Dating the Defensive Back (The Nash Brothers Book 1)

I Want You There When I Get Home

I spend Sunday with Grayson and his family.

We’re all in Jolene’s private suite at the hospital cooing over the baby when I hear Lincoln ask Asher and Grayson, “Are you two dickheads ready for minicamp?”

“I thought it was voluntary,” Grayson says. I can tell from his light tone that he’s teasing his brother.

“Well, you’re being voluntold that your ass better be there,” he says.

Grayson and I haven’t talked about minicamp or when it is or what that means.

I think there’s a lot we haven’t talked about.

We haven’t had a chance, though. This is all still really new and fresh, just sealed into perfection twice last night (and once this morning), and we’re feeling things out.

But does minicamp mean we’ll be away from each other? And for how long?

And what’s the season going to be like? Is he different in season than he is out of it?

Maybe he’s right. If our time together will be limited once the season gets underway and our routine shifts, maybe it makes sense for me to quit my job. You know, in the future. When and if things get serious so we can maximize the time we have together.

Are things serious now for us?

I’m not sure.

It feels pretty damn serious after the admissions we made last night, and I did tell him I’d cut back hours at the bakery to make myself more available for events with him. But I still need a paycheck if I ever want to reach my dreams. I can’t be a woman who gives up on my own dreams for my man…even if my man was technically my dream before the bakery was.

It’s on our way back to my place in the evening that I finally ask the questions on my mind. “What’s minicamp?”

“It’s basically non-contact practice for a few days toward the end of April. Individual drills, routines, position practice, things like that. Since I’m new to the team, it would be good to put in face time with the coaches and my teammates.”

“So you’ll be gone?”

He shakes his head. “It’s held at the practice facility across from the Gridiron, so I’ll be in town but gone all day.”

“When’s your new place going to be ready?” I ask.

“I just got word that it’s closing on the first of May. So just a few more weeks.”

“Do, uh…” I feel awkward asking. “Have you thought any more about moving in with me while you wait rather than wasting all that money on a suite at the Palms?”

I suppose money’s not an object to him, but my guess is that what he’s paying for that suite over the next few weeks would be enough capital for my bakery.

I don’t mention that, obviously. I’m not with him for his money.

“I mean…Ellie said it would look good if we did. It would make things easier for the press.” He clears his throat, and then he glances over at me.

I feel a twinge of disappointment spear me in the stomach at his words.

“I don’t care about the press, though, Av.” He reaches over and grabs my hand in his. “I want to spend as much time with you as I can before the season starts and everything gets thrown into chaos.”

My chest warms at his words. “Really?”

He nods. “Really. And I want you to think about moving in with me when my place is ready.”

“What?” I gasp.

“It just makes sense,” he says, rushing his words. “It’s closer to the Strip, it has a bigger kitchen so you can bake for the team…”

He’s not wrong, but I was hoping there was more of a personal reason why he asked.

And then he assures me there is.

“And I want you there when I get home.”

Tears pinch behind my eyes at the sweet sentiment. He could’ve said any number of things—he wants to have more sex, or it’s easier for the press to catch us together…but he didn’t say those things.

He said he wants me there.

And that means more than I thought it would.

I don’t answer because I’m not sure I’m ready to move out of the house I’ve shared with Kelly since we graduated from college, though, to be honest, I haven’t spent much time with her lately.

If she’s not working, I am—or I’m out with Grayson. It isn’t until a few days later that we’re finally home at the same time.

“Pizza and Doritos?” I propose.

“And vodka, obviously,” she says with a grin, and I nod as I call up our favorite pizza place to place our usual order.

She meets me on the couch with vodka drinks, and she starts in first. “So what’s going on with you and Grayson?”

I think my smile must give me away because she squeals.

I giggle. “It’s kind of crazy. I yelled at him that night when you saw the photo, he called me the next morning to go with him to meet his niece, and something changed when I spent the day with him and his family.”

“He saw you in it,” she says, nodding meaningfully.

“I don’t know. Maybe. And I need to tell you something.”

“You banged him again?”

“Well, yeah. A few times, actually. But that’s not it.”

She giggles, but I stay serious. “What is it, Avelina?”

“Is it okay if Grayson stays here with us for a while until his place is ready?”

“Of course! I didn’t realize you two were already there. That’s amazing!” She throws her arms around me, and a little of her drink sloshes over the side and onto the couch. “Oh shit,” she says, and she jumps up to grab a towel to dab it up.

