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  LOVED BY YOU: A Novel

  Copyright © 2015 by Victoria H. Smith

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, any place, events or occurrences, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Published by Victoria H. Smith

  Cover design by WHAT GEORGIE DID

  Cover photo by The Reed Files

  Editing by Taylor K’s Editing Services

  Layout by Something Simple Ebook Design

  Dedication

  To my VC family, thanks again for another great ride.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty One

  Chapter Twenty Two

  Chapter Twenty Three

  Chapter Twenty Four

  Chapter Twenty Five

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Epilogue

  Winter in Miami was something else; the evidence of it hit everywhere around it. Everywhere else had signs of winter, but here in this warm and wonderful sunny haven, it was still perfect.

  I lifted my fingers into the sun’s rays that glided in a warm wave through the condo’s largest window, the one in the bedroom. Spinning my fingers around, the light hit my engagement ring. The cream-colored walls of the room made the best canvas for the light that bounced off the ring’s stones. The walls splashed in color, tiny rainbows of fragmented light. Purples, blues, greens.

  Smiling, I brought my hand down, rolling to my front in the process. A draft in the room hit my backside, but I burrito-ed myself real good in the fluffy white comforter, bunching the extra under my naked breasts. I folded my arms, leaving my left hand out and splayed across the bedding. God, I freakin’ grinned again. I’d been engaged for over a week and I still couldn’t stop admiring my ring. Not because of how beautiful it was, which it was. A circle-cut diamond with emeralds hallowed around it, this ring was a girl’s dream. Yes, it was special, but even more was the meaning behind the ring. It meant I’d soon belong to someone.

  That he would belong to me.

  The realization sent a magnificent charge of happiness bubbling into my heart, working its way throughout my soul.

  “You know if you keep sleeping with that thing on you’ll end up waking up with a gash in your face. It’s damn sharp in places, baby.”

  My fiancé stood in the bathroom connected to our bedroom, a vision of male perfection in only half of his basketball sweats. The top half of his body he left bare; smooth skin stretched taut over lean abs and a tight chest. He held a toothbrush in one hand and a handsome grin curled his lips.

  “Wouldn’t want to ruin that pretty face,” he said, winking at me.

  The teasing tone of that Texan drawl he had broke the fixation I had on his beautiful body. I tucked my hand away, mock scowling at being caught obsessing over my ring again.

  “Shut up,” I said. I pouted, though I never minded when he poked fun. He never did it maliciously. He just liked messing with me.

  His eyebrows twitched up at the words. Shaking his toothbrush at me, he lifted one finger, as if to say “one second,” before disappearing into the bathroom.

  Snickering, my stomach fluttered at what he had in store. He didn’t make me wait for long. Suddenly, he charged out of the bathroom. He slid onto our bed, his long frame covering the width of it despite the fact we got a special mattress to accommodate his six foot six inches.

  He propped himself up on his elbow, those crystal-blue eyes twinkling with something wicked behind them. He leaned into me, bare chest and all. “Tell me to shut up again, Roxie Peterson.”

  Ah. So he didn’t like being told what to do this morning. Grinning, I pulled the blanket tight to my chest. He wasn’t going to intimidate me, but being naked was counteracting my intimidation.

  I cocked my head against the pillow. “Shut up.”

  “Oh, you’re going to regret that.” His hands went to the undersides of my armpits.

  “No!” I locked up, pressing my arms to my sides in laughter. This didn’t deter him, and he went for my sides. He found the edge of the blanket and ripped it open.

  “Too many blankets. Too many damn blankets.” He chuckled, unwrapping me like an excited kid at Christmas.

  My face was hot and I could barely breathe he had me laughing so hard. Before I knew it, he had me as naked as the day I was born.

  “That’s better,” he said. He nipped my neck, long fingers tickling my sides.

  “Griffin! Griffin, stop!” I giggled, the tears moving down my cheeks. God, he could be so goofy, but I loved it.

  He lifted his head, his dirty blond hair, only half dried from his shower, flopping over his brow. The brown freckle just below the Cupid’s bow of his lips moved when he smiled.

  “Okay,” he drawled, and just like that he turned it down. He dipped his head to my neck again, but this time he did nothing but kiss, brushing his soft lips along my skin.

  I drew in a breath, gripping his biceps as he pressed my body flush against his, my breasts to his chest, and my thigh wrapped around his hip. He smelled so nice, his body warm and scent so fresh from his shower.

  He’d just gotten me moaning when he pulled away, but I didn’t care. I got to see that smile of his again.

  He moved a finger along my face, my cheek, and finally my lips. “It’s damn nice hearing you laugh.”

  I put my hand to his mouth. “I was thinking the same thing about seeing your smile.”

  This made it widen, and I loved that even more. I loved him even more if that were possible.

  He kissed my palm then threaded our hands together, his light and mine dark. I think he noticed that—us. He studied our hands for a moment, moving his thumb over the back of my hand. His eyes lifted to mine. They smiled as much as he did. “You like living here all right, Roxie? You like this life?”

