One Perfect Night: A Sports Romance (7 page)

She disconnected the call and wiped her face. “Mom and Dad will be here. We’re going to talk.”

“To talk,” he echoed. He wanted so much more, but he knew he had to wait until Julie was ready, if Julie would be ready. It was entirely possible she would just want to parent with him and had no interest in a relationship, though he suspected she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He’d read the desire, not to mention little flashes of love, in her eyes.

Her tears told the story too, giving him that thread of hope that started deep in his soul and began growing slowly, but surely.

Chapter 9

What a day!

Julie couldn’t believe this. First, Mrs. Morrison had screamed at her and Greg, then, of all people, Logan had come to the rescue. She hadn’t known he was coming to LA for treatment, but it made sense. His parents were here, his sister and niece, even his fish.

It looked as if she wasn’t the only one who’d held a torch. She’d never expected Logan to open up and let himself be vulnerable. Though she had no reason beyond gut instinct to trust what he said, she believed it to be true. But that opened up a whole other can of worms.

“Why did you leave that first day?” he asked, and she shouldn’t have seemed so surprised that they were on the same wavelength.

“I looked at your cell,” she admitted, realizing how immature and idiotic as that had been. “I saw a bunch of names and I figured I was just another notch on your bedpost. NFL superstar, choice of any woman in creation. Why me?”

He shook his head, sighing. “Cheerleaders looking for a night of fun. I’m not interested and I’ve never indulged. Julie...I’m not the player you think I am. I’m as far from that reputation as it comes. Sure, I’ve had some casual sex, but I’m done with that. I don’t want anyone but you. I would have told you that morning we had something special, but you were gone so quickly.”

He sighed. “I don’t think you were ready to take a chance, so you ran.”

“Neither of us were ready,” she pointed out quietly. Julie reached for Greg and Logan handed him over, settling back in the chair and leaning forward. “I did a really stupid and immature thing by running, but if I hadn’t run, it wouldn’t have worked anyway. Des Moines to LA is a million miles away.”

She wanted to believe him, but the pictures kept trickling through. She opened up her laptop and let it boot up, then navigated to a folder on her desktop. She was getting really good at doing this.

“Amanda Grant, Jennifer Whey, Nicole Calwind.” She punctuated each name with a pointed finger at the images on her desktop. “Katrina Bordeaux. Look at you kissing her shoulder. How can I believe you, Logan, when I see all these pictures. And while you were squiring the Des Moines fucking elite, I was here, trying to be Mom and Dad to Greg.”

“I don’t know,” he said, leaning over to look at the pictures. “Charity events. I didn’t even know most of their last names. These are girls that have a connection to the team, and I was asked to escort them, so I did. Des Moines is a pretty small city.”

“Yeah, I know. And you were the celebrity there with all the pretty girls on your arm, while I was waddling around and trying to get to the bathroom in time to toss my cookies.”

He raked a hand through his hair. “I told you…” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Julie. I’m sorry I wasn’t here. I’m sorry...for it all.”

Logan closed his eyes and she could hear his shuddering breaths. “All I wanted was you, Julie. I don’t know how to make you believe it.”

“I don’t think you can,” she said quietly, closing the laptop. “I don’t know where we go from here.”

Logan looked at her, and she could see him fighting not to cry. It was in his movements, in the way he shuddered, and the little whimpers she was fairly sure he had no idea he was emitting.

Her heart broke, but she couldn’t think about letting him shatter it into even more pieces. “I have to get Greg’s bag ready,” she told him, wondering if there was even a point in trying to make this work. Why not keep Greg here anyway? But Mom and probably Dad were on the way. “Here, you hold our son, and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Julie kept her head high as she went to the second bedroom, which was more like a closet. As she gathered his things, Logan’s voice filtered in. Julie suspected he had no idea how the apartment funneled sound to the back rooms.

“I love her, buddy. How can I get her to understand. Those girls, they came in their own limos. I was just there for conversation and the red carpet. It is all smoke and mirrors, Greg. And I may lose your mom because of that. I just want a shot with her to show her what I feel for her is real. It is real, Greg. You were conceived on one amazing night and I want us to have a lifetime of them. I should have told her sooner. I shouldn’t have missed a day without you. All I can say to you and your mom is that I’m sorry.” He choked off a sob.

