Always Only You by Chloe Liese (z-lib.org).epub

That knowledge makes me feel free, weightless, as if Ren let go of me right
now, I’d catch on the sea breeze and float serenely to the sky.
“What is it, buttercup?”
I turn my head enough to playfully sink my teeth into his pec. “You’ve got
me all tied up. No nicknames when I can’t defend myself.”
He smiles down at me, slowing our dance until we’re still but for the wind
that swirls around us, whipping our hair and clothes.
Ren dips his head and kisses me. A soft, searing sweep of his lips. Gentle
and cherishing.
“I love you, Frankie.” Those wintry eyes search mine as he holds me close.
“I’ve loved you for a long time. And I know maybe that’s not how you feel, and
that’s okay. But I needed you to know. This. You and Me…” He sweeps back
the hair tangling across my face. “It means everything to me.”
I nod, trying to swallow the lump of emotion in my throat. But all I can
manage, as I cling to this man is the faintest, tear-choked, “Me, too.”
THREE SUBSEQUENT GAMES. ONE MORE AT HOME, TWO IN DENVER. ZERO WINS.
Lots of great sex. Lots of cuddles and talks, sneaking into hotel rooms, and
lounging on the couch. But the team’s mood is somber, and mine’s not much
better.
There’s a tickle in my throat, an ache settled in my joints. My body’s warm
and slow. I’m either preparing for the flare of the year or I’m coming down with
something. Which, I’ll be damned if I tell Ren about.
Sitting on the deck, Ren rubs his forehead as he reads the sports page on his
phone. His brow is knitted, his jaw tight. And for some reason I feel responsible.
“What if I jinxed you?”
Ren glances up from his phone. “What?”
“Since we started sleeping together, you’ve lost three in a row.”
Ren chuckles to himself and takes a sip of coffee. But when he sees my face,
he sets down his cup with a clunk and leans in. “You’re serious? Practical,
rational Frankie, is blaming her sex life for a team that’s just not having its best
playoffs.”
I shrug and bite into my bagel. “I don’t know. I mean you guys suck. Bad.”
“Gee. Thanks.”
Setting my hand on his massive thigh, I squeeze affectionately and glance
out to the sand where Pazza bolts toward the water, barking at the waves.