“Okay. I’m sorry. I don’t know how to do this, Wyatt.”

  “Do what, exactly?”

  “Talk to the woman I’m dating about the fact that I think I’m impacting her work, which I’m also involved in.”

  “You think because we had sex last night, that I had a bad practice?”

  “I wouldn’t put it like that,” Everly replied.

  “Good. I wouldn’t, either.”

  “I wouldn’t put it like that, Wyatt, because we didn’t just have sex last night.” She paused, reaching for Wyatt’s shirt to pull the woman back into her. “Babe, we did a lot more than have sex last night.”

  “I know.” Wyatt lowered her head. “I’m sorry.”

  Everly lifted Wyatt’s chin with her hand and met her eyes. She leaned forward, pecked Wyatt’s lips gently, and pulled back to look at her.

  “I can’t be a distraction, Wyatt. Maybe… I don’t know. Maybe–”

  “Nope.” Wyatt reached for her cheek, cupping it in her hand. “Nope. Don’t you dare say that, Everly Holman.” She moved back into her, spreading Everly’s legs as she did. “I don’t want to stop this. I don’t want to pause it until the season is over. That’s not the kind of life I want with someone. I’ve waited a very long time for this. I don’t want to postpone it.”

  “Come to my place after dinner. We’ll talk more.”

  Wyatt kissed her and said, “I’ll call you when I’m on my way.”

  “Okay.”

  Wyatt bit her lower lip in clear concern, but she turned and left, having to meet her agent for dinner. Everly remained leaning back against the desk, wondering if they were doing the right thing. She had been told by Kara that she needed to talk to Wyatt and find out what was going on. She hadn’t done her job just now, and she wasn’t sure she would be able to later, either.

  CHAPTER 17

  “Wicked, this league isn’t going to take off how you want it to.”

  “Excuse me?” she replied.

  “I’ve seen the ticket sales. They have a minimal advertising budget. It’s not going to be like it is in Europe. I’ve gotten thirteen phone calls just this month about you. Those thirteen calls represent seven different leagues. You would still be able to meet your commitments to the national team, and you’d make a lot more money. You’d have more endorsement deals over there. I’ve got an energy drink in Japan that’s interested. That check will be huge. You–”

  “Andy, I’m not interested. You’ve said all this before.” Wicked set her water glass down. “I’ve signed a contract for two years.”

  “I can get you out of that with the help of a good lawyer. I can get you a three-year contract anywhere you want, Wicked. You’re only twenty-eight; now is the time to do this.”

  Wyatt sighed and said, “Andy, I don’t have the energy to have this argument again with you.” Her phone buzzed on the table. She glanced down it and frowned. “I’ve got enough going on right now. I’m staying with the team, Andy. If it really is as bad as you seem to think, I have an option after a year. I can sign somewhere else then.”

  “You’d be closer to thirty, Wicked.”

  “Plenty of pro players are over thirty.” Her phone buzzed again. “And I’m in good shape, no injuries, and I take care of myself.” When the phone buzzed a third time, Wyatt picked it up. “What do you want?”

  “It’s your father, Wyatt.”

  “I realized that when I answered the phone, Dad. What do you want?”

  “Your stepmother and I were hoping to come to a match.”

  “No, you’re not. You are hoping I’ll fly you out here so that you can guilt me into giving you money.” She looked at Andy, who looked concerned. “I am at a business dinner. You need to stop calling me.”

  “I’m your father.”

  “Could have fooled me,” she replied, hanging up. “Look, I need to get going. I have an after-dinner date that I’m missing, and I really, really need it now.”

  “You have a date?” he asked, surprised.

  “I do date, Andy.”

  “Not that I’ve seen.”

  “Well, I date.” Wyatt stood up, tossing her napkin on the table.

  “Who’s the lucky girl?”

  “Woman. She’s a woman. I don’t date girls. I am almost thirty.” Wyatt gave him a slightly playful, bordering on serious glare. “I don’t want to talk about leaving the Legends anymore. If I want to consider other offers, I’ll let you know.”

