Once Marcy saw it she couldn’t unsee it. She couldn’t believe her eyes but the pictures didn’t lie. Her client was displaying a dick print through his denim jeans, not just a little bit, but a full-on 3-D image of his dick embossed in his jeans; and it was impressive!

Anyone else would have been embarrassed for their client, and Marcy was, while maybe even a little bit turned on. She suddenly became aware of how long she’s been without. She’d been so busy establishing herself in her career as the go-to Public Image Consultant that she was today. Time for a relationship with anyone had been pushed to the back burner. Now, as she drooled over the images of Rob, she realized that pot was about to boil over. 

As professional footballer Rob Engleman’s public image consultant, Marcy had to think fast and creatively, “All is not lost. I mean, maybe we can crop the images,” she said of the photos showing the quarterback meeting with local kids at the opening of the community center that he funded. Then she realized cropping the photos would lose most of the young kids. “Fuck! We’re fucked!”

Six months ago, it became Marcy’s job to transform Rob’s bad-boy image. He was known for his quick-flaring temper that racked up fines and penalties on and off the football field. The team owners were just one infraction away from trading him from the team without any other teams interested in picking up the contract of a highly paid hot-headed athlete. The beverage and sportswear companies that sponsored him were also looking for reasons to cut ties with him if his behavior continued. It was Marcy’s idea to have Rob fund a struggling community center in his old childhood neighborhood in an attempt to cleanse his notorious reputation with some good deeds.  

Marcy usually didn’t like to get into the photos of her clients, she was the background cog making sure all went smooth and that her clients’ were being represented at their best, but Rob had been adamant about her sharing credit and standing right next to him. So, there she was standing there right next to him in the photographs, beaming with pride at this accomplishment. There was no way she would allow these images to be published!

She appreciated the photographer’s discretion in sharing the images with her before they were blasted out all over social media. That was a bullet she dodged for sure, but now she had to figure out how to recreate the intention of the event and show that her client was a reformed man and team player. 

*****

Marcy knew that showing up unannounced at Rob’s place could potentially go astray, but she had decided to set this trainwreck back on track. As she rang the doorbell, she braced herself for his explosive temper. 

When Rob opened the door, Marcy had to maintain her cool. She squared her shoulders and was determined to keep eye-to-eye contact. That was a challenge in itself because his clear blue eyes bore into her with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat. He stood before her shirtless, wearing only grey sweatpants and glistening sweat on his golden tanned pecs. His ear-length blond hair was damp and disheveled. His frown transformed into a smile that broadened smugly as he stood hovering over her. Although he must have been working out in his home gym, it was easy for Marcy to imagine him working up a sweat while involved in other physical activities.

Marcy had to remind herself that he was a client and she was a professional. She had dealt with many attractive men before; men far more charming than him, but something about Rob was different and set her on edge. The way that she often caught him looking at her as if he’d eat her whole and honestly, Marcy wouldn't have minded that at all. Except, she had a rule about not getting involved with her clients. Even clients with impressive dick prints, she mournfully reminded herself. 

The fact was, she knew all their faults and misdeeds. That’s why they were her clients in the first place and Rob’s list of faults ran a tad too long to be considered a viable option. So, yes, she could admire and drool over his image, but in person, she had to remind herself he was just another client. 

“Did I come at a bad time?” Marcy asked.

“It’s never a bad time for you to come,” Rob smiled wolfishly at her as he welcomed her into the large marbled-floor foyer of his home. He watched her walk, her ass swaying side to side in the perfectly fitted pencil skirt she wore. 

Rob was aware of his bad reputation, that was one of the reasons he decided to reach out to a public image consultant over six months ago. Rob knew it was the right course of action. He wasn’t getting any younger and his job wasn’t as secure as he would like with the way he’s been losing his temper on the field lately. He wanted to improve his image as he thought about his future career paths and possibly settling down with a wife and a family. It didn’t help that when he walked into Jones Image Consultant Agency office he was confronted with the most beautiful and sexiest woman he’d ever met. Marcy Jones was supposed to clean up his image but since he only had dirty thoughts when she was around. 