  His question took me by surprise. I pushed my hand up his chest. “Yeah, of course. It’s pretty here. Warm. And it has you.”

  That grin of his would make me say what I had a million times over. Leaning in, he brushed his lips along my cheek.

  He pulled back, and I settled my fingers behind his neck. “I really do like it. Why do you ask?”

  He pushed his hand along my waist, tapping his thumb near my belly button. “It’s just… I never see you really go anywhere, you know? Well, besides my games and things. I know we’ve only been here a few months, and we’re both still trying to get settled. I just want to make sure you’re taken care of and that you know I’m not leaving you out to dry since I’m so busy. I fear that happening, I guess.”

  Griffin’s new playing schedule did keep him busy. When he played for our college team, he practiced five times a week for a few hours. I quickly learned the school was being generous. Now that he was playing professionally, basket
ball was literally his career, a job in which he more than nine-to-fived-it. He had press events, advertising campaigns, and a myriad of other activities stacked on top of the game he played. I was welcomed to many of those things, and I didn’t mind when I wasn’t. His life was busy, and I understood that’s what came with being with him. This life was still new for both of us, and he was right, we’d both needed time to adjust. Especially me since I did have so much free time. We up and left the Midwest so quickly that I didn’t have time to secure a teaching job before we arrived in Florida. Once I got here, I suddenly realized all the eggs I had were in one basket. I was in a new state I knew nothing about, had a new condo I was on my own to furnish since Griffin was so busy, and quickly got engaged after only being here a few months. Needless to say, finding a job hadn’t been priority. I decided to take some time before seeking employment to play catch up. Now that I was getting my bearings around our place, I could see why he was concerned. I didn’t really go anywhere, but I always considered myself a homebody. Even before we moved.

  “You’re not leaving me out to dry,” I said, pushing my arms around his neck. “I like being in the house. I don’t mind cooking and cleaning and stuff.”

  He grinned, settling his large hand on my hip. “I love your cooking, and you keep house like nobody’s business, but I don’t want you just cooking and cleaning like this is some 1950s domestic shit.”

  I chuckled and he kissed my cheek.

  “I want you to be able to have something for yourself,” he continued. “A hobby or something. Why don’t you hang out with the other wives and girlfriends of the team? I heard they get together. Have tea or…” he flubbed, waving his hand in thought. “Spinning classes.”

  I shoved him. “Nice.”

  He winked. “Nah, but seriously. You should see what they’re up to.”

  If I was being honest with myself, I was kind of avoiding the other ladies attached to Griffin’s teammates. Like the newness of this place, they were kind of intimidating. I chewed my lip. “I’m not really much for socialization. What if we have nothing in common?”

  Smiling, Griffin leaned his forehead against mine. “They’ll love you. They’ll love you because you’re an amazing woman. You make me feel that every day I’m around you. Fuck, even without words you manage to do it. Believe me, they’ll feel that, too.”

  My mouth curved up. I just couldn’t help it. Griffin Chandler had a way with words, a way with my heart. He pulled back and kissed my hand, right near my ring. “What are your plans for today?”

  I shrugged. “Cleaning,” I said with a wink. “Then making you dinner.”

  He chuckled, smoothing his hand up and down mine. “How about we get going on that wedding planning? I know we’ve only been engaged a week, but Gram’s antsy something awful to get going with it.”

  Griffin called his grandma about us getting married and I was half surprised he wasn’t a deaf old man by the time he got off the line. There were constant screams of excitement through the line that I heard and I was on the other side of the room. The conversation lasted nearly three hours. She wanted every detail of Griffin’s and my magical engagement. He asked me at halftime during one of his games. He told her he’d send her the DVD of the whole thing since it was recorded, but that didn’t seem to appease her. She wanted his personal, complete play-by-play.

  I laughed. “Well, tell her she can get started. I won’t stand in her way.”

  “And believe me, she is. She wants to know where you want it, and she’ll start calling places. She’s expecting a call from you.”

  I wrote an invisible checkmark in the air. “Will do.”

  “In the meantime, you can get started with what you can here. I’m not going to lie. This wedding stuff… yeah, completely over my head. I trust you, though. I don’t mind you taking the reins on this.”

  My eyes widened, and the realization of what he just told me worked its way into my stomach, tightening it. “Um, Griffin. I don’t know anything about weddings. I mean, I’m excited about this, but I’ve never planned one.”

  Grinning, he leaned back, flashing me the sight of his chest. I swear to God, he’d gotten bigger since being here. In fact, I knew he had. His new training schedule made him massive, and he was already a large guy. I loved it as he managed to dwarf me even more. I was kind of on the bigger side myself, but Griffin only made me feel sexy and protected in his large presence.

  He reached to the end table on his side of the bed and came back to me with a card, a small one with curvy writing on the front.

