Page 47 of Closing the Distance

I never really got why the guys cared so much about their girls wearing their jerseys.

I get it now. Oh fuck, do I get it now.

My thumb slides across my lower lip as images of her wearing onlythat jersey start infiltrating my mind.

“Get your head out of the gutter,” Romel mutters, handing me a tablet.

I shoot Lexi a wink and then take a seat between Romel and Gabe on the sidelines. I look at the tablet, reviewing a couple of potential plays this team is known for but hasn’t used tonight.

“How’s it going with Lexi?” Romel asks.

“Great,” I say.

“And Tanner? Any word from him since Thanksgiving?”

I filled the guys in on Tanner’s incessant demands for me to get a paternity test early on, but even they were shocked he didn’t attend Thanksgiving.

A heavy sigh escapes. “Nope. This is the longest I’ve gone without talking to him.”

“Have you brought up the idea of a paternity test to Lexi, or at least filled her in on what’s going on with him?”

I look over at him. “How would you start that conversation without sounding like a dick? We’re finally in a good place. She’s been opening up to me more. She told me she loved me,” I admit, my chest expanding at how good it feels to say it out loud. We might’ve had a little hiccup after the anatomy scan, but since then things have been better than ever.

His eyebrows shoot up. “Seriously?”

I nod. She tells me she loves me every day, and there’s no way I want to do anything that will risk the strides we’ve made.

“I’m worried if I bring it up now, she’ll go back to shutting me out.” The idea guts me.

“Listen man, I get it. I know you don’t want to rock the boat, but I also think if you two have gotten as close as you claim, then you can explain it to her in a way she’ll understand. We all know this isn’t coming from you, but you can’t deny in our profession it’s a good idea to have those test results on hand. When the press finds out—and they will, especially once she can’t hide her bump—there will be questions. And you’re lucky she’s gone so long without showing much. Sydney was showing by eighteen weeks, and there’s no way she could’ve hidden it this long. It’ll be easier on you both if you have those results to dispel any rumors before they even start. Look at it as your insurance policy against getting hassled by the press. Because if you think Tanner is bad now, he’s nothing compared to the press vultures.”

“Fuck. You’re right.”

“I know.”

I glare at him. “Does it ever get boring being right all the time?”

He smiles wide. “Nope. Just wait until you’re a dad and can pull the ‘I told you so’ card. It feels darn good.”

I chuckle to myself. It’s always funny to me when Romel replaces a swear word with the child-friendly version. The rest of us talk like a bunch of sailors and then there’s Romel who acts like he’s auditioning for a role on The Good Place.

Another play and we’re back on the field. I spend the rest of the game playing the best I’ve played all season, and I can only attribute it to my good luck charm in the stands—the woman with dark hair, blue eyes, my name on her jersey, and my baby growing in her belly.

When the game ends in another win for the Wolves, I’m eager to get through the postgame interviews and out to my girl.

I rush through my shower, get dressed, and then I’m out the doors with a backward wave to the guys, who just laugh at me as they quickly finish so they can get out to their women too. I push through the door to find Lexi standing there with Alayna and Danae, and my breath fills my chest. Goddamn, she’s beautiful.I never want to take this feeling for granted.

She sees me, and her eyes brighten as I walk over to her with purpose in every step. I can’t even rip my gaze away from her to acknowledge the other women before I reach her, wrap my hand behind her neck, and haul her mouth to mine.

She melts against my body as her tongue dances with mine, and I relax into the kiss. This is exactly what I needed.

“Hot,” Alayna says, breaking through my daze.

I break the kiss, remembering we’re in public and Lexi still wants to keep this under wraps until she tells her principal about us. She’s on winter break right now, but when she goes back, she’s planning to tell her, especially now with her bump becoming more noticeable every day.

“Sorry,” I murmur against her lips, my forehead resting on hers.

“For what?” she whispers.

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