Touchdown Baby
Authors: Rose Harris
Touchdown Baby
by
Rose Harris
Copyright © 2015, Rose Harris
Touchdown Baby
Media > Books > Fiction > Romance Novels
Contemporary; football; secret baby; sports; quarterback; best friends; first love; paternity; NFL
Digital ISBN: 978-1-62237-433-5
Digital Release: August 2015
Editor, Gilly Wright
Cover Design by Calliope-Designs.com
Stock art by thinkstockphotos.com
All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work, in whole or part, by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, is illegal and forbidden.
This is a work of fiction. Characters, settings, names, and occurrences are a product of the author’s imagination and bear no resemblance to any actual person, living or dead, places or settings, and/or occurrences. Any incidences of resemblance are purely coincidental.
This edition is published by agreement with Turquoise Morning Press, a division of Turquoise Morning, LLC, PO Box 43958, Louisville, KY 40253-0958.
Table of Contents
DEDICATION
This is for all the men in my life who are amazing fathers.
The love between a father and child is priceless.
I love you: Daddy, Raymond, Chuck, and Donny.
In the words of my father: Fine figure of a man? YES!!
TOUCHDOWN BABY
Jace Johnson has always lived the “golden” life from family to football. When a paternity scandal threatens to ruin his image, he turns to the one woman who knows the real man behind the quarterback façade
.
Jace Johnson is the NFL’s Golden Boy. The first-round draft pick quarterback with an arm that will get him in the Hall of Fame. Everyone loves the humble, pretty boy. So when paternity papers are handed to him, the reality of his impending fall from grace makes him run to the one person who knows the real man.
Ava Banks is a working, single mother putting herself through college. Although the nine-to-five as a legal secretary is putting food on the table, it’s not the life-long dream job, but when she made the decision to raise her daughter alone, she knew she’d have to push herself for Ashlyn. What option did she have? A one-night stand with her best friend’s brother left her with an angel who deserves the world, not a father who would resent her. Or would he?
The last time Jace slept under Ava’s roof, he didn’t do much sleeping. Memories of that night haunt him, but Ava has a child now, and that means she’s off-limits. He needs her help for his own paternity issues. Will his situation cause Ava to refuse to help him or teach him that the love of a child is the Hail Mary pass everyone wants before the touchdown?
Finally home! The click and clack from the engine of her aging Ford Escort would alert Roxi to Ava’s early return from her disastrous date. Roxi must have parked her high school graduation present, a Volkswagen Beetle, in the garage.
Why does it have to be so hard to find a great guy, someone to fall in love with
?
Ava glanced up at the dark clouds that followed her home; the rumbles of thunder grew louder, and lightning lit the night sky. She knew God was playing a joke on her. Between the loser she’d left on the sidewalk at the restaurant and the black sky, it just was not her day. Ava closed her eyes, taking a moment to calm down. The need to release her pent-up anger and aggravation from the boorish and rude behavior of the guy she spent the evening with overwhelmed her.
Eyes closed, she exhaled the tension. Calm settled over Ava, and she shut the noisy engine off. She had beaten the approaching storm without getting soaked. All she wanted was a friend, a margarita and her pajamas.
The freshly painted red door was inviting as she put her key in the lock. The wind began to kick up, and the rocking chair on the porch swayed. Ava imagined it was Gram welcoming her home. She always sat on the front porch with a sweet smile and heart filled with love.
Her grandmother’s smile beamed with kindness, and when she willed her only grandchild the very house that swaying chair still rested on, it was a blessing. Since there was no rent, and both worked part-time jobs, Ava and Roxi were able to cover the utilities and their other expenses. With minimal student loans and scholarship monies, Ava never had to ask for money from her parents. Life was almost perfect, except for the no-boyfriend thing. That would be how she’d ended up with the idiot who’d taken her out tonight.
All lingering anxiety dissipated when she entered her foyer; the muted hue of yellow on the wall was welcoming and comfortable. She let the frustrations of yet another failed date leave her.
Keys deposited on the credenza and shoes kicked off, Ava called out, “Roxi, where are you? You will never believe the loser I went out with tonight.”
One of the luxuries of living with her best friend, Ava could enter the house aggravated and Roxi would have margaritas blending by the time she changed her clothes. Ava strode through the hallway toward her bedroom.