Half the time he just nodded and agreed with whatever she said, especially if it meant spending more time with her. He was supposed to take her advice but all he could imagine was her round ass pressed against him, her breasts cupped in his large hands and his tongue in places that made her beg for more. He had to cool it, just thinking of her made him hard and his pants tighten in the crotch. Now, here she was alone in his home. Rob knew it would be equivalent to a Herculean task to control himself around her. 

Marcy started to speak but was interrupted when he grabbed a bottle of water and offered it to her.

“Thirsty?” he asked.

Very! Parched, actually. Marcy thought to herself, but vocalized, “No, I’m good.”

“So, what can I do for you today, Marcy?” he asked after taking a big gulp of water.

“We need to schedule another Engleman Youth Center visit,” Marcy decided to get straight to the point. The sooner they got this business out of the way, the sooner she would be able to get away from this man whose very existence threatened her undoing.

“Sure. The team is on the road starting tomorrow for the next couple of days, so just let me know when you want me. I can fit it in my schedule when I’m back in town. You know I don’t mind hanging out with the kids, but can I ask why?”

“It’s always great for the kids to see you around your old neighborhood and, well, honestly some of the images from the last visit were a little, um, inappropriate to include in the press release.”

“Inappropriate? How?” he asked curiously.

“Well, um, let's just say if they were photos for Playgirl, you would be the centerfold.”

Rob smiled, “Ah, yeah, now I remember. You were wearing that white pants suit that day.”

“What does what I was wearing have to do with anything?” Marcy asked, confused.

“You really have no idea how delicious your ass looked in those pants, do you? Or anything you wear for that matter really,” he said as his eyes lowered to her hips then back up at her with a huge hungry grin. 

Marcy stared at him shocked.

“Oh, c'mon, don’t pretend you haven’t seen me checking you out before," he took a step toward her, again.

"I might've noticed," Marcy admitted, taking a step back. His approaching figure made her uncomfortable with her own thoughts. One moment she wanted to run far away from him, then the next she wanted to mold her curves against his hard body and surrender to the sexual attraction. 

“Then you are aware of how you affect me, Marcy?” he moved even closer so that she was now backed against the granite countertop of the island with nowhere to go. His chiseled chest and abs were just inches from her and his grey sweatpants now held in an intimidating bulge.

It was hard to maintain any level of professionalism when she felt the dampness in her panties growing. She gave in to curiosity and looked down at the ridge in his pants. She couldn’t help wondering how he would feel and taste in her mouth as the tip of her tongue moistened her parched lips. She struggled with finding words to answer his question as she fought with herself on how his closeness affected her. When she looked back up at Rob, he had leaned in even closer, his lips barely an inch from hers.

“See, that is what you do to me when you’re near me, Marcy,” he said, his lips brushing against hers with the briefest caress. “Go ahead, touch me. I won’t bite unless you want me to.” His words were a hot delicious dare against her lips. 

Marcy could never back down from a challenge, even for her own good. She placed her hand on his hard chest. His tanned skin was warm and smooth underneath her manicured fingertips. Slowly, she trailed her fingers down his sculpted abs, down to the elastic waistband of his sweatpants. She playfully smiled up at him as she pushed her hand into his pants and wrapped it around his thick shaft. He let out a low husky groan as his lips finally crushed against her full lips. 

Marcy thought the pictures she saw earlier didn’t do justice for just how impressive his dick really was. Her fingers encircled his girth as she moved her palm up and down his length while he sampled the sweetness of her mouth. His kisses, although urgent, were gentle and soothing and were quite efficient at drowning out any good sense that remained with her. 

At the touch of her hand, Rob knew he had taken the flirtation too far. He never expected that Marcy would give in. He always thought she was far too professional and pulled together to give in to the likes of him. He half expected her to slap him across the face and sternly put him in his place with a litany of profanities. Hell, by the way he’d been acting around her, it was the least that he deserved. Instead, the response he got surprised him. As Marcy’s hand tugged on his cock, he almost wasn’t sure this wasn’t a dream. He thought of the many times he fantasized about this exact moment and now that it was happening he wanted it to last forever. 

Rob turned her around to face the counter as he lifted her skirt to her waist. He groaned with a heavy need when he saw her round brown ass with a black lace thong between her cheeks. She was perfect, better than he’d ever imagined. He ground his hard-on against her plump ass before he pushed the damp crotch of her panties aside. The blunt tip of his dick pressed against her moist slit as a warning.

