Dating the Defensive Back (The Nash Brothers Book 1)

You Know How Much I Love to Eat Your Cookie

Ava heads to the bakery the next morning, and I head to the title company to sign off on my new place. I get the keys, and I meet the moving company along with the internet guy at my new house.

I have the basics, and they make quick work of unpacking my stuff—including unpacking boxes and putting items away. I’ll find what I need when I need it.

Ava hasn’t packed yet to move in with me, but to be fair, we’ve been busy.

I found out the lease on her house expires in June. They moved in when they graduated three years ago, and we haven’t really talked about what she wants to do about that.

Having her move in with me is fast, and I want her to still have that out if she needs it. I want her to be able to get together with her friend and have girl time whenever she wants. I don’t want her sitting alone at this big ass house while I’m traveling during the season if she doesn’t want to be in this big ass house all alone.

So I make a decision. I just haven’t shared it with her quite yet, and knowing how stubborn she can be, I’m not sure she’s going to like it.

I’m doing it anyway.

The doorbell rings a little after lunchtime, just after the internet company finishes their installation. I head over to open it, and I find Travis Woods standing there.

He’s a wide receiver for the Aces, and in the back of my mind I remember my realtor telling me that he lives in this neighborhood.

“Hey, neighbor,” he says. “You know that’s my house, right?” He points to the one two doors down from me. “My wife made me bring this over.” He hands the basket he’s holding in his hands over to me.

I chuckle as I glance at the contents of the basket—a bottle of Hendricks, a couple tumblers, and a spread of cheese, sausage, and crackers. “That was nice of your wife. Be sure to thank her for me.” I pull the bottle of gin out. “Want to come in?”

He makes a face. “Not for gin, but for the company? Sure.”

I open the door wider, and he steps in. He glances around as I lead him toward the kitchen, and we both look out the back at my pool.

“Nice place,” he says.

“Thanks. I didn’t have anything to do with the design, really, but I’m happy with it.”

We’re making small talk, and I’m debating where to take this conversation next. I can’t really comment on the coaching staff since I’m not sure how careful I need to be given that my brother is the head coach, and I don’t know my teammates very well since I’ve been a little busy with Ava. I’ve only had those three days of minicamp with my teammates so far, apart from a few nights at the Gridiron.

I tend not to be an awkward guy, so I start with something we have in common. “Do you like this neighborhood?” I ask. It’s a question I probably should have asked before I moved into it. Little late now if he says he hates it.

“Yeah, I do. It’s quiet. The gate at the front helps ward off the paparazzi, and it’s close to the Complex and my daughter’s school.”

“You have a daughter?” I ask.

He nods. “And a son, actually. My daughter is eleven, and my son is eight months.”

“Oh, wow. Busy house. Congratulations.”

He smiles. “Thanks. My wife runs that ship, and she’s pretty damn incredible. To be honest, I don’t know the first thing about kids, but I’m learning.”

I chuckle. “As you know, my brother just had his first. She was the first baby I’ve ever held.”

“That was me with my son.”

“Not your daughter?” I ask, realizing the words might be insensitive a bit too late considering I don’t know his situation.

He shakes his head. “No. I just met her a little over a year ago. Long story, but the moment I met her, she owned me. Kids will do that to you.” He chuckles a bit, and it’s weird how I never even really thought twice about kids, and now this is yet another newish dad convincing me that having kids is this whole magical thing.

I’m sure it’s magical when they’re new. Is it still magical when they develop attitudes and sassiness and opinions? Doubtful, but what the fuck do I know?

Still…I’m starting to think about it more. That life. I’m starting to wonder if it’s something I want. I’ve never felt that urge before, but I’ve also never been in love before. Now that I’m with somebody who I’ve fallen for, I can’t help but wonder if kids are coming in the semi-near future, too.

“How was minicamp for you?” he asks, changing the subject to something I’m more comfortable with.

“It was good,” I say. “Nice to get to know more of the defensive guys.” I pull the box of crackers out of the basket and open them, leaving them on the counter for us each to pick at.

Travis takes one after I do. “I’ve gotten tight with Evan Wilkinson on the D-line. His daughter and Harper are the same age.”

“Harper? That’s your daughter?”

He nods. “And my boy is Henry. We had a hell of a time deciding on a name for him, but I call my wife by her maiden name, Hartley, and with Harper…we liked another H name. It felt right.”

“It’s great,” I say, not really sure how we got back on the topic of kids. Do all parents do this?

