What You Need(66)

“What? Too much? Do I look like a tramp or something?”

“Not at all. You look amazing. I was just thinking I prefer how you looked first thing this morning, so sleepy and sexy in my arms. So naked.” Then his gaze dropped to my mouth. “I was also thinking that lipstick is the exact same shade as your nipples.”

“Is that right?” I unbuckled his seat belt and reached across the console to tug his jersey up.

“What are you doing?”

“Eyes on the road, Lund.” I snaked my hand under his shirt, pushing it up, bunching the extra material in my other hand. When I had the right half of his upper torso exposed, I leaned over and ran my lips across his nipple, smearing lipstick on him.

Brady groaned and I warned him not to close his eyes, because he did jerk the steering wheel hard one time.

I tugged his jersey back into place and refastened his seat belt. Then I offered him a smile. “Now our nipples are the same color. Think of me when you get undressed tonight.”

“Evil woman.”

“You started it.”

I reapplied my lipstick and then we were in the thick of Minneapolis traffic, which was surprisingly heavy for a Sunday morning. We joined the long line of cars headed to the Metrodome.

He cut across three lanes of traffic to the VIP/valet stand.

The guy manning the booth grinned when he saw Brady. “Mr. Lund! Glad you could make it today. Think that brother of yours will see any game time?”

“I sure hope so.”

“Us too.” He skirted the front end and opened my door. “Ma’am.”

Then Brady was right there, draping a lanyard over my head. “This place is confusing on the upper levels. So if for some reason we get separated, all the information about where you are and which access point you need to use is on the back of this pass. Anyone in the stadium wearing a jacket like Eddie’s can help you.”

“Okay. But I’m pretty sure I’ll be stuck to your side for the entire game.”

He draped his arm over my shoulder and kissed my temple. “I won’t complain about that.”

We walked with the crowd up several ramps and then we cut around to a bank of elevators. Brady swiped his pass and up we went. We switched elevators one more time. An older guy stood sentinel-like in front of a curved hallway as we exited.

“Mr. Brady.” He offered his hand. “It’s good to see you today.”

“You too, Bart. Although I’m sorry you got stuck with the rabble-rousers again.”

“Your family are the only ones on this side today.”

Brady frowned. “Where are the Abbotts? They don’t miss games.”

“Miss Martha is in the hospital again. So they’re all watching the game from her room.”

“That’s a shame. I might sneak into their skybox and leave a note for Chuck.”

“That’d be much appreciated, I’m sure.” He patted Brady’s hand. “You enjoy the game.”

Then Bart leaned in to me and whispered, “Don’t let ’em scare you off, miss. But I ain’t gonna lie. They’re gunning for ya.”

Awesome.

Brady had walked ahead and was waiting for me by the open door.

So I took a deep breath and stepped into the judge’s chamber.

And just as I expected, the space went silent as I got the head-to-toe perusal from the twenty-plus people in the room.

Everyone else hung back and waited as one couple approached us.

Brady’s parents didn’t look old enough to have a thirty-two-year-old son. But as I watched them, I could pick out certain features that Brady had inherited from his dad: hair color, the size and build of his body, his smile. And from his mom: her Nordic eyes, her cheekbones and her mouth.

Brady kept his hand circled around my waist, even as he bent down and kissed his mother on both cheeks.

His dad clapped him on the shoulder. “Well, son, introduce us to your young lady.”

“This is Lennox Greene. Lennox, this is my dad, Ward, and my mother, Selka.”

I offered my hand. “I’m happy to meet you in person, Mr. Lund. I do see you storming the halls at LI occasionally.”

His eyes narrowed. “You work for us?”

“Yes, sir. I’m in the office support department.”

“IT?”

“No, I’m a floater.”

“I am not familiar with this ‘floating’ term,” his mother said.

“Like the secretarial pools back in the day, Mom. Lennox fills in in any department where she’s needed. So she has a wide range of skills and responsibilities.”

I shot Brady a look. I didn’t need him bragging like I was something special to his supermodel mom.

Selka took my hand. “I’m very pleased to meet you, Lennon.”