SWNOVELS Hale: Chapter 27
The first thing I see when I open my eyes is Piper. Our foreheads are almost touching. My hand is wrapped around her shoulder, keeping her close to my chest. My gaze roams over her face, taking in every little detail, and a smile crosses my lips. She’s stunning, but what’s more, she’s incredibly sweet and kind. A real gem of a woman.
She stirs in her sleep, and I pull her closer to me. Hiding my nose in her hair, I inhale the sweet aroma of her shampoo. I don’t want to leave this bed at all. Her skin is soft and warm, and I slowly let my hands travel down her sides. I could spend the entire day touching her, and it wouldn’t be enough. She’s like the most forbidden fruit, one I crave with all my soul. One I can’t stay away from.
“We broke our rule.” A quiet whisper brings me back to reality, and I focus my gaze on Piper. Her deep brown eyes are sleepy as she stares at me from under thick eyelashes.
I smirk, instantly realizing she’s right. Last night, after I kept my promise and made her come all over my face and tongue, I told her we should get some sleep. Today is game day, and I needed to make sure I got enough sleep. I was going to leave her bed as soon as she fell asleep, but I ended up staying all night.
“We did. Do you regret it?”
“Are you joking?” She smiles, hiding her face in the crook of my neck. “I slept like a baby.”
“Because I was here, or because I wore you out?” Hearing my question, Piper leans away and peers at me.
“Both.”
I cup her cheek with my palm and bring my lips closer, kissing her sweetly. It feels blissful, slow, and erotic. There is no roughness, no desire to possess each other. It’s aftercare, and I’m here for it. We kiss and kiss, and she slowly hooks her leg over my hip and straddles me, making me roll onto my back. She’s completely naked, and my mouth instantly waters. Her round breasts are fucking perfection.
“What are your plans for tomorrow?” I ask when she places her hands on my chest.
“I’m going to go home tonight, because I promised to spend time with Riley,” Piper murmurs, sliding her hands over my chest and caressing my skin. “I also have plans to hang out with Hade and the guys from the band. I want to introduce someone to Bo. Hopefully they’ll be a match.”
Bo? As in Hayden’s drummer? The guy who left a hickey on her neck? Hell nah. I don’t like that one bit.
“Doesn’t he have a crush on you?” I ask.
Piper blinks, and her lips break into a smile. “Are you jealous?”
Instead of answering, I palm her tits and squeeze her nipples between my fingers. She moans, and her head tips back.
“Possessive. I don’t like sharing what’s mine.”
“And I’m yours?” she whispers. I push myself to sit up, winding my hands around her waist. I take her nipple into my mouth and suck, drawing another loud moan from her parted lips.
“You sure are, Piper, and you better remember it.”
Her hands fly to my head, and she hides her fingers in my hair while I swirl my tongue over her nipple. Her pussy is dripping as she rotates her hips, gliding it over my hard-on. Dammit, I need a fucking cold shower. Sometimes my rule—no sex before the game—sucks. But I’m not going to break it. I’ll be too lazy if all my needs are satisfied, and today’s game is more important than anything else.
She bends her head for a kiss, and at that moment the doorbell rings. Pure panic crosses her features as she scatters off my legs.
“It must be Hayden,” Piper drawls.
Rolling my eyes, I stand up from her bed, quickly pull on my sweatpants, and grab my T-shirt from the floor. I glance at her over my shoulder. “Get dressed. I’ve got this.”
I put on my tee on my way to the front door. I open it wide and see Hayden standing in front of me. A crooked smile plays on his lips as our eyes meet.
“I would’ve let myself in, but I forgot my keys at home,” he says instead of a greeting. “Were you still in bed?”
“Good morning to you too, brother,” I huff, stepping aside and letting him in. “I didn’t think you’d be here so early.”
Hayden halts in his tracks and gawks at me. “It’s almost eleven.”
“I know.” I don’t. “Well, I think Piper’s still asleep. At least, I haven’t seen her yet.”