We switch gears back to football for a bit, and then the movers interrupt us to let us know they’re all done. They take the boxes with them, and this is really first-class service. I don’t have to do anything but sit back with my sausage and gin and enjoy the view. And, you know…search for all the shit they organized into cabinets for me.

“I should head back home, but I’m glad to have a neighbor I can carpool with to practice,” Travis says, and I laugh.

It feels good to make a friend on the team even if we’re on opposite sides of the ball, and as I recall, Ava and Travis’s wife seemed to hit it off at the Gridiron.

“Let’s make dinner plans soon,” I suggest. We exchange numbers, and he walks down to the house on the other side of the one that sits between us.

I’ve just settled onto the couch that definitely isn’t big enough for this room when I get a text from Ava.

Cookie: Just leaving the bakery.

I decide to call her rather than text back in case she’s driving.

“Hey,” she answers.

“Hey. How was work?”

“Screw work, how’s the new house?”

I chuckle. “It’s incredible. Come see it.”

“You’re there now?” she asks.

“Yeah. And I have something I want to talk to you about.”

“Well, that sounds scary. Text me the address, and I’ll be there soon.”

I send her the details, and fifteen minutes later, I hear the doorbell.

When I open it, she’s standing in front of me looking nothing less than gorgeous. She smells like cookies, and she’s holding a box that says Cravings on it.

I narrow my eyes as I grab her arm lightly and pull her into my chest. “What’s in the box?”

“Housewarming cookies.” She tips her head up, and as I stare down into her eyes, I can’t help but think how this is our future.

I’m excited for it. I’m ready for it.

“That was nice. And you know how much I love to eat your cookie.”

“Why do I feel like you don’t mean these?” she asks, shaking the box.

I reach for her hips and pull her against my already hard cock. “You know exactly what I mean.”

Her cheeks flame red, and I love surprising her in the best way like that.

She clears her throat. “Before you make a meal of me, you said you have something you want to talk to me about?”

“I do. Maybe over cookies.” I press a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth before I finally let her go. I sweep my arm out gallantly. “Welcome home.”

She tilts her head as her eyes get a little misty. “Aw, Gray. That’s adorable.”

“As are you.” I nip a kiss to the tip of her nose, and she giggles.

I lead her toward the kitchen, and she glances around in awe of the place. It’s just after four o’clock, and the sun is shining through the windows, making it look even brighter with all the natural light. The design is very modern, mostly black, white, and gray, which isn’t something I necessarily would’ve chosen, but it works in here.

It already feels like home, and having Ava in here makes it feel warm and comfortable.

She sets the box of cookies on the counter as she inspects the place, twirling in the middle of the kitchen as she runs her fingertips along the huge island. “This is incredible, Gray,” she murmurs.

She runs to the windows as if she just noticed the backyard, and she looks out over the luxurious pool and the resort-style setup.

I take her through the rest of the house—all seven thousand square feet of it. We walk through the huge living room and kitchen on the first floor, plus the office and the guest suite. We look through the ensuite bedrooms and rec room on the second floor—including the huge primary suite with separate his and hers walk-in closets.

She’s in awe of the place, and I’m in awe that she’s here.

We step out onto the balcony outside of the primary suite, and she takes in the view. I can see the Strip perfectly across the distance from the Stratosphere on the north end to Mandalay Bay on the south end.

“Wow,” she breathes. It’s a different view from here than the one out the window of the Palms, where we could only see from the Wynn to the Bellagio—much closer, but still only a snippet compared to the grandeur of the whole thing.

We have mountain views out the other side of the house, and I can see this becoming our sex palace. Or, you know…a home.

“I can’t believe I’m really going to live here,” she breathes.

“Believe it, baby,” I say softly. I move in behind her and rest my palms on the railing in front of us, pressing my front against her back. I drop my lips to her neck, and she squirms a little as she spins in my arms.

“Before you start all that, because then you know I’ll be incoherent for the rest of the night, what did you want to talk about?” she asks.

It’s just like her to cut right to the chase. I suck in a quick breath. “I did a little research and got in touch with your landlord. I, uh…I paid the rent for the next couple months and set up an autopay from my account so you and Kelly have a little breathing room and she doesn’t have to move out just because you are. And, you know, in case you want to head back there and have a sleepover while I’m out of town, or if—”

She cuts me off as she moves to her tiptoes and presses her lips to mine. She pulls back. “Shut up. You did not do that.”

I can’t help but laugh as I tighten my arms around her. “I did.”

“I just…how? How did I get so lucky?”