  “I scheduled you an appointment with a wedding planner for today. Well,” he tilted his head from side to side, “Mickey did. But I told him to.”

  Mickey was his agent. I took the card. “A wedding planner?”

  He nodded. “Well, it’s more like an interview for a wedding planner. You’ll meet five potentials today. I didn’t want to just choose one for you. I wanted you to have a choice, but I heard these guys are the best. You’re bound to find one you like.” He settled his hand on my arm with a smile. “But if you don’t, I can have five more brought in for you to choose from. I heard they make planning easier, and I want you to have a good time with this.”

  I tapped the card against my palm, not able to keep the smile off my face. “Will you come?”

  “I’ve got practice today. But I can try if—”

  “It’s fine. You did more than most guys do already with this,” I held up the card, “and maybe this is good. I can handle this. It will get me out and about. I need to be doing something. The wedding can be my hobby.”

  He laughed, kissing my cheek. “Don’t stress yourself out with it though. Go to the beach. Get some sun, and you really should see about hanging out with the other ladies. It’ll be good to make some friends.”

  I pushed my arms around his neck. “Okay, boss.”

  He scowled, looking frisky about it. “I’ll show you boss, baby. You don’t even know anything about that. Believe me.”

  He tackled me, tickling me with nibbled kisses. He had me laughing into the sheets until he had to go to practice. I think I liked being bossed around. I’d have to make sure he’d do it again.

  My sneakers squeaked on the basketball court’s flooring, my muscles fatigued from the first half of my working day. I had no home game today and no traveling for an away one either. Just practice. I was headed home for a much needed nap and a little lunch before heading back.

  I hiked my bag up my shoulder as I cut through the team’s stadium to get to the exit, admiring the view of the wide space along the way. The bleachers seemed to go on forever, the high scoreboard still amazing though unlit. I’d never get over being here, playing here. This was actually my job. I shook my head at the overwhelming thought. Sure, the job was hard, tiring, but I couldn’t love it more. And having my little woman at home to spend my downtime with, my life was pretty all right. I couldn’t wait to make things permanent with Roxie, cement it. The wedding wasn’t close enough.

  Thinking about her, I got my phone out to see how she was doing once I made it outside. Mickey got her set up with those wedding planner interviews pretty early today, and I wanted to make sure she was okay. And hell, I just wanted to hear from her and let her know I was thinking about her.

  Hey. Just checking in. How’s the wedding planner interviews going? Anyone worth booking?

  “Hey, Griff!”

  A brand new Corvette convertible rolled up in front of me on the busy street after I hit send, a guy in a suit behind dark shades at the wheel. Shit, my agent was doing too well. He was good at what he did. That’s why I hired him.

  “Mickey.” I lifted my hand, waving. “What are you doing around here?”

  He took his sunglasses off, popping them up into his styled, brown hair. “Heading into the office. Just got done meeting with another client.”

  Probably one of my teammates. A handful of us worked with him and his agency. Mickey was at the top of the pyramid. Hig
h in demand. Fortunately, I made out good in the draft and landed with the big guy himself.

  “You?” he asked, flashing a grin.

  “Lunch and a nap. Got to be back here this afternoon.”

  This made him chuckle. “Can I hit you up for twenty minutes of it? I got that paperwork you asked for.”

  Roxie thought it would be a good idea to look into all the information we’d need if we decided to have the wedding here early. All that legal stuff, like marriage licenses, went way over my head, but I didn’t just want to be one of those guys that let his woman handle the wedding, then showed up at the alter. To help her out, I recruited Mickey. My go to guy. That must have been the paperwork he had for me.

  Deciding that getting this part of the planning out of the way would only be a good thing, I tossed my bag into the backseat of Mickey’s convertible, and then got inside. His office wasn’t far and going there wouldn’t take too much time out of my break. Strapping in, I heard my name from across the street. A cameraman waved, surprisingly by himself as he snapped picture after picture of me in Mickey’s car.

  I gave him a wave before Mickey took off, the paparazzi a usual thing around here for both of us, me as one of the players and him being around all us players. Usually if you gave the media a little respect, let them snap their picture or two, they didn’t hassle you too much. And really, I was still in that “oh, shit, they actually want to take my picture” frame of mind that them being around didn’t bother me too much. As long as they didn’t bug me while I was out enjoying my time with Roxie, of course. Speaking of the woman in my life, she texted me back when Mickey braked at a stoplight.

  Overwhelming, she responded, referring to my previous text. All this wedding stuff they’re presenting is really complicated. Save me. :(

  I frowned, pushing my hand behind my neck. “Ah, man.”

  Mickey glanced my way over the shades he’d put back on. “What’s going on?”

  “It’s Roxie,” I said to him, texting her back that it was okay and she didn’t need to make any decisions she wasn’t comfortable making today. I set my phone in my lap after I was done and looked at Mickey. “She’s meeting with those wedding planners you set up for her. She says she’s overwhelmed. I probably should have gone with her.”