The Blake Legacy (The Blake Boys) Read online

  Seth got down on his knees, pushed her against the wall, and gave her panties a good tug. He put his hands on her hips and trailed kisses down her stomach, paying special attention to the small paunch that remained from her baby weight. Morgan’s soft exhale encouraged him to go further, so he took her leg and propped it up on the wooden bench attached to the wall. Before she could protest, Seth spread her open with two fingers and a long gliding movement, then dipped his tongue inside her folds. He leaned closer and deepened his connection until Morgan was grabbing his hair, pulling him to her. He loved imposing the erotic torture on her. He would pleasure her this way for hours at home, coaxing multiple orgasms from her. But he also knew that when she reached her boiling point, everyone in the boutique would know what was going on in there. He rose and pulled down his jeans and boxers.

  She came toward him, but he shook his head and stopped her, turning her around to face a wall with a bar attached to it. He put her hands on the bar and stood back a bit, resting his cock on her ass. Seth pushed her legs apart, then slid into her from behind, in one swift move. He grabbed her hips, which helped him control the slow, sensual rhythm they created. The heat from their bodies connecting was making him sweat, but he’d be damned if he let go of her to take his T-shirt off. Morgan pushed back to meet his thrusts. As quiet as they both were, the sounds of ecstasy began spilling from them. Seth bit down hard on his lip to quiet himself. He took one hand off Morgan’s hip to cover her mouth while caressing her clit with the other. His thrusts became frantic as he held back as long as he could. Finally, he lifted her off her feet with the final thrust, his mind going blank from the intensity of his orgasm.

  He stayed connected with her for a while, until their panting returned to normal breaths. Seth, drenched with sweat, pulled up his boxers and jeans and took a seat on the bench, then pulled Morgan onto his lap.

  “You do know we’re going to have to buy one of everything in my size in the boutique,” Morgan mumbled as she kissed his jawline.

  Seth chuckled. “A small price to pay to show my wife how hot she is.”

  Morgan cleared her throat. “What are the chances we can walk out of here like nothing happened?”

  “Baby, I don’t think that’s possible, but we can try not to blush at the register.” Seth kissed her nose.

  Tiffany, the sales woman assisting Morgan, gave them a sly, knowing grin when they came up to the counter. She carefully wrapped Morgan’s items and asked the fateful question: was he Seth Blake. Morgan looked like she wanted to go through the floor but Seth defused the situation by giving the woman an autograph and showing her a picture of Jake. Tiffany nodded that she understood how difficult it was to have time alone with a baby and showed them pictures of her son. Morgan smiled when Seth remarked that they weren’t so different from any other couple.

  They picked up Jake at her dad’s house early in the afternoon. Morgan confessed to Seth that the few days away from Jake had passed like an eternity. They got back to the penthouse in time go to through his daily routine of feeding and a bath. Morgan told him all about Uncle Tate’s concert well after his bedtime while Seth watched them. When Jake was finally down for the night, Seth and Morgan picked up where they’d left off in the dressing room.

  Chapter Four

  Morgan grabbed the mail from the counter and took a seat on one of the couches in the bookstore. Her hand began to tremble as she read the letter from the library. She read it twice. The library had accepted her proposal for an internship program to keep a steady flow of readers in the library. Morgan took out her cell phone, took a pic of the letter, and sent it to Seth. A minute later his ring tone played on her phone.

  “Hey baby, congratulations!” Seth said.

  “Thank you. Can you believe this letter?” She sighed, looking at it again.

  “I am so proud of you. Enjoy this moment.”

  “I’ll be home around four.”

  Morgan was getting ready to get back to finalizing details for a book signing to be held later that week when Michelle hustled into the store.

  Morgan handed Michelle her letter. “Look what I got in the mail.”

  Michelle skimmed the letter and started bouncing around like her shoes were on springs. “Congratulations! I can see college kids jumping all over that as course credit.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Oh, I forgot to tell you I made some progress with scheduling the book fair at the assisted living facility near your dad’s house.”

