Page 145 of Just One Season
Lucy stands and launches herself onto my lap and into my arms, one knee on either side of my hips, her dress gathered around her thighs. The weight of her on me feels like a heavy blanket keeping me warm on a cold Colorado night. Lucy’s the first sip of an ice-cold beer on a hot day, the best dessert after a perfect meal, the sweetest sight for sore eyes after being away with the team.
I can’t wait to come home to her again and again.
“That’s perfect.” There are tears in her eyes. Lucy slides her hands on either side of my jaw and presses her lips to mine.
“So you’ll go with me?”
“I’d go anywhere with you, but definitely to England and Scotland.” She kisses me again.
“I know you were looking forward to living there.” I say when she leans back to take a breath.
“Being here is my choice.” Lucy presses her forehead to mine. “It’s partially about you, but it’s also about me. Atticus. Waffles. The career opportunity.”
“I totally get it. The world does not revolve around me.” I let Lucy kiss me again, and again.
“Don’t expect me to marry you or give everything up,” she says when she takes a break from kissing me. “And if we break up, I’m not going anywhere. My life is here now.”
“We’re never going to break up, Lucy.” I could kiss her on this couch forever. “Remember how much I love you? I’ll take whatever you’ll give me.”
I lean back and breathe in, not moving my eyes from her, soaking in every bit of Lucy Knox.
I would truly do anything for her.
“I love you, Lucy.”
“And I love you.”
It’s only been a few days since I confessed my love to her at the press conference. A few days of bliss and happiness and pure joy.
I know it won’t be easy with my job and Ava, and Lucy building her own life here as well. But we will make this work. Because I’m in love with her. And she’s in love with me.
I deserve to be able to trust someone like her with my heart.
And she deserves to know she’s more than good enough for me.
“What do you want to do now?” she asks as I lean forward tokiss her neck, breathing in her scent, wishing for this night to never end.
“I’ll do whatever you want, my red-hot chili pepper.”
She laughs, her head tilting back.
“It’s not fair, you have better options for names. I keep getting stuck on farm animals.”
“You can call me sloth or hedgehog or duck, for all I care. I’ll answer to anything that comes out of your mouth.”
Her eyes light up. “Okay, my blue-footed booby.”
I burst out laughing, lifting my face from Lucy’s collarbone, which is at my eye level since she’s still nestled on my lap.
“What? It’s a funny blue bird that lives in Mexico. I saw it in a video.”
“Whatever you want.”
I intend on making the rest of our lives whatever Lucy wants. I’m all in. This woman who saved my job and my family by fake dating me has also now stolen my whole heart.
And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
A Dog Person
