Page 15 of Bradford

"Hmm, I look forward to that,” she mumbles. "I'm scared, Bradford. We don't know each other well, yet I can't imagine being without you. That's weird, right?"

"It's not weird. I knew the moment I met you that you were going to be mine." I continue, "Your parents, Dorothy and Jim,are schoolteachers in Colorado and will retire in a few years. You grew up and went to college in Colorado. Your brother, Artie, is in the Marines, and you spend a lot of time with him when he's home. You guys are close with your parents, even though you live in different parts of the country." I smirk.

"How?"

“How did I know all that? Because Nurse Zaire took pity on me. I'm not supposed to tell you that, mind you. When I told her that I should know some things about you before getting you into my bed and keeping you there, she agreed." I pause. "My mom died three years ago, so it's just me and my dad. He has his finger in different things. No matter how busy he's been over the years, he never missed a game. He's not always there in person anymore, but he watches on TV. I owe everything to him."

Sighing softly, Florence says, "You should pat yourself on the back, Bradford. Your father paid for the lessons and equipment and encouraged you, but you got to where you are because of your talent. No one else did that."

"I hadn't looked at it that way before."

"See, I'm not just a pretty face," she chuckles. Her eyes light up with happiness as she looks up into mine. "I'm glad I'm with you. I need you to know that. No matter what happens, I don't regret being here with you."

“Good.”

I pull her close and admit, "I need a nap."

"Me too."

I brush my lips against the top of her head and let sleep take me.

I can’t takemy eyes from Florence who is sitting on my sofa with Tessa and Gemma on either side of her. Rosie sits across from them, fiddling with her phone. I know she's waiting for a message from Dodge. Tessa is really into the conversation because she barely pauses for breath. I didn't know she was a talker. Madden nudges my side and grins at his new wife. Dario has moved to sit on the arm of the sofa next to his wife, Gemma. He reaches out and plays with a strand of her hair.

"What's Tessa talking about? She's rather animated," I comment. It only takes one glance at Madden to make me roll my eyes. "She's not talking about you."

He chuckles and adds, "I've no idea what they're talking about, but I don't care. I love seeing the girls’ become friends." He snorts. "Florence will be getting drunk with our wives before long."

I rub my chest, which suddenly aches. "She has to be at work in a week."

Madden snaps his gaze to me, but I keep my eyes on Florence. Her white hair falls loosely around her shoulders, the curls bouncing when she moves. She's beautiful and ethereal.

"You need to make her fall in love with you, so she'll stay." Madden moves toward Tessa, and Florence glances over her shoulder at me. Her smile lights up her eyes.

My side and shoulder still hurt, and I'm constantly fighting a losing battle with fatigue. I've never been so tired from doing nothing. I know it's my body's way of telling me that I need to rest and recover. It just sucks.

Florence excuses herself and softly pads over to me. She wraps her arms around my waist and nuzzles her face into the crook of my neck. "I like your friends," she whispers.

"Me too." I glance toward them and see Rosie frowning as she looks at her phone.

Florence distracts me when she presses against my groin, her fingernails digging into my ass through my sweatpants. I dip my face and place a kiss on her neck, followed by a gentle bite that I smooth with my tongue.

She shudders, a soft moan escaping her kissable lips. "We need to behave," she whispers in my ear, sending a shiver of desire through me.

My cock certainly enjoys the feeling, pulsing hard between us. "You started this, babe."

"I've been trying to resist the explosive attraction I feel toward you. But when I turned to look at you, I lost the battle. You looked rumpled, sexy, and cuddly. I just had to touch you."

I close my eyes, trying to rein in the lust for this woman that thunders through me. Her fingers dip into the back of my sweatpants, and she presses her palms against my buttocks and squeezes. Her touch ignites a fire within me that I struggle to contain. As she presses her body closer to mine, I know that being good is the last thing on her mind.

"I'm not sure I'm going to be up for much in my condition."

She snickers. "I'd say you're up just fine. Besides, who said you have to do anything?" She presses her tongue against the pulse in my neck, and my dick jerks hard, leaking precum.

The fuse has been lit, and fighting my way back feels impossible given how much I want this woman. I had planned on taking it slow with her because I want her so much. I want to prove that I'm not just interested in her body.

"Do you think your friends would mind if we went for a nap?" she whispers.

"Okay, everyone out!" I announce.

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