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Chapter One

Fable

"Let’s getin front of aze locked on my face Exhaustion lines his beautiful blue eyes and his dark hair is in complete disarray, the way it usually is after hours of football practice There’s a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, and is that … blood at the corner of hiswhere he’s at, but the little jerk is giving me wishy-washy answers Not that he’s so little anymore, ith the way he towers overschool year and he’s spending , at football practice, or with Wade

Causing all sorts of trouble, I’m sure

I didn’t even hear the front door open or close I’d left it unlocked We’re staying at a rental in a gated cohborhood not too far froood If Drew realized I hadn’t heard him enter the house, he’d probably be mad He’s so overprotective of me it’s ridiculous

And sexy Definitely sexy

In fact, he’s pretty da for an answer He must’ve just finished practice--he’s all dirty and sweaty, a co off hier for hiat hi?" I ask, because I gotta know I hate how he’s brutalized out on the football field sometimes As the quarterback, he doesn’t take extreot blood on his beautiful face and I don’t like it

He waves a hand, dis and I wish I knehat But as usual, he’s not blurting everything out Not telling me his secrets His worries His desires He likes to hold these things close to his chest Still

But I don’tthem out of him I’m patient I’m in love

Soon, I will be Fable Callahan I’ve earned the freaking privilege to callwith Drew Yet I wouldn’t trade my life with anyone

I try a different tactic since he’s not answeringto calm my riotous heart When Drew’s all worked up like this, it … arouses me, more often than not And I don’t think he’s in thelike that at theto prove it" I raisehand and hold it out to hiht "I don’t want to wait any longer, Fable We’re running out of ti out of ti about?"

Drew goes down on his knees, his chest brushing againstmy vision until all I can see and hear and ss to him, as well as the familiar scent of his soap and sweat His nose looks sunburned There are new lines around his eyes froainst the sun and at this very moment, I find him so unbearably handsome, even with blood at the corner of his ree to whatever he’s trying to convince me to do It’s just that easy

And I’’s al to start soon After that, the regular season kicks off and I’ll be busy Beyond busy Practice, ho out of town, all that bullshit forback at ho to school, you know? And I’reed to the plan" He pauses, hisin a hard, firm line for a brief etting married between all that?"

I part my lips, ready to come up with an answer, but … I don’t have one I don’t knohere we could fit in our wedding ith his crazy schedule Me, I’oes

Well That’s not quite true As Drew just h school and I need to stay home with hi professional football for the 49ers

Yes My boyfriend--whoops, sorry, fiancé--is a professional football player I can still hardly wrap my brain around it

I’ camp He was a first draft pick and the Niners snapped him up, just like that Lots of media attention has already been put on him He tries his best to avoid it all, but it’s hard He’s always been such a private person and I know he’s overwhelmed He talks to me about it a lot and I’ve spent a lot of tiht

I believe that I believe in us, and we’re both beyond ready to getIf the reporters are eager to talk to hi in front of a crowd Whether he does well or not, the speculation will be there, focused solely on hiht

There’s no chance that’s happening, though He’s already in it We both are

"I don’t knoe can get married," I finally answer, my voice small "It sounds like you really don’t have the ti, warives theotta aze, see all the love and worry and anxiousness swirling within the blue depths of his eyes God, I love hi hih

"Now?" I whisper,our future right now This is a et

He nods, his thules scatter all over h htest smile curves his lips, the intimate one that’s just for me, that no one else ever sees