“And, uh, there’s more…” I say as she scrubs at the couch.

“What’s more?” she asks a little absently.

“He asked me to move in with him once his place is ready.”

“He…he…” She freezes and drops the towel as her eyes meet mine. “Are you serious?”

I nod slowly as I await her reaction.

“Oh my God, Ava! That’s amazing!” She throws her arms around me. “I’m so happy for you!”

“But what about rent? What will we do?”

She shrugs. “We’ll figure it out. I can move to a one-bedroom somewhere, or I’ll see if there’s someone at school looking for a roommate, or whatever. I’m not going to be the one to hold you back from everything you’ve dreamed of.”

I squeeze her. “You’re the best friend in the world, do you know that?”

“Yeah, I do.” She grins at me, and I have this feeling things are going to work out for both of us.

The next couple weeks pass in a bit of a blur.

Between him leaving the Palms to stay at my place, attending events on his arm so we’re photographed for the press, trying our hardest to make sure Beck still believes we’re faking it, having lots of sex where we’re not faking it, visiting Grayson’s niece, and slipping in hours at work in between everything, suddenly it’s the Monday morning that minicamp begins, and Grayson is up and at ‘em bright and early.

I head into the bakery to fill the hours while he’s gone, but I’m still home before four. He isn’t.

I don’t hear from him all day, which feels…odd. I know he’s busy. He’s bonding with his teammates. He’s getting to know a whole new routine with a brand-new team. He’s spent so much of his time with me over the last month and a half since he first arrived in Vegas that he hasn’t gotten much bonding time with anyone else.

I have to admit, I kind of liked not having to share him.

Since he moved in with Kelly and me two weeks ago, I have been the one leaving to go to work. I cut back from close to sixty hours a week at the bakery to thirty, and most of the time I spend there is baking my cookies.

I miss decorating cakes and cookies, but the tradeoff is charity events and concerts and nightclubs with Grayson.

He has invitations to different events nearly every night, but he picks and chooses the ones he wants to go to. He’s in high demand, especially since he’s new to town, and there’s something really damn special about being the woman he wants on his arm at all these events.

Beckett has checked in with me a few times to make sure I’m okay with this arrangement, and I’ve assured him I am. We haven’t told him I’m moving in with him just yet.

We get through those three days of minicamp, and we find ourselves spending yet another weekend together as we prepare for the closing on Grayson’s new house in the morning.

It’s as we’re lying together in my small bed in the afterglow of another exhausting release after an appearance at a nightclub tonight that Grayson says, “I need a snack after that round.”

I giggle, and we both put on clothes and head out to the kitchen, where we happen to run into Kelly.

And she’s not alone.

“Graham,” Grayson says with a nod.

They’re on different sides of the ball, so I’m not sure if they had much interaction at their minicamp. I do recall Grayson mentioning that Austin plays the same position as Asher, though, so I wonder how important these minicamps are for the coaching staff to determine who will start.

I’m happy for Kelly, but I’m also worried for her.

“Nash,” Austin says back. He eyes Grayson a little warily, and there’s something in his eyes that I can’t quite identify.

An awkward beat passes between the four of us. “Anybody hungry?” I ask.

“We were just heading to bed,” Kelly says, setting her glass down on the counter. She gives me one of those looks that tells me she’s ecstatic he’s here, so I give her an encouraging nod before they head out of the room.

I dig through the pantry for something to eat, and Grayson searches the shelves beside me.

“Damn shame,” he mutters.

“What is?” I ask. I half expect him to make some comment about Austin, but he doesn’t.

“No Tootsie Rolls in here.” He purses his lips and shakes his head disapprovingly, and all I can do is laugh.

He grabs a loaf of bread and takes it over to the stove. “Grilled cheese?”

“You’re cooking?” I ask.

He nods. “As long as you have cheese and butter, this is my specialty.”

I open the fridge and grab what he needs, and I set it on the counter. “I am all in.”

I perch on the counter next to where he’s cooking, and while we wait in between steps, he slips in between my legs and leans in for soft kisses.

I feel giddy. Butterflies are flapping wildly, and my engine is revving, and I feel like I want to kick my feet in the air with happiness.

All I can do is live in the moment and pray there isn’t some rocket on its way to collide with this feeling.

But that look Austin gave Grayson is still in the back of my mind, and I’m worried he, or Colin, or some woman from Gray’s past, is just waiting for the moment to blow this all up.