15. JerseyBust

JERSEY OR BUST

Hudson

"Stop fucking with her." Boone bats my hand away as I reach back to pull the blanket that keeps falling off her.

"She looks cold."

"If she's cold, she'll pull it up herself."

"She's tired, obviously. I don't want her to have to wake up just to adjust her blanket."

"You're momma bear-ing," Boone accuses.

"So?" I huff.

"Fuccckk." He chuckles behind the hand he's scrubbing over his face, avoiding the eye. "You're going to suffocate her."

"Breath play isn't my thing." I chuckle. "And you back off. Riley and I are gonna do Riley and I."

"Yeah?"

I haven't had time to tell him yet, so I lean over and whisper, "Exclusive."

"No?" he gasps.

My chest puffs with pride. "One hundred percent."

"So, that means you're gonna have to break up with …" He scratches his head like he's thinking. I know better; Boone doesn't think. "Free online porn and your hand?"

"Fuck you, man." I shake my head.

"You know I ain't lying. You haven't hooked up in BV or on the road."

"The thought of you having a little chart of my sex life is disturbing."

"A chart would need actual information, stud." He's not wrong. "More fucked up that you're bringing your girl to the town where you do hook up."

"I know you're from a place a little further south than I am, and the rules may be different down there, but there's not a chance in hell I'm gonna run into someone I've gotten off with when we're hanging out with my family."

"Your sister's friend? CeCe's girl?"

"Nope, no worries. And no offense, Boone, but I don't attract chicks who have preconceived notions that I'm relationship material. Never have."

"Lily's a chick magnet, for sure." A slight laugh escaped him. "You ready for that?"

"For a Lily?" I nod. "With a Riley, I'm ready for a dozen Lilys."

"No, Hart, but remind me to backtrack and cover that. I'm asking if you're ready for the chicks that come after you harder when they know you're capable of a relationship."

"Not gonna be an issue—ever."

"I can see that." He sits back in his seat. "But a dozen Lilys? Do you not remember the Lovey night?"

"Yeah, but that's you, not me. I don't lose shit."

"As type A as you are?"

"I'm as laidback as they come."

"Out in the wild, maybe." He attempts to stifle a laugh. "When she realizes you stress bake, can't go to bed without the kitchen spotless, even when your shitfaced?—"

"You make me sound like a drunk. Twice, Boone." I hold up two fingers and repeat, "Twice."

"Yeah, and both times, you did some fucked-up shit."

"Not gonna disagree"—I look in the rearview—"but I got the girl."

"And what are you willing to do to keep her?" he asks like it's a challenge.

"Whatever it takes."

"Wake up, Ry," Boone says as we're pulling up in front of The Trenton, a hotel close to Revolutionary Stadium.

"Let her sleep."

"She's been out since Binghamton. That's like four hours. If she's anything like Lily, she'll never go to bed tonight."

Ding, ding, ding , I think.

Boone clearly reads my mind. He holds out his fist, and I give it a tap.

"I've been awake since you nerds started butchering Bruce Springsteen."

"That's offensive," Boones states.

Riley opens her door as I pull up to the curb. "I have to pee."

Before I can even unbuckle, she's heading into the hotel.

The fact I wanna follow her in, and not because we had a hot moment in a bathroom that I can't remember, just because it fucks with me a little, but I think of Jillian and how she'd say "I'm a grown-ass woman" or some shit and wonder if Riley would say the same thing.

That's one of those things we need to talk about.

"You fucked that opportunity up," Boone points out as he opens the passenger door and climbs out.

I do the same.

I meet him at the back and pop the hatch so he can grab his bag.

"Right on time," a voice booms from behind us.

I turn and see a man with a little curly, blonde-haired girl on his hip.

The woman with them runs up and hugs Boone. "You fuck this chance with Lindsey up, I'm going to bust your knee."

"Nice to see you, too, Mila." He laughs as she steps back. He nods to me. "This is Hudson Hart. Mila, Max, and Saylor Steel."

Max reaches out to shake my hand. "Nice seeing you again. That last play was insane."

"Thanks, but I couldn't have gotten there if not for the team, you know."

"He doesn't know. He owns part of a baseball team, and his sport was surfing." Realizing I already know them, Boone laughs. "I just introduced you like you don't know them."

Max lifts a shoulder. "We were gonna let it slide, but yeah, you did that."

Boone holds out his hands. "Come here, little Saylor."

"S-U-C-K it, Boone." Max smirks.

"I'm five," she says, holding up her hand and showing him five digits. "I know what that says."

"Nice job, Daddy." Mila rolls her eyes.

"S-P-E-L-L-S." Max winks at Saylor.

"What?" Saylor shakes her little head.

"What did I spell?" Max asks her.

She laughs a little belly laugh. "How am I supposed to remember?"

"Exactly."

She pulls Boone's shades off and sees his black eye. "Football?"

He nods.

"You should play for the Jags."

I glance at the door for the hundredth time in three minutes, still thinking I should go in there.

"Maybe one day." He winks at her.

"Where's Lily?" she asks.

I glance at him just in time to see his smile droop, but just for a second. "She's with Lindsey."

"Does Aunt Lindsey know the pretty girl?" she asks, pointing to Riley, who's walking toward us.

