Page 90 of Dangerous Play

“I love you, Blossom,” I heard Max mutter somewhere in the darkness. I wasn’t even sure if I really heard him say it or if I imagined it as exhaustion claimed me.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

MAX

“Wake up!”

A loud bang shook me awake as I blinked my eyes open and stared down at the peacefully sleeping Ivy by my side. Her blonde hair was spread across my chest, and gone were the pillow barricades we used before when sharing a bed. All our limbs were entangled under the duvet, and I didn’t know where she started and where I ended.

We had become one.

“Go away!” I shouted at whoever was in front of my door.

Last night was a blissful haze of many orgasms, takeout, and even more orgasms. None of the guys had even seen Ivy as I ushered her to my bedroom and kept her locked away all night long. I wanted to have her all to myself.

“Max, open up!” The door shook from the bangs.

“What the hell?” I shouted, standing up as Ivy stirred awake. “I’m not alone, and you just woke Ivy up!”

“Trust me… you will want to see this.” Maddox banged the door one more time before I unlocked it and ripped it open.

“What?” I asked, staring him down in only my boxers. Thank God, I put those on to go downstairs for water in the middle of the night.

Ivy pulled the duvet over her head and muttered something incoherent.

“I tend to agree with her.”

“Move.” Maddox told me, entering my room with Liam and Dex on his heels.

“Are you guys serious? Ivy isn’t even dressed!”

They ignored me as they took a seat at my desk chair and armchair, and Derek leaned on his crutches.

“What is this about?” I demanded to know, pissed off by the interruption. This wasn’t how I planned to wake up next to Ivy.

“Hi, Ivy!” Dex greeted the duvet bundle with a wide grin. At least he acknowledged her.

I rolled my eyes and handed her a random T-shirt I had on my armchair and her discarded panties so she could get dressed under it.

Within minutes, she emerged, kicking the duvet off the bed and sitting cross-legged on it. Her hair was a mess, sticking up on all sides, but I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her.

“Have you checked your phone?” Liam asked. I glanced at the nightstand.

“I forgot to charge it overnight; I was busy,” I muttered, plugging it into the charger. “Will you please tell me what’s going on? I feel like someone has died or something crazy happened.”

“Here I thought this was an intervention to not date me for real,” Ivy added with a grin.

The guys chuckled. “No, we fully support you taking on the real girlfriend role. He needs it.”

“He’s been super whiny without you, so we’re glad to see you back,” Dex nodded.

“He is standing right here!” I folded my arms in front of my chest. “What should I have seen on my phone?”

Maddox stood and handed me his phone, where several ESPN headlines flashed:

Coach Henderson has been retired from coaching the US National Soccer Team.

Coach Henderson has been replaced by legend Aiden Hitchings as head coach for the US National Soccer Team.