Authors: Toni Aleo
When Elli came into view, a large smile formed on Fallon’s face. The campaign would have never happened if it wasn’t for Elli, and Fallon would be eternally grateful to her. Elli looked amazing in a short burgundy Dolce & Gabbana baby-doll dress. She wore black tights and amazing sparkly silver platform heels. Her hair was in a pretty bun with a braid wrapped around the base. Shea stood beside her in a nice tailored gray suit with a burgundy tie. His hair was done nicely to the side, and Fallon couldn’t help but notice the burgundy Chuck Taylors he wore. Shea’s arm was wrapped tight around Elli’s waist, his hand resting against her swollen middle. Love radiated from them, and when Shea leaned over to kiss Elli’s nose, Fallon melted inside.
Lucas nodded as he glanced over towards them. “Yeah, they are,” he said. Fallon looked up at him as he brought her hand to his lips. “I want you to meet someone before we head over there.”
Fallon smiled. “Okay.”
Lucas directed her towards a younger-looking guy that stood alone by the refreshment table. He was extremely tall and completely gorgeous. He had long blonde hair that dusted the top of his shoulders; his eyes were the brightest blue Fallon had ever seen. They were almost like ice, and when he pinned Fallon with them, she felt like he was looking into her soul. He was so sweet-looking, and man he was pretty! Lucas reached up and cupped the guy on the shoulder before grinning down at Fallon.
“Tate Odder, this is my girlfriend, Fallon Parker. Fallon this is Tate, he’s our new goalie. He doesn’t speak a lick of English, but he’s a good kid.”
Tate reached his hand out, taking Fallon’s before bringing it to his lips and kissing the back of her hand. “Nice, to, meet you,” he said before flashing her a killer smile. Fallon noticed that he had a gap between his two front teeth and her heart stopped.
He was a doll baby!
“Oh aren’t you too cute for words! I could just pinch your cheeks! It’s so nice to meet you too,” Fallon gushed. Tate grinned down at her while Lucas glared over at her. Fallon giggled before reaching up and pinching his cheek, she had to! He was a sweetie! “How old are you?” she asked, since he looked like he was 10.
“Twenty.”
“Aww, you’re a baby! Lucas you need to keep an eye on him, he is just so sweet.”
The grin remained on Tate’s face as Lucas shook his head. “I’ll catch up with you later Tate, come on Fal,” Lucas said pulling her away, “Thank God, he doesn’t know much English. Damn Fal, you just emasculated him!”
“Whatever,” Fallon laughed. She didn’t think she was that bad and if she was, she would apologize later. She couldn’t help herself though, he was such a sweetie. He looked like one of those guys you have to love and take care of. Maybe it was her momma bear ways but Tate was just too sweet.
“Elli, you look beautiful,” Lucas said with a grin just for the team owner. Fallon noticed the way Shea’s chest puffed out as he glared over at Lucas, but Lucas didn’t seem to care. If she was him, she would care. Shea was scary.
Elli smiled, running her hands down her belly. “Thanks, but one day, I will wear a dress like Fallon’s. Until then I will be wearing these kinds of dresses.”
Fallon laughed as Shea smiled lovely down at Elli. “I love your dress.”
“Yeah but I bet you like the purple Gucci dress I have at home that I’ve wore once, more,” Elli said with a pointed look. “I’ll never get into that dress again, Shea, if I keep having babies!”
Shea shook his head. “I don’t care. I love you just the way you are.”
A quiet, heated moment passed between them and Fallon felt like she was interrupting a private moment when she said, “You know Elli, you never did tell me what you’re naming this one. I had to find out from Lucas that you were having a girl!”
Elli blushed, tearing her gaze away from Shea and smiling over at Fallon. “Sorry about that, I was trying to keep it a surprise, but Shea’s got a big mouth,” she said with a grin for Shea. “We’re naming her Posey Rose.”
Fallon blinked twice and told herself not to laugh. It was their child and if that was what they wanted to name her, more power to them. Even if it was the ugliest name Fallon had ever heard.
“Posey Rose?” Lucas asked.
Fallon elbowed him in the gut, causing Lucas to let out an oomph as Elli said, “Yup. Shea got to name Shelli Grace so I get to name this one, and I love oldie type names, and Posey is just gorgeous. So Posey Rose is it, and then we are done. Right Shea?” Elli looked up at Shea and he nodded quickly. Elli looked over at them with a grin and Fallon noticed that Shea was shaking his head. When he put up two fingers and mouthed ‘more’, Fallon couldn’t hold in her laughter and almost fell over from laughing so hard.
“What?” Elli asked. She looked up at Shea, catching him with the two fingers up and she smacked him in the chest. “I ain’t having anymore! I’m done!”
Lucas pulled Fallon away, both of them laughing as Mr. and Mrs. Adler had it out by the cocktail table. Lucas wrapped Fallon up in his arms and kissed her neck as they stopped in front of the large portrait of them kissing in the vineyards.
Lucas bit softly at her ear, causing Fallon’s eyes to slowly shut. As he ran his tongue down her lobe and along her neck, she let out a breathy sigh, wishing they were anywhere but at the party. “So am I,” he whispered in her ear. “God, I want you so bad.”