“You want this?” he asked, his words hot against her neck.

“Yes!” she moaned hurriedly, pushing her ass back against him. At some point, she’d realized this was exactly what she’d really came here for; to deny it any longer would be foolish and naive and Marcy was neither of those things. Moans filled the room as she gripped the granite countertop when his hefty pole sliced into her. She rocked her hips back to meet his thrusts.

“Whoa, take it easy, baby,” he warned as his control teetered on the edge. He steadied her hips and settled deep within her, “This is not a ’hit-it-and-quit-it’. Now that I have you, I want to be in you all night. Think you can handle that?” he said as his hand moved between her thighs. Her mound was once groomed but now covered with a mat of fresh growth. It turned him on more knowing she hadn’t prepared for this. After running his fingers through the soft curly patch of hair, he placed his middle finger on her clit and drew small gentle circles.

Marcy heard his words “all night” but couldn’t comprehend them at the time as his handiwork brought her body to convulse and shiver against the countertop. She was already near the edge as his fingers continuously swirled around her slippery clit. Her pussy throbbed around his cock, all too aware that he just sat there, motionless deeply buried inside her as she began to shake with an orgasm.

“Oh, fuck!” she cried out as she tried to grab and steady his hand but he refused to end her pleasure until she was done. Any strength to hold herself upright left when her legs gave in as she surrendered to her release her face pressed against the cool granite top. 

“Want more?” Rob asked. 

Marcy could barely string together any coherent words to make sense so she just eagerly nodded and smiled to him. She desperately wanted for him to move, to pump, to fuck her hard and fast. 

Once in his bedroom, she urgently pulled off the rest of their clothes, wanting and needing to feel his hot bare chest against her own. She didn’t care that he towered almost a whole foot over her or outweighed her by nearly a hundred pounds, she pushed him back into the bed and climbed on top of him. Moving her hips to get him in just the right position, she settled down on his cock with a satisfied moan. 

“Oh, my God! It feels so good,” she said, slowly rocking her hips back and forth on him. 

Rob laid back and watched as she slid up and down. She was beautiful as her body rode him. He took her all in, loving what he saw from her silky brown thighs around his waist, to the curvy transition from her hips to her smooth waist. Her breasts seemed perfect, perched high and tipped with large chocolate peaks that puckered in pleasure. His mouth watered at the thought of tasting those peaks.

He sat up, pulling a nipple to his lips. His tongue flickered over the peak before moving over to the other one and sucked gently. Cupping his hands around her ass, he moved her against him harder and faster helping her build-up to her orgasm. 

She cried out loud in pleasure, “Oh, Rob, I’m going to come,” she moaned digging her fingernails into his meaty thighs. 

“I hope sure so,” he smiled as he kissed her lips. “Then I’ll make you come again.”

When she fell against him limp, he rolled over placing her pinned underneath him. He slowly ground against her as he kissed and sucked at the hollow points of her neck. 

“Ah, fuck!” Rob groaned as he sank deeper within her. Her warmth and moans surrounding him were like a siren call to go off into the deep end. He couldn’t stop the inevitable even if he wanted to. The pressure building up in him was too great and had to be released. With Marcy’s fingers gripping his ass closer to him and her legs wrapped around him, he erupted deep inside her.  

Marcy moaned softly as she rolled away from Rob’s warm body. If she did this quickly she could get away without thinking about it too much. She pulled a loose sheet around herself and proceeded to look for her discarded bra and clothes that had been tossed around the darkened room in the heat of the moment.

Rob caught her hand before she could make it fully out of bed, “Hey beautiful, where are you going?”

“Um, I should leave now,” she said. 

Rob smiled, “Why? I thought we were just taking a rest before continuing the fun.”

Marcy smiled back because he was right, it was fun and hot and sexy and everything she imagined it would be, “We can’t do this, again. You’re my client, Rob.”

He sat up in bed and shrugged his shoulders, “So, you’re telling me this was just a one-time thing, huh?”

“Yes,” Marcy said, “It has to be if I’m going to do my job right. I can’t get involved with you.”

Rob pulled her down to him so that she straddled his lap, “You sure about that? I don’t get a say in what’s good for us?” he asked. 

