“Oh, honey bear.” Juliet sat on the floor, her chest still heaving. “Oh, my God, that was incredible. That was the hottest thing I’ve ever experienced. I don’t think I can move.”
“Did I . . . did I hurt you?” My voice was trembling.
“Hurt me?” Juliet frowned. “No. You did exactly what I wanted, Noah. It was sex. It was hot, dirty sex.”
I sat down on the bed, my knee throbbing and my heart pounding. “Juliet, I . . .” What was I supposed to say? She didn’t want an apology. But I couldn’t believe what I’d done. Yeah, my sexual experience was limited, but I’d never touched a woman with anything less than respect. Not ever. Not until today.
She crawled over to sit at my feet. “So . . . what do you say, baby? Can I throw our party? Please?” She blinked up at me, her lips still puffy from taking my cock. “Pretty please?”
Closing my eyes, I nodded.
“Sure.” I drew in a long breath. “Go ahead. Do what you want. If it makes you happy.”
“Oh, Noah!” She jumped up to throw her arms around my neck. “Thank you! I promise, you’re going to love this! It’ll be so perfect, and we’ll have such a great time, you’ll want to do it every weekend.” She pressed a kiss to my cheek and then darted away to pick up her clothes. “I’m going to order takeout for dinner, ‘kay? That way, I can get started on my planning right now. I’m so fucking excited!”
Juliet danced out of the room. I sat on the bed for a very long time after she’d disappeared, wondering who the hell I’d become.
13
Noah
“Hey! Good to see you again, Noah!”
Two of the rookies I’d only met a few times before I’d been injured greeted me as they came into the living room. Both were big guys, built like brick walls, and both looked so young I wanted to cry. When had rookies started looking like such babies? Or was it just now, that my time in the sun was over, that I realized this truth? I stifled a sigh and struggled to get to my feet. If I swayed a little, I hoped they’d think it was the injury and not the booze. I’d already consumed a copious amount today just to get through this fucking party. Lucky for me, Juliet was making sure I didn’t take anything that I shouldn’t when I was going to be drinking.
“Welcome.” I stuck out my hand to shake theirs one at a time. “Glad you could make it.”
“You look good, man.” One of the rookies plucked at the sleeve of the black leather jacket I was wearing. “I read an article about you online the other day, being with Juliet and everything. Nice work there. Retirement must be a fucking dream, huh?”
“Dude.” The other rookie punched his friend in the arm. “It’s not retirement. And show some fucking respect.” He stepped back a little before adding, “But you do look good, Noah. Did Juliet pick that out for you?”
My temper rose. I was pissed off in equal parts because of their assumption that Juliet was controlling me like a puppet—and because she reallyhadselected this jacket for me.
“They all need to see that you’re a new man. The team, the coaches—everyone. They need to know that Noah Spencer is ready to launch his new life.” She’d smoothed the sides of the jacket, her hands pressing down my torso. “I want all the news outlets tomorrow that write about Tampa football or society to be filled withus. It’ll be fabulous, Noah. Trust me.”
But I didn’t. Not at all, I realized.
The biggest problem, though, was that it was all a lie. I wasn’t ready to move on. I was still stuck mourning the old life, the life where I’d had the woman I loved and the career I’d worked so hard to win.
Clenching my jaw, I ignored the rookie’s question. “Drinks and food are in the kitchen and out back. Make yourselves at home. Enjoy yourselves.”
Both of them nodded, but neither made a move to leave. I tried to think of something else to say to them, but honest to God, my social bucket was empty. I had nothing.
Juliet had reminded me earlier today that I had to be sure to thank all of my friends for their support, their prayers and their good wishes. But these two hadn’t done anything for me. I didn’t even know them. I wasn’t going to thank them for shit.
“Well, uh, I gotta go out front and make sure everyone’s doing okay. Host duty, you know.” I gave them a brief nod. “Help yourself to whatever you want . . . and have fun, okay?” I stumped out of the room and made my way through the groups of people who filled my home. I wanted to run away from them all, but the sad truth was that I couldn’t have moved fast enough to get past my eighty-year-old grandma. Not with this knee.
For a moment, I considered sneaking off into my bedroom and hiding for the rest of the night. If I locked the door, not even Juliet would be able to force me out. But if I did that, it would only give all of them—my coach, my teammates, my friends—more fodder to use in theirSave Noahcampaign.
“Spencer.” As if I’d summoned him, Coach Briars appeared at my elbow. “Nice shindig. Your house looks like Father Christmas fucking threw up all over it” He eyed me warily. “By the way, don’t think I haven’t noticed that our nutritionist has been spending more than a little time with you lately. There’s all kinds of shit in the news about the two of you being a couple. And it looks like today, she’s playing hostess. At a party that’s happening at your house.” He paused. “Anything you need to say to me?”
I leveled my gaze at him, doing my best to stand still and not wobble. How many damn bourbons had I drunk? “Sir, with all due respect—” and my tone left little doubt to my feelings of respect right now—“I’m no longer one of your players, and if I choose to fuck the daughter of the commissioner, that’s my business and none of yours.” I waited a beat to let that sink in. “I don’t have to follow your rules anymore.”
“Spencer, look.” Coach clamped a hand on my shoulder. “I get that you’ve been dealt a shit blow. I get that you think your life is over. Fucking finished. But it isn’t, and the sooner you stop throwing this tantrum, the sooner you can get over it and onto the next act.”
Fury bubbled up inside my chest. Throwing off Coach’s hand, I growled, “Easy words from a man who has choices. Talk to me when every fucking thing you love has been ripped away from you. Talk to me then about, uh, next acts. Until that time, leave me the fuck alone.”
I turned as fast as I could manage and limped in the opposite direction. Unfortunately for me, my only clear path forward led out the front door.
