I’ve not made you—or this—a priority the past week. I’m sorry.”
“Four orgasms is a hell of an apology, Lund.”
“I love you, Ro. I don’t want to screw this up. I’m looking forward to training camp, but I don’t want to be away from you and Calder.”
I looped my arms around his neck. “I know. I love you too. I’ll miss sneaking away for sexy times in the middle of the afternoon. It feels so naughty.”
He grinned. “This is the best afternoon workout I’ve had all week.”
“As much as I’d love to see if you can’t get the day’s orgasm tally into double digits for me, I do have to go back to work.”
“I don’t. I told Coach I was sick.” He fake-coughed twice. “Want me to call in for you? Tell them that it’s highly contagious and you need to be in bed the rest of the day.”
“It’s already going to be on the news that The Rocket missed afternoon practice due to illness. You don’t need speculation that you were playing hooky for some nookie on top of that.”
“True.” He rolled to his back with me plastered to his front. “Next go? You can be on top and do all of the work.”
“Deal.” I smooched his mouth. “Now I have to grab a pair of pants that aren’t ripped before I head back to work.”
Jensen followed me into the living room. He didn’t bother putting his shirt back on, just his athletic shorts. I wasn’t surprised when he followed me into my apartment too.
After changing my ripped yoga pants for a pair of khaki capris, I ducked into the bathroom to tame my sexed-up hair and check for love bites. My man loved seeing his marks on my skin. I checked. Dammit. I’d have to change my shirt too.
“What are your plans for the afternoon?” I asked Jens after I returned to the living room.
“I’ve gotta study plays, but I might do that by the pool.” He snorted. “But that’s guaranteed to bring Bob out.”
It seemed every time we were out in the complex, Bob needed to talk to Jensen about something. I couldn’t imagine what they’d have in common. “Has he said anything about why there are three empty units on the first floor?” It occurred to me that could be my housing solution. I could see if Bob would rent one of the units to me. That way I’d have my own space, close to Jensen and Martin, but not dependent on either of them, and Bob wouldn’t have to comb through the waiting list for new, reliable renters. Would I have to argue my position that cheerleading was a sport, and therefore I qualified as an athlete?
Jensen’s eyes narrowed on me. “Did you put on a different shirt?”
“Yes. I needed something to cover up the hickey.”
“I didn’t give you a hickey.”
“Uh, yeah you did. Two of them.”
“Let me see.”
“No, I have to go.”
“Let. Me. See.” Then he grabbed me by the hips and lifted me over the back of the couch.
“Jensen!”
He laughed as I squirmed and tried to get away.
Then I heard the sound of fabric tearing as he tried to pin my shoulders down.
We both froze.
He said, “Shit.”
“What?”
“Looks like I owe you a shirt too.”
I glanced down. The shoulder seam of my blouse was ripped so far down my bra strap showed. “Dammit! You cannot keep ruining all my clothes, Lund.”
He turned me so I sat on his lap—I assumed so he could apologize face-to-face. Instead, a wicked smile curled his lips.
“Might as well have some fun with this since it’s not fixable.” Then he grabbed hold of each side and yanked them apart. Buttons flew, fabric ripped like paper. Before I protested, Jensen’s mouth slammed down on mine.
Now I’d really be late getting back to work.
I matched his hunger kiss for kiss. I even held my arms back as he wrenched my shirt off me and sent it sailing over the back of the couch.
I craved this greedy-lover side of him, the desperate man who couldn’t wait to get his hands on me—even when he’d just had them all over me less than twenty minutes ago.
The greediest part of him was getting hard and ready for more. I snickered to myself that Jensen’s stamina was unparalleled both in the bedroom and on the football field.
One quick twist and my bra was undone and sliding down my arms.
Jensen’s rough-skinned hands covered my breasts, squeezing the soft flesh. He broke the kiss to growl, “Jesus, I love your tits,” and latched onto one to prove it.
I arched back, gasping at the hot lash of his tongue on my nipple. Groaning when he opened his mouth over it fully and began to suck.
Work, torn clothing . . . not on my mind when Jensen’s hair tickled my belly as he feasted on my breasts.
