Part 28 (1/2)
”To goad my sister and all the Dallas fans in the salon.”
”Well it goads me!” He wanted to touch her, but he knew he was already s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g everything up. Badly. ”At least tell me you're wearing your Blaze panties,” he asked.
No reaction. Not even her telltale blush.
”You didn't come all this way to discuss my panties, Brody.”
He'd come all this way to get her out of her panties, but he figured now was not the time to bring that up. He reached a hand behind his neck to rub at the muscles that were squeezing so hard they were cutting off his circulation and common sense.
”No, I came here to bring you your Christmas present.”
She arched a delicate eyebrow at him. ”I wasn't aware we were exchanging Christmas presents, Brody.”
He pulled an envelope out of his pocket. ”Not exchanging. I'm just giving.” He handed it to her.
Shannon was careful not to touch him, taking the envelope between her fingers as if it had cooties. Carefully, she pulled out the contents and unfolded the papers inside and scanned them.
”You paid off Mama's mortgage?!?” Her angry tone and wild eyes were definitely not what he expected.
A gasp at his back alerted him that they had visitors. d.a.m.n you, Jerry Maguire, for making this look so easy. Shannon swatted him with the paperwork that freed up the rest of her life.
”h.e.l.l's bells, Brody! What in the Sam Hill did you do that for?”
”So you wouldn't have to work in a prison!” He seriously thought she might be more grateful.
”Oh, Brody. I don't even know if I am going to work in a prison, Teryn and I haven't flipped the coin yet.”
”What? Flipped what coin?” He was having a little trouble keeping up.
She shook her head at him. ”Never mind. It doesn't matter because you've done this.” She waved the papers again. ”I told you that I'm not one of your girlfriends who you can just pay off when you're through with her!”
”I'm not trying to pay you off, because I'm not through with you!” he yelled. There was another gasp behind him. He grabbed the paperwork out of Shannon's hands and went to the door where her mother and her sister, Teryn, stood and he shoved the papers at them. ”Here. Merry freakin' Christmas.” Then, he slammed the door in their faces, drowning out Teryn's laughter.
When he turned to face Shannon again, there was a definite softening of her att.i.tude.
”Now, can we get to the real reason you're here, Brody.”
He rubbed a hand through his hair.
”I'm an a.s.s,” he said quietly.
”Tell me something I don't know.”
He muttered softly to himself. Hooking a stool on wheels with his foot, he pulled it directly in front of Shannon and sat down. This would be a lot easier if she wasn't slaying him with those eyes. Reaching up to span her hips with his hands, he leaned his forehead against her belly. The familiar scent of her filled his nostrils giving him the strength to go on. He could feel her heartbeat against his head, its steady rhythm calming him. Her hands stayed fisted by her side, but this was his big move and Brody figured she was going to make him work for it.
”This is hard and you know I don't do hard,” he said.
”Mmmm. You're going to have to grow up sometime, Brody.”
Yep, he definitely had to work for it. But since she was still allowing him to hold her, he figured he was safe to go all in.
”All this time, I kept thinking there was something more I'm supposed to be in life, something more I'm supposed to be doing,” he began, relieved that her hands had unclenched and found his shoulders. ”But I've been chasing something that doesn't exist. What I should have been looking for is something I'm supposed to have. Well not a thing exactly. It's you. What's been missing in my life is you, Shannon.”
He looked up into those eyes he loved, now damp with unshed tears, and he made the greatest leap he'd had to make in his life. ”If I'm going to grow up, I want to do it with you. Alongside you.”
Straddling his legs, she crawled into his lap, so her face was level with his. She draped her arms around his neck. ”But do you trust me, Brody?”
He leaned his forehead against hers. ”I must. Because I love you madly.”
She was silent for a long moment and Brody's breathing stopped.
”By all means, keep me hanging here, Shannon.”
Her whiskey eyes danced as she wrapped her legs around his waist. ”I've never had a man tell me he loved me before. I'm just savoring the moment.”
”d.a.m.n it, Shannon,” he growled. ”You'd better not have any other man tell you he loves you.”
”It wouldn't matter if they did. Because the only man I'll ever love is you, Brody Janik.”
And then she kissed him. The feel of her sweet mouth was like coming home. At last, he'd unraveled the conundrum and found what he'd been looking for.
Epilogue.
THE GIRLFRIENDS' GUIDE TO THE NFL Well, girlfriends, it's official. Everyone's favorite tight end tied the knot today. Looking s.e.xy in a Versace tux, number eighty's blue eyes were focused solely on his brainy scientist bride. It turns out the homely PhD cleans up quite nicely. Of course, she had a little help from bridal gown designer Julianne Connelly, who decked her out in a stunning sleeveless sheath gown that transformed the gawky nutritionist into an elegant woman worthy to be seen on sinfully s.e.xy Brody Janik's arm.
Until she pulled on a pair of cowboy boots for the reception. Can you say tacky? Several of the guests, including the bride's twin, former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Teryn Everett, and the groom's sister, high-profile environmental lawyer Bridgett Janik, as well as an elderly nun, took to wearing boots for the dancing. Not that the rest of the guests weren't pretty raucous during the after-party as well. Lots of two-stepping and twelve ounce curls by the Blaze players and their WAGs.
The only dateless member of the organization was the team's hot, young new owner, Jay McMa.n.u.s, which just goes to show you, girlfriends, women aren't attracted to coldblooded reptiles.
Brody was deliciously naked. Again. He carefully stepped over Shay's discarded wedding gown that was pooled on the floor where he'd peeled it off of her an hour earlier. Smiling his wicked grin, he prowled toward the bed carrying a flute of champagne in each hand. Shay s.h.i.+vered with antic.i.p.ation as she snuggled deeper among the silk sheets. Darkness had fallen over Dallas and the lights of the skyline framed his tall body as he paused in front of the windows of the honeymoon suite at the Ritz-Carlton.
”You do realize you don't have to get me drunk to have your way with me,” she teased.
Brody chuckled as he handed her a gla.s.s before sliding beneath the sheets and leaning his broad shoulders against the headboard. ”You are delightfully easy, doc. It's one of the many things I love about you.” He draped an arm over her shoulder, pulling her in close to him. ”But I wanted to make a toast. A private one.”
A warm glow settled over Shay as she peered into her husband's blue eyes, now reverent and serious as he held her gaze. Brody brushed his lips along her hairline, lingering a moment before he spoke softly.
”From this day forth, you are all that matters to me. You are the most important thing in my life. Whatever happens after football, I'll face it because all I ever need to make my life complete is you. Whatever makes you happy makes me happy. Wherever you are I want to be. You're my everything, Mrs. Dr. Janik.”
Tears stung Shay's eyes as Brody clinked his gla.s.s against hers. ”So, I've gone from Shannon to Mrs. Dr. Janik. Are you always going to be so formal with me? Will you ever call me Shay?” she whispered.