Page 52 of Game Day

My legs tangle with hers, the sheets twisted around us both. My feet extend past the end of the mattress.

She stretches her hands overhead, yawning. The yawn’s replaced with a wince as she shifts onto her side.

“Sore?” I ask.

“A little.”

The things I did to make her that way flash through my mind, a sexy slideshow. "I'll be thinking of that on my next road trip."

Her smile fades a little. "I'm excited that you guys have a chance to defend your season. But I'm also sad I won't see you as much."

"Me too." I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. “Tell you what—after this wedding, let’s get out of town for a few days. We’ll have a real honeymoon down the road, but for now, we’ll get away just the two of us.”

She sucks in a breath. “Paris?”

“Fuck, yeah.”

It’ll be tough to negotiate with the coaching staff, but I’ll make it happen. Nova’s too close, too naked, too in love with me for me to settle for anything else.

“This whole week has been a bit crazier than I expected,” my fiancée admits.

My abs flex. My girl can spot the rainbow in every thunderstorm, and the possibility that she’s been hiding the rougher side of things has me instantly on guard.

“You regret deciding to get married here?”

She lifts a bare shoulder. “Brooke and Mari have been great, but also a lot. And I’m still figuring your mom out. I guess I play things direct, and I have to think about what I say before I say it.”

The idea of Nova feeling self-conscious or trying to change herself sets my teeth on edge.

“You’re my fiancée and you’re perfect exactly how you are.”

She winces. “Even if I might have let it slip at my dress fitting yesterday that we were thinking of eloping? And made your mom leave?”

Shit. I hate the thought of her having to deal with that alone.

“Even then. But I’m pretty sure you can’t ‘make’ my mom do anything.” I brush my mouth over hers. “I wish you had told me sooner.”

“I’m sorry?—”

“Not because of my mom. Because I would have been there to have your back.”

Nova’s smile lights up the entire room. “I love you.”

“Not as much as I love you.” She starts to argue, but I’m already shaking my head. “I’m twice your size, so it’s physically impossible.”

Her blue eyes dance. The curve of her lips drags my attention down…

“You said you were sore," I murmur. "How sore?"

Those pretty eyes darken as I trace a hand down her side towards her hip.

A pounding on the door makes the entire cabin vibrate. "Clay! You're gonna want to see this."

It's Miles.

So much for time alone.

I shift out of bed and tug on shorts before opening the door. When I pull it wide, they're standing outside in…