Game Changer (8 page)

Chapter 11

I woke up the next morning with my head resting on a hard chest. My mind raced as I tried to figure out how a man ended up in my bed, but then I remembered the events of the previous night.

I still couldn’t believe that Dylan had a criminal record, let alone the fact that he raped his ex-girlfriend and almost raped me. We were such good friends. How could I not know this about someone I lived with and spent almost every single day with for the last year?

Then there’s the whole Ethan calling Aiden thing. Why would my idiot brother do that? I don’t think I was too upset about it, because Aiden being here was great; I hadn’t slept that well in a really long time.

And now I knew the truth. Aiden wasn’t cheating on his fiancée, because he didn’t have one. He wasn’t going to have a baby, Brittney just lied. But still, there was so much going on right now, I didn’t know if I could deal with Aiden too.

“You’re thinking too hard for this early in the morning,” I heard Aiden’s husky voice say. It sounded muffled as it vibrated through his chest.

“I’m not necessarily thinking. I’m processing.”

“Uh huh. Well, how about you stop processing and we talk about it.” He sat up in the bed and pulled me with him.

I sighed, “I don’t know what to say to you. I appreciate the fact that Brittney wasn’t exactly who I thought she was, but you never told me otherwise. Granted I never gave you the chance, but we were together for nearly a week and you didn’t mention anything. It was just so out of left field.”

“I did tell you about Brittney.”

I glared up at him.

“You told me you used to be engaged. Not that it was a week prior to our meeting, not that she was pregnant, and not that she might be coming to the wedding.”

He frowned.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to feel like a rebound or anything, because you weren’t. I didn’t expect to feel the way I did about you, and having that feeling after only days of being around you made me realize that I never should have been with Brittney. The baby’s not mine, so I didn’t think it was important. I honestly had no idea that she was going to show up at the wedding. Believe me when I say that I told her she wasn’t wanted there.”

“Are you positive you don’t want to be single for a while? I mean, after having your fiancée cheat on you and finding out she’s having another man’s baby, you’ve got to be wary of women in general.”

“You know, I never felt that way with you. It never felt like I was pushing myself to forget about Brittney, it just felt natural to be with you. Then the past few months have been just fucking horrible without you. You’re the only thing that’s been on my mind. I wanted to come to you so many times, but everyone just kept telling me to give you time, saying you needed time.”

“It was horrible when she showed up, Aiden. I don’t even know how to describe it. I tried to tell myself it didn’t matter because we weren’t in a relationship or anything, but I cared so much. I’ve literally been a bump on a log. Last night was the first night I’ve gone out since I got back from Cancún, and of course I had to see you there.”

I had to shake my head at the irony.

“If you hadn’t been there last night, I wouldn’t be here this morning.”

“Actually, if Ethan hadn’t been there last night, you wouldn’t be here this morning,” I corrected. “In case you forgot, I didn’t call you, he did.”

His arms tightened around me and I felt his lips against my head, “I hurt you, and you have every right to still be mad at me.” After a pause he asked, “Are you still mad at me?”

I had to think about it for a minute, wanting to be honest with my answer, because hurting him at this point would upset me too. “I’m upset with what happened, but not with you.”

“What’s the difference?”

“There were a lot of different ways that things could have happened, but instead, they went the way they did. You couldn’t control Brittney coming to Cancún, and you couldn’t make me listen to you no matter how hard you tried. It was all beyond your control, so I can’t and don’t blame you.”

“Do you honestly believe that? Or are you just saying it for my benefit?”

“I honestly believe it. I wouldn’t say something if I didn’t believe in what I was saying.”

“Okay, fair enough.”

I grinned. “Okay.” I sat up and turned towards him, covering my face. “You can’t look at me, I’m probably covered in smudged makeup.”

“I don’t think so,” he says, grabbing my arm and pulling me back to him and laying on top of me, trying to keep my hands from covering my face. I keep giggling and fighting him, trying to squiggle my body out from under his.

He finally got a good grip on my wrists and pinned my arms against the bed. He held them firmly, but it didn’t hurt and I never felt safer in my life.

“I’ve missed your face too much for you to hide it from me now.”

