Chapter 16

GABRIEL

“What the hell is wrong with you today, Underwood? You haven’t caught one single throw!” the coach shouts.

“I’m sorry, Coach. I’ll try harder.”

“You better do more than try!”

I shake my head as he goes and screams at Kendrick. I guess I’m not the only one having an off day. We didn’t speak a word on the way to practice. I think both of us were in our own heads too much to make small talk. He’s worried about Whit, just like I am. I keep thinking about last night, and how I need to find Whitley.

Last night, I couldn’t stay in that house knowing the one person I wanted, the one person that always had my heart, was going back to New York. A small part of me thought if we became closer, she wouldn’t want to leave. I guess I was wrong.

I left and ended up outside of the city at a rundown bar on the beach. The kind of place where you go to forget, and where your feet stick to the floor the minute you step foot into the building.

I had sat on a wobbly bar stool with cracks in the seat and drank a bottle of lukewarm beer, thinking about how I’d left things with Whitley. I hadn’t taken the news well, and the thought of losing her had made me overreact. I was being selfish. I thought my life here was more important one. That I could just take care of Whitley, and that would be enough. She deserved her career too.

I’d gotten home last night, ready to apologize to Whitley. I wanted to promise that we’d work it out, that we could figure it all out together, but her door was closed. She was gone before I got up this morning.

I’m shaken out of my thoughts by Kendrick hollering. He’s got Whit in a bear hug and has a huge smile on his face. He runs back onto the field, and the coach calls me over. Whitley is standing beside him. She looks beautiful. She has on a gorgeous, red dress that flows down to her knees and a pair of killer heels I’d love to have wrapped around me.

“Yeah, Coach?” I say when I get to the sideline.

“You need to show Ms. Barrington the locker room.”

“Excuse me, Coach?”

“Just do as I say,” he says, patting me on the shoulder. “Practice ends in thirty minutes. Make sure to lock the door.”

He looks at Whitley.

“Good to see you again, Ms. Barrington. Oh, and Underwood? I expect better out of you tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir,” I say, leading Whitley toward the locker room.

I walk quietly with Whit to the locker room. It gives me the opportunity to apologize and hope I haven’t totally messed everything up, but I can’t find the words. We get into the locker room, and I lock the door just like the coach said.

“Well, this is the locker room. Not much to look…”

“I’m staying,” Whitley says abruptly.

I look over, thinking I heard her incorrectly. I swear she said she was staying.

“What?”

“I said, I’m staying. California is my new home. You’re my home, if you still want me,” she says.

“If I still want you?” I say, a big smile on my face. “Oh, baby. I’ve wanted you since I knew I couldn’t have you. You’re my end game, Whit.”

I’m so relieved. She wants to stay. She wants to be here in California with me. She wants me.

I go to her, picking her up and wrapping those beautiful legs around me, before slamming her against the door. I’m already as hard as a steel pipe for her, and we are all over each other. I take her sweet mouth and slide her panties to the side, knowing she’ll be wet. She’s always wet for me. I take my cock out from my shorts and slam it home where it belongs. Jesus, she feels so good. She’s so hot and wet. Damn, she’s slick as hell. I thrust in hard and fast, never slacking up.

“Oh shit, Gabriel! Don’t stop!” she screams.

“Never! I’ll never stop!”

“Oh yes!”

I feel her tighten up and scream into my shoulder. Jesus, this woman is everything I’ve ever wanted and more. I release, hard and deep, with a loud growl. Standing there, still seated inside my precious woman, I hold her in my arms.

“Don’t you ever say you’re leaving me again,” I say. “I can’t handle that kind of hurt.”

“Only if you promise never to quit loving me,” she says.

“That will never be a problem,” I say, kissing her. I put her back on her feet and help get her cleaned up. Just as we’re finishing, there’s a knock on the door.

“Are y’all done yet? We’re ready to shower, man!” a player shouts from the other side.