And that was…interesting.
“They’re going to love that.” But he didn’t react to her sarcasm.
He shrugged. “I’m done. I’m not going another day without you in my life, so I’m doing everything in my power to be good for you. Even if that means quitting football.”
Quitting…what? “Okay, hang on. This is not—”
“I have enough money, so I don’t need the income. I can coach. I like coaching. And that means I can live wherever you are. I can coach anywhere.”
She threw herself into his arms. “Oh, my God. Slow down.” She kissed him, this man who truly couldn’t live without her. She wasn’t crazy—this feeling that she was missing some critical part of herself. He felt it, too. “You’re not quitting. For god’s sakes, you’re the best quarterback in the league. You don’t have to give anything up to be with me. We just have to figure things out. We need time.”
“You can have all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.” He eyed her cautiously. “I just need to know that you’ll give me another chance.”
“Yeah.” She threaded her fingers through his hair. “Of course I will.” This man. To be loved like this…it was overwhelming and utterly beautiful.
“Thank Christ.” He reached for her, and he just…held her. He tucked his face into her neck and breathed her in. Heat radiated off his body, and she felt a tremor in his arms. He turned slightly and kissed her jaw, and then pressed another kiss to the corner of her mouth.
But she couldn’t take teasing. Not now.
Needing more, she met his lips in a hungry, desperate kiss. He licked inside, and that first touch of tongues gave her a delicious shiver. His fingers curled into the flesh of her ass as he held her tightly against him.
She couldn’t stop kissing him, couldn’t get close enough. It was like she had to make up for all the hours they’d been apart, to ease the heartache that had nearly crushed her.
And that was when she knew she was a liar. All her big talk—I’m fine without him, I have to focus on my career—it was all baloney. The stark emptiness of life without Cassian versus this?
Forget it.
Grant was absolutely right. She needed to fight through the hard times. Talk through their issues. They needed to fight for each other.
So far, he’d been doing all the fighting.
Still kissing her, he backed her up against the wall. His familiar scent enveloped her, his powerful arms supported her, and the sweep of his tongue set off a shower of sparks.
Relief crashed through the flimsy walls she’d erected. She’d talked herself into believing she was better off without him—convinced herself she’d be just fine with half a life.
But a life without his deep, carnal kisses, his devotion, his passion meant existing. Not living.
She had to try to make it work. Had to.
“Bedroom.” His voice was sexy growl.
On wobbly knees, she reached for his hand and led him down the cool hallway. She’d left the sliding glass door wide open in her room, and it ushered in a lemon-scented breeze. Quietly—urgently—she pulled her T-shirt over her head and peeled off her leggings.
Tension crackled between them, and he watched her with a hunger that thrilled her.
He unbuttoned his jeans, exposing tan, muscular thighs. When he lowered his boxers, he gave his thick, hard cock a squeeze. God, she wanted him in her mouth, but the pulsing between her legs demanded he fill her right now.
As soon as she kicked off her panties, he said, “Get on the bed.”
She’d never heard that voice, commanding, sure, but also gentle, tender. Desire coursed through her, and she needed to get her hands on all that warm skin and hard muscle. Laying down, she rested her head on a pillow, so alive, so aware of him, she could barely stand it.
He came at her, all coiled strength and burning intensity. He was going to take her, and she wanted it—wanted him—with a fierceness that had her practically levitating off the mattress. Hovering over her, he gazed into her eyes with a look that somehow made her feel like the most precious woman in the world—and the sexiest.
Lifting the back of a knee, he hitched it over his hip and palmed her ass. “I love you, Gigi Cavanaugh. You’re my heart, my soul, and I want to be good for you more than I want anything else.” He lined his cock up at her opening. “You ready for me?”
Too lost in him, all she could do was nod. He pitched his hips forward and thrust deep. A current of electricity lit her up, making her tremble. All she could do was hang on, her arms around his neck, legs around his waist, as he drove into her.
Again and again, harder, faster.
Yes. God.
Beads of perspiration broke out on his forehead, and he never once took his eyes off her.
This feeling crashed over her—warmth, affection…love.
I love him.
I completely and totally love Cassian Ellis.
Tell him. But right then he reached between them, found her clit, and her hips shot off the bed. The jolt of sensation careening through her body had her crying out.
God, it was so good. So much pleasure. Her head tossed on the pillow, her hips thrust and twisted to get him deeper, and she dug her fingers into his back.
“Oh, fuck.” He lost his rhythm, lost all finesse. The sounds he made—desperate, urgent, like he couldn’t take one more second, yet needed it to last forever—inflamed her.
And then…her climax hit. She exploded into a shower of sparks and dazzling light. Desire crackled and flashed, a wildfire raging out of control. Back arching, fingers fisting in her comforter, she cried out.
His strokes grew tighter, more erratic. With a grunt he slammed into her, holding himself tight against her. With quick snaps of his hips, he shouted, “Fuck, Gigi. Fuck.”
And then…he collapsed on top of her, his breath hot at her ear. Rolling off, he wrapped an arm around her waist and cuddled up close.
Heart still pounding, she caressed his arm. “I’m so glad you came for me.”
“I will always come for you.”
“Grant told me to keep fighting. He said, if you love someone, you work through the tough times.”
“He’s a smart man.”
Tell him.
She hesitated, because there was this small but vibrant piece of her that still wasn’t sure.
He said he’d quit football to be with me. And he separated himself from Amie, for God’s sake.
“So, what happened with Amie? You didn’t find out she’s behind the photographs, did you?”
“Hell, no. I’d have fired her if I had. We still don’t know who it is.”
“Then why move her into a condo? Don’t you need her on-site?”
“What I need is to take control of my life. If I want to stay out of the tabloids, I have to stop feeding them. If I want you, I have to make changes. I don’t give a shit about the trips or the parties.”
Something didn’t feel right, but Grant’s voice in her head made her push past the doubt. They had issues to work on, but it was worth it. He was worth it, because…she loved him.
Say it. She knew she was holding back because she was afraid, if she said it now, tomorrow there’d be a new picture in the press of him with Amie.
She was afraid of being a fool.