He washed me thoroughly in the shower. I tried to do it myself, but he removed the soap from my hands and cleaned every inch of my skin."You're punishing me." Sadness tinged my voice.Momentarily, his soapy hands stopped moving. "No, I'm giving you what you asked for.""Then you're punishing yourself."His gaze darkened. "But will it be enough, Rebecca? Can you forgive me? Will you love me again?"I pulled him into my arms. I could see the pain in his eyes and I was so afraid to tell him how much I loved him. I never stopped and didn't think I ever would. It was me-I was punishing both of us, but I couldn't stop. The weeks and months of pain made me into a person I didn't know. I wanted to wipe it all away, let my heart melt again, and most of all forgive him.Why was I doing this?My tears started and my shoulders began shaking."Shh, Rebecca, it's okay. I understand. I'll do whatever it takes. I'm not going anywhere and if I eventually get my way, you'll never go anywhere ag
After the completion of track season and my college graduation, I became Rebecca MacGregor. I qualified for nationals and took sixth place. No grumpy loser's behavior from me. I was thrilled with my achievement and very proud of myself.For the wedding, Amanda, Malory, and my sister Candi were my bridesmaids. My sister and I reached an uneasy peace that improved each time I confronted her and wouldn't let her talk down to me. Lyle, Blitz, and Stump stood with Killian. Michael was our ring bearer.For our honeymoon, we flew to a private island in the Caribbean that Killian rented.Exhaustion had settled deep into my bones by the time we arrived. Soft-colored lights surrounded the covered patio. Killian lifted me into his arms and carried me over the threshold. He started undressing me as soon as we were inside."I know you're tired, but I want you soaking in the Jacuzzi so you don't wake up sore from traveling." I love how he cared for me and how strong he made me feel. The built-
PART TWOMY AGENT, LARRY Modiess, looks up from the papers in his hand and quirks his lips. "It's a done deal, Jordansign, sealed, and delivered. You're officially a New Mexico Pronghorn, the team with the lousiest record in the pro league." His hand slams against my back. He looks like he wants to hug me, so I step back and try to act manly. He's four inches shorter than I am, balding, and outweighs me by a hundred pounds. Think big teddy bear with a backbone of steel when it comes to negotiating sports contracts.Larry's words culminate the longest journey of my lifecountless meetings and more sleepless nights than I care to count. The journey isn't over. There will be more rounds of meetings, situating myself with the team, and dealing with the media. I also need to inform my father that I'll be moving to New Mexico. We lost my mom two years ago and I've been living with him ever since. My plan is to convince him to move in with me in the near future. Doubtful he will but I'll try
I REMEMBER TURNING twenty-three and beginning my first season as a starting quarterback. The powers that be considered twenty-three young for a starter. Now, three years later, I feel old. From the wear and tear on my body and my mental state from losing game after game, I don't have the same excitement as I've had in the past.As team captain, it's my job to pump up the players for the coming season. I'm hoping the new kicker the front office signed will help us out. The entire process has been shadowed in mystery for some ungodly reason. We have a player or two who are gay. They keep it on the down-low. I truly don't give a damn about who they have in their bed. Play your position, give it your heart, and screw anyone you want. With consent, that is.This doesn't mean all the players feel this way. By my thinking, the idiots need to get over it and move on. I haven't seen a sexual pass in the locker room or heard of one. Maybe the new kicker is openly gay and the organization expec
"IT COULD HAVE been worse," Larry says as we enter the two-bedroom suite that will be ours for the next few days. We were quiet in the car because we didn't want the driver to overhear us."He hates me," I groan. Larry knows exactly who "he" is."He doesn't hate you. He's slightly shocked, I'll admit."My laugh isn't humorous in the least. It's more like the squeal of a cat who's been stepped on. "Shocked?" I walk past the main room, toss my backpack on the floor of the first bedroom I come to, and fall back on the bed with my arms spread. "Look, I know what I'm getting myself into," I say as I look at the ceiling. "This is only the beginning." I cover my eyes in high dramatic fashion. "There will be denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Just like someone died." I peek through my fingers. "Add in testosterone-laden Neanderthals, vindictive assholes, and whiny mommy's boy temper tantrums and you'll understand what the next few weeks will be like."Larry walks to the
HEAD COACH BUCK Mitchel is speaking and he's pretending this is just another news conference and Jordan Givens is just another player. He's giving the opposite impression I got from him yesterday, and he now appears to agree that Jordan should be on the team.Kiss ass, I say beneath my breath.I'm in a piss-poor mood after losing valuable sleep the night before. I drank a bucketload of coffee this morning and the dark liquid did nothing to help the throbbing pain in my jaw from clenching my teeth throughout the torturous night.A few minutes ago, Mitchel informed me I have the pleasure of tagging along with Miss Givens' entourage after the news conference when she's officially introduced to the team. I spent the entire night trying to find a way out of what would happen today. I was also under strict orders to keep my mouth shut about our new kicker. The news hit the media less than an hour ago and half the team has texted or tried to call me. My phone is on silent mode because I ca
LARRY SAID I aced the press conference. He had no idea what was going on inside my brain or should I say-sex organs. Sitting next to Aiden Patrickson was a lesson in unfulfilled desire. The man smells. His pores leak some kind of pheromone that grabs your insides, twists, and lights them on fire. Who knew? Most definitely not me. Whatever he bathes in, sprays on, or shampoos with is one hundred percent nuclear. All I could think about was licking him to see if he tasted as good as he smelled. He might have actually helped with the press conference because the butterflies disappeared as soon as I inhaled him.I'm standing in a toilet stall inside the arena with only a few minutes to spare, and what am I doing? I'm using my phone to Google Aiden Patrickson to see if he sponsors a cologne line. Why, might you ask? Because I'm ordering a case of the stuff and demanding any man I date wear the stuff twenty-four-seven.I have a whirlwind schedule in front of me and I can't get Aiden Patric
SHE'S AS COOL as a wide receiver on a Hail Mary pass into the end zone with no one around for miles. I just don't buy it. Before we entered the locker room and were waiting on Givens to come out of the ladies' room, her agent pulled me aside."I have something I want you to read. Keep it to yourself and take a look when you have time. Jordan tricked her way into my office. These are a copy of the papers she gave me," he said as he handed the folded sheets to me. "This is why I signed her as a client. Read them and give her a chance on the field." His jaw tightened. "She's earned it." He walked away and I stuffed the papers in my pocket.Right now I'm lifting weights and thinking about the pages he gave me. They're sitting in my locker unread. I'll look at them tonight."This is shit, you know that, right?" It's Randy Byer, one of the best fullbacks in the league. The problem is you wouldn't know it by the way he's played the past three years."I won't deny it," I answer after lower