with the coaches’ meetings this week.”

She hoped she hadn’t done something to hurt him. What if she was the reason Mitch hadn’t been himself? Did he feel dejected because she’d slept with him then hadn’t called? “I’ll head right over.”

Deacon looked relieved. “Thank you. I owe you.”

“Remember that the next time my son mouths off.”

 

 

Once Becca locked up the shop, Deacon walked her out to her car. After she’d driven away, he grabbed his cell phone and dialed. “She’s headed out. You owe me. Don’t forget.”

“If you think about it, I’m actually doing you a huge favor. She’s awesome.”

“Yeah, well, so is he. Anything happens to him because of her, you’ll be doing sprints from here until next year.”

Nora laughed. “Good luck with that, Coach. He’s got the hots for her. You know it. I know it. And she’s hot for him. Now if they don’t screw it up by being idiots, we might just have solved this particular puzzle.”

“Puzzle?” Man, he hated that he found her laugh sexy. As sexy as those smokin’ curves he’d been helpless to stop staring at the other night. Nora in a bathing suit should be illegal. He’d been forced to stay in the water for most of the evening so as not to show much he appreciated that suit.

“Puzzle. Of how Simon could see what’s right in front of all of us, but it took me a while to catch up.” She disconnected without saying goodbye.

Deacon called the boy.

“Hello?”

“It’s done. Kid, you’d better pass that physics test with flying colors. Or make no mistake, I’ll bench your ass until you’re a senior.”

Simon laughed. “Sure thing, Coach.”

“And make sure Nora knows she owes me. Big. I plan to collect at some point.”

Simon snorted. “Good luck with that.” Like his aunt, he disconnected without saying good-bye.

Deacon shook his head. Why was it “good luck with that” seemed to be a Bragg family catch-phrase?