Page 50 of The Player

“Ju-Ju, I’ll be right there.” He winks at me. When it’s just us, he is this beautiful soul that calls to me. One of his friends sees me and waves. I can’t remember if that’s Calvin or Cole. I’m not sure it matters. No one holds my attention like Aaron.

He comes running to me and jumps the guardrail of the bleachers, pulling me into a hug. “Are you coming to the game tonight?”

My heart is beating a thousand beats per second. I feel lightheaded and carefree. “You know I am. It’s a home game.”

Blushing as he pushes a stray hair out of my face, I look up at him. “Aaron, will you…”

The question dies on my lips as he quickly pulls away from me and turns around. The cheerleaders are coming onto the field, and Aaron looks a bit panicked. I slink back from him, knowing I can’t ask him to go out with me. To be seen in public without his sister with us.

* * *

Kaylee called and told me that she picked up Lennox and that if I needed her to keep him for the night, she would. I told her no. That Aaron and I needed to talk to him. The conversation ends, and I pull into the parking lot, letting the memory fade. The cheerleading squad is out on the field, and the players are returning to the locker room. It’s like I’m sixteen again, and I’m afraid to move.

Until that is, I see Aaron jogging toward the parking lot.

Jogging!

I get out of the SUV, and Aaron doesn’t stop until he is standing in front of me. He isn’t looking at anyone but me, and my world zones into him. He sweeps me off my feet, and I giggle.

“You…you are…” He doesn’t say anything, instead cutting me off with a searing kiss. I whimper with need as I wrap my arms and legs around him.

“I did exactly as you said. Don’t think about the injury and focus on healing. I was running with them.”

He sounds so excited that I don’t have the heart to tell him that, probably in the morning, he’s going to be in pain. That he has to take small steps. Instead, I kiss him again and let the happiness sweep us up.

“We have to celebrate,” Aaron mumbles against my lips. I laugh and unwrap myself from him.

“I agree. Lennox is going to be thrilled to know you can run around and chase him. Let’s go home, A-bear.”

“Yes, I want to get a shower, then I want to take you and Lennox out.” He settles into the passenger seat as I buckle my seatbelt.

My insecurities are rearing their ugly heads. “You want to be seen in public with me?”

Aaron’s head turns so fast that I think he might break his neck. “What the hell does that mean, Sugar Plum?”

I look away and pull out onto the street. “Um… I…”

“Julie, I was an asshole back then. It’s been years, and I know I haven’t changed much, but we agreed that we are together.”

My pulse races and hope blooms within me. Alright, he’s trying. I can see it. He’s looking at me so sternly. Damn, I wonder what it would be like… No, no. We aren’t going to think about sexual kinks right now. I chastise myself and nod.

“You’re right. I’m sorry,” I whisper, and Aaron runs his hand along my cheek as I pull up to a red light.

“I’m going to marry you one day, so everyone better get in line with me being with you, or they can fuck off.”

I chuckle. He’s always so dang dramatic. “Yeah, okay!” Smiling at him, I think about us getting married. It’s something to think about in the future. Right now, I want to bask in the fact that he’s willing to be with me publicly. It’s a small step in the right direction, for sure.

Aaron holds my hand as we continue our drive. “While you were at practice, that reporter came back. She keeps hounding your brother. I had trespassing charges brought upon her, so she can’t come to the clinic anymore.”

“Yeah, they are barking up the wrong tree. Bryson doesn’t have a wife, nor is she a dead one. Hell, I don’t think he’s ever dated. He told me that a friend of his squad had a wife and that when he was dying, he begged Bryson to be the one to tell her.”

“Wow, that’s a lot of responsibility.” Aaron is nodding his head, but his body is tense. “What happened?”

“Bryson did it. He went to the woman’s house as soon as he got out of the first round of surgeries.” He goes quiet, and I realize he’s swallowing. Shoot, what could be that bad? “The problem was, someone had broken into the house, and the woman and her two children were dead.”

“Oh, how horrible.” Gasping, I can only imagine how terrible it had to be for Bryson to find his friend’s family dead.

“The worst part is it brought on a flashback and caused Bryson to have a panic attack. He went a bit ballistic and tried to hurt someone. That’s why he was sent to rehab in Washington, D.C.”

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