Simple words with a whole lot of meaning behind them.
And right now, I was surrounded by the two best women that I knew.
“Well, then, I hope I’ll get to see you at a game this season,” my mom said.
“Oh, yes, I hope so. We haven’t really talked about that stuff yet,” Brinkley said, glancing at me with a smile.
“Are you a reporter now, Mama?” I teased.
“No. I just thought—I, er, you two are spending a lot of time together. I just wondered where you saw it going.”
“Annnnd that’s our cue. We should get going if we’re going to take the boat out.” I pushed to my feet.
Brinkley laughed over her words. “Has he not told you about the three-question rule?”
“What’s that about?”
“He only allows me to ask three questions a day. I try to sneak in a fourth question all the time, but he sticks to his rules.”
“He’s always been a bit of a rule follower.” Mom chuckled. “I’m just going to go to my room and get changed. Give me about thirty minutes?”
“Take your time,” I said as I watched her go down the hallway into her room and close the door.
“Why are you getting all agitated? Her questions didn’t bother me,” Brinkley whispered.
I took her hand and tugged her down the hallway to the bedroom and closed the door.
My mouth was on hers the second the door was closed. “I’ll tell you why I’m agitated. I fucking missed you. Your smart mouth. Your body.” I kissed down her neck.
“Your mom is right down the hall,” she hissed, but her fingers were tangled in my hair, tugging me closer.
“What if we’re quiet?” I said against her ear and nipped at her lobe. She nodded.
I pulled back and moved her to the dresser, where a large mirror sat on the wall above it. I turned her around, and she watched me in the mirror, her hooded gaze locked with mine.
“I missed you, too,” she said, her voice low and laced with desire. She shoved her shorts down her legs and kicked them to the side before jutting her ass back in my direction.
I took in her peach-shaped ass and white thong that was doing very little to cover it. “God. I love your fucking body so much, sweetheart.”
“I need you now.” Her head fell back against my chest, and I reached into my pocket for a condom and had my shorts and briefs down within seconds. I rolled the latex over my throbbing cock and watched her in the mirror.
I leaned down and tore the lace fabric right off her body, and her eyes widened. I tossed her now-decimated thong on the floor and ran my fingers along her pussy.
“So fucking wet and ready,” I whisper-growled against her ear, and her breaths were labored.
I teased her with my tip before pushing in, slowly at first.
Her eyes closed, lips parted.
I shoved the straps of her tank top and bra down her shoulders, exposing her beautiful tits, as I pulled out and thrust back in. I squeezed her breasts, teasing her nipples as we found our rhythm.
Faster.
Harder.
She met me thrust for thrust. Every single fucking time.
Her body was made for mine.
She was made for me.
“Lincoln,” she whispered and placed her hand over her mouth to remain quiet. Our breaths were out of control, and my cock swelled inside her, as we were both overcome with desire.
My need for this woman was feral.
Completely out of my control at this point.
My hand moved around her hips, finding her clit and knowing just what she needed.
“Come for me, baby,” I demanded.
Her body shook and convulsed as she went right over the edge. She bit down on her hand to keep from screaming.
I pumped into her one more time.
And that was all it took.
I followed her into oblivion.
I came so hard I couldn’t see straight.
And I only wanted more.
twenty-three
Brinkley
“I love your mom,” I said, no hesitation in my voice. Those weren’t words I tossed around lightly, but Abi Hendrix was an amazing woman.
“She loves you, too,” Lincoln said as we settled onto the couch on the back deck, looking out at the water.
“She’s so open. She told me all about her cancer journey when we stayed up chatting last night.”
“Is that when you made me drive you home after? My mom is more than aware that we’re sleeping together.”
I rolled my eyes. “I know. But she was here for a weekend. I don’t need to be getting busy with her son while she’s in the house.”
“Getting busy? Is that what we’re doing?” A loud laugh escaped.
The sun had just tucked behind the horizon and the sky was a mix of oranges and yellows and pinks. It looked like a watercolor painting. We loved to sit out here every night and watch the sun go down.
I’d never spent this much time with a man before. We were together all day, every day. My work and personal life had completely meshed together. I’m sure I’d broken a million professional rules, but for whatever reason, I didn’t care.
I couldn’t pull back now if I wanted to.
And I didn’t want to.
“I think we’re doing more than that,” I said. “I noticed you shut the conversation down quickly when your mom asked about the future.”
He turned to face me, studying me for the longest time before he spoke. “I didn’t think it was a conversation that my mother should be part of. Are you ready to have it?”
I raised a brow. “Sure. Let’s do it.”
“All right. Well, where do you see this going?”
Now it was my turn to laugh. “Are you putting this on me?”
“No. I just wanted to give you a chance to go first.”
“Who’s the rude gentleman now?”
He chuckled. “I’m not afraid to tell you how I feel, Brinkley.”
“I’m listening.”
“I don’t only love your smart mouth and your hot-as-shit body,” he said as he moved closer.
“You are off to a really good start, Captain.”
“I’m not joking.” He placed his fingers beneath my chin and forced me to meet his gaze. “I fucking love you. I’m all in.”
I sucked in a breath. I could feel my eyes watering, and I blinked several times.
“What does that mean?” I whispered as a tear rolled down my cheek.
“Exactly what I said. I love you.”
I nodded as his thumb swiped across the moisture moving down my face.
“I love you so much it freaks me out,” I said, my voice trembling as the words left my mouth. “But I don’t know how this works after we leave this bubble, and that terrifies me.”
“Life is scary, baby. But I’ve got you. You don’t need to be afraid.”
“It’s different for you,” I said as he pulled me onto his lap.
“How so?”
“You’re in love with a regular person. I’m in love with Lincoln Hendrix, the GOAT of the NFL. There’s going to be women throwing themselves at you, and I don’t even know where I’ll be living. I have a few options on the table, but I’m leaning toward going with Sports Today, which would mean I would live in San Francisco.”
“You’re thinking too much, sweetheart. We’ll figure it out. Other women won’t be throwing themselves at me because I won’t be looking. There’s only one woman I see. One woman that I want.”