Page 44 of Second Down Scrooge

He thrusts into me, grabbing onto my hips to angle himself as deeply as he can, and then he reaches around me to grab my tits. I cry out at the feel of his hands on my body as he pummels into me from behind.

“Oh fuck,” he yells, and his thrusts slow and deepen as he starts to come. He drives me into another brutal release as if he’s some expert in the science of what it takes to pleasure my body.

He collapses beside me, and we both hear the buzzing of his phone at the same time. He glances at his watch rather than looking at his phone, and a soft curse falls from his lips.

“Who is it?” I ask, worried that it's Ellie or Elizabeth and something happened with our little girl while we're here having sex.

“It's the team owner’s secretary. There's only one reason she ever calls players, and it's not a reason I can ignore.” He reaches into his pocket for his phone.

“Hello?”

I can hear the other end of the conversation through the line since he's three inches from my head.

“Austin Graham?” the voice says.

“That’s me.”

“This is Lily, Jack Dalton's secretary. You've been selected for a random drug test, and we need you to get to the lab within the next two hours.”

He sighs heavily, but he doesn't dare defy his team owner. “I'll be there.” He cuts the call and glances over at me.

“Is that normal? I ask.

“Yeah, it's standard practice, and we're all called on at least once annually. I guess this is my time, but it's not a big deal since I've never done anything that would get me into trouble. It’s notworth the risk, and I realize now that none of what I did in the past was. Not when I have you and Mia in my life.”

Tears heat my eyes at his words. “Oh, Austin. We are so, so proud of you. You're really turning around from where you were a year ago, and I'm finally in a spot where I can see the future and you and me and Mia, and it's so beautiful.”

He leans over and presses his lips to mine. “I see it too. Are you okay picking up Mia on your own while I go do this?”

“Of course, unless you want me to come with you.”

He shakes his head. “I'll be fine. Like I said, nothing to worry about.”

How I wish that were as true as he convinces me to believe in that moment.

Chapter 22: Austin Graham

There’s a Mistake

Three Days Until Christmas

It sucks that this is happening just a few days before Christmas, but at least I know I have no reason to be worried. I would never do anything that would risk my position, especially now that I am exactly where I've always worked so hard to be.

I head to the lab that Lily texted to me and leave my sample. I swing by my house and get the tree out of the back of my Escalade, and I set it into place in my family room. I’ll decorate it tomorrow when I have nothing to do at home since my girls are gone.

And then I put in a call to my lawyer to start executing one of the plans that I have. I swing by his office to talk things through and sign some papers, and a couple hours later I'm back with my girls.

We just got Mia down, and I'm lying on Kelly's bed as she packs.

“Can I do anything to help?” I ask.

“No, I got it.”

“You're quiet,” I say. “Is everything okay?”

She nods. “I'm just kind of a nervous flyer. Add a baby into the mix, and every second that brings me closer to the flight gives me another little jolt of anxiety.”

I stand, and I pull her into my arms. “Hey, Kaplan. You’re amazing, and you’ve got this.”

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