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He heard a truck in the driveway “They’re here,” he yelled and went out to greet their guests
He winked at Charlie but walked around to the passenger side where he opened the door
“Hello, Do her to the ground
“Clay” She reached back inside and passed hiht pie”
“We love pie”
“Make sure you keep working out after you eat pie My daughter deserves a handsome boyfriend”
“Yes,the boxes from her “Mom’s in the kitchen”
“I can find my way”
Dominique started for the house Charlie came around the side of the truck and winced “That was a little heavy-handed,” she said “Sorry The parental thing is new to her and she’s still figuring it all out”
He grinned “You do deserve a handsome boyfriend”
“You’re in no danger of falling short”
“I et fat”
“Not if you want to uy We’ll test your physical prowess every year”
He leaned in and kissed her “On or off the field?”
She leaned in, her ainst his “I’ll co activities”
“I look forward to that”
He shifted the pies to his right hand and cupped his left behind her neck Her mouth was insistent on his He nipped her lower lip, then slipped his tongue inside Heat burned through hirabbed onto his biceps, as if in danger of falling
“How do you do that?” she asked with a whisper “Make me want you with just a look or a touch?”
“Magic”
She rested her forehead on his and tried to control her breathing “I’ht be it”
He straightened, then stroked her face “We have good cheht
“Highly sexed?” she asked in a low voice “Am I normal? Should I want you all the time?”
“Hell, yes”
She gave a strangled laugh “I’ serious”
“So a sex is natural From my perspective, you’re smart, funny and you have a killer body Should I be sad that you want to ular basis?”
“When you put it like that,” she said, glancing toward the house, then back at hi?”
“Maybe, but you should have calmed down by now if it were just that You have an active sex drive” He looped his ar ht?”
“I could so sock you in the stomach”
“You could Or you could punish me later”
Her blue eyes brightened with the idea “I like that A little torture You all nad and having to stay perfectly still while I lick you into submission”
Suddenly he wasn’t laughing The i to be able to take a breath anytime soon
Charlie raised her eyebrows “Wow The power of suggestion”
“You’re irresistible”
She turned to face him “You are, too”
He dropped his hand to hers and squeezed her fingers, then led her inside They still had the gah, but later he would remind her of her promised “torture” It was exactly hoanted to end his day
AN HOUR LATER they were ready for the kickoff The LA Stallions were favored to win against the Bears Clay sat on the floor, in front of Charlie He leaned against the sofa, her long legs next to hilanced around the roooing two-by-two
The teaaot into position and the ball was kicked into the air It went up and up, then caed forward and the LA Stallion cheerleading squad scattered to get out of the way
One of the young woh and she wasthe action, the ca at an aard angle, her eyes closed
“That had to hurt,” Charlie said “I hope she’s okay”
No one else spoke The camera moved in closer and the cheerleader’s face filled the screen Rafe swore, Shane jumped to his feet and May clutched her throat Clay stared, unable to believe what he was seeing
“What is it?” Doame?”
“No,” May said, her voice a whisper “No, it’s not”
“Do you know that wo there?”
“She’s hter”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
EVERYONE WAS TALKING at once For Dominique, the press of bodies, the frantic conversation ree before a perfory, but knew enough to keep that thought to herself Instead she hovered by May, wanting to help but not sure how
She spotted Charlie talking to Clay Clay shook his head and walked to May Dohter
“This is all very upsetting,” she said “For the family,” she added “I didn’t know her”
“Me, either,” Charlie ad Clay speak with his mother aited on hold on the phone She turned back to Doest by several years She’s not exactly close to her mom”
Do around to stare at May “Now that you hter But that’s not possible May is the perfect mother” She frowned
Charlie surprised her by putting her arm around her “Not with Evie I don’t know very er and hasn’t been back I know Clay and Shane have kept in touch with her, but even they didn’t know she was a cheerleader”