That’s probably why neither of us heard the key in the lock.
But we definitely heard, “Cheezus! Sis, are you . . . topless?”
“Martin?”
“Put some clothes on!”
“Omigod! What are you doing here?”
“It’s my apartment. And tell that dude to leave—”
“It’s not that dude, it’s Jensen,” Jensen said sharply. “And it’s not your apartment when she’s subletting it from you.”
“Dude, are you seriously lecturing me when you’re naked with my sister?”
“We’re not naked,” he said. “Even if we were, how is it any of your business?”
I’d reached down and grabbed my bra. Better than nothing. I moved off Jensen’s lap and stood to face my brother. “What are you—”
Martin used his forearm to block his eyes. “Seriously, Rowan, go put on a shirt!”
“Oh, knock it off. This covers more than my swimsuit top.”
“Where is Calder? You’d better not be screwing around on the couch while he’s taking a nap and he can just walk out and see this—”
“Hold on. Don’t you ever question Rowan’s parental judgment when it comes to her son,” Jensen said hotly, vaulting the couch to get at my brother. “Calder isn’t here. He’s at camp.”
“So the two of you can play grab-ass? Not cool.” Martin glared at Jensen. “I let her move in here because she doesn’t date athletes. I never thought you’d take advantage of her for a quick hookup—”
“Martin, shut up! Maybe he’s my hookup, did you consider that?”
Silence.
“Jens, is that true?” Martin asked.
Jensen ran his hand through his hair. “No, Martin. It’s not true. I’m in love with your sister. She knows that.” He shot me a dark look. “Why are you trying to pass me off as a hookup?”
“I don’t like him judging me, okay?” I said to Jensen. “Like I’m not woman enough to make a move on a hot guy because I want to bang the hell out of him.”
The smart-ass Jensen smirked because of our history. Maybe I hadn’t been confident enough to proposition him at first, but after embracing the sexual side of myself, I’d been making up for it—not something I needed to share with my brother.
Then Jensen crossed his arms over his chest, squaring off against Martin. “We gonna have a problem with this? You plan on taking a swing at me like you did Axl?”
“Different sitch, man.” He shoved his hands in the front pockets of his cargo pants.
“What are you doing here? A warning you were on your way would’ve been nice.”
“Three and a half months is too long to be gone, man. Verily and I had to hit Sweden to see her family. Made me miss my family, so I jetted home after a couple of days. She’s staying there another month at least.”
“Look, it didn’t even cross my mind with everything that’s been going on to find another place to live. I thought I had time.”
Martin’s jaw dropped. “What have you been doin’, Ro? You’ve had all summer!”
“I like it here. As a matter of fact, I decided to talk to Bob about renting one of the empty units on the first floor.”
“No,” Jensen said. “Those units a
re spoken for.”
“How would you know that?” I pinned him with a look. “This isn’t an attempt—”
“We’ll talk about it later. The most pressing issue is, where is Martin staying? There’s no room here for all three of you.”
“I’ll crash with you, Lund.”
I burst out laughing. “He’d kill you, bro. Jens is a neat freak, and you are a slob.”
“Guess that answers the question of whether you’re moving in with him long-term,” Martin retorted.
“You haven’t lived with me for years,” I reminded him. “I had to clean this place after we moved in, so I know—”
Jensen made the time-out sign when Martin and I continued to bicker. “Enough. I’ve got a sister, so I know that an argument can go on for hours. Martin, it makes the most sense that you crash at my place. But you absolutely cannot smoke in my apartment. Gotta have that promise.”
“No problem, man. I cut way back when I was in Europe anyway.”
Jensen and I exchanged a quick look; later we’d discuss what “cut way back” meant in Martin-speak.
“Oh no, heck no. You two are doin’ the ‘we’re a couple and we have our own secret communication looks’ and that is not cool. It feels like I stepped into the X-Men world where the time line is totally screwed up.”
“That’s not even the best way we communicate.”
I was too far away to smack Jensen for that comment. The timer went off on my watch and I was officially late getting back to work. “I have to go.” I snatched up my ruined blouse on the way past to my bedroom.
