Only Work, No Play Read online Cora Reilly (Tough Games #1)

Categories Genre: Romance, Sports Tags Authors: Series: Tough Games Series by Cora Reilly
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Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
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“Three.”

“Xavier,” I warned.

“Two.”

I quickly put the cappuccino away because I had a feeling Xavier wouldn’t care if I spilled coffee all over the bed, but I didn’t want poor Nancy to find that kind of mess.

“One.” Xavier grabbed me around the waist and hoisted me against him.

Thirty minutes later, I finished my cold coffee and ate my smoothie bowl, trying to ignore Xavier’s smug grin and stifle my own.

About two months after Xavier had made our relationship public, things finally started to settle down. Dad had asked Marianne to move in with him, so I hadn’t felt bad telling him that I probably wouldn’t return to the States after a year. They were already planning a vacation in Australia over Christmas. And Xavier’s family? They had accepted me into their family without reservations.

Even the press seemed to sense that we wouldn’t provide them with gossip anytime soon and turned their sights on other victims. I knew they’d eventually find something about us they could twist into their own version of the truth, but I didn’t let it get to me anymore. I’d adopted Xavier’s way of thinking. Why should I care what people I didn’t give a damn about thought of me?

Even jealousy wasn’t the big deal I’d thought it would be in our relationship. Xavier traveled with his team to away matches alone because there was a no-women ruling in place, but it didn’t bother me. Despite his past, Xavier was loyal. He wouldn’t cheat. Moreover, he and Connor always shared a room, and I knew he’d be the first one to snitch on Xavier if he ever put a toe out of line.

I smiled at the thought as Xavier and I strolled along the beach hand-in-hand on one of Xavier’s off days. It was autumn in Australia now, and I had put on one of Xavier’s thick sweaters that made me feel protected and small.

“Why are you smiling like that? It’s got a sinister feel to it,” Xavier said, drawing me out of my reverie.

I flashed him another secretive smile. “Oh nothing. Just thinking how your family and Connor would kick your ass if you messed things up with me.”

Xavier groaned. “They would kill me. They love you more than me. You wrapped them around your skillful fingers.”

I tilted my head up and let my fingers slip under his shirt to stroke his chest as he walked backwards and I stalked him.

Xavier covered my hand through the fabric. “I want you to move in with me,” he said.

“What?” I nearly tripped over my own feet as I gaped up at him in utter shock. For a man who didn’t do the dating thing, he moved quicker than I’d expected.

“You heard me,” he said, pulling me to a stop.

“Isn’t it too soon?”

“Evie, you’ve spent so much time in my apartment these last few months. I have never spent so much time with anyone, and it just feels right. With you I don’t feel like I need to be anyone but me.”

“I suppose Fiona will be happy to see less of you once I’m gone,” I teased.

“That’s a sentiment I share, trust me,” he said.

“You two will have to get along eventually. For me.”

Xavier pulled me against him. “Don’t worry. We have an important thing in common. We adore you.”

I patted his chest with a smile. “I must say I get why you enjoy all the attention. I enjoy your flattery too.”

Xavier chuckled. “You deserve it for putting up with me.”

“Of course I put up with you. You are the yin to my yang, the Ernie to my Bert, the cookie to my milk,” I whispered.

Xavier grinned. “The Batman to your Robin, the Bonnie to your Clyde?”

“The peanut butter to my jelly.”

Xavier grimaced. “Disgusting combination. You Americans have strange taste.”

“The bacon to my eggs,” I conceded. “The Han Solo to my Chewbacca.”

“Better,” Xavier murmured against my mouth. “The Laurel to your Hardy?”

“The Mulder to my Scully,” I said between kisses.

“The Sheldon Cooper to your Amy Farrah Fowler?”

“The Beavis to my Butthead,” I got out. “We both know you are the Butthead of course.”

Xavier let out that deep sexy laugh. “Oh Evie, I can’t possibly beat that.” He tightened his hold around my waist and looked down at me with adoration, and I didn’t care who saw us and what they thought about us, because we had each other and that was all that mattered.

“I love you, Butthead,” I said with a smile.

“And I love you, Beavis,” Xavier said with that wolfish grin before he pulled me in for another kiss.


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