The removal of the snug dress allowed Ava to take a deep breath. Forgoing clothes, she opted for her fluffy terrycloth robe over her matching bra and panties. The delicate fibers brushed against her flesh, and she left her room to get a drink before showering.
The house seemed empty, but she could hear the television in the family room. Vegging out on the couch with a bowl of popcorn, a margarita and Roxi, while an endless parade of chick flicks entertained them was Ava’s medicine after an abysmal date. Really, what could be better than that?
As she stepped into the family room, Ava stopped at the threshold. Jace Johnson, Roxi’s older brother, lounged casually against the cool leather of their hand-me-down sofa. Jace possessed the bluest eyes, not to mention a sexy-as-hell grin. Ava’s admiration lasted for all of two seconds before she lunged across the sofa arm and into the arms of her adolescent fantasy, her first kiss and the only boy to steal her young heart.
“What are you doing here?” Ava wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. The feel of his strong muscles around her much slighter frame made the need for a boyfriend multiply.
Jace’s smile, complete with one tiny dimple that creased his left cheek, spread across his face.
“I got in this afternoon. Roxi said I could stay here this weekend, since she’d made plans to go out of town. I hope you don’t mind?” Jace gave her an innocent grin. She had watched him use this technique for years to get what he wanted.
She had always had a thing for Jace, but she knew he would never hit on his little sister’s best friend. The one kiss they shared was more of a
pity on you
moment for him. She’d spent every summer since she donned her first bikini in the ninth grade attempting to catch his attention. Not that she ever told Roxi. It was a violation of the
girl code
to have the hots for your friend’s brother, after all.
Ava knew she had the type of body guys appreciated. Her breasts had taken a while to develop, but when they did, she possessed more than her fair share. However, with the development of breasts, she’d also grown a bubble butt. Roxi said she was envious, but Ava wanted to be tall, thin and model-beautiful like her bestie.
Years of flirting with Jace had been futile; he always ignored her obvious efforts to catch his attention. Her self-esteem stayed intact, however, because she witnessed other guys’ reactions. She could still remember the day when he made everyone leave and practically forced her to put on a shirt over her bathing suit. Of course, Ava insisted he give her the shirt off his back. She still had the jersey he’d worn that day.
Jace just waited for an answer. Ava looked deep into his blue eyes and nodded her agreement for him to stay at their house. “Honestly, I forgot about Roxi not being here this weekend. Did you hear me asking for margaritas? It has been the longest week, and my brain is fried. I have the weekend free. Want to hang out?”
When Jace’s gaze traveled down their bodies, Ava felt a slight movement against her leg. This week had just gotten drastically better. The slight furrow of his brow made her think, maybe…
“Well, I need to keep a low profile. I’m actually supposed to be on campus conditioning for drills in prep for the combine.”
The look of emptiness in his eyes while he spoke of practices made her question his motives for escape and this unexpected visit. Jace loved football, lived football.
“Are you ready for the draft? I heard you’re projected to be the number one pick.” Unable to hide her excitement, Ava felt an overwhelming sense of pride and hero-worship for the man and his impending draft.
Not wanting to break contact with Jace, who had his arms still wrapped around her, Ava shifted slightly to make conversation easier. “Roxi and I have been trying to keep up with everything. Your mom gives us weekly reports on your prospects. You know, Roxi’s practically famous on campus because of you.”
Jace’s large, calloused hand skimmed the fabric that covered her hypersensitive back, and goosebumps rose on her skin. The fabric that had felt warm and fuzzy only minutes earlier felt suddenly like silk. She wiggled against him. When she could not remember her own name, she simply smiled down into his pretty-boy face. Ava wanted her smile to be relaxed and jovial, but she could feel her lips wobble from nervous energy, based solely on her close proximity to his hard body.
Jace cocked his mouth into a sexy half grin and replied, “Everything’s good, just a little hectic. I wanted a little downtime. As far as Roxi goes, I’m sure she’s made her own legacy. She doesn’t need mine.”
The closed expression she saw on his face made Ava want to comfort him. The thought of him sad made her snuggle her head into his shoulder. The man with her was powerful and strong and did not need anyone, yet the way he held her close and rubbed his stubbled cheek against the top of her head told a story. Jace seemed lost, like a boy whose best friend had just moved away.