As he said this, he peppered my face with soft kisses. His kisses were innocent but devious at the same time.

Then his lips captured mine, and I felt like my body was about to explode. I couldn't breathe, let alone form any coherent thought. I could only feel and hope that I didn't melt from the inside out.  My senses were on overload.

I felt his groan vibrate against my lips and I moaned lightly.

“I missed you so much, Emily.”

“I missed you too Aiden. More than you could ever know.”

Aiden glanced at the clock and let out a curse.

“What’s wrong?”

“I have a game tonight and I need to be there in like an hour. I can call in if you want me to.”

“No, don’t be ridiculous.  Aiden, work is important.” I don’t want you to get in trouble just to spend the day with me. I promise I’ll be here when you get done.

He stood up and lifted my hand in his, gently pulling me to my feet. I felt unsteady and fell into him. His arms went around me instantly, pulling me close to him.

“I thought you just played last night?”

“Nah! That was just a scrimmage. Our first official pre-season game is tonight.”

“Coming to the game?”

“Are you sure?” I asked, “Won’t I be a distraction for you?”

“Does it really matter?” He asked with a grin.

“Yes. Of course it matters. I refuse to be the reason Houston loses a game.”

“You won’t babe. You’ll be my good luck charm, I can feel it already.”

“I think you have to say that. Aren’t all football players superstitious?”

“Most, but not all.”

“Are you?” I ask, sitting back up on the bed and crossing my legs in front of me.

“I don’t know, I guess you could say so considering I haven’t changed my boxers in five weeks.”

My jaw droped in disgust and he laughed, doubling over with his hand on his knee. “You should have seen your face,” he gasped.

I threw a pillow at him. “That wasn’t funny Aiden. I was about to burn my sheets,” I said, shaking my head and trying to fight the smile that wanted to take over my face.

“You’re right, it wasn’t funny. It was downright hilarious.”

Before heading out he kissed my forehead.

“I’ll see you tonight?” I nodded. “Just go to the ticket counter and tell them your name and that I left two tickets for you. Bring Ethan, he’ll love it.”

“Have fun,” I yelled at him as he was walking out the door.

“Always,” he called back.

Chapter 12

I heard the door slam as Aiden left my house, and realized I didn’t have his phone number.

I quickly ran to the window and yelled out to him, “Aiden!”

He twisted and tilted his head up at me. “What?”

He was laughing. I must have looked ridiculous in my pajamas and bed mussed hair, leaning out of the window.

“I need your number!”

“Oh, 32.”

I wrinkled my nose for a moment before I understood what he meant and then burst out laughing.

“No, well, yes that’s helpful, but I meant that I needed your phone number.”

He smiled and took out his cell phone. I assumed that he didn’t know it by memory, so I had to look it up. Instead I heard my phone beep. I reached for it and answered the call.

“Now you have it,” Aiden said into the phone. “I’ve really gotta go now, text me if you need anything, I can’t have my phone ringing during practice.”

“You keep your phone with you during practice?”

“Emily …”

“Fine, tell me later. See you tonight.

“Love you Babe.”

He hung up before I could stumble over myself to answer him. Did he really just tell me that he loved me? Seriously? Was it on purpose or was it an accident? Instead of obsessing about it I decided to take a shower and put some makeup on.

“Hey sleepyhead,” Kaitlin greeted me as I came downstairs.

“Hello,” I said, sitting down across from her at the small table in the kitchen.

“How’d you sleep?” She asked, eyeing me with concern.

“I slept perfectly. Did you know that Ethan called Aiden?”

“No, but I wasn’t necessarily surprised when he showed up at our door last night. You needed him, so don’t be mad at Ethan.”

“I know, and I’m not. I know Ethan just wants the best for me.”

I stood up and started making some Ramen noodles for lunch.

“So are you and Aiden doing anything tonight?”

“Yeah, he gave me a pair of tickets to the game. The first game of the pre-season.”

“I suppose you are taking Ethan with you then?” Kaitlin asked.

“Yeah, you know how much he loves his team.”

We both laughed. Anyone who knew Ethan, knew that he was a football fanatic. If he found out I had tickets to the Houston pre-season opener and didn’t take him with me, he would probably never talk to me again.