Jensen cornered me. “Truth time, Coach. Are you really all right?”
“I wish there had been a better way for Martin to find out we’re involved instead of seeing me bouncing on you half-naked.”
“It could’ve been worse.” He kissed me with sweet possession. Then he eased off. “Talia is bringing Calder home?”
“Yes, but they’ve been going straight to swimming lessons. Calder will be pumped to see his uncle, but that’ll have to wait.”
“Got it.”
“I may have to work late to make up for—”
He placed his mouth on mine again. “I know. I’ll take care of him. Don’t worry.”
And I wouldn’t.
I’d never felt so confident in two little words when it came to my son.
• • •
JENSEN
Within ten minutes of Rowan’s departure, Martin and I were at my place playing GTA.
“You look spooked, Martin.”
“I am. It’s just . . . weird. This doesn’t even look like your apartment anymore, Jens. Calder’s LEGOs are on the kitchen table. You’ve got throw pillows on this couch. And a candle on the end table.” He pointed at the wall. “What is that?”
“It’s a puzzle Calder and I put together and had framed.”
“No, dude, what is the image supposed to be?”
“Dogs doing ballet. Hey, it’s cute. It’ll go perfectly with the dogs-baking-cupcakes puzzle we’re currently working on.”
He snickered. “I see my nephew has worked his magic on you.”
“Yeah. He’s a great kid.”
“So you and Rowan . . .” He shook his head. “Never saw that one coming.”
“It’s not a casual thing with us.”
“I picked up on that. And lucky for you that you’re not dicking her around or else I might do something crazy like this.” He blew up a Corvette on the screen and gave me an evil, non-Martin smile.
“Understood.” I got sucked into the game for a bit before I said, “Why didn’t you tell me about her? Or Calder?”
He shrugged. “They never came over here.”
“That’s the only reason?”
“Nope. The biggest reasons are yours, brosky.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning . . . Ro violated all three of your rules.”
“I told you about those rules?”
“Uh, Rocket, you told everyone about those rules.”
Great.
“Fireball ain’t your friend.”
I hit pause on the game. “I need to talk to you about something serious.”
“Yep, you can marry my sister.” He nudged me with his shoulder. “Then we’ll really be broskys.”
“I don’t need your permission to marry her. And the situation I’m in . . . sort of has to do with that.”
Martin tossed the controller aside. “This gonna cheese me off?”
“Probably.”
“Up front between us, true? I can take anything except you telling me you secretly don’t like the little dude.”
“No worries there. I freakin’ love the kid.”
“Good. Then what’s what?”
“Remember last year when I had to postpone moving in and there was a bunch of red tape? Well, I had to buy in.”
Martin frowned. “Little foggy about that.”
“I had to buy in. As in . . . I had to buy the entire complex if I wanted to live here.”
“Get out.”
“True story.”
“You find my secret stash, bro? Because that’d mean you’ve been lying to me for over a year.”
“How is that lying?”
He shook his finger at me. “Lie by omission. Same thing.”
“Wrong. If you’d said, ‘Jens, you own this joint now?’ and I lied and said no . . . that’d be different than you not asking.” Or not knowing. For the first time since I’d bought this place, lock, stock and barrel, I felt guilty for keeping it a secret.
“Who all knows you’re a Lund Land Lord?”
Martin cracked me up. I’d missed this guy. “My family. Bob. Sue in the business office.”
“None of the residents know you’re the resident evil who won’t fork over the cash to fix up crap around here?”
I laughed. “No. But I have applied for permits for updates. It’s a more complicated process than I imagined.”
“Sorta sucks that I’ve been paying you rent and didn’t know it.” His eyes gleamed. “Hey, if my rent money paid for part of that Corvette, I should at least get to drive it sometimes.”
“Nice try, buddy. But we’ve gotten off track. You gave Rowan grief today for not looking for a house. I haven’t exactly encouraged her to look since we’ve been together.”
“Because you’re gonna build her a huge mansion?”
“If that’s what she wants. But knowing her, if she really wanted to own a house, she would’ve already bought one.”
“Too true.”