Forget Me Not (32 page)

Janelle put her hand on his heart. “No, you don’t have to.”

He held her hand against his chest. “I love football. I love playing the sport and pushing myself. But the main reason I do it is for the money. It sounds bad, but it’s not what you think.” He brushed his long thumbs along her sides.

She wanted to laugh from the tickling sensation, but she bit her lip to keep from doing it.

“I told you how broke my family was when I was a kid.”

Janelle nodded but kept silent as he shared his life.

Gideon continued. “I was determined, even at a young age, to have some sort of financial security for not only me, but for my family also. That’s another reason I wanted to go into the military. I figured the benefits would help my mom if something happened with me.”

“But Queen has, what, four or five businesses?” She relaxed her legs from around his body but continued staring in his eyes.

“She has three.”

“With three businesses, I would think she would be fine.”

He shook his head. “It wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to be sure. I needed to save as much as I could to give her the most secure lifestyle possible, because she gave that to us as kids. I wanted to make sure that if one or all of her businesses suddenly failed, she still wouldn’t have to worry about money.”

Janelle cupped his cheek. “You are a very good son, and an excellent man.”

Gideon smiled.

“But at what expense are you doing this for your family? They wouldn’t want you to hurt like this.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “I don’t want to see you in pain.”

He smiled wider at that admission. “You don’t?”

She shook her head.

“I’m going to tell you something that I haven’t even told my family yet.” He shifted in his spot like he wanted to ground himself. “There’s a chance I might go to another team because of this injury and what I did during the Super Bowl.”

“What did you do?” She hoped she would be able to understand whatever he’d done considering she never watched football.

“Instead of letting one of my teammates run the final crucial play that would have guaranteed us the win, I ended up running it. At the time, I didn’t see the move as being selfish. The more time goes by, the more I understand why my teammate and friend is mad at me. I made a mistake. It got us the win, but I ruined a great relationship. I caused distrust among my team. And I hurt myself further by doing it. In the end, even making MVP and having a Super Bowl win under my belt, it wasn’t worth it. The only great thing that’s happened to me since is that I got to meet you.” After purging so much, Gideon took a deep breath and connected his stare to Janelle’s. “I’ve decided to go on and have the surgery. If the Wolves kick me out because of it, so be it. My agent said there’s another team interested in me.”

“Awesome.” She beamed. “Who is it?”

“The Coyotes.”

Janelle felt her eyebrows knit together. Not being that familiar with all NFL team names, she didn’t know what city hosted that team.

“They’re out of Portland, Oregon,” Gideon said.

“Portland?” She tried keeping her face neutral, but how she truly felt showed through to Gideon.

“I know. It would mean I would have to move. But they’re offering me more money than what the Wolves paid me. My family would be set.”

“Is your family asking you to do this? Do they need you to be the breadwinner?” She placed both hands on his chest and leaned back. “Thinking about them is admirable, but everyone is an adult. They all have highly successful careers. The burden to keep everyone in the lifestyles they’ve become accustomed should not be on your shoulders. At some point, you have to look out for yourself.”

He snickered. “Now you really sound like my mother.”

She smiled. “She’s right.” Even though her heart broke inside at the thought of Gideon possibly leaving, she had to think of him. “Whenever you plan your surgery, I would like to go there to support you.”

“You’ll hold my hand the entire time?” He slipped his hands down from her waist to her backside.

“If that’s what you want.”

“Oh, now we’re getting to what I want. I would love for you to scream out the names of each of the plants I got for you.”

She rubbed her legs against his ass. “Sounds like fun. I would love to show you my—”

A hard pounding sounded at her door before she could finish her statement.

“Virginia Beach Police. Open the door.”

Gideon eased himself out of Janelle as soon as the pounding sounded on her front door. “What the hell?” He looked around for his pants. “Why would the police be here?”

Janelle shrugged as she planted her feet on the floor. He had hoped after such an incredible lovemaking session that he could hold her and talk. Like in football, things changed on a dime.

