31. Morgan

31

MORGAN

A knock sounds on my apartment door. A thrill races through me as I hop up from my couch.

I’d thought Dane had changed his mind about coming over. He and the rest of the team landed in Dallas after a ninety-minute flight, around midnight. I’d assumed he was either busy celebrating with the team or too tired to come over when I didn’t hear from him.

I’m glad I was wrong.

“Hey!” I swing the door open after confirming his identity through the peephole. “I didn’t know you were still coming over!” My smile falls when I take in Dane’s expression. Alarm squeezes my chest. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“The fucking Ranchers are what’s wrong.” Dane steps inside.

I close the door behind him, my guard up. “You guys just won the conference title. What happened?”

I note Dane doesn’t have an overnight bag with him. It’s past one. Surely, he plans to stay the night?

Dane exhales and walks into my living room, saying over his shoulder, “The owner dropped by the locker room to see me after the game.”

I follow him warily. “About the trade?”

“Yes.”

“What happened?” I stop at the edge of the plush carpet covering the hardwood floor and watch Dane fall on my couch and cradle his head in his hands. His broad back rises and falls with heavy breaths.

“Dane?” I slowly move to sit next to him and rest my hand lightly on his back. “Talk to me. What’s going on?”

“Gianni told me that if I want to stay on the team, either you have to quit your job, or we have to break up.”

Part of me anticipated something like this was bound to happen after the Aaron debacle, but I still suck in a sharp breath. “And what did you say?”

Dane’s head lifts. His eyes swirl with indignation and anger. “I told him to go fuck himself.”

My jaw drops. “Tell me you didn’t!”

“I did, and I’d do it again.”

“Dane.” I shake my head. “He’s the owner. You can’t go around saying stuff like that to him.”

“He’s just a man, Morgan. And he’s trying to blackmail me to end our relationship so I can continue to play on his team. It’s bullshit, and I won’t stand for it.”

“You’re right,” I agree softly. “It is bullshit. But you still shouldn’t insult him. Not when he’s in control of your career.”

“He doesn’t control shit.”

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from pointing out that as much as he might wish otherwise, Vincent Gianni is, in fact, in control.

“I’m not going to be traded,” Dane states like it’s a matter of fact. He stares at the paused screen on my TV, but I’m sure he’s not really seeing the synopsis of the rom-com I was enjoying before he arrived.

I see where this conversation is going. No wonder Dane didn’t bring an overnight bag. A wave of loss crashes over me, followed swiftly by acceptance.

I take a deep breath and order myself to not cry, no matter what happens. “It’s okay, Dane. I understand.”

His forehead creases as he turns to me. “Huh?”

I swallow. “I understand this situation isn’t easy, and I’m sorry you’re in it because of me.”

“What are you talking about? You didn’t do anything.”

“No?” I smile sadly. “First, I was a nutritionist you didn’t want to work with. Then, the drama with Aaron meant you were suspended. Trade talks didn’t start until that happened.”

“No, Morgan.” Dane pushes off the couch and begins to pace the length of my tiny living room. “Everything that’s happened is because of me and my decisions.”

I sigh. “Still, you can’t deny I played a role. I understand if you want to take one of Vincent’s options to make sure you can stay on the Ranchers.”

Dane grinds to a halt and pivots to face me. “ What ?”

I cringe but carry on, pushing past the hurt that makes my following words so difficult to say, “I’d rather not quit. It took me a long time to find a nutritionist job. But I promise I will do everything to keep things professional between us?—”

“Stop, Morgan,” he snaps. “We are not breaking up.”

I frown. “But I don’t want to quit.”

“You aren’t.” Determination is set in every line of his rugged features. “I’m retiring.”

“What! No!” I gape at him like a fish out of water. “That’s… that’s insane. Why in the world would you do that?”

“Because I refuse to be manipulated, and I’ll be damned if I let someone else ruin what’s between us.”

My stomach simultaneously flutters and falls to the floor. “Dane… don’t make a rash decision. You and I just started dating. You can’t throw away your career for me.”

“Don’t you understand, Morgan?” Dane shakes his head, not backing down an inch. “I’m in love with you. I’d do anything for you.”

My heartbeat stutters to a stop, then immediately begins to race, thumping wildly in my chest.

Dane’s expression falters. Anger is replaced with embarrassment. “Sorry, Morgan. That’s not what?—”

“Do you mean it?”

His eyes widen. “What?”

I rise from my seat on the couch and roll back my shoulders, meeting his wary gaze. “Did you mean it… when you said you love me?”

“Of course, I mean it. Oof .”

I throw myself into Dane’s chest, wrapping my arm around his neck and pulling him down into a passionate kiss that only begins to convey the depths of my feelings for the perfect man standing in front of me.

I’ve been wrestling with how crazy I am about this man, trying to convince myself I need to take it slow, for days. I’ve tried to tell myself to be realistic—I couldn’t possibly be in love with him. It was lust. Or infatuation. Some superficial emotion that would be easily cured with time.

I never believed it.

Hearing Dane declare he feels the same gives me the permission I need to let myself feel what I feel with no regrets. No remorse.

I’m in love with Dane Larson, and I don’t know how I got so damn lucky.

Dane hesitates for a beat before eagerly participating in the unexpected kiss. His hands slide down my back and up my sides, following every dip and curve as if trying to memorize the feel of my body under his strong hands.

I rise on my toes to deepen the kiss, but Dane draws back. “Does this mean you love me back?”

I grin and make sure to rid him of doubt when I say, “Yes, Dane. I love you, too.”

