Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 104081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 520(@200wpm)___ 416(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 520(@200wpm)___ 416(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
We were wrapped up in each other in every possible way, and I was living in the present moment as if the future didn’t exist.
November bled into December, the holidays kicking up in a whole new way in Tampa. We were always a bit cheeky in our Christmas celebrations, anyway — lawns boasting Santa Claus in his swim trunks on the beach, palm trees glittering with lights, our weather staying firmly in the eighties while the rest of the country battled its first falls of snow.
But this year, the city hummed with an exciting energy, because for the first time in over a decade, the Ospreys had a winning record.
We were 14-11-1, and every home game was packed to the hilt now. The city was lit up in blue and white, too — buildings painting their bricks with Ospreys Nation or Fly Birds Fly. Our players were healthy and hungry and out to prove a point, and every eye in the city was on the prospect of making playoffs.
Every eye in the nation seemed to be on Vince Cool.
Our accounts had swelled to a combined three-million followers in just two months, sparking the demand for me to have not one, but two social media associates to manage the comments and messages while I focused on content creation. Reya and Camilla also worked with our marketing team to launch an entire store of branded merchandise, everything from t-shirts and stickers to beach chairs and umbrellas.
And in the midst of all the chaos, Reya had pulled me to the side and told me to start drafting my concepts for what would come after the season.
“You’ve earned the spotlight,” she’d told me. “What you do with it next is up to you.”
Full control. I had full control of my content, my subject focus, my future career, and — most excitedly — my sex life. I was flying so high I was dizzy off the lack of oxygen. And, strangely enough, this new chaos somehow felt… comfortable.
I found a home within the mayhem.
One afternoon before a five home-game stretch, Coach gave all the players the day off to rest and recharge. I snuck away long enough to have brunch with Livia, who was just as busy as I had been lately with the team dentistry and her other South Tampa clients, before finding a text from Vince.
Vince: I have a surprise for you.
Me: Sounds dirty.
Vince: Oh, you have no idea. Wear something you don’t mind getting stained.
My interest piqued, I stopped by my bungalow long enough to change into a t-shirt and overalls before I made my way back downtown and up to Vince’s floor. When he opened the door, he took in my appearance with a shit-eating grin.
“How did you know the perfect way to dress?”
I laughed, looking down at the overalls that had remnants of projects past etched into the jean fabric. There were paint splatters from working on houses with Dad, grass stains from gardening with Mom, and a host of other organic matter that had collected over the years.
“Lucky guess? What are we doing?”
“Hang on, I’m still appreciating the view,” he said, reaching out for my hand. He held it over my head and gave me a spin before letting out a low whistle. “How the hell you manage to make overalls sexy is a puzzle I’ll never solve.”
“Witchcraft,” I said as he pulled me into his arms, one hand hugging me tight to him while the other slid up to frame my face.
“Mm.” He kissed me long and slow before adding, “Then I’m gladly under your spell.”
It was moments like this, so small and quick I’d miss them if I blinked, that I felt it. My heart would stutter and expand, brain going haywire trying to stop myself from reading more into things than I should.
“Close your eyes,” Vince said, and when I did, he circled me until his hands were on my shoulders and guiding me inside.
I held out my hands, walking slowly so I didn’t slam into anything. My face was split in a smile, wondering what the hell he had in store as he kissed behind my neck and muttered about how he couldn’t wait to peel my overalls off me later. I didn’t have any context for where we were by the time he pulled me to a stop, but something smelled earthy, and sunlight warmed my face.
“Okay,” he said, releasing my shoulders. “Open.”
I blinked my eyes open, pupils dilating a bit as the sun streamed in through the window.
And then, I gasped.
I’d never been in this room before, but judging by the equipment that was shoved out of the way, I assumed it was a sort of multipurpose area for Vince before. A treadmill was pushed against the back wall, along with recovery equipment like bands and rollers, and there were some trophies displayed in a floor-to-ceiling case.