Page 29 of Swinging for Love

We lay in the aftermath—sated with sweaty bodies and two condoms in the new black acrylic trash can I bought for his room. We’re so good together. We’re punctual. I can’t say that enough because I know I couldn’t live with someone that is chronically late.

But we’re also good communicators. Before we dated we talked about everything except the underlying spark between us, but now nothing is off limits. He even asked me to tell him what I want and how I want it in the bedroom. And I do.

He's on his side playing with my breasts, touching them gently, but they’re still all fired up.

“Tay, Wilson’s house will be ready next week.” I flip to my side so we’re facing. “

“Okay.” I blow out a breath. “Well, it’s your decision, but I would obviously love for you to stay.”

Creases form around his eyes as he nods. “I would love to stay here, but I committed to Wilson that I’d take care of his house.”

“Well, maybe we could stay there sometimes.” He chuckles at my suggestion. “What?”

He tucks my hair behind my ear. “Baby, I’m only in town a few days a week as it is. I’ll talk to him and see if he offers an alternative.” Then he licks his peach tinted lips, and we kiss softly like it’s the first time. I can feel the tension in his muscles, he’s worried. We work because he’s here with me every non-scheduled minute.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Your brother’s friend from ESPN called.”

“Nic?”

“Yeah, he wants us to do a reality show,” I yelp in excitement like a dog greeting its owner. “I told him I would talk to you. He said he texted you.”

“He did but I forgot.”

“Tackett Towles doesn’t forget anything. Why didn’t you call him?”

He rolls on his back, “Because I’m still upset that his damn cameraman caught that kiss I gave you and put it on television without asking permission.”

Propping myself on my elbow, I play with the smattering of hair on his chest. “He had permission from Megan. She’s the President of the team. Besides, everyone has fallen more in love with you because of that one kiss.” I plant an open-lipped kiss to his chest then cozy up to his arm, kissing it too.

“Now everyone knows your name, and I need to change phone numbers.” He reaches for his phone and shows me the texts from unknown numbers—women.

“So, let’s show them that we are bona fide real couple. At least we’ll both get paid for it.”

He pumps my shoulder twice, prompting me to lift my head and looks at me. His eyes are soft but there’s the tiniest hint of a pinched brow. “Do you need to be paid for being with me?”

“Come on,” I say, exasperated. “You know I didn’t mean it like that.”

“How did you mean it?” Tackett removes his arm from under me and sits up with his arms draped over his knees.

I hop out of his bed, grab a T-shirt out of his drawer, and stomp to my room. Maybe heshouldmove back to Wilson’s. There’s nowhere to get away from each other if we have an argument. Although this is our first as a couple. The honeymoon phase is evidently over.

I take a few breaths, thinking better of going to bed mad. Hesitantly, I open the door and to my surprise, we meet in the hall.

He was coming to me.

I was going to him.

“Let’s talk this out in the den. Neutral site and all,” he jokes.

“All I meant is if we are going to get hassled, we may as well make money from it. What we have is real.”

“I know. My whole body has been hurting the past couple of days. The pain is different.” His blue eyes are little less bright. He pulls my legs over his thighs. It’s cathartic for both of us. “So, Nic wants to do this in the off-season?”

Wiggling my way up on his lap like a caterpillar, I slip my arms around his neck. “No, he wants to start in a few weeks.”

“I can’t do a reality show during the season. I won’t even be here.”

“I guess that’s the point. How we deal with being apart, how we deal with the fans, all the other girls... And we could show them how much we lo—”

---