Infinity(49)
That makes me smile as I slump back in the kitchen chair. My ribs hurt like a motherfucker. Taking a breath is becoming difficult. I know that if I don’t do something, I’m going to be worthless at practice tomorrow. I decide to soak in the Jacuzzi bathtub for old time’s sake.
When I stand, and take the first step on my right leg, pain shoots up to my hip. It’s been almost two years, and it still aches every damn day. The doctors, including Doctor Collins, say that this is about as good as it’s going to get unless I want to quit playing football. Not an option. All my Super Bowl win did was give me a taste for more gold rings.
Grabbing two more water bottles, I limp towards our room.
Charlie doesn’t stir as I drag my pathetic self through the bedroom and into the bathroom, shutting the doors behind me. Hobbling to the bathtub, I turn on the water as hot as I can stand it and add the lavender-scented salts. Next, I line up my water bottles on the edge of the tub and pull another one out of the mini refrigerator that we keep in the bathroom. My water bottles have been shoved to the side, and replaced with bags of breast milk and a half-drunk baby bottle. I smirk and shut the door.
Just as I’m sinking into the tub of water that’s so hot that I can feel my skin pinking, Charlie opens the master bathroom doors and shuffles in, immediately shielding her eyes from the bathroom light. She’s obviously been in a deep sleep. Her hair’s a rat’s nest, and her face is pillow creased. But she’s still the most beautiful girl in the world.
“You can turn the light off, babe.”
She mumbles a thanks and hits the light switch, but not before I get a good look at her. She’s got on one of my white T-shirts that barely covers her bare behind. I briefly wonder what happened to her panties, but frankly, I don’t care enough to ask. They just get in the way.
The street lamp outside filters in through the glass bricks over the bathtub, casting just enough light so I can watch her shuffle towards me, taking a seat on the ledge. She leans back against the shower stall and pulls her knees up to her chest.
Now, it’s very evident that she has no underwear on, and my dick stands up to get a better look.
Speaking first, I say, “Sorry, if I woke you. I tried to be quiet.”
She folds her arms over her knees, and rests her head on her elbow, looking sideways at me. I can tell that she’s exhausted. “I was trying to stay up until you got home, but I couldn’t keep my eyes open. Sorry about the loss.”
I’m not in the mood to discuss football, so I ignore her condolences. I move my hands in the water, feeling the waves of heat tumble over me. “I missed you in the hot tub.”
“Yeah, about that,” she sighs, “Ainsley spit up all over me after dinner, and I had to bathe both of us. I just didn’t feel like getting wet again. I’m sorry. I’ll be waiting for you after the next game.”
“No need to apologize, beautiful girl.” I lean forward, and run my wet hand over her shin. “You’ve spoiled me.”
Her mouth turns up in a beautiful pleased smile that meets her eyes. “I’m glad that you think I spoil you. I know having a baby has changed so much of our lives. Our focus. But, I don’t want to lose our time for just the two of us.” She picks her head up, and says in a quiet voice, “I missed you.”
I lie back in the hot water, noting that it’s already less painful for me to take a breath. Hot water, or Charlie’s presence? I’m not entirely sure. “I missed you too. Shit, I didn’t sleep last night. For some reason, even though we never shared a room when you came to road games, just knowing that you were in the hotel, and I could get to you, if I needed, made me able to sleep. Last night I was fucking miserable.”
She giggles her precious Charlie laugh and says, “It’s because we had to sneak around to be together. Kind of like we were horny teenagers still living with Mom and Dad. I liked all of our hotel sex.”
I smile at the memory of some of our stolen away-game moments. It never occurred to me that they would be coming to an end once we became parents. “Do you think that you’ll be able to come to any away games this season?” I almost hate to ask the question because I dread the answer.
She lets out a sigh, and her lavender eyes look up at the ceiling before she speaks. “I don’t know. As long as I’m breastfeeding, I don’t see how I can come without bringing Ainsley. Then, do I really want to haul our baby on a commercial flight, bring all of her gear? And who watches her during a game? I’m not leaving her with just anyone. So we’d have to bring Amy with us, and Amy really likes having her weekends off…”