My brother’s face darkens. “Is she okay? Story told me Pip could barely walk yesterday.”
“She didn’t feel well, but hopefully she’ll be okay today.” I lift my eyebrow. “Do you want some coffee?”
“Definitely,” he says with a smile, and we head into the kitchen.
Hayden and I are sitting at the table, drinking coffee and chatting about his classes, the band’s rehearsals, and their upcoming shows. He asked me what game I was watching yesterday, and the only reason I didn’t screw up was because of my love for Real Madrid. I know their schedule by heart, even when I don’t watch them play. I also mentally pat myself on the back for cleaning up last night. He’ll never know Piper and I watched something together.
Just as that thought crosses my mind, Piper slowly walks into the kitchen. She’s wearing cotton shorts and a beige-pink tee, with her hair collected into a high ponytail. Cute and simple. Yet I want to see a different side of her. I want to see her dressed up…for me.
“Hayden?” She feigns surprise, coming closer and plopping down onto the chair next to my brother. “I didn’t know you were coming by.”
“If you weren’t already asleep when I called, you would’ve known I was coming to check on you.” Hayden slings a hand over her shoulders, pulling her to him for a kiss on her temple. “How do you feel?”
“Better,” she murmurs, her gaze swimming to me for a brief moment. “I haven’t slept that well in months.”
“Good to know,” my brother chuckles and moves away from her as I release the breath I was holding. “Thank God Hunter answered your phone yesterday, because I was gonna come over if I didn’t hear from you. I was worried.”
“Aw, you’re too sweet,” Piper says softly. “I was just exhausted, but I’m good now.”
Another thirty minutes go by, and I go to my room. I need to take a shower and collect my things before I leave for the stadium. We already agreed Piper and Hayden will come to the game with Riley, and my parents will bring Story. I’m excited about today’s match…but I’m buzzing when I think about the smile that will be on my daughter’s face if our team wins. It’ll be the highlight of my day for sure.
It’s the last twenty minutes of the second half, and it’s tied. Two to two. My breathing is ragged; sweat drips down my forehead. I’m fucking furious. I scored ten minutes ago, but a lengthy VAR check adjudged me offside. Dammit. I want to win this game without it ending up in a penalty shootout.
I lick my lips and look up at the sky. This little pause is good for my nerves; I can start to calm my breathing. Every sport can be rough, and football isn’t an exception. Our center back collided with the Nashville winger, who wanted to pass the ball. His leg connected with the winger’s knee and it drew a gasp from the crowd when he fell, grasping his leg in pain. Thankfully, it wasn’t serious, but we’ve still got at least a five-minute break. I’ll need to use it to our advantage, because I don’t want to let my daughter down. I promised her I’d do everything I could to win this game.
When the match resumes, Nashville’s players attack. Their desire to win is just as strong as ours. No one wants to leave the pitch a loser. I keep my eye on the game, calculating chances to get the ball. And I finally see one.
It’s a mistake young players often make. Sometimes, driven by their ego, they totally forget that football is a team sport. No one can play all positions. Eleven players should form a united whole, where every person knows what to do and is willing to assist any chance they get. That’s how any team sport goes. Someone might be a fucking star who scores impossible goals, but once they forget there are other players on the team, they’re doomed. If someone scores eight goals all by themselves, no one on their team will be happy for them. They’ll think that person is a self-centered jerk.
I rush forward, stealing the ball from Nashville’s forward and hurrying away from him. Jenner, our attacking midfielder, joins me, and I pass him the ball. It’s the shortest exchange, and we are both running for our lives toward our opponent’s net. I don’t care if it’s me or Jenner who scores—I just want LACFC to win. We see the opportunity, but then Nashville’s fullback tries to steal the ball away from Jenner. A moment later, the ball lands right in front of me, and I go for it, kicking it into the low right corner of the net. Three–two.