She's wearing a dark brown hoodie that crosses low in the front so it's virtually open. Underneath is a tight black tank top, with black leggings and little brown boots. Her jewelry is brass or gold. She has staple pieces—seven bangled bracelets on her wrist, along with at least one hair tie, sometimes two, and her long chain with a cross. She also wears hoop earrings—the size varies. Her sunglasses are either black or brown; today, they're brown. I watch as she pulls them down to cover her eyes as she walks toward us, crossing her arms and rubbing her biceps.

"You cold?" I ask, wishing I had a jacket to take off and drape over her shoulders.

"Little bit," she admits.

"And this is Riley Brooks. Riley, this is Max, Mila, and Saylor Steel," Boone says as I move behind her and wrap her up.

"Nice to meet you all." She laughs awkwardly.

"Guessing you're Hart's girl?" Max holds out his hand to her.

I'm not pissed, but I definitely feel a bit annoyed when she steps ahead, breaking our connection to shake his hand.

"Something you know before even Roman does."

Mila smiles. "Aw, new love."

"You ready for all that comes with dating a pro athlete?" Max asks.

"It's actually not new," I begin.

"She's immune," Boone steps in. "Her family owns part of the Knights."

"Nice." Max nods and looks at me. "Linda taking bets on which of you three will get married first? Who will give her that first grandbaby?"

"She makes it a competition, and it'll be us." I grip Riley's hip.

She looks over her shoulder at me and doesn't say anything.

"Too much?" I ask.

She shakes her head and looks back at them.

Mila laughs. "If he's anything like this one"—she throws her thumb over her shoulder at Max—"you haven't got a chance."

"It was love at first filthy note passed in high school." Max winks at her.

"For me, it was more the board shorts, baseball pants, and dimples," Mila interjects and looks at Riley. "Football uniform?"

"It was …" She pauses.

This may be too much too soon for her, so I step in to help her out. "Riley announced me at the draft, and then said, ‘Welcome to the family.' Obviously, I took that to heart. Had to be patient with this one, though."

She pushes her glasses back onto her head, turns, and looks at me, eyes narrowed, and then she turns to them. "That's the version we'll tell the team so none of those fools gets it in their fool heads it's a green flag to try to hook one of my girls. Reality?" She throws her thumb over her shoulder at me. "He didn't even remember it was me who?—"

"In my defense," I cut her off, "I was lucky to remember my name at that time."

She shakes her head. "Short version: a few too many drinks after a bad day, I used the men's room because the lady's room lines were always too long."

"Isn't that the truth?" Mila agrees.

"I walked out, and there he was." She looks at Saylor then back at Mila. "Skipping ahead, he didn't recognize me after that. I gave my ex a second chance."

"Again, in my defense, I wasn't about to step over a line with the Knights."

She looks back again. "Your defenses are weak; stick to offense, Hart."

This elicits a well-deserved laugh.

She continues, "When my sister, who looks just like me, noticed he may be checking me out, I freaked and, well, she offered to pretend to it was her and not me, and they agreed it was a one-night thing and not to let it affect the team or the friendship we all built."

Max coughs the word, "Shit," into his hand.

"Oh, like ours was any less scandalous," Mila snips at her husband. "Saylor was two when she met …" She nods slightly to Max.

"Who'd I meet, Mommy?"

"Mickey Mouse." Max snatches her from Boone and twirls her around, distracting her.

"And that was only because he ended up at the same college as us." She nods to Boone.

Boone cups his hands around his mouth, tilts his head, and yells, "Jersey U, baby!"

"Babies," Mila corrects. "Boone and Lindsey, my roommate, had Lily and we had Jonathon, who is?—"

"He's still little, so he takes naps. But I'm big now, so I don't." Saylor reenters the conversation.

"I have a younger brother, too," Riley tells her in the sweetest way.

"Does he take naps?" Saylor asks.

"Actually, he does."

"That's what brothers do," Saylor sighs.

"All right, little Saylor, let's you and I hit the bathroom before we head out." Max lifts his chin to Hudson. "We're giving this one a tour of the grounds; if you wanna show Riley where the World Series champs hang their cleats, hang out."

"Probably should let Roman give that tour," Mila says.

"Oh my God, how rude. Congrats on the series. That's epic. I got so caught up in my?—"

"Confession?" Boone chuckles.

Riley lifts a shoulder. "Yeah, I guess?"

Mila makes the sign of the cross. "Forgiven. Stick with Hudson's version for the family and the team."

"Oh, my family knows." Riley looks back. "Booze bus confessional in Vegas, sorry."

"Yeah, Jackson knew first. He's the one I shielded you from in the gym at the hotel."

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

"Brooksie babe, you just agreed to be a couple."

"Hudson." Mila laughs. "Repeat after me."

I nod.

"Sorry, Brooksie babe, my fault."

After our goodbyes, I'm feeling on top of the fucking world, 'cause my girl is so damn relaxed here.

When she reaches to open the door, I snag her around the waist and move her so I can do it first.

"Don't be a caveman." She laughs as I set her ass on leather.

I grip the frame of my SUV because the need to kiss her is so strong I don't dare take her face in my hands. I lean in, press my lips to hers, and groan. "You just told the story of us, claimed my ass; there's no going back now, Brooksie."

"Shut up." She fists my shirt and pulls me closer as she runs her tongue across my lips.

I open up and let her fuck my mouth with her hot little tongue for as long as I can. My breaking point? When she sucks it into her mouth.

That and the person behind me laying on their horn.

She laughs as she sits back.

"Shits not funny, Riley." I adjust my dick before closing her door and walking around the back of my SUV, scowling at the couple in the Volvo, and holler, "Rude!"