Fallon opened her eyes and looked over to where her mother and father stood, eying her and Lucas. Lucas took a step back before reaching out for William’s hand. After shaking hand with him, Lucas kissed Nora on her cheek and complimented her flashy red dress. Nora had come dressed to impress and Fallon figured she must have visited Dr. Swartz in the last few days. Nora didn’t look a day over 30 and her lips were too big to be real. Beside her, William stood tall and dashing in his black suit with orange tie. He leaned awkwardly over to Fallon, kissing her cheek before Nora did the same.
“Well darlin’ don’t you look stunning. I love this dress,” Nora gushed, running her hand down the lace of the bodice.
“Thanks Momma, I love yours too.”
Nora gave her a sweet grin as William eyed Lucas. Fallon glanced over at Lucas, wondering what William was looking at, just as Lucas cleared his throat. “I’m going to go visit with coach.”
“Oh yes! I’ve heard so much about him,” Nora said, locking arms with Lucas. Fallon continued to beg Lucas with her eyes not to leave, but he gave her a small smile before shrugging his shoulders and walking away. Fallon felt as if she was having a panic attack as she watched Lucas and Nora walk away. Why on earth would Lucas leave her? He knew she had daddy issues! If Fallon wasn’t so damn horny, she would be rethinking going home with him.
“Fallon Ryane, everything looks amazing in here,” William said, looking up at the picture in front of them. Fallon glanced up and nodded even though he wasn’t looking at her.
“Thank you. Grace Justice is the party planner.”
“I know that, but that’s not what I mean. I mean about the campaign. It looks amazing,” he said. Fallon glanced over him, her breathing picking up as she looked at his profile. “I was wrong for doubting you. You knew what you were doing, and I’m sorry for what I said.”
Fallon couldn’t breathe; she couldn’t even form words as she looked up at the man that she had been starving for love from. Was this the moment he would say he was proud of her? Would he take her into his arms and tell her he loved her? Fallon watched as he took in a deep breath and looked over at her. “Since you have the capital for the cellar, I’m approving you to go with it. Let’s hope you don’t mess it up since it is a lot of money. Good job though, Fallon. You sure are a beautiful woman.”
Fallon’s heart shattered into a billion pieces as she watched her father walk away without even a second glance back at her. He had approved her dream, but he couldn’t even tell her he loved her, or that he was proud of her?
So much for hoping for the impossible.
Lucas could tell by the look on Fallon’s face that the encounter with William wasn’t a good one. As William talked to Fallon, she looked as if she was hanging on his every word, waiting for that moment when he would tell her he was proud of her. When William walked away, Lucas knew he didn’t say it because of the way Fallon’s shoulders sagged and by the way she turned slowly to look back up at the portrait of them. Lucas excused himself and went towards her. He wrapped her up from behind, and when she saw it was him, she relaxed against his chest, leaning her head against his.
“Well, young Skywalker, help, you did not,” she laughed as Lucas’ heart warmed. “You remember all those nights we watched Star Wars?”
Fallon looked over at him, a smile on her glossed up lips. She looked amazing tonight, classy but sexy all in one. He wanted to rip that lace off her and bury his face in her chest. He wanted her naked. Now. Lucas had a feeling that her dress would end up in shreds on the floor beside his bed before the night was over. Or at least he hoped it did. Fallon took in a deep breath as Lucas’ grip on her waist became tighter.
“Come dance with me,” he whispered against her neck.
Fallon nodded and Lucas let her go, taking her hand in his as a very well-known R&B song started. Lucas grinned back at her and she was all smiles as they reached the large dance floor. Fallon pulled her hand from his and started moving her body to the hard-hitting beats. Lucas pulled her to him, moving their bodies together in perfect unison. There was no room between them as they rubbed against each other. It was their foreplay before the real foreplay started, and Lucas’ mind was swirling with lust. There was something about dancing with Fallon that had him on edge. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck at the end of the song and whispered, “You know I’m the best you ever had.”
Lucas almost came undone. Luckily, a beautiful guitar melody started and Jason Mraz started to sing about looking into someone’s eyes, taking Lucas’ mind off getting Fallon naked. As he gazed into her eyes, it wasn’t about the sex, it was about the love. He held her close, his hands running down her back and ending right above her bottom. Fallon locked her hands behind his neck, leaning her head against his as they swayed to the music. As they moved slowly, their bodies closely together, Lucas felt like no one else was in the room. It was only them.
Lucas couldn’t believe how far they had come. It was as if he was back in his 21-year-old body, only wanting her and knowing that he could never love anyone the way he loved her. He was so lucky to have this second chance, and it still blew his mind that he had her in his arms again. As she placed her lips to his, he couldn’t help but think that all his hard work had paid off. That he finally had his reason for living back, and that no matter what he would always love her. Fallon would always be his person, his best friend, and no matter what happened at least he knew that he gave their relationship everything inside him. He just hoped that she did the same, because his life would never be complete without her in it.
Lucas shrugged his shoulders. “No, but I know what is in my heart, and it’s you and Aiden.” Lucas cleared his throat as Fallon looked into his eyes with her own eyes filling with tears. “I love you, Fallon.”
Her shoulder’s fell as she leaned her head against his. She took in a shuddering breath as he held her close, waiting for her to say it to him. When she opened her eyes and a tear spilled over her plump cheek and he knew she wasn’t going to say it. “I’m trying, but …”