  “Great. Did you send them the questionnaire on the types of books they want us to bring?”

  “Yep. They emailed it back today.” Michelle reached behind the counter to retrieve it.

  Morgan pinched herself. “Is this really happening?”

  “It’s really happening. Reading Builds Bridges is taking flight.” Michelle smiled and gave her a pinch too, for good measure.

  * * *

  Seth carefully removed Jake from the rear of the Range Rover so he wouldn’t wake him and walked into the building. Father and son had developed a rhythm when traveling and it was now a natural thing to take Jake wherever he went. Sports Page magazine had been gracious enough to push back his interview a week, and he didn’t want to put them off any longer.

  Morgan had volunteered to reschedule her meeting at the library to stay home, but he’d refused her offer. The decision not to get a nanny often made her wring her hands with guilt when situations like this arose, but he reminded her that they both agreed to juggle responsibilities as working parents. He enjoyed the time he and Jake spent together and was grateful for the experience.

  As soon as the elevator doors opened on the fifth floor of the building, he could hear the music pulsing. That normally wouldn’t have bothered him, but Jake was taking a nap, and he couldn’t risk him getting off his schedule. Seth whipped out his cell phone and dialed Celine, the contact at the magazine that was waiting for him.

  “Celine, this is Seth Blake. I’m down the hall, but I need a favor…”

  Two hours later Seth was posing, in an elegant suit, for his cover photo. Celine had graciously transformed the atmosphere from nightclub to nursery. When the music had died down and he’d made his way to the loft, a nursery rhyme was playing on the sound system and the usual titillating honeys that always seemed to be in the vicinity of places like this were walking around in respectable clothing. Seth found a good space for Jake’s car seat and didn’t have to worry about him for long. The women surrounded him and oohed and ahhed for at least a half hour before they began shooting. Jake continued to sleep while his fan club kept watch over him. That time gave Seth a chance to talk to Celine about the photo shoot. Instead of a salacious cover, he thought he’d take a different approach. Celine looked a little disappointed but Eddie, the photographer, assured her that, clothed or not, Seth was still hot.

  It surprised him too that he didn’t want to show some skin. He was proud of his body. He stayed in shape for work, and he took pleasure when Morgan stared at him with that hungry look in her eye. But there were greater things to consider now. Did he want his kids to pick up a magazine and see Daddy half naked on the cover? The perception his children would have was now important to him.

  Eddie cursed under his breath about the nursery rhyme music.

  “You can change the music if you like. I just don’t want to wake him from his nap. His momma would kill me.” Seth smiled.

  “Any special requests?” Eddie perused his iPod.

  “He’s partial to jazz and some of his uncle’s songs. Do you have any of Tate McGill on there?”

  “Do I? I’m his biggest fan! I absolutely love his track from his third CD, ‘I Lost My Soul at the Candlewood Hotel in Houston.’ Tate McGill has inspired many a sleepless night for me.” Eddie fanned himself.

  Seth laughed.

  He had brought a few props with him: the suit, his championship ring, and some of his football gear. Eddie’s work impressed him. He saw a few of the test shots and was confident
it was going to be a cover he could show his kids. Everything was moving along at a good pace. He glanced at his watch. Jake would be up soon. As soon as those words entered his mind, Jake took his cue and began to move in his car seat.

  “Eddie, give me a minute, he’s been in that for a while. I don’t want him to get cranky.” Seth put his football helmet on the table and unsnapped Jake from the seat.

  Jake wasn’t fully awake, letting out a big yawn as Seth propped his head on his shoulder. Seth knew with a few animated words and a kiss Jake would slowly come out of his sleepy state. But if the room stayed quiet and Seth rubbed his back, Jake would sleep a little longer. He nestled closer to Seth’s body and went back to sleep.

  “You are a natural.” Celine beamed at him.

