Page 147 of Playing for Keeps
I nod, biting my lip. “I think you should bring it home sometime. I’d enjoy helping you out of it.”
“Ivy James!” he exclaims, the grin on his face stretching wider.
“What?” I say innocently. “You look ridiculously hot in it.”
He laughs. “Maybe I’ll have to sneak it home then.”
I smile. “Can’t wait.”
When we arrive at the stadium, Wyatt bypasses the spot we parked in on my birthday and heads around to the back of the building. A security barrier lifts as we approach, and he drives into an underground parking garage. Once he kills the engine, we both climb out, and I wait while he grabs his bag from the trunk.
“Should I have dressed up more?” I ask, glancing down at my jeans and his team jersey, suddenly second-guessing my outfit for the private family enclosure.
Wyatt grins. “Absolutely not. You look sexy as hell. You know how much I love seeing you in my number. I wouldn’t want you wearing anything else.”
I smile, relaxing. “Okay.”
He laces his fingers through mine, and we walk together through the garage into the stadium. We’re far from any public areas, and I let him guide me down a series of long, echoing corridors.
“This place is a total maze,” I say, laughing. “I’m never going to find you after practice.”
He gives my hand a squeeze. “I’ll come find you. I promise.” Stopping in front of a door, he nods toward it. “This is the family enclosure. Let’s see if anyone’s here. I’ll introduce you.”
He pushes the door open and steps inside.
“Sienna, hey,” he says to a stunning blonde woman cradling a baby.
“Wyatt. Good to see you,” she says warmly, crossing the room and greeting him with a quick kiss on the cheek. “How are you holding up? I saw all that mess online.”
I exhale quietly. “Yeah, we’ve had better days.”
Her eyes soften before shifting to me. “You must be Ivy.” Her smile widens as she bounces the baby slightly on her hip. “I’m Sienna, Lewis’s wife, and this little one is Lila.”
“Lewis is our quarterback,” Wyatt adds helpfully.
I nod with a smile. “It’s really nice to meet you. And hi, Lila.” I glance at the baby girl. “She’s gorgeous.”
“Thank you,” Sienna says, beaming.
I say a quick goodbye to Wyatt before Sienna beckons me further into the enclosure, which looks more like a stylish lounge than anything else. Plush seats line the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the field, and a buffet-style counter sits against one wall, offering coffee, pastries, and fresh fruit. A few other women are already seated, chatting easily, while a couple of toddlers play on the carpet.
“Make yourself comfortable,” Sienna says, lowering Lila into a highchair. “They’ll be out soon. This is one of the longer sessions, so you’ll have a good view.”
I grab a glass of water before moving toward the window and taking a seat. A few minutes later, the players start to come onto the field. I spot Wyatt in his full kit, and my stomach flips. He looks so focused and powerful as he runs on with his teammates, tossing the football from hand to hand.
“Is this the first time you’ve watched him train?” Sienna asks as she sits next to me.
I shake my head, my eyes glued to Wyatt. “I came last week, but I sat out there on my own and it was a little overwhelming. It was a surprise. He didn’t know I was coming.”
She smiles. “I love watching Lewis. He’s completely different out there. Confident and intense. Kind of like your own personal superhero.”
I laugh. “Yeah, it does feel a little like that. It’s weird, though… watching him like this with everything going on outside of here. The lies, the media circus. It’s like none of it touches him here.”
She nods. “The field is their escape. At least, that’s how it is for Lewis. Same for Wyatt, I’d imagine.”
My fingers press against the cool glass in my hand as I watch Wyatt sprint across the field, effortlessly catching the ball mid-air. There’s something calming about seeing him like this, in his element, confident and in control. He’s powerful and capable out here, but I know the man behind the game too. The one who’s held me through the chaos of the past week with those same strong arms. My favorite place to be.
“Thanks for making me feel so welcome. I was nervous to come under the circumstances,” I say quietly.
