Page 49 of Playing with My Heart

Emotion welled up in my chest, threatening to spill over. “I love you too. More than I ever thought possible. I feel like with you, I’ve found my other half.” I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him down for a deep, passionate kiss.

We lost ourselves in each other for long moments, hands roaming well-known territory as our kisses grew heated. Just as things were about to escalate further, his stomach let out an impressive growl. I broke away, laughing. “Sounds like someone’s hungry.”

Travis grinned sheepishly. “Can you blame me? I worked up quite an appetite last night.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

I felt my cheeks heat at the memory of our rather vigorous celebration the night before. “Mmm, that you did,” I agreed, pressing one last quick kiss to his lips before gently pushing at his chest. “Come on, let’s get some food in you before you waste away and then we need to get going if we want to get ahead of the game day traffic.”

He rolled off me with a dramatic sigh. “Fine, but only if you make those blueberry pancakes I love.”

“Deal,” I said, climbing out of bed and pulling on a pair of sweatpants. I tossed Travis’s to him, admiring the view as he stretched languidly before putting them on.

Walking through the hallway, I took a few seconds to admire the many framed photos of us that hung on the wall. Vacations to the mountains, weekend trips we’d taken, the two of us at my parents’ house in Ohio, us with all of his—make that, both of our—friends. It was a year’s worth of memories, with plenty of wall space for all the years to come.

In the kitchen, I gathered ingredients while Travis started the coffee maker. We moved around each other with practiced ease, stealing kisses and touches as we went about our morning routine. It struck me how seamlessly we’d fallen into this domestic bliss, how natural it felt to share my life with him.

“Penny for your thoughts?” he asked, setting a steaming mug of coffee beside me on the counter as I poured pancake batter onto the griddle.

I smiled. “Just thinking about how different things were a year ago. How lost I felt after David and I broke up, how scared I was. Worried that I’d end up all alone, that I’d never know what true happiness felt like.”

His expression softened. He set his mug down and pulled me into a gentle embrace. “I’m so glad you decided to give me a chance,” he murmured against my hair. “I can’t imagine my life without you in it now.”

I melted into his arms, breathing in his familiar scent. “Me neither. You make me happier than I ever thought possible, Travis.”

We stood like that for a long moment, just holding each other close. Finally, he pulled back with a mischievous glint in his eye. “So, does this mean I get extra blueberries in my pancakes?”

I laughed, giving him a playful shove. “You’re incorrigible.”

“You love it.” He grinned, stealing a quick kiss before grabbing plates from the cabinet.

We ate breakfast then quickly cleaned up the kitchen before heading to the bedroom to get ready for our day. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of contentment wash over me. This was everything I’d ever wanted—a love that felt like coming home, a partner who supported and challenged me in equal measure. Travis and I had built something beautiful together over the past year, and I couldn’t wait to see what the future held for us.

The roar of the crowd washed over me as Travis and I stepped onto the field at Wrigley. The familiar scent of hot dogs, beer, and popcorn filled the air, mingling with the electric anticipation that always preceded a big game. I inhaled deeply, savoring the moment.

“God, I love this,” he murmured beside me, his blue eyes sparkling with excitement. “Never gets old, does it?”

I shook my head, grinning. “Never.”

We made our way to the dugout, where several of the Cubs players we’d been working with, greeted us warmly. Jake, a pitcher recovering from a rotator cuff injury, clapped Travis on the back.

“Hey, doc! Here to make sure I don’t fuck up all your hard work?” he asked with a wry smile.

Travis laughed. “You better not, or I’ll have you doing extra reps next session.”

As the players began their warm-up routines, I leaned against the railing, watching them with a critical eye. It was gratifying to see how far they’d come, the fluid ease of their movements a testament to hours of grueling therapy and rehabilitation.

“They’re looking good,” I remarked to Travis. “Jake’s follow-through is much smoother now.”

Travis nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Yeah, he’s made amazing progress. They all have.”

There was something in his tone that made me glance at him curiously. He seemed off, almost as if he was nervous. Which was odd, because Travis was rarely anything but confident.

“You okay?” I asked softly, reaching out to squeeze his hand.

He startled slightly, then gave me a quick smile. “Yeah, of course. Just excited for the game to start.”

Before I could probe further, the stadium announcer’s voice boomed through the speakers. “Ladies and gentlemen, before we begin with our National Anthem, we have a special announcement from the Cubs’ physical therapy team.”

I blinked in surprise, turning to Travis. “Um—did you know about this?”

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