Marcy hesitated as she second-guessed her ‘no sleeping with clients’ policy. She could feel his thick cock laying against his thigh pressed between them. Her hesitation left enough time for Rob to press his lips to hers. His kisses were soft and tenderly, the opposite of what this huge wall of a man portrayed on the football field. Any ideas of leaving his bed faded with his kisses as he pulled the sheet from her naked breasts. His lips brushed against a dark-ringed nipple before his pink tongue flicked out at the tightened nub. He parted his lips and sucked the peak into his mouth causing Marcy to moan out loud. His tongue alternated lapping at the textured peak and applying gentle suction. 

“Rob!” Marcy pushed against him, her body taut from the exquisite pleasure coursing through her nipple straight to her core. She didn’t know how it was possible but she was going to have another orgasm. “Oh, my God! I’m going to come again!” she sobbed as she threw back her head in ecstasy. 

Rob held her close to him as her entire body shivered with her orgasm. He was already growing used to the way her body shivered and shook during orgasm. His mouth never left her sensitive nipple, not until she grew limp against him. Only then did he pull away from her, smiling as he asked, “See, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking of what I could do with this body of yours, how many ways I could make you scream my name, and this is only just the beginning,” he said as he flipped her over onto her back and lowered his head between her thighs. He paused and looked up at her, “Still think we shouldn’t be involved?”

Marcy pushed her fingers through his long blond hair and held his mouth closer to her oversaturated lips. She was beyond the point of reasoning and talking. 

*****

After a busy week of appointments with her various clients, Marcy was exhausted. From pop stars with drug addictions to politicians with unsavory pasts, it seemed as if her job was never done. And to add to the list, Rob Engleman kept texting her every chance he could get. He'd just returned to town today with the team and wanted to see her, again. 

Marcy was flattered but also cautious. She remembered how they spent his last hours in town in his bed. It was only when he’d fallen into a deep sleep that she was able to finally pull away from him. Even then, she did so reluctantly. 

Of course, she’d never heard any stories of him womanizing or sleeping around like his teammates, she was thankful for that. That wasn’t one of his issues, yet Marcy kept thinking she knew she was just another notch on his bedpost. His base of fans included very determined women that knew how to get into the beds of famed athletes and celebrities. Even so, as she unwinded for the evening with a glass of wine, her toes tingled as she remembered the last night they spent together and the things he did with his tongue. 

She found herself smiling as she responded to his latest text message. He asked if she was available tomorrow to attend a fundraising event for one of his teammates, he was donating a large sum of money and he wanted her there as his date. Yes, it was her job to get things like this out to the public but Marcy didn’t know if it would be best for them to be seen together. The public and the internet were quick to gossip and brand a couple. She was trying to get his name out of the tabloid headlines, not add her own to his. She agreed to attend the event as his consultant and declined for him to send his car to pick her up. 

When Marcy walked into the ballroom it wasn’t difficult to spot Rob straight away. He was dressed sharply in a well-tailored dark suit with the top button of his shirt undone. Even among the other tall broad-shouldered athletes, he stood out; not only with his fair skin and blond hair pulled back into a man-bun, but his sheer presence. She felt the magnetic pull of him from across the room and found herself headed in his direction. 

“You made it,” Rob said with a hint of skepticism in his voice. “I mean, I’m glad you made it.”

“Of course, I made it. I am here to support a client, it’s my job,” she smiled.

“Is that all?” he asked with a raised brow as he checked out her attire, a body-hugging fuschia pink dress that flattered her brown skin tone as well as her body in all the right places. He let out a low moan of approval, “That dress says otherwise.”

“I see you haven’t cut your hair yet?” she quickly changed the subject. 

“I like my hair. It’s not changing. I seem to remember you running your fingers through it multiple times,” he flashed her a teasing grin. 

Marcy just smiled, trying her best not to fall for his tactics, “I should mingle. Meet some of the other guests, maybe I’ll pick up a client or two. I am here to work, after all,” she said as she walked away knowing he was watching her ass.

