Axel leaned down to kiss my lips softly. “The reason I find it difficult to talk about is that she started getting clingy and emotionally attached to me, and I didn’t reciprocate those feelings at all. She started texting me every morning to tell me to have a good day. Then she started randomly showing up at my house without calling. I didn’t do sleepovers, and she knew that, but she would go to sleep after sex so I had to either let her stay or feel like a total prick when I woke her up and kicked her out. Hell, I think she was fake sleeping half the time. I started pretending like I wasn’t at home, and she would text and call at all hours of the night. I was about to break things off totally with her, but then I got traded and moved here, so that took care of that.”

I nuzzled into his neck. “Thank you for being honest with me. I feel a little bit better now. Except…”

“Except what, sweetheart?”

“What about when you go to away games now? Will you, um, put the condoms back in your suitcase?” I hated sounding like an insecure little girl, but I needed to know this shit before I got involved with him or, more importantly, let Carrie get close to him.

He tugged my hair so that he could see my face. “Look at me, Blaire. Hell no. The condoms will stay right where they are beside my bed. And as soon as you get your shot, they’re going in the fucking trash,” he said so vehemently I couldn’t help but smile.

“But you were always so amped up and horny after games in college. How… I mean…”

“I’m going to Facetime with my beautiful girlfriend when I’m on the road. Hopefully, she will show me her gorgeous tits,” he said, running a hand under my shirt to cup my breast, “and then I will jack off and pretend I’m coming on them.”

“I think that can be arranged,” I said with a smirk.

“Please don’t worry about anyone from my past, Blaire. They mean nothing to me. It was just a way for me to get a release. In fact—fuck, I can’t believe I’m telling you this.” He scrubbed a hand up and down his gorgeous face.

Oh, Jesus. What now? “Just spill it, Broxton.”

He tilted his chin up, staring at the ceiling. “I couldn’t fuck face-to-face with anyone else. I couldn’t… finish. It always had to be from behind. Because all I wanted was to see your face. That’s why I haven’t taken you like that. I don’t want it to feel emotionless like it was with them.”