My eyes land on Story as I run to the stands. She’s jumping in the air with the biggest grin on her face. My teammates are running in my direction, so while I have time, I form a little heart with my fingers and show it to my daughter. There’s no one in the world I love more than her. She’s my everything, and that goal was for her. Only for her.
When I hear the whistle that indicates the end of the game, I slump onto my ass and sit on the pitch. Not for long, because the guys quickly tackle me, celebrating our win. We won the Supporters’ Shield today. The level of satisfaction I feel is enormous. Yes, we still have playoffs, but today—we’re winners. We fucking did it.
The next forty minutes are a whirlwind. I spend about ten minutes answering reporters’ questions and taking pictures. When I’m finally on my way to join my family, who are waiting for me at the edge of the pitch, Autumn Dunn stops right in front of me.
“Mr. Hale, do you have a moment?” She shoves her microphone in my face. “It won’t take more than two minutes.”
I glance over her shoulder, looking straight into the camera, and then I return my gaze to her. “Let’s make it quick, Ms. Dunn.”
“This was your first full game for LACFC, and, not surprisingly, you won. How do you feel about your time on the field?”
“I have the best teammates, and the level of understanding Coach was able to create between us is admirable. We did everything in our power to win, and now we’re going into the playoffs as the Supporters’ Shield winners.”
“You were brilliant on the field, and your last goal was a masterpiece.” She smiles, shifting a little. “Who did you dedicate it to? I think we all saw a little heart—”
“To my daughter. All my goals are dedicated to her. Just like the number on my jersey.”
“Aw, that’s very sweet of you.” She bats her eyelashes at me, and I roll my eyes. I’m not subtle at all, but I don’t care. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Hale. See you.”
“Thanks. Bye.” I skirt her and head to my family. When I’m almost there, I hear someone running after me. I look back and notice Vavro. He smiles as he lines up with me. “You did a great job, Marek.”
“You did a great job, pushing my buttons and helping me improve my game.” He nudges me with his shoulder. “You destroyed me during that practice, and I was hell-bent on not repeating that ever again. Thank you for that.”
“Any time,” I tell him, and he laughs.
“I hope the fuck not! I won’t survive humiliation like that again, especially in front of my teammates.” He sneaks a glance at me, eyeing me with curiosity. “I know it’s early and we still have playoffs to win, but do you have any plans for the break before next season starts?”
Opening my school. But I don’t say that aloud, just talk about my plans to go on vacation with Story. I haven’t decided where yet. I just know I want to go somewhere with her…and maybe her nanny. That way, my vacation will be a ten out of ten.
“Who is that?” Vavro asks as we reach the edge of the pitch.
“Who?”
“The girl near Story. Who is she?” I focus my gaze on my daughter’s nanny, and I instantly know my wish from this morning—to see her dressed up for me—has become a reality. Her white floral dress ends just above her knees, paired with high-heeled lavender sandals, and her long blond hair cascading down her shoulders makes her look absolutely stunning.
“That’s Piper. She’s Story’s nanny.”
Marek halts in his tracks and gapes at me. “Are you fucking serious?”
“Yeah, she’s my brother’s best friend. I’ve known her for years. What’s wrong with that?”
“What’s wrong with that?” He laughs, shaking his head and resuming his walk. “You have a gorgeous girl staying in your house, and it’s the first time I’ve seen her! Is she single?”
Can I get away with punching him? Because my fucking knuckles are itching. She’s mine. M-I-N-E, dammit. “She’s my employee, Vavro. I have no clue what she does in her free time.”
The lopsided grin on his face makes my eye twitch.
“Maybe soon her free time will be filled with me.” He winks at me and hurries toward my family.
I ball my fists, following him with a forced smile on my face. Just this morning, my brother pissed me off with his touchy-feely attitude toward her, forming a fire in my chest. Now, seeing Vavro’s gaze focused on Piper has turned that into a bonfire…a bonfire of fucking jealousy. She better not flirt back, I swear.