  She left the restaurant, knowing he’d pay and expense her for it later. She drove to Everly’s address after calling to let her know she was on her way. Then, she sat in her car for a few minutes, wondering how the rest of her very strange day would go. She and Everly had just started their relationship. They had also just started having sex. She very much wanted to do that again, and do it again soon, but she knew they needed to talk about work and how they would handle things. She just hated that it was interfering with what they were trying to have together.

  “Hello?” she greeted.

  “Are you stalking me?” Everly asked.

  “What?”

  “Babe, I can see you waiting in your car. Is everything okay?”

  “Are you sure you’re not stalking me?” Wyatt asked back, smiling a little.

  “You’re sitting outside of my apartment building in a car, looking all forlorn. I happened to look out my window because I was worried about you not being able to find a parking spot.”

  “Well, I did.”

  “I can see that. How about you come find a spot on my sofa?”

  “I could find a spot in your bed,” Wyatt suggested.

  “Wyatt, come inside.” The woman chuckled. “And we’ll figure out where your spot is.”

  “You figured that out last night,” Wyatt teased.

  “Get in here.” Everly laughed.

  Wyatt hung up the phone and laughed at their exchange. She loved how they were together. She didn’t want anything to cloud that. She grabbed her overnight bag, locked the car, and headed to the door. Everly met her, pulled her in by the hand, and took her to her apartment. Then, she closed the door behind them. That was when Wyatt saw it. On Everly’s coffee table, the woman had a large bottle of sparkling water, a bottle of white wine, fruits and cheeses, and crackers.

  “I know you’re not much of a dessert person, because I saw you barely take two bites of the one we shared at dinner, so I thought maybe this would be better. You didn’t have dessert with your agent, did you?”

  “No, I didn’t. I barely finished my entrée. You didn’t have to do this.”

  “I know I didn’t. I wanted to.” Everly wrapped her arms around Wyatt’s neck, pulled her down, and kissed her. “I’ll give you the tour. It’ll take fourteen seconds.”

  Wyatt laughed. Then, she took Everly’s hand, and Everly motioned with her free one.

  “Living room with IKEA furniture. Dining room with a hand-me-down table from my aunt. That’s the bathroom. I have only one, and I don’t have a bathtub. The bedroom is over there.” The woman pointed in the direction of her bedroom.

  “Can I actually see everything?” Wyatt laughed.

  “Fine, but it’s not as–”

  “Everly, just show me your home.”

  Everly grunted, rolled her eyes, and said, “Let’s go.”

  They made their way to the bathroom. Everly opened the door, motioned for Wyatt to take a look, and stood there.

  “You have rubber ducks on your shower curtain.” Wyatt smiled.

  “I have a thing with rubber ducks.” Everly shrugged.

  “I’m sorry… You have a thing with rubber ducks? How are you just now disclosing this to me? This changes everything.” Wyatt shook her head playfully.

  “My grandpa worked until the day he died. He traveled a lot for his job. Whenever he came back from a trip, he’d give me a rubber duck or something with a rubber duck on it. I have pajamas, too.”

  “Where are all these ducks?” Wyatt asked.

  “In a box, in the closet.”

  “I’m going to need to see these someday. You understand why.” She nodded in mock seriousness.

  “Of course. Later, though?”

  “I can do later.”

  Everly took her hand again, turned around, and opened the other door.

  “This is the bedroom.”

  “Is the bed from IKEA?” Wyatt asked.

  “The bed is–”

  Wyatt didn’t let her finish as she picked Everly up, tossing her over her shoulder.

  “Wyatt! Oh, my God! What are you doing?”

  Wyatt tossed her onto the bed and replied, “Having fun.”

  “Fun?”

  “I would like to take my mind off of a somewhat crappy day. Can you help me with that?” she asked, moving to hover over Everly.

  “Wyatt, we were supposed to talk.”

  “And we will.”