Over the course of the event, as Marcy mingled with guests, Rob couldn’t take his eyes off of her. That dress she wore hugged her body in a way that Rob wished he could. He watched her from across the room and grew jealous of his teammates and anyone that talked to her. He usually wasn’t the jealous type, but Marcy was doing different things to him, making him feel things in ways he never felt before. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore as he walked over to her and stood close behind her. He apologized for stealing her from her current conversation as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her away. 

Leaning into her, he whispered into her ear, “Date or not, you have any idea how much I want to fuck you right now?” he said bluntly. 

“Rob, is this going to be a repeat of last time we were photographed together? There are cameras everywhere. Tame that thing,” she said as he pressed his hard-on against her ass. 

“Or we could leave so you can do just that?” 

“But the kids?” Marcy mildly protested.

“I gave them my check and babe, at this moment, I’m the one in need. Are you going to deny me?” 

His words carved into her willpower and Marcy found herself following him out of the event to his car. She didn’t even notice the photographers snapping images of the two of them leaving together. 

Back at Rob’s place later that night, he held her in his arms as they laid in bed skin to skin catching their breath. 

“Why do I feel like you’re holding me captive?” Marcy asked as she snuggled into his chest, enjoying being held by his strong arms.

“Am I? Do you feel captured?” he asked as his hand moved down her waist to rest possessively on the curve of her hip. “Is there somewhere else you rather be?”

“That’s a trick question, Rob. You know how I feel about this.”

“Yet, you came back for more,” his fingers crawled over to the recently groomed landing strip between her legs. He caressed her softly, “And prepared this time. I like this.”

Marcy smiled as she turned in his arms and kissed him, “I don’t always make smart decisions for myself.”

“I think it’s the smartest decision you’ve ever made. This can be a thing if you want it to be. Just say the word, Marcy.” 

Marcy looked into his blue eyes. He was serious. Far more serious than she expected from him. It felt real, like he was falling for her, and Marcy could feel herself balanced on the precarious edge of falling herself if she didn’t remind herself what this really was about. 

“You know what thing I want,” she said as her hands moved down his chest, lowering to his cock. He was flaccid but with the touch of her hand, he sprang to life. She placed a kiss on his neck, then his chest, trailing down to his abdomen. She loved how his abs were cut deep and rippled under her touch. Her tongue made trips up and down over his abs before traveling even lower. 

Rob let out a hoarse moan as her tongue whipped around the tip of his cock. He tried to sit up and watch her work but as soon as she took him into her mouth, he was writhing in pleasure and tugging on the bedsheets. 

He knew it was all cliche and in the heat of the moment to be feeling this way, but he also knew this was the moment that he decided he was in love with Marcy. This was the moment he knew she would be the wife of his dreams. It was clear, she was the future that he was willing to get his shit together for all this time. 

*****

Marcy woke up to her cell phone ringing. As she tried to sit up in bed to locate her phone, she was reminded that she wasn’t alone in bed. Rob laid next to her sleeping like a milk-drunk baby. She smiled remembering how she took control of him last night. The idea of sliding her hands across his chest and down to his cock to stroke him until he woke up did cross her mind. If she was honest with herself, she agreed with him; she could see this becoming a thing. She didn’t want it to be broadcasted all over the evening news but she enjoyed spending time with Rob. If only they could stay in bed like this forever, but she knew she had to eventually start her day. 

Shaking her head, Marcy pushed these thoughts away and reached for her iPhone. She’d just missed the caller but saw there were several text messages, too. As she scrolled through the messages, she stepped out of bed. Her photographer sent her pictures of last night’s event, highlighting the images of Rob firmly holding her ass, along with other images of them looking very intimate together. As she continued to scroll through her other messages, she saw that it was too late. Several other photographers were also at the event and already posted similar photos of Rob touching her. 

Marcy immediately kicked into clean-up mode which she never had to do for herself. As she pulled on her bra she made calls and gathered the rest of her clothes. Never once did she look back at Rob.

*****

Later that morning, Rob walked into Marcy’s office carrying two cups of coffee and a bag of baked goods. 

“What are you doing here, Rob?” Marcy asked.

“Well, you left so early, I thought you might want something extra to wake you up,” he said as he sat a coffee before her then opened the bag and handed her a muffin. 

“I’m busy today. You should have called before you came over.” She couldn’t resist taking a sip of the coffee, “I mean, thanks for the coffee.”

