Page 89 of Set Play

NSAIDs can commonly cause an upset stomach, nausea, or heartburn. Bisphosphonates can cause mild pain in the bones, muscles, and joints. Outside of the risk of addiction, opioids can—

My self -induced medication quiz is interrupted when my door, which I was leaning on, is pulled open. Thankfully, my seatbelt prevents me from falling out of the car, but it also causes the pain in my ribs to flare up again.

“Shit, Chispita, I’m so sorry! I didn’t even think about the fact that you were leaning on the door. Are you okay?”

I close my eyes against the pain, but nod in reassurance. A warm hand caresses my back, offering the only comfort he can while we wait for the pain to ebb. Once it does, I blink open my eyes to meet Mateo’s concerned gaze. “Come on, Chispita. Let’s get you inside.”

“I’m okay, I promise. It was just the sudden movement. It hardly hurts otherwise.”

He watches me climb out of the car like he can see straight through my lie, but I don’t back down. I reach out to take his hand, but he hesitates, looking torn between wanting to scoop me into his arms again and wanting to cover me in bubble wrap.

“Big Shot,” I gently chastise him, “I’m bruised, not broken. Please don’t treat me like I’ll shatter underneath your hand. I’m made of stronger stuff than that. Surely you’ve learned that by now.”

A smile tugs at the corner of his lips, and I can’t stop myself from sticking my fingers into the spot to tug them up the rest of the way. The laugh that erupts from his chest sinks into my own, warming me down to my bones. His hand finally closes around mine and we move as one onto the elevator.

It takes every ounce of self-control to keep myself from launching at him the second the doors slide shut and the car starts rising. The blinking red light of a camera in the corner solidifies that control into something unbreakable.

Yeah, no. I’ve had enough unauthorized pictures and videos of me wind up on the front page.

As we step out and the doors close behind us, leaving us in the hall outside his penthouse, he stops, pulling lightly on my arm so I look at him. One hand comes up to cup my face while the other caresses my ribs ever so softly before settling on my hip.

“I know you’re not broken, Chispita. But that doesn’t mean I can’t treat you like you’re one of the most precious things I’ll ever have in my hands.”

I mentally swoon at his murmured declaration. Fuck if that wasn’t the sweetest thing a man has ever said to me. I don’t know what to say, so I loop one hand around the back of his neck and pull him down into a kiss, pouring everything I feel for him into it.

Maybe he understands, maybe he doesn’t. Either way, he kisses me back like he’s a desert and I’m the first rainfall of the year.

Mateo pushes us back until my shoulders hit his door. His lips move from mine down the column of my throat as his hand leaves my side, moving to his pocket to dig out his keys so he can unlock the door. We resume our backward dance, shuffling our way to the living room and letting the door close on its own. Just before the backs of my knees hit the couch, Mateo spins us so that he’s sitting on the couch and can ease me onto his lap.

My weight settles onto him and, without thinking, I start to roll my hips, grinding down and finding him already hard. With a tortured groan, Mateo grabs my hips and wrenches back to pant, “Gorgeous, we need to stop. You’re injured.”

This time it’s my eyes that roll.

“Fine. If you don’t think you can touch me without hurting me, then let me touch you.” I watch as his chest expands with an inhale and his pupils begin to dilate, making the storm appear even darker. “Will you be a good boy and keep your hands to yourself?”

He starts to shake his head, then nods. “Well which one is it, yes or no? Use your words, handsome.” My words are a purr against his throat as I trail kisses from his collarbone up toward his jawline, stopping to nip his ear.

“Mierda. Y-yes.”

“Yes, what?” I hide my smirk in the crook of his neck, knowing I’m using his tactics against him and loving every minute of it.

A groan so low it’s almost animalistic vibrates through his chest straight into mine and down to my core. “Chispita.” The warning is a sign of delicious things to come should I keep pushing him.

Good. Maybe he’ll get out of his own damn way.

“Hmm?” I hum, deciding to see how far his resolve can go.

My lips chart a path back down to his shoulder, kissing and biting him through his jersey. Annoyed that it is impeding my progress, I lean back and tug at the hem until he sits forward, enabling me to yank it over his head. Mateo falls back against the couch, but I stay put, admiring the view of his muscular body.

I want nothing more than to finish stripping him down, but when I plant a kiss on his left pec, over his heart, I realize he didn’t shower after the game. Not only does his skin have a slightly salty taste , but his shirt, which is still in my hand, is still kind of damp, making me wrinkle my nose as I drop it on the floor behind me.

“Shower?” I ask, hoping he understands without taking offense.

I’m met again with a shockingly loud laugh. “Come on, Chispita. Let’s go get me smelling nice and citrus fresh.” He stands up, not even hesitating or struggling to lift me with him, before striding through the penthouse to an enormous bathroom.

Gray marble flooring stretches nearly the entire length and width of a standard bedroom. The walls are painted a muted shade of steel blue, almost a pastel version of his soccer uniform. A massive standalone tub sits off to the right, across from the double vanity. But the real focus is the glorious, glass-walled shower that takes up most of the wall straight ahead. I think it’s one of those rainfall showers; I don’t see a showerhead, just a knob.

Mateo stops just shy of the glass door, squeezing my ass to signal me to unwrap myself from around him. I reluctantly do, sticking out my bottom lip in a fake pout. “Don’t pout, gorgeous,” he whispers, leaning in to nip my protruding lip. “As soon as your clothes are off, I want those sexy legs wrapped right back where they were so we can shower. And then, you’re putting that jersey back on for me.”