  “He’s easy to please,” Seth drawled.

  Eddie continued snapping pictures. “This is too precious. If you don’t mind, I’d like to snap a few of you and Seth Jr. to take home to your wife.”

  “Sure.”

  Seth tuned out the camera clicking and Celine’s chatter and listened to the sound of his son’s even breathing. There he was posing for yet another magazine cover while looking after his son. So much had changed in his life in such a short amount of time. Holding a trophy used to be the most important thing to him. Now, he was holding his son, his true legacy in his arms, and it made him feel better than football ever did. His love for the game was being overtaken by something more powerful than he’d ever imagined: fatherhood.

  * * *

  Seth whistled as Morgan walked into the kitchen wearing the dress they’d picked up at the boutique on their way back from Pittsburgh. The black cocktail dress had a plunging neckline and clung to those hips of hers he loved so much. She wore her hair down, the soft curls lying on her shoulders. Morgan was slimming down from exercise, but she hardly mentioned losing the weight anymore. Who knew hot dressing room sex would make her realize how sexy she was post-baby?

  “You like?” Morgan twirled around.

  “I have good taste.” Seth pulled her into his arms for a kiss. “How’s the champ?”

  “Out like a light. He should sleep through the night. How’s my rack of lamb coming along?”

  “I just checked it. It smells divine.”

  “Kara’s recipe was easy to follow. Did you see the way she was looking at me when she left? That look did not inspire confidence.” She laughed.

  “Kara is very protective of the kitchen.” Seth chuckled. “I wonder if we can blend—”

  Morgan gave him a disapproving look. “You are not pureeing lamb for Jake.”

  “Hey, he was eyeballing that pork chop I had the other night.” Seth raised an eyebrow.

  “I saw you. You were taunting him with that bone.”

  “Blake men don’t eat no mashed up bananas. We go from breast milk to ribs,” Seth bellowed as he retrieved a serving platter from the top shelf of a cabinet.

  “If it were up to you and your crazy brothers he’d take a slab of ribs, a flask of whiskey, and a good cigar for his first day of pre-school.”

  “Man’s got to start somewhere.” He shrugged.

  “I am keeping you grubby cowboys away from my sweet-cheeked, red haired baby.” She stuck her tongue out at him.

  “I noticed his hair color changing the other day.” Seth smiled at her.

  “The baby book said his changing hair color was normal. Much like yours, when you were young. Damn strong Blake genes, I bet he’s going to look like a carbon copy of you. He’s going to be taller than me by the time he’s seven.”

  “I see you too when I look at him.” He kissed her on top of her head.

  “Do you think we have enough wine?”

  Seth laughed. There were three cases of wine on the kitchen table. “More than enough.”

  “You do remember who we invited?”

  “Let’s see, Patton and Nina. Elton and his fiancée. Mike and his wife Krista. And Lamont and his new mystery woman.”

  Morgan folded her arms across her chest. “We should have uninvited that jailbird Lamont.”

  “Don’t worry.” Seth kissed her. “Lamont won’t be a problem tonight.”

  It was just his luck that after an attempt to bury the hatchet with Lamont and get to know him better, Lamont got arrested for fighting in a nightclub. There had been a picture of him on the front page of the newspaper last week, after the brawl. A mystery woman was shielding him with a gaudy, gold purse.

  Patton and Nina were the first to arrive. Elton, Tricia, Mike, and Krista arrived together. Nina offered to help but Morgan insisted she stay put while Morgan served the guests appetizers. Patton reminded the guys that they were each scheduled to appear at his football camp for kids this summer. Seth and Patton joked about their upcoming joint endorsement deal. After the Super Bowl, the true scope of their friendship had become visible to the world, and they had been approached about shooting a commercial together for a footwear retailer. Morgan gave the ladies a tour of the house while Seth mixed drinks. After an hour, it looked like Lamont and his date were going to be a no-show. The evening was going well until Elton asked about Seth’s impending free agency status.