Julie clenched the diaper bag and let her own tears flow. Could this be real? Could they actually make it work? Could she trust him?

And did she have the courage to try?

Julie tried to control herself, the thoughts running roughshod through her head. She’d had several talks with Logan's sister, Dara, who maintained her brother dated some but wasn’t a player. Dara hadn’t seen Logan bring a woman home since college; that had to mean something. Right?

When the doorbell rang, Julie jumped. Mom and Dad had keys, so clearly it was just a warning, in case she and Logan were in a compromising position. She listened to Mom and Dad greeting him, and tried to catch her breath and calm her breathing. When she was in control of her emotions, she went to the living room, head high, shoulders back.

‘Hi, Mom, Dad,” she said. Mom was cuddling Greg, while Dad looked concerned about Logan’s shoulder. Julie just took in the family warmth for a moment, basking in it. Could this be her future if she was just brave enough to let Logan in?

“Hi, honey,” Mom said, giving Julie a little smile. “You kids are going to talk?”

“We need to.” Mom didn’t know everything, but the fact that Julie had gotten pregnant with Greg, and Logan was involved, said something.

“Good luck, honey,” Mom said, kissing her cheek. “Luke, we have to go.” Mom bustled them off, grabbing the bag from Julie. “I’ll be here when you’re done with work. Come on, Greg, You’re going to have some time with Gran and Gramps.”

When they left, the room seemed much more lively, not to mention smaller. Logan dominated the space he was in, whether it was his powerful body and his charisma, or just something more elemental, she didn’t know.

“Can we talk?” he asked, and she shook her head.

“I'm tired of talking for now. Can I...will you just...come on.” She turned and headed for her bedroom, Logan’s heavier footfalls behind her comforting her.

“What?” he asked, when they were in the bedroom.

Julie looked at him, wondering if she was foolish for asking this. “Can you just...this is silly but… I’ve been alone in this for so long. Will you just lie down with me and hold me. I don’t care if we’re fully clothed or naked, but I need to lean on someone else and feel their strength instead.”

Logan nodded and sat on the edge of her bed, first removing shoes and socks and then standing to slowly, painfully unbuckle his belt.

“Let me do it. You’re hurt.”

Logan stood still as she got his pants down his legs and then he stepped from one foot to the other as she pulled them free. She couldn’t help looking, she was crouched below him.

And he was hard. Oh boy was he turned on. Julie’s fingertips traced over him for a few moments.

“Underwear on or off?” she asked.
 

“On.”

Julie was slightly disappointed but she didn’t think she was ready for anything else quite yet.

Logan got his shirt off without her help, and Julie stripped her yoga pants off. She was exhausted even though it wasn’t even nine o'clock.

“Do you need anything?” she asked, realizing she hadn’t even offered him anything to drink.

“Just you.”

That was powerful, and Julie drank it in, trying to calm her arousal. She’d asked him for something nonsexual and it wouldn’t do her—or them—any good if she changed up the rules. Julie climbed into bed and Logan settled beside her. She could lie against his good arm and keep the bad one out of any danger.
 

“You don’t need a splint or..anything?”

“Not yet. After surgery it’ll be immobilized for a bit. My doctor had an emergency and he’ll see me tomorrow.”

“This is career ending?” she asked, peering over him to look at his shoulder. It didn’t even look swollen.

“Definitely.” He sounded so sure and determined when he said it. “Now, come here and just relax. You’re wound so tight I’m afraid your head might pop off.”

She settled in, closing her eyes and listened to him breathing, deep inhalations and exhalations that she tried to match. He pulled her close, stroking her hair, the silence free and easy between them. She was drifting, floating in a near twilight phase of sleep, when he spoke.

“I fell in love with you that night, Julie. I haven’t stopped being in love with you since. I’ve never been in love before, but now I know what it is.”

A sudden rush of need and tenderness came over her and she rose up, eyes still closed, and kissed him tenderly. She couldn’t say the words just yet, but she could show him.