“Oh, no.” Janelle went into her bathroom and slipped on a cotton robe that looked to be two sizes too big for her.

Considering she hid her naked body underneath the hunter-green cover-up, he wanted to tell her to wear something else.

“It could be my neighbors downstairs. They’re elderly. I hope nothing has happened to either of them.” She ran to her bedroom door and then stopped. She turned and put her hands on Gideon’s chest as he followed her. “You stay here.”

“Why? If something’s going on, I want to be there for you.” As a man, he didn’t feel right hiding out from potential danger.

“I know. Look at us. I don’t want the police running to the tabloids.”

He shook his head. “I could care less about that. I’m concerned about you.”

The knocking sounded again.

“Please, just wait here, okay?” She nodded and backed out of the room.

Gideon would wait in her bedroom for a short while to appease her, but he wouldn’t stay silent or hidden for long. In his mind, Janelle now belonged to him, in his heart and soul. He would do anything to protect her. Standing by and waiting for something to happen seemed like a strange way to react.

He stood close to the bedroom door and listened intently after Janelle opened the door.

“Is there a problem, officers?” Janelle asked.

Her voice sounded fragile. Gideon chalked it up to the distance she stood from the bedroom. He couldn’t help but think how scared she must be. He hadn’t met her neighbors from downstairs, but she acted as though they meant the world to her, probably more than her own mother.

He couldn’t hear everything the officers said except for the words
concern
and
help
.

Gideon disposed of the used condom still attached to him and slipped on his jeans. He moved closer to the door.

“Who called?” Janelle asked.

He could no longer take hearing only a part of the conversation. He marched out of the bedroom. One officer put his hand on top of his gun until he took a good look at Gideon.

“Are you Gideon Wells?” the tall, thin policeman asked.

“I am. Is there a problem?” Gideon stood next to Janelle and put his arm around her waist.

“You didn’t have to come out here.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m fine.”

The second officer said, “We received a call from a neighbor that they heard screaming up here. They said the woman had been accosted before. Was there an issue?”

They stared at Gideon longer than they regarded Janelle.

“As you can see, there’s nothing going on here.” Had he been wearing a shirt and shoes, and if she had on any clothing, that statement might be plausible.

“So where did the screaming come from?” The thin man crossed his arms over his chest.

Gideon took that time to adopt his mother’s teachings to never talk about intimate details about a woman with other people.

“It’s not what you think. We—”

Janelle put her hand on top of his arm. “I’m fine. Not too long ago, some crazed photographer hid somewhere in the parking lot and jumped out as soon as I came home. It scared me, but I was okay.”

“Did the same thing happen tonight?” The second officer took a couple of steps toward the window and peered out of it. Thanks to the rows of potted plants, he couldn’t get too close.

“No.” She shook her head.

“So what happened?”

Gideon sighed. “Is this really necessary? She said she’s fine.”

“Why are you getting defensive, Mr. Wells?” The officer moved away from the window and stood next to his partner.

Gideon had to harness his growing anger. He couldn’t tell if these cops wanted him to spill juicy details of their sex life or they didn’t understand why a man and a woman, partially dressed, would have been screaming only moments before. Could they be that thick or that opportunistic?

“Please.” Janelle held up her hand. “No one is getting defensive. We were having a nice night in. I got excited and screamed out of happiness, not distress. Really, I’m fine.” She pointed to Gideon. “He’s fine. Thank you for responding so quickly. Honestly, there’s nothing to report.”

The police stared at the duo for a while. Then the first officer glared at Janelle. “Anything else going on here that we need to know about? Any money exchanging hands?”

Flames filled Gideon’s vision. “You son-of-a—”

By gripping his arms, she stopped him from charging the lawman. “Stop.” She turned to the police. “I’m a business owner. I own a flower shop called Flowers Galore. His mother owns another flower store, and we’re friends. That’s how we know each other.”