  “I haven’t made any decisions yet.” Seth shook his head.

  “We have a great team; surely you don’t want to break that up?” Elton said.

  “Elton, any statement I make about it right now will feed a firestorm of rumors. I don’t think it’s fair to the team for the sports world to cover whether or not I’m staying with the Titans when there are a lot more important things at hand. The coming season. A new strategy. Winning three times has put a target on our backs. Every team out there will want to be the team that stopped our hot streak.”

  “But—”

  Patton spoke up. “Elton, the man answered your question honestly. I know you don’t think he’s going to tell you anything that would jeopardize his family’s future or the team’s.”

  “How can you be so calm about it, Pat?” Mike asked.

  “When he came here four years ago, remember how pissed everybody was that Boyd left and we got the new dude? Even with all the doubts and non-support, he did his job. He committed himself to the Titans in spite of all the bullshit. I don’t believe that a man like that would leave without thinking everything through.”

  “Thanks, Patton.” Seth nodded.

  Morgan rose. “Shall we all move to the dining room?”

  The doorbell rang. Seth went to the door while Morgan went into the kitchen and, with Krista’s help, brought out the side dishes. She returned to the kitchen and sliced the rack of lamb. She placed it on the silver serving platter Seth had retrieved for her earlier. Morgan was quite happy with herself that she hadn’t burned anything. She turned the corner with her plate of lamb to see Seth’s pleasant expression had changed to a frown. Lamont Brayer stood behind him with none other than her cousin Charisma in tow.

  Morgan set the tray carefully down on the table and saw Nina’s puzzled look out of the corner of her eye. Seth had given Morgan a play-by-play of Charisma’s shenanigans at the bar the night it had happened, and she appreciated the way he’d handled it. It was her cousin’s latest attempt to bait her, but she wasn’t falling for it. She’d resolved to take the high road and let it go. Now the bitch was standing in her house as a dinner guest by default. Morgan’s mind raced, trying to figure out a way to get her cousin out of there without performing dinner theater in front of Seth’s colleagues.

  She forced a smile. “Lamont, Charisma, we were sitting down to dinner. Please take a seat.”

  Lamont spoke first. “Nice to see you, Morgan. You look lovely as usual. I had no idea Charisma was your cousin. What a small world.”

  Morgan looked at Charisma. “It gets smaller every day.”

  Lamont and Charisma took their seats, and Morgan watched as Charisma’s gaze roamed around trying to get the lay of the land. Morgan winked at Seth and managed another smile, hoping to defuse the tension she saw rising in his neck. Patto
n tried to pick up the dinner conversation where they’d left off but Nina interrupted him.

  “So how did the two of you meet?” Nina’s question crackled in the air like the snap of a whip.

  Charisma took a long, dramatic pause and flipped her hair behind her shoulders. “We met at Club Six. Lamont was there celebrating his Super Bowl win. I asked him to dance and the sparks flew from there.”

  Lamont chuckled. “Yeah, Charisma surprised me with the direct approach. She definitely knows what she wants.”

  Seth tried to suppress a smile, while Morgan poured the wine.

  “Lamont and I have been happily dating ever since. He even bought me this necklace I’m wearing.” Charisma fingered the glittering piece of jewelry hanging off her neck.

  Lamont continued, “I didn’t notice it at first, but now that the two of you are together, I see the resemblance.”

  Morgan’s hand slipped while pouring Patton’s wine, and she almost spilled it onto the table.

  “I wouldn’t go that far, Lamont.” Seth clenched his jaw.

  Morgan had to hand it to her cousin; she was decked out and fit the part of the star football player’s girl. It had been ages since she’d seen her. After that shouting match about Jason on the phone, Morgan had blocked her numbers and informed her family that Charisma was behind that attempted media smear campaign. The lockout was effective; the extended family supported her decision as well. But this new tactic, spending time with Lamont Brayer, was a bit creepy to her.