“Wow. This room is much nicer than mine,” she said as her gaze moved around the large suite.
“You have a fucking room here?”
“Well, I flew in late last night. I’m staying at a dump up the street. But it’s my dump, and I like it.” She raised a brow. “Not really. I hate it. I was trying to be independent. I had things I needed to do before I came here today.”
“Tell me.”
“Well, for starters, that dick weasel, Lou Colson, called me—well, he called Bailey Reynolds.” She rolled her eyes. “He had a change of heart and was suddenly willing to do whatever it took to hire me. It was all a ploy to get to you. I shut that guy down so fast. I shouldn’t have taken out my frustration on you.”
I wrapped my arms around her as she told me everything. How she’d spent the last few days on the shore, figuring out what she wanted out of life. How she went to the interview today and killed it. How she’d sold my story to Football Live because it was the right fit for that story but not for her. Strive Forward magazine felt right. She’d made her own rules, and they’d respected them. And then she told me about the rules she’d laid out for them.
“Wait. So, you aren’t ever going to interview me again?” I pouted as she ran her fingers through my hair.
“Nope. And I also spoke on your behalf and told Sports Today that you would never do an interview with them again.” She shrugged; she was so fucking adorable. “You see, I really am the boss sometimes, Captain.”
“Yeah? I mean, you are Mrs. Sparrow. Obviously, you’re a badass.”
Her teeth sank into her bottom lip. “Yep. So, I want to go over the contract with you tonight.”
“What? You want my opinion on the situation? That won’t be hurting your womanhood?” I teased.
“The only thing hurting my womanhood at the moment is the fact that I’ve been away from you for days.”
“Me, too, baby. And I’d love to look over your contract with you. Does this mean you’re going to be based here?”
“Yep. You and me in the Big Apple, Captain.”
“Fuck. I love the sound of that.”
“Me, too. Did you go see those houses?” she asked as her head settled in the crook of my neck.
“Hell no. I was not about to speak for you. I knew you’d figure out your shit. You just had to torture me in the interim. I told Jay that I’d call him when you were ready to schedule a tour. I want the house that we choose to be everything you want.”
“Damn, that was smooth, Mr. Sparrow.”
“Not as smooth as the feel of your pussy against my cock,” I whispered in her ear.
“Oh, my. I see the dirty talk is still on par.” She rotated so she was straddling me. “How about you have your way with me in this fancy room, and then you take me back to mine so we can grab my things?”
“If I can have you right now, I’ll do just about anything.”
“Good, because I’m here, and I’m all yours.”
“Damn straight, sweetheart. You’ve been mine since the day I met you.” I pushed to my feet, and her legs wrapped around my waist.
“Well, not the very first day. That day you were a jackass, and I wouldn’t have agreed to be yours if you’d begged me.”
“I’m never above begging, sweetheart.”
“That’s Sweetheart Sparrow to you.” Her head fell back in laughter as I dropped her onto the large bed.
I took a minute to look at her.
My girl.
Everything felt right in this moment, and I couldn’t wait to start our lives together out here.
Out of the bubble.
Just me and her.
“Wow. It’s pretty, but it’s a lot of house, don’t you think?” she asked as she walked from the kitchen to the dining room.
“You’ll grow into it,” Jay said.
“Can you give us a minute?” I asked our realtor. We’d toured several houses over the last few days, and this was the last one on our list.
“Of course. I’ll meet you outside.”
“Is this one not in the running?” I asked.
“Honestly, the only one that feels right is the one we saw yesterday morning. It’s not too far from your mom’s house, and it’s close to both the training field for you and my work,” Brinkley said.
“It was the smallest one we’ve seen. You don’t want to find something we can grow into?” I teased.
She moved closer to me. “I grew up with four siblings and two parents, and we always had a dog, a cat, or a turtle. That home is half the size of the one we saw yesterday, and there was plenty of room for all of us. We aren’t the type of couple to be in different rooms. I like having just one great room where we would hang out. When I’m at home, I want to be with you. And when we have kids, they’ll want to be with us. We don’t need a cold mansion. We need a home.”
I loved that she knew what she wanted. That she had a plan for us, and I wanted every part of it.
“Yeah? You don’t want a room you can run to when I aggravate you? You think you’re done being bothered by me, huh?”
“Oh, don’t get cocky. You aggravate me all the time. But I love it because I love you.” She pushed up on her tiptoes and kissed me. “Did you like the house that we saw yesterday?”
“I’ve lived in a high-rise for years, so all of these homes have been appealing to me. I like the idea of having a big yard. But all that matters to me is that I come home to you. That’s the house that I want.”
“I can see us there. I can picture you mowing the lawn and me working in the garden. I picture myself in that gorgeous kitchen, wearing your jersey with nothing beneath and cooking dinner for us.”
“Sold,” I said as I leaned down and kissed her.
“Let’s tell Jay and go write up an offer. We need to get back to the hotel to pack. Finn has texted me no less than a dozen times.” We were flying out right after my practice in the morning to make it to his premiere in Los Angeles and be there to support him. His production company was throwing a big party for him.
“He is so happy that you were able to sneak away to attend this event for him. He got you and all the guys some friendship bracelets.” She chuckled. “I don’t know if he’s ready for what’s about to happen to his life.”
“I don’t think anyone can prepare for it. He’ll be fine. He was born to shine, just like you were.” She tugged my head down again and kissed me hard.
“I love you. Now let’s go buy us a house.”
And that was exactly what we did.
We wrote up the offer, and they accepted it immediately.
Brinkley fought me about being on the deed, but I wasn’t buying this home without her.
It was me and her.
I’d start with the house, but I’d be putting a ring on that finger real soon.
One thing at a time.
thirty-three
Brinkley
We’d arrived in Los Angeles just in time to get changed and make it over to the theatre where they were premiering Big Sky Ranch.
This show had been publicized like crazy, and everyone was talking about Finn Reynolds.
The internet.