  “When?” Everly asked through a giggle when Wyatt kissed her neck.

  “After.”

  “After what?”

  “Oh, I think you know what.” Wyatt sat up, removing her shirt.

  “You know that’s not fair.” Everly’s eyes were glued to her abs now. “You can’t use those as a weapon.”

  Wyatt laughed at that, feeling her stress evaporate immediately. She reached forward, pulling off Everly’s shirt.

  “You have weapons, too.” She stared down at Everly’s bra-covered breasts. “And I’d like to see them now.”

  Everly giggled and said, “Babe…”

  “It’s cute when you call me that.” Wyatt unclasped her own bra, tossing it aside.

  “Really not fair. How am I supposed to say no now?”

  “You’re not. That’s kind of the point.”

  Everly reached for the button on Wyatt’s jeans. She undid it, unzipped them, and stared.

  “I give up,” she said.

  Wyatt laughed loudly and then started removing Everly’s bra, pants, and underwear before taking off the rest of her own clothes. Then, she climbed back on top of her, settling their bodies together.

  “I know we need to talk,” Wyatt said. “I get it. And we will. But we just started doing this together, and I kind of just started doing this, period.” She rolled her hips. “I love how it feels to be with you this way, Ev.”

  “I love it, too,” Everly replied.

  Wyatt kissed her, letting their tongues join, flick, and play. She moved her lips to Everly’s neck. Then, she reached between their bodies, her fingers finding Everly’s clit.

  “Already wet?”

  “Jesus, you work fast.” Everly’s hips lifted.

  “You put together a whole thing out in the living room.” Wyatt stroked her. “I want to respect all that hard work. And, I’d like to reward it.” She slid inside with ease.

  “Reward away,” Everly replied.

  ◆◆◆

  “I did not expect us to eat on the floor of my living room naked.”

  “No? What did you expect?” Wyatt asked, running her hand through Everly’s hair.

  They were sitting on the floor with the coffee table next to them. Everly had had one and a half glasses of wine. Her face was flushed and adorable. Wyatt had finished the strawberries and a few pieces of cheese. She couldn’t believe the whole thing, either. Just two days ago, she was a woman who’d never had sex. Now, she was on the floor, naked with another woman. That woman was moving into her lap.

  “Hi,” Everly said, looking down at her.

  “Hi,” Wyatt replied. “Are you a little drunk right now?”

  “I’d say I’m slightly tipsy.”

  “Is that all?” Wyatt teased, kissing her neck.

  “I’m also slightly turned on.”

  “Only slightly?”

  “Well, this girl I’m dating did just give me an orgasm in my bed, so that helped a little.”

  “But she didn’t take good enough care of you, apparently,” Wyatt replied, sucking Everly’s nipple into her mouth.

  “Oh, she did. She took care of me real good.”

  Wyatt laughed and looked up at her, “Did you just say real good? Don’t you have an advanced degree?”

  “Don’t you have a naked woman in your lap?” Everly argued.

  “I do. I thought that naked woman wanted to talk, though. That’s the whole reason we came out here.”

  “She did. She does.” Everly ran her hands over Wyatt’s abs. “But she has a naked woman in front of her, too.” Wyatt laughed. “And, she also had a glass of wine before that woman got here. She’s really starting to feel it and doesn’t think we should have a serious conversation right now because she might not remember it in the morning.”

  “We wouldn’t want that, would we?” Wyatt teased. Everly shook her head. “And I think what we would want is for both of us to sleep well tonight.”

  “And how do you suggest we do that?” Everly asked.

  “You tell me, doc.”

  Everly leaned down, pressing their foreheads together, and said, “I think I’d sleep really well if you lie back on this floor right now.”

  Wyatt squinted at her and asked, “That’s it? I just lie down?”

  “Not even close, babe.”

  CHAPTER 18

  “I wish you actually drank during the season. If you did, you’d be sharing this mild hangover with me right now,” Everly said when Wicked stepped onto the court next to her.