His face lights up. His smile is bright. The sight will be forever seared into my memory.

Dane’s mouth crashes against mine, and the adoring kiss quickly turns fervent. I knead his biceps and pecs, grip his ass and grind my hips into his. Dane’s answering growls make my skin pull tight. Warmth curls between my legs. I want him more than I’ve ever wanted anyone.

I pull back just long enough to whip my shirt over my head. Dane does the same. I drink in the sight of his muscular torso, my mouth watering. His eyes flash with desire as they trail over the lacey edges of my black bra.

“You’re fucking gorgeous, Caldwell.”

“Back at you, Larson.”

Dane picks me up. I wrap my legs around him and kiss him soundly as he walks us to my bedroom. I don’t let go when he drops me on the bed. His weight presses down on every point of contact, and I love it.

He kisses along my jaw and down my neck. I arch into him, feeling his erection through his sweatpants. I tug at the waistband. “Take these off.”

“So bossy.” He grins against my neck but slides back, stands at the edge of the bed, and does what I ask. He goes one step further and pushes down his boxer briefs. I bite my bottom lip and admire his perfect physique and hard length. Moisture gathers between my legs.

“Like what you see?” He lifts a cocky brow.

“Yes.”

His nostrils flare. “Your turn.”

Without dropping his gaze, I crawl up onto my knees and slowly slide my pajama pants down my hips. I make a show of standing on my bed and letting the material fall to my feet before kicking them to the floor.

Dane’s eyes trail over every inch of me in my black lingerie—lingerie I put on with him in mind. I unclip my bra, letting the thin straps slide down my arms. Dane pounces before the material hits the floor.

I squeal in surprise and delight as he grabs my hips and pulls me forward. I’m still standing on the mattress while he’s on the floor. His fingers shove down my underwear, and then his mouth is on me.

I tip my head back and moan, “Dane!”

He licks and sucks in a frenzy of desire that has an orgasm ripping through me in record time.

I cry out and shake, my legs threatening to give out on me, but Dane continues devouring me, lapping up my orgasm like it’s an ice cream cone and he’s determined to finish it all before it melts.

I finally lose my ability to stand and lean forward, resting my hands on his broad shoulders, angling my hips back, forcing him to abandon his dessert.

Dane straightens, bringing me with him, and draws my lips to his for another delicious kiss. I taste myself on his lips, sparking heat back in my core.

“You’re going to kill me,” I murmur against his mouth.

“Never,” he continues kissing me. “I’d miss you too much.”

I smile.

He pulls me into his arms and then deposits me in the middle of the bed, quickly crawling up to hover over me, centering his hard length between my legs. “I need to be inside you.”

I bite my lip. “No one is stopping you.”

I gasp as Dane thrusts into me, arching my back against the intrusion that begins as a shock and morphs into pleasure so hot and intense that the spark of desire in my core turns into a blazing flame.

Dane gives me seconds to adjust before he draws back and thrusts into me. I rock my hips to meet his movement. The pace starts slow, but as his climax draws closer, he begins to move in a frenzy.

The headboard knocks against the wall in quick, loud bangs that I’m sure my neighbors will be able to hear, but I don’t give a damn.

Sweat breaks out on Dane’s forehead. His jaw clenches. He brings up one of my legs, hooking it over his elbow. The position lets him hit a delicious spot inside me, and my orgasm crashes to the surface in four more expertly timed thrusts.

“Dane!”

He growls in approval. “Come for me, baby. Come all over me.”

Dirty talk never worked for me in the past, but out of Dane Larson’s lips, the filthy command makes me boil over. My climax lasts for so long that my vision goes black, peppered with bursts of stars as pleasure overwhelms me.

Dane grunts and his orgasm spills inside me. I crave every last drop. I’ve never slept with a man without a condom—my parents’ safe sex talk and a desire not to get pregnant always gave me the strength to hold my ground on the matter when Aaron tried to insist he didn’t need to wear one. Knowing he cheated on me, I’m glad I never caved to his begging.

But with Dane, I didn’t think twice about not wearing a condom. I trust my birth control to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, and I trust Dane is clean.

I also love him.

That’s more likely the real reason. The realization makes my heart feel like it’s going to explode.

Dane’s orgasm ends, and his arms buckle. He collapses on top of me, shifting slightly so as not to crush me.

I curl my body into his. “Wow.”

He kisses the top of my head before collapsing back against the mattress. “Yeah… wow.”

I chuckle. “Feeling exhausted, Larson?”

“More like properly fucked.”

I swat his chest playfully. He captures my fingers. I dip my head back and watch him bring them to his lips. He holds eye contact with me as he kisses each one.

I bite my lip as he nips at the pad of my forefinger, feeling the tiny bite pulse in my core.

“Keep looking at me like that, Caldwell, and I won’t ever let you out of this bed.”

I smile. “I’d have to change your diet from all the extra calories you’d burn trying to keep up with me.”

He barks a laugh. His arms wrap around me, and then he twists so I’m straddling him. His dick stiffens between my legs. “I think I’m up for the challenge. What about you?”

I laugh and dip down to kiss his lips. “Absolutely.”

I draw back and catch my breath when I see the affection in Dane’s eyes.

“What?” I ask, self-conscious for no reason other than I’m not sure a man has ever looked at me like that … like I’m his entire world.

“I love you,” Dane declares without preamble.

He doesn’t say anything else.

Dane lets the words float around us, wrapping me in a blanket of warmth and security I’ve never experienced.

“I love you, too, Dane.” I kiss him gently.

More than I could have ever imagined.