Logan groaned, his mouth opening gently, his hand tangling in her hair. This wasn’t a frenzied lust-filled kiss, but a gentle exploration of his mouth, a connection of their souls. It was the most beautiful thing Julie could ever imagine experiencing.

She climbed atop him, relaxing her body gently against his. Oh, she could feel how hard he was. He didn’t rush or even pay any attention to what had to be a fierce and aching desire.

Julie pulled away slowly, lost in the magic of the moment. In the magic of Logan.

“Can I...take care of you?” she asked, punctuating her statement by rubbing over him.

“Please.”
 

She slid down his body, peeling down his underwear. She tasted his cock, bringing his flavor into her mouth and savoring him. She hadn’t done this often, and not with him, but she loved doing this and wanted him to take advantage of her talents.

Julie lifted her head, watching him. “I’m going to make love to you,” she whispered, kissing the tip of him gently. He was deeply aroused, his hard cock pressed against her, body trembling and thighs clenching under her chest.
 

Good. She wanted him to let go, just as they had that first night, when they’d ridden the magic of their newfound bond. It was so much deeper now, the friendship they’d forged as they tried to navigate her pregnancy blended with their love at first sight. It was friends to lovers in a completely different way. From the immediacy of lust, they’d created something extraordinary that kept on thriving in their son.

Julie wanted him to stay, wanted to be with him forever. The aching feeling in her body was dwarfed by the ache in her heart and soul.

She touching him intimately, her mouth, her tongue, tracing slowly along the length of him.

She sighed. It was so beautiful and all hers. She gripped him gently, letting her jaw relax, and took him deep into her mouth.

Logan groaned and Julie licked and sucked, bobbing her head up and down his cock for a few moments, but when his moans started to turn to something deeper, she lifted her head staring him in the eyes, thankful that enough natural light shone in to illuminate him.

“Please. I want you, Julie. I want to be inside you.” His hand tangled in her hair, preventing her from continuing to make love to him with her mouth.

Julie read the truth in his eyes and moved off him, taking off her clothes quickly, and standing by the edge of the bed, not sure how they were going to do this.

“On top of me. Just don’t press on my shoulder and we’ll be all right.”

Julie nodded, nervous. She was aroused, but she hadn’t had sex since Greg had been born, and there was a little trepidation there.

“It’ll be okay,” he said, as if he was reading her thoughts. “It is perfect because you’re here with me.”

God, he could make her cry with just a little phrase.
 

“I love you,” Julie whispered as she settled on top of him, guiding him inside her swollen folds. They worked together to ease him in fully, and she controlled the movements, staring down at her lover, the father of her baby, the man she wanted to be with forever.

She scratched over his chest, trying to be gentle despite the waves of passion rolling over her. Logan’s eyes went from narrowed to wide and he strained upward as much as he could, given his shoulder.

Julie met him with every thrust, moving faster and pushing them toward the edge of what she knew would be something extraordinary.

“I love you,” she said again, and he echoed her, his voice lust ravaged and emotional.

Suddenly it was that simple. The dam broke and Julie cried happy tears as she exploded in a climax that was beautiful, vibrant, and fed her soul. They would be fine.

“Kiss me, Julie. Kiss me like you’re going to keep me forever.”

Forever together.

Chapter 10

One Year Later…

“Ma!” Greg called, toddling on the grass toward Julie. He was sometimes a little unsteady on his feet, but her little boy was walking, talking, and developing in the ninety-eighth percentile of children his age. Logan followed behind, ready to catch Greg if he fell. Both of them were a little overprotective of him, especially in their yard.

Their yard.

A year ago, Julie had expected to raise Greg alone. She hadn’t held any illusions about being Mrs. Logan Morris. Then he’d come back into her life, bum shoulder and all, and they’d rekindled a love that had never died.

It turned out there was such a thing as love at first sight.

Julie rubbed her stomach and sat down on the deck stairs leading to the back yard. Myra caught Greg as he ran to her and they fell down, Myra taking the brunt of the fall, both of them giggling.
 

“How’re you doing, honey?” Dara asked, handing Julie a huge glass of iced tea. She settled next to Julie and gave her a loose hug. Her sister-in-law came over to visit most days, and they’d formed a very tight bond.