Jared wrapped his arms around me, smiling at the thought. “It was fun. I’m not sure about more games, though. I didn’t mean to cause a scene.”

“When you play like a professional football player, Jared, you’re going to draw a crowd.”

Jared shrugged. “I couldn’t help myself. Every time I heard you cheering, I stepped it up a little more.”

I raised a dubious eyebrow. “You could hear me over your groupies?”

Jared smiled, pecking me on the lips. “Besides the fact that I could feel how proud you were,”—he kissed me again—“I could hear your voice from the stands in a stadium…at the Super Bowl.”

He kissed me again, but this time his lips parted and he caressed my tongue with his. I tasted the combination of sweet and salty on his mouth, and when he pulled back, I licked my lips before pressing them together.

“Please don’t do that,” he pleaded, staring at my lips.

“How do you expect us to live together if you can’t handle me licking my lips?” I teased, watching him scan my face with the same hunger in his eyes from before.

“I’ll find a way. I’ll sleep on the floor if I have to.”

“If you sleep on the floor, I’m sleeping on the floor with you. I want to wake up where you are.”

Jared smiled. “I wish that were true.”

My mouth fell open. “It is true! You think me staying here during the week means I don’t want to stay with you at all?”

Jared grimaced, shaking his head. “No, I don’t think that. I shouldn’t have said that, that’s not what I meant.”

“What did you mean?” I said, bracing myself for what he might say.

“It’s going to be hard getting used to the way things used to be, that’s all.”

“You meant more than that.”

Jared looked straight into my eyes. “Let me move your things, then. I’ll have you moved in by the time you finish up at the Rock.”

I looked down at my feet. “I don’t know, Jared. I need some more time to think.”

The answer should have been simple. I wanted to be there, he wanted me there, and we loved each other. But normal was here. I wasn’t ready to give that up, yet.

Jared smiled half-heartedly. “That’s what I meant.”

I narrowed my eyes, irritated that he had proved his point in that way. “That’s not fair.”

He leaned his forehead against mine. “I’d better go. I’ll see you soon.”

“Sooner than I’ll see you,” I grimaced.

“You could change that if you weren’t so worried about what everyone else thinks,” he said, trying to keep the disappointment from his eyes.

“I told you that isn’t the case. Well, not entirely.”