Read Game For Love: Love Games (Kindle Worlds) Online
Authors: Mara Jacobs
Now Marlee replayed the night she’d gotten drunk on the phone with Anna. It was so out of character for her, and she shivered as she remembered the day-long hangover she’d had the next morning. It would be a long time before she drank another margarita.
Her stomach turned from just thinking about the drink as she pulled into her garage after a full day. She grabbed her mail from the box and entered the kitchen. Not even her beloved kitchen gave her the same joy it did before Declan.
Was that how she would view life from now on? In measurements of before Declan and after Declan?
There was the usual junk mail, a few bills, and a package. She opened the package first and saw it was a flash drive. Trepidation rippled through Marlee. Oh, God. Not the tape. She turned it over and was not surprised to find a note taped to it, just like she had found before. Her hands trembled as she opened it.
Watch the tape, Marlee.
It’s not the one you think it is.
The handwriting was Declan’s. She was frozen in the kitchen. She slid her glasses up her nose and read the note again. And again. She slowly made her way to the den and connected the drive to her computer, and setting it so it would play on the TV. She took the remote with her to the recliner. At the last moment, she bypassed the recliner, thinking of another time, and another tape, and instead settled herself on the couch. She steeled herself and hit play.
It was the studio where she and Declan had worked. She almost hit the stop button, thinking it was the tape of her and Declan, but she waited. Something was a little different. And then Declan came into view, walking from behind where the camera was, to the set with the armchairs. The set only had one chair this time (that was what was different), and Declan went straight to it and sat down. The camera was zoomed in tight on Declan in the chair, only able to see his upper body and face.
That face. A feeling of loss ripped through Marlee. Even now, just seeing his face, she felt as though she’d been tackled. He hadn’t changed—still the same drop-dead gorgeous Declan she knew. And loved.
Marlee watched intently as Declan hung his head, trying to compose himself, then looked straight into the camera and began speaking.
“Marlee, I tried like hell to get a hold of you those first few days after your Duke lecture.”
So he did know about Duke. She was filled with shame. Here she had gotten on her high horse to him about trust and she’d let it be played to a room of two thousand. She was mortified, but Declan’s voice brought her attention back to the screen.
“I didn’t know what happened at first. I thought…” He seemed to struggle with his next words. “I thought my copy of the tape had gotten out and ruined your reputation.”
Why would he think that? Then she listened as Declan explained what had happened to him in New York. She didn’t know whether to be furious or laugh. How could she be furious when the same thing had happened to her? At least Declan had gotten the tapes back before anybody but a few network people had seen it.
“Anyway, after I got the tapes back I knew I had to let you know about it, in case somebody had made a copy of it or put it on the internet or some dumb-ass thing. You needed to be warned. But I couldn’t find you. I called all around and finally this idiot Thornton something-or-other told me about Duke. I tried you at home but you didn’t pick up, and I didn’t want to say what I had to say to your machine.”
Declan paused, taking a breath, his strong shoulders quaking, then looked at the camera again and went on. “I finally remembered Robert Curtis and got his number through Boston College information. By this time they’d had their meetings and he’d talked with you. He told me the whole story.
“I’m so sorry, Marlee, that all this happened. That the tape we made caused all of this. I told you I wanted to make the tape so you could see how beautiful you are to me, Marlee, and that’s true. But there was another reason.”
Again, Declan put his head down, this time clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his neck. Marlee got the feeling he was trying to get his courage up for the next part, and she felt a darkness fall over her. She couldn’t imagine what he needed to say now? They were over, done. Did he really need to reiterate that on video? Did she really need to watch it?
She fingered the stop button on the remote, then took her finger off, letting the video play on. Declan, his green eyes shining, looked straight at her.
“I love you, Marlee. And I will always love you. I was hoping the tape would make you see that, and make you see that you love me too. That’s why I wanted to make it.”
On the couch, the remote fell from Marlee’s hands as she raised them to her mouth, stunned by Declan’s declaration.
“But somewhere along the line I realized that you could never love me. Not after what Justin did to you. You didn’t seem able to see that not all ball players were the same.” He spat that out with an exaggerated contempt, and Marlee felt shame rush through her. “And so the tape became something else to me. It was just a little piece of you that I could take with me. To have something of you forever, Marlee.