“My apologies. I have to ask considering the circumstances. We didn’t want another Ray Rice situation where someone in authority could have done something and didn’t.” He gazed at Gideon. “We’ll need to see both of your IDs and write a report.”

“Why? We’re both telling you nothing happened.” Gideon felt the hairs on the back of his neck rising.

For one thing, he never wanted to be compared to a man who beat on a woman, a woman he claimed to love, a woman who had borne his child. A man wouldn’t do something so deplorable. When Officer Asshole had implied that Janelle worked as a prostitute, Gideon had wanted to rip the man’s head off his thin shoulders.

Janelle patted Gideon’s arm. “Of course. Not a problem.” She headed to her purse on the kitchen counter.

“I’ll go into your bag.” One cop grabbed Janelle’s purse before she could get to it.

“Um, sure. I understand.” She nodded and closed her robe around her neck.

From the way her face turned dark red, Gideon knew this bothered her as much as it did him. To get her alone again, he would have to calm down and comply. “My wallet is in my back pocket. Would you like for me to get it, or do you want to?” He held his hands up with his fingers splayed.

“You can get it, Mr. Wells. Just turn around when you pull it out.”

He did so begrudgingly, then handed the first officer his Virginia state license. Who knew sex would turn into an inquisition?

After identifications had been verified and they’d documented their statements, the police left, but not before the shorter, heavier one of the two asked for a picture.

“You interrupted our evening, accused my girlfriend of being a prostitute
,
and treated us like criminals. Forgive me if I don’t join you in a selfie.” He held the door open for them and slammed it after they left the apartment. “Can you believe that guy?”

Janelle said nothing as she disappeared into her bedroom.

Gideon had to lighten the mood. “You can blame me. I told you to let it out. I didn’t know it would scare your neighbors.”

He didn’t expect to see Janelle carrying his shirt, socks, and shoes.

“Thank you for the plants and dinner. But I think you should go.” She looked at him in his eyes before dropping her gaze.

“Okay. I’ll go.” He took the items from her. “But you’re coming with me. Get dressed and pack a bag.”

She shook her head. “No. Those cops are going to run to a news outlet and tell them what happened here. I’m ruining your career.”

He dropped his items and held her arms to make her look him in the eyes. “You’ve done nothing but make me the happiest man during a time I thought would be the worst time of my life. Between my mother and brother and—” He stopped before rehashing the news about his knee and his future with his team.

“What?” She brought her gaze up to his.

Looking into her soft brown eyes, he couldn’t lie to her. “I’m my happiest when I’m with you. Don’t you feel the same way?”

She returned his stare without answering for a while before she turned her head. “Please go home.”

“I’m not running away. Not from those cops and not from you. If I leave, I want you to come with me.”

She shook her head.

“I can protect you in my home. We can finish talking.”

She took a deep breath. “Before you, I didn’t need protection. I didn’t have people wanting my picture because of who I was sleeping with. I was a simple flower store owner with a dream.”

“I’m also a man with a dream. Why can’t we do this together so we can support one another? Why are you so afraid?”

She wriggled out of his grip. “This isn’t my life. Cameras and questions and police.”

“Those are all temporary. As soon as the game hype dies down, it’ll all go away.”

“Yeah, then start up again when you go train. Then you’ll leave. And I’m here. My business is here. I’ll stay.”

He sighed. “Rooted.”

She paced. Each time she stole a peek at him, she averted her gaze like the look would turn her into stone.

Gideon watched the fear etch across her face but didn’t know how to erase it. “Please come to my house so we can talk.”

“Why can’t we talk here?”

“Privacy. If your neighbors hear us talking passionately—”

“Arguing.”

“Talking with enthusiasm, I’m afraid they’ll call the police on us again.” He took a step closer to her, and she took two steps back, almost into a corner.

With the shadow covering a portion of her face, she reminded him so much of that nervous young girl hiding by a set of bleachers so many years ago.

“No sex.”

Janelle blinked.

“Tonight. No sex tonight. We’ll talk. When you get sleepy, you can sleep in a spare bedroom.”