Page 123 of Playing for Keeps
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I say dryly.
Nash raises his beer. “To being in love, and to Ivy for somehow taming the wild NFL player.”
I roll my eyes and clink my bottle with theirs, still smiling like an idiot.
Because they’re right. I am in love. And for the first time in my life, it feels like everything’s exactly where it’s supposed to be.
An hour later, we’ve eaten, and I’m in the lake with Ben and Ash. Laugher erupts as Seb chases a giggling Taylor off the end of the dock and into the water, splashing Ivy, who’s sitting cross-legged on the side.
Swimming over, I hold out a hand.
“Come in, baby.”
She eyes me sceptically. “Is it cold?”
“Freezing,” I say with a grin, “but I’ll keep you warm.”
She smiles. “I think I like the sound of that.”
She slips off the edge, squealing when the water hits her. I catch her before she can go under, my hands sliding around her waist. Her arms loop around my neck almost instinctively, and we just float there for a moment, her legs locked around me.
“I’m still getting used to this,” she says.
“To what?”
“How easy it feels being with you.”
I smile. “It’s easy because it’s right, baby… and I’m not going anywhere, not really. No matter how many miles are between us.”
Her eyes glisten a little in the sunlight, and I can tell she’s trying to keep it together. I press a kiss to her forehead, then each cheek, and finally, her lips, slow and unhurried, like we’ve got forever. And just for today, we do.
She leans back with a mischievous glint in her eye and flicks water at me, laughing when I flinch and dodge.
“Oh, that’s how we’re playing it?” I grin, launching a splash right back at her.
Laughter and squeals echo across the lake as we chase each other through the water. The weight from earlier melts away,replaced by something easier and freer. It’s just her and me and this perfect moment.
Eventually, I catch her again, pulling her close, both of us breathless and smiling widely.
“I love you, Ivy James,” I say.
She exhales slowly. “I love you too, Wyatt Brookes.”
And damn if those words don’t hit deeper than anything else ever has.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Ivy
It’s been just under a week since Wyatt left for Phoenix, and saying goodbye was harder than I ever expected. We’ve talked every day, usually more than once, but I still miss him like crazy.
It’s late Friday morning, and I’m just wrapping up an open house for a new client. Wyatt thinks the showing is tomorrow, which is why I told him I couldn’t make it up this weekend. But the truth is, I’m surprising him. As soon as I’m done here, I’m hitting the road.
The team’s holding nine open practices ahead of their first pre-season game, and thanks to Ash slipping me Ronnie’s number, I scored a seat in one of the best sections in the stadium for this afternoon. He probably won’t spot me in the crowd, but I can’t wait to watch him train. I’ve still got his spare key, and if everything goes to plan, I’ll be back at his place before he is. I can already picture the look on his face.
Once the last of the prospective buyers leave, I quickly change clothes, lock up, and toss everything into the trunk of my car. I packed an overnight bag this morning, so I’m all set. The training session starts at two, which gives me about two and a half hours to get there, assuming traffic’s on my side.
A flutter of nervous excitement swirls in my stomach as I pull into the stadium parking lot with fifteen minutes to spare. After circling twice, I finally find a spot and kill the engine. Crowds of people stream past my car, heading toward the entrance. I steal a glance in the mirror, then climb out and smooth my hands down the jersey Wyatt gave me. It’s a little big, but I’ve tied it at the back and paired it with jean shorts to make it work. Glancing around, I notice I’m not the only one wearing his number, not that I expected to be.
