Page 79 of The Love You Win

Isla’s long ponytail bounces when she shakes her head. “No, but I’m excited. You’ll have to give me all the tips about what I should wear.”

“Well, you’ll definitely need to wear my number,” I say before my sister can respond. And hell, my brain fills with images of Isla in my jersey. And nothing else. I need to get her one the next time we practice because now all I’m going to think about is bending Isla over my couch, my name on her back, her sweet little ass in the air, pussy wet and ready for me. There’s something primal about fucking your girl while she wears your jersey.

“I think my brother’s cave man brain just shorted out,” I hear Mira say to Isla. Shaking my head to clear it, I give my girl a smirk.

“Sorry. Just thinking about how you’ll look in Rogues yellow and gray.”

Isla chuckles, resting her head on my bicep. “You know I’ll wear your jersey.”

“Gah. You two are way too adorable,” my sister says. “Mom is going to flip out when I tell her about this.”

“Mira,” I warn. My mom will have my hide if I don’t tell her about Isla myself. “Let me tell her, okay? Jesus.”

My sister smirks. “Fine, fine. Anyway. I was planning to get in two days before your first home game and maybe stay a week?”

“A week? What about that guy you’re seeing? You guys just recently moved in together, right? Will he be able to live without you for that long?”

Mira’s smile falters again, but it’s just as brief as the first time. Her lips pull back in a wide smile that doesn’t quite meet her eyes. “Nah. He’ll be out of town on business. He won’t even miss me.”

“Doubt that.” This is the first time Mira’s lived with a boyfriend. My sister is incredibly driven and determined to make our mom proud. But she’s also picked up more than a little of our mom’s hopeless romantic gene, and she’ll never settle for less than what she believes is true love. She wants a soulmate. Someone who sees her for who she is and loves her unconditionally. That she moved in with Jared tells me she thinks she’s found that. Until I met Isla, I would have said all of it’s bullshit, but now I’m not so sure. “When do I get to meet him?”

Mira shrugs. Her eyes dart to the side and away from my face. “Oh, uh, I’m not sure. Sometime when you can bring your girlfriend.”

Isla’s face lights up. “Oh! That would be so fun. I’ve never been to Chicago.”

My sister’s smile is tight. “It’s a great city. Well, I’ll let you guys go. I don’t want to interrupt whatever you’re all doing. Maddox, I’ll chat with you later so we can hammer out the details for my visit. It was so great to meet you, Isla. Love you, Maddy.”

“Love you, Mir.” I hang up the call, a niggling sense of worry worming its way into my belly. Something’s up with my sister.

“She seems sweet,” Isla says, looking up at me.

“She is,” I reply. “Just don’t feel pressured to come to Chicago because she made it sound like you have to.” I smile down at my girl, but her own dims at my words.

Looking down, Isla wraps her arms around herself. “Oh, yeah. No, of course. I definitely don’t need to come.”

Shit. Somehow I just stepped on a landmine I wasn’t aware of. Turning my body so we’re nearly chest to chest, I gently nudge Isla’s chin up with my finger. “Hey. What just happened?”

I can practically see her rebuilding her walls as she shrugs, her shoulders tight. “Nothing. I totally get it if you don’t want me to come.”

My brow rises at that. “What? No, that’s not what I meant at all. I hope you want to come. I just know Mira can be a little pushy and I don’t want you to feel obligated, that’s all. I want you to come, Isla. Nothing would make me happier.”

Her eyes judder between mine, trying to find the lie. When she’s satisfied that I’m telling the truth, her shoulders fall. “Sorry. I just…” She inhales deeply. “I’d really love to go with you.”

With slow, measured movements, I cup her face in my hands, bringing my nose right up to hers. Our eyes connect and hold before I kiss her slowly. It’s purposeful and soft. I need her to know that what I feel for her is deep and real. “Good,” I whisper across her lips as I pull back. “I know you were hurt in your last relationship, and I’m just trying not to rush you, Short-Stack. But I need you to know that it’s not easy to hold back. I want you with me as often as you’ll agree to. Got it?”

Her lips curve against mine. “Got it.”

My lips crash against hers in a quick, harder kiss before I return to my full height and wrap an arm around her waist. “Good. Now let’s go get some food if Griffin hasn’t charbroiled it.”

thirty-six

MADDOX

“You look happy.” Bash takes a seat beside me, beer in hand. His gaze follows mine to where Isla sits with a few wives and girlfriends. The sound of laughter has been almost constant from the circle of women, and I’ve been smiling nonstop. I’m glad she’s getting along with my teammates and their significant others. It’s important that whoever I end up with feels comfortable with these guys because they’re such a massive part of my life. I’ve known a few players over the years who tried dating women who couldn’t stand the team or the other WAGS, and they always ended up completely miserable. When you play a sport with a season as long and grueling as ours is, it’s just not possible to separate your life into neat little sections. Everything bleeds together, and disharmony can lead to shit playing and abject misery.

Dragging my attention away from Isla, I turn to Navarro. “I feel happy. I’m trying not to wait for the other shoe to drop, you know?”

He nods. “Understandable, after everything you went through in your last couple relationships. Isla seems different, though.”

---