Page 70 of False Start
Bryant’s head whips around at my announcement. “You’re going?”
I incline my head toward Ben. “She just found out.”
He stands and addresses Ansel. “Can you and Daddy watch Punter for me while I walk Ms. Zhanna to her car?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Got it,” Ben says.
The quarterback takes me by the hand and leads me through the den, foyer, and kitchen to the elegant brick mudroom. Outside at my car, he presses me against the driver’s door as one hand goes to my hip and the other in my hair. “I wish you didn’t have to go.”
A moment of deja vu passes by. I don’t know why the scene feels familiar or why there’s a sudden ache in my chest. “I told Zina about Ben before she left work. I didn’t want her to find out from someone else. I sent Leslie over to her apartment until I could get there. She didn’t look all that okay when she left my office.”
“Do you need me to go with you?” And he asks this because he’s thoughtful and he loves my sister like she’s his sister, even though we’re divorced. And it’s one of the reasons I fell in love with him in the first place.
“I think this is a sister’s duty. You know, Ben probably should’ve been the one to tell her, not me.”
“Yeah, I agree. I hope it’s not awkward and tense at work.”
A sigh escapes me. “Me, too.”
“Hey,” he says and pulls his hand from my hair to rub his thumb across my lips. “Be careful going to Zina’s. Will you text me when you’re safely inside?”
My voice comes at breathily as he gets closer. “Yeah.”
“I’m going to kiss you now, babe.”
“Okay.”
He smirks before he presses his lips to mine. His masculine scent, soft lips, and hard planes have me standing on my tiptoes to kiss him back. My hand grabs a fistful of his shirt to bring him down and closer to me. I scrape my teeth against his bottom lip as he groans in response. “Fuck, baby.” He presses four more kisses to me before he finally breaks it for good. His green eyes look deeply into mine. He leans his forehead against mine and sighs, and we stay that way for a long while, slightly swaying and giving the sporadic sweet kiss.
The cicadas chirp around us for a long while, and the sun slowly dips in the sky on a late summer night. And we continue to stay wrapped around each other for half an hour before my urgent need to go to Zina’s place resurfaces in my mind. “I should go.”
He closes his eyes briefly, a clear sign he’s unhappy with being reminded of the news, and then he kisses me again, long and deep. “I know you’re not ready, but I love you, Zhanna. Please be careful and let me know when you make it safely inside.”
— 24 —
Then
“COACH!” BRYANT SHOUTS AS he comes through the garage door into the kitchen.
“Right here, Quarterback,” I say from in front of the stove.
He skids to a halt on the other side of the bar as he takes in my outfit. “Fuck me, Zhanna.”
I suddenly feel self conscious. “It’s stupid.”
“Nuh-uh. Nothing about garter belts, corsets, thongs, and fuck me heels are stupid, baby.” He starts for me.
“Nope.” I hold my hand up to stop his progress. “You stay on that side of the bar while I finish cooking your dinner.”
“Fuck the food. Let’s go upstairs.”
I cast a smirk in his direction. “Happy anniversary.” He starts for me again. “Nuh-uh. I’ve been planning this meal for weeks. You’re eating this food.”
“And then I’m eating you,” he replies as he heads for me anyway. He wraps himself around me and buries his face into my neck. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Yeah?”
