She laughs quietly before continuing. “He had been given a place on the Ranger’s junior team, so my parents let him go. He had several pro offers when he turned eighteen, but heardheaded Alex wanted tae go tae college in the States, so he took the offer tae play at Stanford.”
“We haven’t really talked about our past much,” I say before falling silent. Fin studies me closely before continuing.
“Naw, I dinnae suspect ye have. He’s always been aboot living in the present. I have wondered if that decision held him back from his ability tae reach his full potential as a fitbawer, but it has never seemed tae bother him. Now he has the chance tae make it and I wonder if something else is making him consider wandering off the path again.” I know she’s talking about me. I no longer have much appetite as I look up at her.
“My brother isnae a saint, he’s had women weave their way through his life, but he’s never looked at one the way he looks at ye.” She reaches over to take my hand. “Claire, if ye cannae dae this. If the crazy world that ye will be thrust into is too much for ye, please dinnae make him love ye any more than he already does. It would break his heart tae lose ye.” I wipe at a tear that’s fallen loose from my eye.
“I won’t. I love him too much to ever hurt him.”
“Okay, enough of that talk,” Finlay says, sniffing. “Ye should see how he looks at ye when he thinks naw one else notices. I’ve never seen him so starry-eyed!” We both laugh.
Soon we are back to talking about lighter things. I tell her about my dissertation to finish up my master’s. She explains what she does for the foundation Alex started.
By the afternoon, we have a working plan on how to progress it forward, taking a lot of the pressure off Alex. I love that she was worried about me hurting him, it made me realize I really have found something special.
We finally go back to Alex’s apartment in the late afternoon. Tim and Alex walk through the door at four, looking exhausted. Alex, however, has a grin a mile wide on his face.
“Well?” I ask, standing.
“Ye’re now looking at the new forward for Manchester City!” he says, holding up his arms in triumph. With a squeal, I run to him, jumping into his arms. He swings me around once before being plowed into by his sister. Wrapping his arms around both of us, we laugh as we jump around the apartment.
Suddenly setting us down, he grabs both of my hands in his. “We have tae get changed. They’re taking us tae dinner and it will take a while tae get there. Sorry, guys,” he says, looking at Tim.
“We have to go pick up the baby anyway. Tomorrow, though, the whole team is going out to celebrate. It’s all set up, so get ready to party,” Tim says, taking Finlay’s hand.
“I’m so proud of ye,” she whispers, giving a kiss to Alex’s cheek. He gives her one more hug before they duck out the door. He watches out the front window until they leave. Turning to me, he shrugs.
“I honestly dinnae know why they’re always over here. They have a perfectly nice house of their own.” Walking past me, he grabs my hand, pulling me behind him. “Come on.” With a jerk, I drag him to a stop.
“Who are we meeting that we have to get ready at four thirty in the afternoon for dinner? Isn’t this California? Or are we working at a senior discount?” I realize I’ve tilted my head sideways studying him. He rolls his eyes before stepping toward me. When he doesn’t stop, but pushes me backward, I can see the lust in his eyes as he slowly pulls off his suit coat.
“I said that tae get them oot of here. We dinnae have tae be anywhere for several hours.” His tie is the next to come off before he starts unbuttoning his shirt. My eyes slide down to take in his abs. It’s a natural reaction that I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to.
When I look back up at him, his eyes have turned molten. “I just signed a contract that starts at almost fourteen million pounds a year with a performance bonus added tae that. I cannae think of a better way tae celebrate than making love tae my girlfriend.”
My back hits the wall as his hands start gathering up the material of my dress. “Is there like a thousand yards of material tae this dress? Why cannae I naw get it off?”
“There’s a zipper on the side.” I giggle as he releases all of the material in his hands. “Don’t you want to call your family? They’ll want to hear about it.” He finally bends to my side, hunting for the zipper.
“Please, Finlay was here. They already know.” I hear a frustrated growl before he asks, “Why dae they torture us by making it so damn hard tae get yer clothes off?” He squats in front of me and I hold on to his head as I step out of the dress. He slides my panties down my legs but leaves the wedges I wore today on.
Standing up, he pins my arms over my head using one large hand. “Now, as I was saying.” He reaches around behind me, unclasping my strapless bra, watching it fall to the floor. “Jack said he already has endorsement offers coming in.”
“What are you going to endorse?” I ask in a whisper.
“I’m thinking aboot the brilliance of strapless bras.” I giggle. Alex stops me when his mouth gently sucks in my bottom lip, making me moan. “That’s better,” he says.
Reaching between us, he unhooks his belt, pulling it through the loops. It’s quickly thrown behind us as he unzips his slacks, scowling when his phone rings in his pocket. Pulling it out, he shuts it off before throwing it toward the couch. “I have tae report in June, which means I have tae move in May. I figure I have aboot four months tae convince my fucking hot girlfriend tae move with me. Starting now.”
Alex drops his pants to his ankles before sliding his underwear after them. Kicking them off, he releases my hands, reaching around my back. His hands palm my ass as he picks me up and my legs go around his waist, his mouth crashing back onto mine, his need radiating into me. When I feel his shaft nudging my opening, I try to readjust to take him into me.
“Naw yet,” he growls. He wraps his arm underneath my thigh before hoisting me up. “Watch yer head,” he says when I land on his shoulders, his tongue licking through my folds. I let out a squeal, placing one of my hands against the ceiling. “Naw wiggling aboot, I dinnae want tae drop ye.” I can feel my orgasm building quickly, my fear of falling to the floor forgotten.
“Alex,” I moan as my legs begin to shake. He pulls his mouth away, slowly sliding me down his chest until I’m around his waist again. This time, when I adjust to meet his cock, he thrusts into me. “Alex, I’m so close…” He pumps into me several more times until I feel his rhythm becoming erratic.
“Fucking get there, Claire,” he growls. I feel him emptying into me as my climax crashes over me. Hearing his roar in my ear sends me into a panic. When my sight clears, I pull away from him, checking his shoulders. “Worried ye left more marks?” he asks with amusement in his eyes, laughing when my face grows hot.
I start to slide my legs down from his waist but he stops me. “Wait, I’ve decided every time I have yer captured attention I’m giving ye a reason tae move tae England with me.”
