When Tate’s alarm went off, he reached for it, turning it off before he put his phone back down on the bedside table. Snuggling closer to Audrey, he smiled. He couldn’t believe that she had come back to him, and even though he wanted to question it, he couldn’t, not now at least. He had to get to the arena for the game that night. He also was wondering where Lucas was. They were rooming together this time, and he hadn’t been back in hours.
This was probably a good thing.
Glancing down at his beautiful bedmate, he dusted kisses along Audrey’s jaw, thinking just how gorgeous and peaceful she looked. She opened her eyes then, giving him a sleepy grin as she stretched her arms above her head. Moving a hand to her throat, he kissed her lips softly before pulling away and smiling.
“Good afternoon,” he said quietly. “I need to get to the arena, but I’d much rather stay in bed with you.”
“Mmm … don’t tease me with that possibility,” she said with a small smile. “Do you have to go now?”
“In a few.”
She nodded, snuggling closer to him. “What time is the game?”
“Seven.”
“Awesome. I need to go shopping. I have no clothes; I got on the first plane I could get.”
Tate smiled, moving his nose against hers. “Why is that?”
Audrey smiled. “Because I didn’t want you to go all day thinking I didn’t want what you want. I do and I’m sorry for being stupid.” She paused, her smile dropping as she looked up into his eyes. “I am just so scared, and …” She paused again, but before Tate could say anything, went on. “You’re the only one who knows I can’t have kids.”
He moved his forehead to hers, kissing her nose before saying, “I’m not going to hurt you, Audrey. I can’t promise it, but I am going to try my hardest not to. I just want to be with you, enjoy you, and be that person you need. The kid thing, we’ll work that out when we need to, but right now let’s just be us. Be happy.”
She nodded. “You so don’t act like a twenty-one-year-old, you know that?”
Tate laughed. “I lived a crazy life through my teen years. I told you, I’m ready to be with that one person.”
Audrey didn’t smile as she said, “With some old chick who can’t give you kids?”
He shook his head. “No, with a beautiful, amazing, sweet-hearted woman, who any child would love.”
Audrey’s eyes pooled with tears and she smiled. “Man, I made the right choice for once, huh?”
Tate chuckled. “Sure did, love. I need to go, though.”
She nodded, before he kissed her nose and hopped out of bed.
After taking a quick shower and gathering his things, he found Audrey picking up the clothes that he’d had the pleasure of taking off her. She shot him a shy smile before wrapping her naked body up in his arms. “Good luck tonight,” she said, and pressed her lips to his.
“Thanks. I’ll meet you back here? Or do you want to go to dinner?”
Biting her lip, she said, “Why don’t we meet back here for dinner and maybe some dessert?”
Tate chuckled. “Might want to get us a room. Lucas won’t like us keeping him up all night.”
“Eck! Is this his room?” Audrey asked, a look of horror on her face as she held her clothes in the main spots Tate loved.
He laughed. “Yeah, I have no clue where he is either.”
“Eck! I need to get my own room! What time are you leaving tomorrow morning?”
Tate glanced at the clock and shook his head. “Love, we will talk about that after the game. I need to go. Text me your room number, okay?”
“Okay, good luck,” she said again, with a smile.
“Thanks love, ’bye.”