Page 19 of Playing for Keeps
“You should get going.” She said, leaning over to me, connecting her lips with mine in such a powerful manner that it caused me to groan. Yeah, she knew what she was doing.
I placed my palm against the side of her face, lifting from my seat into the kiss just as she broke free with a smirk forming along her lips. “You’re a tease,” I said with a chuckle, sitting back.
“See you tonight?” I paused as though I needed to think it over, when the truth was, it would be the one thing to get me through the next couple of hours.
“See you tonight.” I gave her a quick kiss before watching her climb from the car. She sprinted to her door, turning with a wave, then going inside her house.
Practice had gone like any other, running old and new plays until we got them down. The team was still high from the recent win, so we pushed hard, fixing any errors we made. Standing at the sideline next to Austin, we watched as the coach moved onto the field, nodding without listening to the conversation Austin carried on with me. I couldn’t stop thinking of her. What was she doing? Watching as her father yelled at two of the tight ends who had continued to make the same errors with the plays. It was a side of him we hadn’t seen yet, and quickly I understood how he got where he was. He was a perfectionist with the team and the sport, but there was something more behind his temper and hardness. I’ve seen it before, from my father, with Easton and me. The game was more than a game to him, and anything that put it in jeopardy would pay the price of his wrath.
“Man, you okay?” Austin asked, snapping my attention to him.
“Yeah, fine.” I glanced back at the coach, imagining the reaction he would have if he knew I spent the entire night with his daughter. Glancing back to the field, I watched as the play was run once more, the two tight ends running it perfectly.
As practice ended and we made our way back to the locker room, I remained silent, my thoughts drifting to Hannah, when I heard a voice I knew all too well. “You guys look great.” Stopping instantly, I slowly turned, seeing Lacey standing dressed in one of my jerseys.
“What are you doing here? Where is Sofia?” I asked swiftly, team members moving around us, except for Easton, who remained at my side.
“She’s fine, she’s with a sitter. I needed to talk with you.” She spoke with a soft tone.
“Then call me,” I replied with a turn, ready to distance myself from her.
“I tried last night. You didn’t answer.” Licking my lips, I tightened my jaw, my gaze lifted to my brother as I returned my attention to her. “I wanted to congratulate you on the win. You looked so wonderful.” She continued.
“That's what you needed to talk to me about?” I asked bluntly.
“Can I please just have a moment with you? Alone.” Her eyes shifted to Easton, who remained silent but attentive. Sighing, I motioned for him to leave, though I could tell he was reluctant. Waiting until he was gone, I shifted in my stance, facing her.
“What is it, Lacey?”
“I want you back.” She blurted out quickly. “I know we can make it work now. Sofia deserves for her parents to be together.” This wasn’t out of the norm for her, something she’s done every couple of months since I had left her, each time followed by weeks of calls, texts, pleas for another chance.
“All we owe Sofia is to be civil with one another, which is hard to do when you do this every couple of months.”
“Going between houses, spending time with that friend of yours while you travel, it’s not a good environment.” She continued, all things I’d heard before. “Is this all because of that brown haired girl?”
I furrowed my brows at her comment. “Who?”
“The barmaid, the one who spent the night at the penthouse last night.”
Taking a step toward her, my jaw tight, I fought everything I had to keep my cool. Lacey had done this before, stalked me, and as it was usually to annoy me, this time was different. Hannah was involved, and with our relationship needing to remain private, the dangers of that not happening grew now that Lacey was aware she existed. “I’m going to tell you this once. If you want to see my daughter, you will stay out of my personal life.”
“Our daughter.” She snapped.
“Only warning I’m giving you,” I added, turning to return to the locker room.
“Cameron!” Her voice was loud, drawing attention from others. I watched as Easton walked out, Austin at his side, followed by other team members and the coach. Seeing him, I quickly turned to face her, ready to do whatever I needed to shut her up. Did she know Hannah was the coach’s daughter? She knew where she worked; it wouldn’t take much for him to put the pieces together.
“Here is your warning. No other woman will be around our daughter, especially not some barmaid.” I took a few steps in her direction, Easton sprinting in front of me, stopping my movements just as security arrived.
“Is there a problem, Mr. Walters?” The older man asked.
“Escort this young woman from the stadium,” Coach Marshall demanded with a step beside us. I glared at Lacey, anger swelling up inside me with the threat she made. “Everyone move on.” Coach demanded, Easton with a nod at me as I calmed down, and Lacey walked out of sight.
“Sorry about that, coach,” I said, turning to face the man.
He stood with his arms crossed in front of his chest, a serious expression on his face. “I don’t know who that was or what it was about, but I don’t want it happening again here, do you understand?”
I nodded. “Yes, coach.”