Four and a half hours later, after a trip to the police station to give my statement about last night, I was standing in front of my closet, biting my lip and wondering what to wear. I didn’t have a shirt that was the same dark blue as the Houston jersey, so I found a white top instead. It would just have to do.

Ethan pulled up to my house about five minutes before we were supposed to leave.

Go figure he would be early when I was busy trying to look my best.

“I’m so excited,” Ethan said as I got in his car. He sounded like a little kid about to go to Disneyworld.

The arena was packed with crazed football fans, and I had to laugh at some of them. One guy painted his face and chest blue and had the number ‘32’ on his back. I felt proud that my boyfriend was being recognized like that. Was Aiden officially my boyfriend? I mean, earlier he did say he loved me, so surely that meant we were a couple now, right?

“Why don’t you go sit down and I’ll get us something to drink,” Ethan suggested, pushing me towards the open door.

Our seats are really nice, between the forty and fifty yard line, right up front near the field. We were so close to the action I felt like I could just reach out and touch one of the players.

Ethan came back just as the players were making their way onto the field. I screeched when I saw Aiden and my eyes never left him as the National Anthem was sung. He looked so sexy in his football attire. Seriously, my buff and burley boyfriend happened to be intimidating and rugged on the field.

Behind us, I heard somebody mention how sexy the players were and I felt myself blush as I thought ‘Hell yes they are’. I was immediately thankful I hadn’t said it out loud.

Turns out, the game was against San Francisco and it was a heated match, almost going into overtime but in the end, Houston won with a three point lead.

After the game was over I wasn’t sure where to meet Aiden. He said he would meet us but neglected to mention where that would be, so Ethan and I decided to just stay in our seats. If nothing else, Aiden could text me and tell us where to go when he was ready.

Around thirty minutes later, I felt somebody sit down next to me. It was Aiden, smiling like a crazy person.

His hair was still damp from the shower, and he smelled amazing. I threw my arms around him, kissing him for a brief second before telling him how much fun it was to watch him play.

He grinned. “I thought you might like it. Much better than watching it on TV, huh?”

“Absolutely. The crowds really make all the difference in the world. There was just so much energy.”

He smiled and looked past me. “Hey Ethan.”

“That was incredible, you guys played an intense game,” Ethan said, as he leaned forward to shake Aiden’s hand.

“Careful Ethan, you’ll start drooling in a minute.”

“Oh hush you.”

We sat and talked for a while, but eventually, the cleaning crew showed up and began giving us odd looks.

“Guess it’s time to leave,” Aiden said as his hand gripped mine. “Can I take you home?”

I looked to Ethan and he just shrugged. “Sure. That would be great.”

“You two be careful and don’t do anything I would,” Ethan teased as he headed out of the stadium to the parking lot, while Aiden and I headed the opposite way to the player assigned parking.

When we got to the car, Aiden pushed me up against the passenger side door and kissed me passionately. I moaned and ran my fingers through his hair, pulling him even closer.

All too soon, he pulled back and looked into my eyes. “Do you love me, Emily?”

I bit my lip, debating what I should say. “I don’t know,” I told him honestly. Sure, I had feelings for the guy, but love? I didn’t think at this point in our relationship I could say that is what it was between us.

He looked down like he was disappointed with my answer. “Okay.”

He went to open my door for me but I pulled him back so he was in front of me again.

“No, not ‘okay’. I’m not telling you that I don’t love you, I’m just… I’m trying to do the right thing here. I know that I’ve missed you like crazy and that seeing you with another woman made me feel like hell…”

I trailed off, thinking through everything. My eyebrows lowered and I squinted my eyes slightly. Doesn’t that sound like love? Being so attached to a person that when they’re not there you feel devastated? Isn’t love that feeling you get when you know you can’t be without that person.

“What am I thinking?” I asked myself out loud. I looked into Aiden’s eyes, he was watching me, almost as if he was amused by my self-reflection. “Of course I love you, how could I not? You are the most amazing guy I’ve ever met in my life. You make me feel like nobody ever has.”

I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him down for a kiss, which he eagerly returned.

“Come home with me?” He asked, barely breaking our lip lock.

“Let’s go.”