“Marcy, that’s the second time I’ve woken up without you in my arms. I usually don’t have this problem. What can I do to fix that?” he said as he placed soft lingering kisses on her neck.

For a moment, Marcy let herself drown in his attention, in his arms. It was easy; his touch was warm and his kisses were promising. His hand moved down her waist to her butt and she remembered why she left in such a rush. She pulled away from him. 

“We can’t do this, Rob,” she said, putting some distance between them.  

“We’ve done it already, baby, multiple times, and you liked it. Why not make that a daily thing?”

“I guess you haven’t seen any of this, yet?” She held up her iPad to him with images of last night. In the photos, his hand was firmly on her ass as he leaned into her. Several images showed them leaving the event together in his car. 

Rob shrugged after seeing the images, “I don’t see the problem. We’re both adults and it was consensual.”

“But that’s not the point. You’re a public figure. It’s splashed all over tabloids now. That’s the opposite of what I’ve been working to do.”

“Can we just tell them it’s consensual between us? That this, us, we’re a thing.”

“Are we? Rob, it’s not that easy…”

“It is that easy! Or would you rather have everyone thinking I’m some kind of inappropriate groper that took advantage of you?”

“Rob, no! I would never do that!” Marcy cut him off, “I just need some time to think this through, a way to spin it. In the meanwhile, maybe it’s best if we stay away from one another, just keep it professional from now on.”

“Are you serious? Marcy, baby, I… I’m..” he was cut off when her assistant walked into her office unannounced. “Really? Can we have some fucking privacy here? You can’t just walk into someone’s office without fucking knocking! Get the fuck out of here!” he exploded at the assistant who cowered back out of the room. 

“Whoa! Rob!” Marcy yelled at him, “You just can’t shout at my assistant like that. You always act out like this when you don’t get your way. That’s the issue with you, on the field and in your life. You can’t always have your way.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have yelled. I’ll apologize, but Marcy, baby, can we talk about this?” he pleaded softly. 

“I can’t. I have a nine o’clock meeting I need to be at. You should leave now,” she said as she pulled on her blazer and grabbed her iPad. She waited for Rob to walk out. When he left she took a moment to collect herself. Her phone buzzed with a reminder about her meeting interrupting the silence. She couldn’t think about her mixed feelings; she had a job to do to clear her client’s name and her own. 

*****

Marcy hesitated before ringing Rob’s doorbell. It’s been a while since they’d talked face to face, actually almost a month. She’d released a statement that afternoon that Rob and she did have a consensual sexual relationship but it was a one-time lapse of judgment. She quickly followed that up releasing all the philanthropic work Rob had been doing for the Engleman Youth Center and donations to other charitable causes. 

The sexual misconduct talk was soon gone from the news cycle that evening, along with his good deeds, when Rob ignored the team’s gamebook and made a play that critically injured one of his teammates. He was immediately placed on suspension with the future of his career in football in jeopardy. 

She had been sending her new assistant, Carlos, to deal with any direct interactions, appearances, and statements regarding Rob. Even so, she followed all the backlash and news stories about him. He was still a client and it was of her best interest to be aware of his situation. Marcy wondered if showing up today was the right thing to do, but she just had to see him in person, to know for sure that he was okay. She was actually shocked when he finally opened the door for her. He looked disheveled and frowned immediately upon seeing her. 

“Wow! A personal visit. This must be important,” he said as he filled the doorway. 

“Can I come in? Can we talk?” she asked. 

“I rather you didn’t. If we’re going to try keeping this professional, Marcy, I rather you didn’t sashay across my house, not in those jeans. Who knows, you might have another ‘lapse of judgment’,” he said, trying not to linger on the image of what was beneath the white jeans that she wore. 

“Um, okay, fair. Rob, the owners are making a decision about your future on the team today. You weren’t answering my calls and I wanted to see how you were, but you seem to be okay with everything.”

He shrugged, “What can I do to change their minds? I made the play and took full responsibility for it. The injuries that Stephens have are my fault alone and maybe it’s time for me to pay for the decisions I make.”

“The only reason you were playing like that was because of me, Rob. I can’t let you ruin your career because of me.”

