“Did you love her?”
“No. I know that now. I hoped she was someone I could love, eventually. Maybe I hoped I could change her, too.” His grin was a little sad. “Ironic, I guess.
“Then came Barnett’s granddaughter, and tight on the heels of that dumpster fire, the fantasy suite hit the news.”
Drawing circles on his torso, I stayed patient and quiet.
“I was in that hotel room maybe twenty minutes, Lil. Had one beer.” Leaning up, he locked eyes with me. “I wasn’t there when they trashed that suite, and I sure as hell didn’t touch any of those women.”
“Brody, I believe you.”
He pinched his nose with his free hand. “Nobody else does. The woman who snuck the phone in was good with Photoshop, I’ll give her that.” I could feel the way his muscles tensed, the angry edge to his voice. “She superimposed my face on O’Sullivan’s body—O’Sullivan, who happened to be sharing a woman with another player—simply because I was one of the highest paid players in there.”
As a backup linebacker, O’Sullivan had a similar build to Brody, but he was deep on the team’s roster and didn’t make as much. It made me angry for him. “And now a harassment suit.”
“Yep. She’s saying Sherman invited her and insinuated the organization wouldn’t want her to let the team down. I didn’t see her and there were only a dozen people there while I was, but that doesn’t mean anything. I think maybe she got there after I left. Erica says the suit against me won’t stick—that they’re probably just covering their bases. I get it, I wouldn’t put it past Sherman. The dude is a dick and a half, and I hate that one of my teammates could’ve done this to her. She’s not the first woman to complain about Sherman, and the team is way too good at burying shit like this. Last time, it was a female sports reporter in the locker room. The asshole waited until she was on air, walked up behind her, and rubbed his naked dick on her ass. Some of these guys, hand to God, they think they can get away with anything. Like they’re invincible. Remember last season when Sherman was sporting two black eyes after the New York game?”
I nodded.
“Yeah, I broke his nose for that incident. I also told the reporter I’d give a statement if she wanted to file charges and she told me if she brought charges, she’d never get another job in sports. This fantasy suite thing... I’m tired of ending up collateral damage because of events that happened at a party after I left.”
Sitting up, I rested my chin on his chest. “I’m sorry, Brody. I hate that you’re going through this.” I paused a beat. “I’d take it all away if I could. Just you and me, the dogs, and this big-ass bed of yours.”
He chuckled, cupped my jaw as he arched up to place a kiss below my ear. “I get so tired of never knowing who I can trust. Of always being somebody’s target.”
And here I was in his bed. The person who could ruin his dream of retiring in his hometown. Yet, I don’t think I’d ever felt so right as I did in Brody’s arms.
It was an impossible situation.
One that would probably blow up in our faces.
That was his choice to make, not mine to take away. If he was willing to take the risk, I would, too.
“You gotta go home to the dogs, don’t you?” He pulled me from my thoughts.
“I left them with my neighbor.”
“Will you stay?” He rolled toward me, brushed the hair off my forehead.
I nodded, tried to push the worries away.
Right now, there was warmth to absorb and bare skin to explore. Chest hair to sift my fingers through, and those rich velvety kisses. Lush brown eyes to fall into. Fantasies of having it all.
Even if only for a short while.
“Thank you for sharing with me.”
He traced my lip with his finger, and I felt the bed shift as CC jumped up to join us, curling up next to Brody.
He whispered, “With all three dogs, we might need a bigger bed.”
I giggled. Contentment I’d never felt before settled into my bones as I drifted off to sleep.
Yet, later that night, I found myself on the balcony staring into the inky sky while I contemplated the uncertainties. I wouldn’t forgive myself if Brody’s dream got crushed because of me. Would he resent me for it? Or if push came to shove, would he choose the game? I could only pray I never had to find out.
When his arm slid around my waist, and his mouth skated over the nape of my neck, all the worries fled.
He was good at that.
Chasing away the worries for another time.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Why do I want Mexican food all of a sudden?
Lily
I checked Brody’s shoulder before I left the following morning, but I didn’t think it had been separated. His range of motion was too good. He’d decided to get a second opinion away from the team.
Honestly, I was completely exhausted. Muscles I’d forgotten I had were sore. After I pulled into my drive, I went next door to get the monsters.
“Hey, were they good dogs?” My neighbors were retirees who loved dogs but didn’t keep pets because they liked to travel. I watched their house when they were gone.
When I’d explained to Mrs. Edmonds that my pinch was a man built like a brick shithouse, she’d said it was about time.
“Always. Your babies are no trouble at all,” Mrs. Edmonds said. “There was one thing.”
“Oh?”
“Jet started whining in her kennel, which isn’t like her. Dan thought maybe she needed to go out. When he let her and Mack out back, she got really upset.”
“Whining? Like in the house?”
“No. Barking and growling. Snarling as she ran the length of the fence between our yards. Mack whined, wouldn’t go off the porch, but even he woofed a couple times.”
“Hmm. Did Dan call her back?”
“Several times, but she wouldn’t come. He had to go out and leash her to get her back inside. Animal, maybe? We heard the coyotes howling last night before we went to bed. Last week we had a bobcat out on the patio.”
I chewed on the inside of my lip. “Could be. A big animal like that in my yard might set her off. I’m sorry about y’all losing sleep. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”
Mrs. Edmonds waved me off. “Hush, girl. Dogs will be dogs on occasion. Even dogs like Jet. It wasn’t a bother, just thought it was odd enough that you should know.”
That was true. I’d never seen Jet behave like that. Not even as a pup. After I got the dogs leashed, we went home. When I opened the front door, they darted inside, whining and sniffing.