Page 121 of The Game We Played

“Always with me, gorgeous. Only ever with me.” I slowly sink into her. Her walls tighten around me as I inch further and further inside.

This is heaven. This is where I belong. I can’t believe I was such a fool and nearly lost Alaia. I learned my lesson. I won’t be a fool again. I will love and cherish this woman for the rest of my life.

I brush the hair from her forehead. “I love you, Alaia Jackson.”

“And I love you, Tanner Long.”

“Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me. Just show me you love me.”

Which is exactly what I proceed to do.

Chapter 37

BREAKING: HAPPILY EVER AFTER… WITH TERMS AND CONDITIONS Clause one: patience required

Alaia

“Just a sec,” I holler as someone enters my office. I don’t bother to look up and continue to type. “I just need to finish this.”

“Gorgeous.”

I smile up at Tanner. “Hey, charmer. Finished with practice already?”

“Finished. Showered. Had a beer with the guys.”

“Had a beer? Did you have a short practice today?” In my experience – limited as it is – practices tend to run long but never short.

He shakes his head. “It’s late. Your entire team went home an hour ago.”

My nose wrinkles. “They did? My assistant is supposed to warn me before she leaves.”

He shakes his phone at me. “Bonnie messaged me. She wasn’t convinced you heard her when she said she was leaving. You apparently waved her off and mumbled whatever.”

“Huh. I don’t remember.”

“Exactly. I came over because I didn’t want a repeat of the crawling out of the window incident.”

“Liar. You think that incident is hilarious. You literally have a picture of me laying on the floor in the hallway as the background on your phone.”

He grins. “It’s a cute picture.”

I roll my eyes. “A cute picture does not include me with my skirt pushed up and my underwear exposed.”

He smirks. “I beg to disagree.”

“There’s no reason to worry about me getting locked in again. I have keys to get out now, and I know the groundskeeper.”

He laughs. “Because you got lost leaving the office the first week you were here and ended up on the field. I still can’t figure out how you ended up there.”

I huff. “The stadium is a labyrinth.”

“A labyrinth?”

“And the signs are confusing.”

“You’re sticking to that excuse?”