I think about throwing out some cheesy line about how I’m the lucky one, but instead I settle on, “No clue, but good for you.”

She giggles. “Well, this place is amazing, and you are amazing, and, God, I just love you so much.” Her smile fades as her words seem to register. Her eyes widen, and her face blanches. She reaches up and covers her eyes with her hand. “Oh, Jesus. What did I just say?”

I gently tug on her hand so I can look into those gorgeous blue eyes of hers. “You just said you love me so much,” I say, and her cheeks go from pale to red in a heartbeat. I say the words before I lose my nerve. “And to be honest with you, Ava, I love you so much, too.”

Her eyes soften as she stares up into mine, and I’ve never felt so sure about anything in my life.

I lower my mouth to hers, and what starts as a sweet kiss on the balcony turns heated nearly immediately. It’s urgent and needy from both sides as we both rush to prove our words valid—to show each other with our actions how much we mean the words we just said.

She takes charge this time, and seeing her get more and more confident in the bedroom has been nothing short of incredible. She backs us up until my knees hit the back of my bed, and she pushes me down. She climbs on top of me and takes my jaw between her hands as her mouth drops to mine. She shifts over me, rotating her hips as the anticipation builds between us, and I thrust up to let her know how ready I am for her. How ready I always am for her.

Her lips part as she releases a small moan into my mouth, and she pulls back, her eyes sparkling as she pulls her shirt over her head then reaches behind her to unclasp her bra. She tosses it on the floor and tugs at the bottom of my shirt, and together we pull it up over my head. She runs her hands along the plane of my chest to my shoulders, and then she pulls me into her as she hugs me tightly, her tits smashed against me.

I shove my hips up toward her again, and she groans. She moves off me and pulls her jeans down, kicking them off along with her panties, and then she helps me out of my pants, too.

She moves back over me, her hair swinging around her shoulders, and her eyes find mine. “I have a surprise for you, too.”

“Oh?” I ask, my cock pulsing with need between us.

She grips me in her fist and strokes me a few times, aligning her cunt with my cock as she pumps me against her clit. “I finally got on that birth control we talked about.” With those words, she pushes my cock inside her.

Holy. Fuck.

Her eyes are hot on mine as there’s nothing between us for the first time, and our breathing becomes ragged and the sound of our panting and grunting fills the air.

She moves slowly at first, tentatively, and not because she’s intimidated or shy anymore, but because of my size. I know it takes a little time for her body to get used to me, and the last thing I want to do is hurt her.

But I need to move like I need to breathe.

It’s velvet in here, or maybe velour, soft and warm and luxurious. The feeling is like no other I’ve ever experienced before because I haven’t experienced this before. I’ve never gone bareback with a woman. I’ve never wanted to take that risk.

But with her, it’s not a risk. It feels like every time we’ve been together has been leading up to this moment, and there’s literally no better time for this to have happened than after we just said the words we said on the balcony in our new house.

She shifts up, rolling her hips over me, and I give her an encouraging, “Yes, baby, yes.”

We move slowly as the need starts to build, her tits brushing gently against my chest with every passing thrust, and she lowers her mouth to mine again. I reach around to hold her under her ass as our mouths move as languidly as our bodies.

She holds me close, too, as she reaches around me to hug me to her. Her nails dig into my shoulders again, and when she does that, it sets me on fucking fire. It tells me she’s getting close, that I’m giving her everything she needs, that she’s taking pleasure from my body, and there’s somehow no greater compliment than that.

I have to hold myself off. I have to make this last. If I knew how to make it last forever, I would.

She pulls back, and her lips are against my neck as I start to stroke more deeply into her. She shifts to move a little faster over the top of me, digging those nails into me, and I know she’s getting close.

Her voice is low and silky when she moans, “Oh, God, Grayson. I’m going to come.”

“Fuck, Av. So am I,” I groan. I move my lips toward her ear. “Come for me. Now.”

Her body seems to burst at my words, and she clings onto me as she takes me for a fucking ride. Her body writhes over me as the intensity reaches its peak, stoking the hot fire of my own release as I shove up harder into her and hold onto her through her orgasm. As her sweet cunt constricts over my cock, my entire body tenses as the tidal wave crashes into me.

A loud growl rips up from my chest as I start to come, and I bury my face in her chest as my release hits me hard. Her pussy milks my cock, stealing all my come greedily, and I give it to her willingly.

It’s inside her now. Nothing between us.

She fucking owns me.

As much as I called her mine…I’m hers, too.

Whatever happens from here, we’ll both know at least that much is true.