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“There’s nowhere else I’d be.”
We stare at each other, the air buzzing with the growing tension between us. Someone jostles behind me pushing me forward, and I hold Laney close to my body so she doesn’t lose her own footing. Her arms tighten around me and her breath quickens.
“Laney…” I choke out her name, part plea, part desire.
Her gaze drops to my lips and then her tongue darts out to lick along her bottom lip. I’m not even sure she’s aware of it, but it breaks whatever resolve I had, and I lean down and brush my lips against hers. She melts against my body, and despite the deafening sound around us, it almost feels like we’re alone. I close my eyes, savoring the taste of her, the feel of her plush lips against mine, the way her tongue darts out hesitantly to lick against my lips—like she’s afraid I’ll deny her.
I couldn’t deny her if my life depended on it.
I’ve never wanted a woman’s kiss as badly as I want this one.
I can’t hear her whimper, but I feel the vibration of it where our lips meet, and that only encourages me to kiss her deeper.
Someone bumps into me again, and I reluctantly pull away from her. I can tell in my periphery that the field is full of bodies and people celebrating, but I can’t look away from the woman in front of me.
How can I prove to her that she means the world to me?
And not just as my best friend…
Nineteen
My lips still tingle as we move off the field. The players head to the locker room to clean up before we’ll all head over to a banquet hall to celebrate more. I join the other wives and girlfriends, or WAGs as they’re often referred to, my mind buzzing from that brain-melting kiss.
I know there are a ton of cameras around, but I wasn’t expecting him to kiss me like that. I expected a peck on the lips, but clearly Dom didn’t want any doubts in the minds of the press. Instead, he’s only planted doubts in my own head.
I don’t know if I’m strong enough to fake this if he’s going to kiss me like that. I’m having a very hard time remembering that it’s not real. And that’s dangerous—for my heart and my sanity.
Danae comes up to me, practically glowing with happiness, and reaches her arms out for a hug. “They did it! I’m so excited.”
I laugh lightly. Two months ago, she didn’t know a single thing about football, and now she’s a huge fan and the biggest supporter for Gabe. It’s nice seeing them so happy. He deserves the love of a good woman like Danae, and I have no doubt these two will go the distance.
“Hey, you okay?” she asks, a slight frown marring her face.
“Yeah, I’m good. Still reeling.” I paste on a smile, hoping it looks more authentic than it feels.
She arches her eyebrow, and her lips tilt up in a smirk. “You mean from that kiss?” She fans her face and then leans forward. “I told Gabe there was something going on between you and Dom, but he didn’t believe me. Not until we saw that picture of you two kissing at the beach.”
It gets harder to hold my smile at her mention of our first kiss—the one that was supposed to be just for us, but instead has become part of this whole farce. But Dom’s career is relying on my ability to sell this as real, so I don’t deny her statement.
“Yeah, I guess it just took us a while to figure out what was between us.”
She smiles at me, and it’s a smile that happy, in-love people always seem to have whenever they talk to other happy, in-love people. It’s a knowing smile. I just wish I understood what I’m supposed to know because right now all I know is this whole thing has become even more emotionally confusing than I thought it would be.
And that’s saying something.
Fortunately, I’m saved from having to talk about my relationship with Dom by the other WAGs coming over. Paige, Jack’s wife, cradles her small baby bump which seemed to appear out of nowhere overnight. Gina, Will’s fiancée, is next to her, a gorgeous smile on her face. Nikki, Matt’s fiancée, and Emma, Luke Carter’s fiancée, follow behind them.
I’ve befriended these ladies over the years, always grateful for how down-to-earth they’ve been and accepting of me even when I wasn’t technically a wife or a girlfriend. It feels horrible to lie to them now, but it’s even sadder to consider the idea of not having them in my life when Dom and I go our separate ways. Will they still want to be friends with me when I’m no longer part of the Wolves family? Will I have to say goodbye to everyone just so I can get over Dom?
This is the downside of falling for your best friend that no one talks about. When your lives have been as entwined as mine and Dom’s for so long, you end up having a lot of the same friends. What happens when you have to cut ties to save yourself from endless heartache? Is this what divorced couples go through?
“Hey, you okay?” Danae whispers next to me, and I realize my smile has slipped thanks to the depressing direction of my thoughts.
“I’m fine,” I say, trying to build up my walls so I can make it through tonight. I’ve never been a good liar, but I especially struggle to lie to my friends, and these ladies are some of my closest.
Her eyes narrow, and she dips her head so the other ladies won’t overhear. “I call bullshit.”
“I’ll tell you later,” I murmur in a lame attempt to buy myself some time. I signed an NDA, so I can’t actually tell her anything, but obviously I’m not selling that I’m as happy and in love as I’m supposed to be.