“It didn’t work, though, having the tape. It’s not enough. It will never be enough. I couldn’t live with the thought that I never told you I love you, so, I’m telling you now. I love you, Marlee, and I want a future with you. And I don’t want to wait until I have everything in my life figured out. Hell, that may never happen.
“I want to marry you, Professor Marlee Reeves, and have babies with you and Friday night dinners with your family and to cook with you every night in the kitchen…”
He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself, while Marlee waited, tears streaming down her face.
“I’m not sure which day you’ll get this tape in the mail, probably Tuesday or Wednesday. I’ll be at Gino’s place every night this week waiting for you. If you can see yourself with me for the long haul, Marlee—and that means no dropping hands, no embarrassment over your husband’s former profession—then meet me there. I’ll be at our table, in the back, waiting. If I don’t see you by Saturday night, I’ll know the answer is no, and I’ll just have to live with only seeing you on tape.”
He paused. Marlee was sure it was for dramatic effect. Damn him—it was dramatic enough, just get on with it!
“The ball is in your possession, Marlee. It’s first down, baby, and it’s your play to call.”
She could see the movement of his arm as he reached for the remote and then the screen went black.
She didn’t even bother turning off the TV. She was already running through the house to the kitchen, where she gathered up her coat, keys, and purse, and then on to the garage.
And to Declan.
Epilogue
I
n the end, they found they had a major issue that they had totally opposing views on.
The size of their wedding.
Marlee wanted something small, just close friends and family. Declan wanted to announce to the world that he was marrying Marlee.
One week after their tearful reunion at Gino’s, with Gino himself crying the loudest as Declan got down on one knee and properly proposed to an accepting Marlee, the football coach at Boston College called Declan.
Boyd Parson and Declan had been teammates at Ohio State and had kept in touch over the years, especially once Declan had moved to Boston. Boyd offered Declan a position as offensive coordinator with Boston College. He was almost apologetic in his offering, assuming that someone of Declan’s stature would never want to stoop as low as an assistant to a near-bottom-of-the-conference team.
Declan was ecstatic and, after discussing it with Marlee, quickly accepted Boyd’s offer. It would still mean being on the road in the fall and during recruiting season, but it would put Declan back in the locker room, back on a team.
Marlee knew this was the right choice for Declan. He was already so happy to be going off to work every morning. And coming home to her every night.
“You know,” Declan began one night as they lay side by side in bed, worn out from an especially exerting lovemaking session where Declan had tried to demonstrate to a very willing Marlee the advantages of a zone defense. “Those tapes falling into the wrong hands was the best thing that ever happened to us.”
Remembering the humiliation she felt at Duke and the chastising from that windbag Thornton Grant, Marlee said, “I wouldn’t go that far.” But she chuckled. He was probably right.
Declan flipped her over to her back and began arousing her all over again, “Well, darlin’,” he drawled. “Just how far would you go?”
Marlee, never able to get enough of Declan, proceeded to show him. “All the way to the end zone, darlin’.”
~*~
Acknowledgement
A very heartfelt thank you to Bella Andre for letting me play in her Game For Love world.
We definitely share a love of alpha sports heroes and I’m very honored to participate in the launch of the Game For Love Kindle World.
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Mara Jacobs books available for Kindle
The Worth Series Contemporary Romance:
Freshman Roommates New Adult Romance Series:
Anna Dawson’s Vegas Romantic Mystery Series:
Blackbird & Confessor Romantic Suspense Series:
Anthology:
Mara Jacobs is the
New York Times
and
USA Today
bestselling author of the Worth series.
After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in advertising, Mara spent several years working at daily newspapers in advertising sales and production. This certainly prepared her for the world of deadlines!
She writes mysteries with romance, thrillers with romance, and romances with…well, you get it.
Forever a Yooper (someone who hails from Michigan's glorious Upper Peninsula), Mara now splits her time between the Copper Country, Las Vegas, and East Lansing, where she is better able to root on her beloved Spartans.
You can find out more about Mara’s books at
Mara loves to hear from readers. Contact her at
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