  “You had like three glasses of wine, lightweight.”

  “Who had three glasses of wine?” Kara asked, approaching from behind them.

  “She did.” Wicked pointed at Everly. “Apparently, she decided to watch a sad movie last night and down a bottle of wine.”

  “I watched Marley and Me for the first time,” Everly lied. “I didn’t realize it had a sad ending. I was just sipping on my wine, eating popcorn and cheese, and then I was balling my eyes out.”

  “Oh,” Kara replied. “Let’s get out there, you two. It’s time for the official team photo. Five days until the first match. Let’s make ourselves look good out there.”

  Everly stood with the coaching staff, bracketing the players on both sides. Wicked stood next to Brenden in the back row since she was the tallest player on the team. The photo op took about twenty minutes with all the players in their home jerseys. Then, everyone changed, came back out, and they did them again in their away gear. Then, everyone had to get their individual shots. The coaches went last, which meant Everly had time to go into her office and get some work done.

  She met with three of the players who had already gotten their photos taken, got caught up on some paperwork, and then opened her door because that office was way too small, and she needed some air. Her window, leading outside, that she’d been so excited about, didn’t actually open more than an inch or two. Through the open door, she heard the voices of a few players who were changing into or out of clothes for their shots.

  “I heard Italy is clamoring for her,” Godfrey said. “Like, they want her back like crazy. There are three teams that are willing to break the bank for her.”

  “She’s been to Italy, though.”

  “So? She’s been to Spain and Brazil, too,” Godfrey replied. “But, they’re interested.”

  “She signed a contract, same as us, Godfrey,” the other player said.

  “She’s Wyatt Wicked. If she wanted to get out of her contract, she could. I know she took the one-year option. She told me.”

  Everly was eavesdropping again. She really needed to stop accidentally overhearing conversations in this room. She needed an actual office that wasn’t inside the locker room.

  “So? She’s still here for the season, at least.”

  At least? Everly didn’t know what that meant.

  “The season is seven months long if we make it all the way to the championship. She’ll start her national team stuff in three months. She’ll be balancing all that with the travel. It’s a lot,” Godfrey said. “I know they’re paying her more than the rest of us, but it’s not nearly as much as what she’d make with a real league overseas.”

  “You can’t keep calling this a fake league,” the other player said. “It’s a real league. We’re taking official photos. We have our first match soon.”

  “It’s the first year. It can still fold. Look at women’s soccer. They had to try three times to get a league in this country, and they’re the number-one-ranked team in the world.”

  “We’re number one in the world, too.”

  “And we have been for, like, eight years. Sometimes, number two, but pretty close. This is the first try at a league, though. It could take another ten to fifteen years to make this work here.”

  “The WNBA works,” the player argued.

  “Barely. The NBA doesn’t have sponsor names on the front of the jersey bigger than the team name.”

  “So? I don’t care if a sponsor wants their name on my jersey. I just want the jersey, Godfrey. I want to play in my home country instead of bouncing from place to place. I bet it’s the same for Wicked.”

  “I don’t know. Even if she stays for the full two years of her contract, there’s nothing keeping her here after that. She could choose to help us start this thing and then leave once it’s up and running.”

  “Well, you can’t have it both ways. You can’t tell me you think the league will fail this year and that it will still be up and running in two,” the player said. “I have to get out there. I’m up next.”

  “I’ll be right behind you.”

  Everly listened as both players left the locker room. She heard a few more enter, chatting about random things. She moved back to her desk, sat in her chair, turned to stare out her small window, and considered where Wyatt might be living in the next year or two.

  ◆◆◆

  “We never talked about how dinner was with your agent last night,” Everly said as they sat at dinner.

  “Oh, it was fine. We do it at least once a month when I’m in the States.” Wyatt ate the strawberry off the dessert plate.

  “Why do we even order dessert if you don’t eat it?”

  “I did just eat it,” Wyatt said.

  “You ate the strawberry, not the cheesecake.”