The decision to make Jace recognize her allegiance to the real guy and not just to the superhuman football player hit Ava straight in the heart. With a deep breath, she was surrounded by the spicy scent of his aftershave. Ava felt in her soul Jace needed her to be strong and supportive, not for his accomplishments but for the man tonight.
Ave pulled back to stare into his blue eyes and lose herself in the moment. The sound of thunder in the distance brought back memories of her first kiss. That time, he had been the one consoling her. Ava wanted to feel the pressure of his lips against hers again.
Startled by the slight movement of his erection pressed against her thigh, she felt heat burn through her body. Jace released his arms from her waist, and Ava took in their intimate embrace.
Excitement and nervousness battled in her body. She wanted to rub against him like a kitten because her body craved a touch she had so far denied it; while her virginal innocence caused her heart to race overtime to send oxygen to her brain.
Nerves won the first round, and the process of pulling back from his embrace gave Jace a clear view of her breasts, barely contained in her red lacy bra.
Embarrassed by the flash, Ava ducked her head.
Kill me now!
Discreetly, she pulled the front of her robe together and glanced under her lashes to take in Jace’s reaction. The sight of his arousal at least assured her he didn’t think of her as a little sister right now.
After a quick reposition into the corner of the sofa, Ava tried to decide what should be her next move. When he found his voice, the rough vibration of pent-up desire stirred Ava’s own desire. “I thought you said somethin’ about popcorn and margaritas. Need help gettin’ things started?”
Jace’s eyes continued to drift down to her now covered breasts. The inner seductress hidden in her wanted to beg him to put his mouth on her. The rational part of her said, “I think I can handle it. Are you sure you want a margarita? We have beer in the fridge.”
“A beer sounds even better.”
She rose from the sofa and started toward the kitchen when Jace said, “And would you mind puttin’ on some clothes?”
That wasn’t the first time Jace had told her to put clothes on, but it was definitely the first time she had heard desperation in his voice. It was almost as if her presence caused him discomfort.
Hmmm, maybe I can use this to my advantage.
Jace’s company made her soul sing. She caught a glimpse of herself in the hall mirror as she passed and smiled even wider at the excitement in her eyes. She called out her intention to change and instructed him to pick out a movie. As she went into her bedroom, she tried to decide what to wear. After all, she’d never seduced anyone.
Ava pulled out half her clothes from her closet before she recognized what she was looking for wasn’t there. The dresser proved to be the location of the sexy outfit. Jace didn’t stand a chance.
Shoulders back after another quick glance in the hall mirror, Ava did her best to look relaxed and entered the family room in pajama shorts and a cami. Jace almost fell off the sofa when he saw her. The eyes that looked strained earlier clouded with lust. The normally cool, calm and collected man the NFL was scouting turned into jelly because Ava had pulled her girls into a too tiny cami.
Yep, that is just the reaction I was hoping for. Game on
.
Fifteen minutes later, snuggled up beside Jace, a blanket covering their legs, Ava placed the bowl of popcorn on her lap. “Are you ready for the movie?”
“Uh, sure. It’s already in.”
The sexual innuendo didn’t escape her. The thunder rattled the windows, and Ava shuddered with nerves and anticipation.
When he leaned forward to grab the remote, Ava made sure she positioned against him in the hope he would recognize her flirtation for what it was. He seemed to be paying an unwarranted amount of attention to the trailers before the movie even began. Ava knew she had to ante up or always wonder
what if
.
Once he settled in, she gracefully slipped her arm around the back of the sofa and began to play with the hair that fell against his collar. As the opening credits ran, she could feel the sexual tension in the air. The lights began to flicker from the storm that raged outside.
It seemed like the natural thing to lay her head on his shoulder. When on impulse she leaned in and kissed his neck, she felt the tendons in his neck bulge. Jace turned to look into her upturned face.
Not prepared for his reaction, Ava gasped when Jace pulled her up and across him. She sat on his lap, face-to-face. Movie forgotten and popcorn knocked to the floor, Jace asked, “Are you sure?”
The power chose that moment to go out completely, but she didn’t care. After all, she had everything she ever wanted right in front of her, Jace. His large hands held her hips against his growing erection, and she felt her body respond to his.
The room lit from the lightning, and Ava caught his look of lust and pent-up arousal. The need in his eyes caused any lingering doubts of losing her virginity to evaporate. She silently thanked God for His divine intervention and gave Jace what she had never given anyone else, herself.