Rookie Move (Playing for Keeps #1)(81)

He squeezed my side and brushed a quick kiss along my jaw. “I’ll get to that later, promise. C’mon.”

We headed inside and greeted everyone. After showing them around, we ended up back on the deck. I’d had a projector installed on the covered portion, and we hung out and ate and watched an NFL preseason special.

“Goddamn Whitt,” Tucker groaned as the LA cornerback’s face flashed on the screen. He had a nice smile, I’d give him that. “I don’t get the obsession.”

Cross laughed. “You’re just saying that because he’s faster than every one of us out here.”

I swallowed a bite of burger. “He’s not faster than me.”

Houston sniffed. “He runs, like, a 50.45. You’re what, 51?”

“50.73. Kiss my ass. It’s all the muscle packed into my thighs that slows me down.”

Ramsey put his mouth close to my ear. “Could be the meat in your pants.”

I grinned, then barked out a, “Hey!” as something hit the screen in front of us and slid down, leaving an orange smear trekking down the side of Whitt’s cheek.

Tucker cackled. “I fixed him.”

“Your messy ass better wipe that down.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He stood, grabbed a napkin, and loped over to the screen, cleaning it off before plopping back down. “I just think he’s overhyped, is all.”

Ellis snorted. “You mean you think you should be up there instead.”

“Centers get no love lately. And look at this smile.” Tucker flashed a gleaming grin and clucked his tongue. “Way more pleasing to TV audiences.”

“How did I never notice how cocky all you motherfuckers are?” Houston thwapped Tucker.

It was true, though.

A couple of hours and cases of beer later, everyone headed out. Ramsey and I picked up the trash, gathered dishes, and reassembled the kitchen, which looked like a barbecue-sauce-loving tornado had blown through.

“How is there sauce on top of this cabinet door?” Ramsey groaned, rolling onto his toes to swipe at the smear.

“Cross threw a chicken wing at Ellis.”

“Idiots.”

“Yep.”

We finished cleaning, got two bottles of water from the fridge, and went back to the deck, where we dropped into two loungers set alongside each other. I threw a leg over Ramsey’s thigh as I cracked open my water.

“Just can’t get enough of me, can you, G?”

“Nope.” I didn’t even try to deny it. Even months into our relationship, we still went at it every chance we got, and now that we were in the open, we’d had endless adventures and dates. All the time together that we wanted, and it still never seemed like enough. I’d never been so into someone in my life.

Ramsey dropped a hand on my thigh and stroked it idly. “Same.”

We sprawled in contented silence, listening to the buzz of crickets in the background, until Ramsey groaned and pulled out his phone. “My dad,” he said, glancing at the screen. He fired off a quick text back, then set the phone facedown on the deck. “I told him I’m busy and I’ll call him tomorrow.”

“Think he wants money?”

“Who knows? Probably.” Ramsey’s relationship with his dad was a work in progress. He’d come to Ramsey’s place for dinner with us exactly once and, as Ramsey had predicted, it was awkward as hell, but we both noticed his dad was less aggressive. And Ramsey had gotten a month’s reprieve before he asked for money again. “The intervals are stretching out, at least.”

“I know he’s probably never gonna be the dad you deserve. I’m glad you have us as your…surrogate family? Something like that.” My parents had always welcomed him with open arms, but now that we were together, my mom seemed to have taken that as license to dote on him like her own son, constantly haranguing him until Houston and I would crack up and tell her to lay off. He loved it, though, found comfort in it, I could tell.

Ramsey laughed softly. “Yeah, they’re great, thank fuck.”

“You realize we can’t ever break up, right?” I mused a few seconds later, considering Ramsey’s dad, as well as how we’d both been working on anticipating potential media frenzies.

“What? Have you been thinking about us breaking up?” Ramsey’s brows shot up as he jerked his head toward me, and I laughed.

“No. Jesus. Not like that. I mean, imagine the media meltdown it would create.”

Ramsey rolled his eyes with a laugh, and I caught his hand in mine, threading our fingers.

“I also meant, I’ve been thinking about us and how much time we spend together, and…” God, the words were suddenly thick on my tongue, but I took a deep breath and pressed forward. “What do you think about moving in here?” I’d stayed at Ramsey’s place during the renovations, but we’d both known that was temporary. This was different. This was permanent.

The momentary pause before he spoke was unnerving. “Put my house on the market and move in, huh?”

“Yup. You’ve been around for all the renovations. We’ve spent a lot of time here. I dunno, kinda already feels like you’re a part of it.”

He cast a glance out over the deck and the pond, a smile spreading slowly over his face. “I know I usually harp on you and your bad ideas, but I think this one’s right on point.”