“Babe, I’m not a rookie at this. I don’t take my personal life out onto the field, so get it out of your pretty little head that whatever I do is because of you. Just let me know when the next press op is, that’s your job, right? That’s what your only concern should be.”

His harsh words did the job of making her see that he had given up on his career turning around from this. She had wanted him to fight for his career but, if he was unwilling, she had to let it go, too. There was only so much she could do for him as his public image manager. As for their personal relationship, Marcy realized that she hadn’t put up a fight for them either, so she really wasn’t much different than him. She wondered if she had, would this all have a different outcome?

“Rob, I…” She wanted to tell him how much she missed him, how much she still thought about him, how her hands crept below the sheets to touch herself when she thought about him alone at night in bed.

“Look, I know you’re a busy woman, so let’s just end this here, Marcy. You don’t have to check on me, again. Carlos has been great to work with, but he needn't come by either," Rob said pushing himself to get the words out. 

*****

Marcy walked onto the field and stopped short when she saw Rob standing amongst the group of teens. He was giving them pointers on proper throwing techniques. She didn’t think the sight of him would affect her so much but she suddenly had a longing to feel his arms around her, again. He looked good, she had to admit. He’d finally cut his chin-length blond hair into an undercut style that complemented his groomed beard very well. Marcy looked away when Rob looked up from the group and straight at her. Just for a second, their eyes smiled at each other before turning away. She made herself busy on her phone as he wrapped up the lesson. 

“Hey, Marcy,” Rob greeted as he jogged over to her. 

“Hey,” Marcy said, forcing herself not to sound so breathless and giddy. It’s been a year, but the way she felt seemed like it was only yesterday he was patiently making her come on his granite countertop. “I’m sorry, I like to stop by sometimes and watch their preseason games. I didn’t know you would be here today.”

“No, it’s okay. Since my suspension, I’ve been dropping by every now and then over the summer to check them out and give a lesson or two. It’s easier without all the press and media following me around for a story,” he said then flashed her a warm smile, “It’s good to see you.”

Marcy returned the smile, “Yeah, you too. You cut your hair, and the beard is new. It’s nice.”

“Someone once told me the easiest step in an image makeover was a new haircut.”

“Ah, a very smart person, no doubt,” she teased him.

“Yeah, she’s just as beautiful as she’s smart,” Rob said causing Marcy to smile even bigger. “So, is it working?” he asked.

“Yes,” Marcy said a little more suggestively than she wanted, then realized he meant something else. She quickly added, “I mean, I think so. I heard your suspension is up and the team is excited to have you back training with them this fall.”

Rob shrugged, “It feels good to be back on the field, but that’s not what’s most important to me right now. Being here, spending time with these kids is the best place I can be.”

“That’s great. I’m glad you found something you like doing.”

“To be honest, it’s the second-best place I want to be.”

Marcy felt flush as she didn’t dare ask what was the best place to be, especially as the looks he was giving her were enough to make her wish she was the answer to the unspoken question. She hated that she wanted his attention, that with just one look he could have her so weak in the knees and ready to risk it all over again.  

“I should find a seat before all the good seats are taken,” she started to head for the bleachers.

“Marcy,” he called after her, “Can I join you?” 

She hesitated before smiling at him, “Yeah, sure.”

After the game, Marcy and Rob left the stadium excited about the team’s win and discussing specific plays. Marcy was surprised at how much fun she had tonight sitting with Rob at the game. She knew enough about the sport to be a fan, but his insight into each play was helpful and educational. They stopped in the parking lot, Marcy noticed their cars were in opposite corners of the lot, but she didn’t want to leave just yet.

“Um, I should apologize to you Rob,” she said turning to him. 

“For what?” he asked curiously. 

“Maybe everything. I’d been unfair to you. I made the whole media attention thing the issue but really I didn’t want anything serious between us because of all the baggage that I carry from previous relationships being public too soon. That’s not your fault. That’s all on me. It’s funny, my job is to fix other people’s issues but I can’t seem to fix my own.”

“Marcy, you don't have to apologize to me. I get it. We all have issues we need time to overcome.”

Marcy smiled up at him, “You were always open about what you wanted and that kind of scared me, you know, being in a public relationship with someone like you. Then I realized being without you maybe scared me even more.”

“Then stop running away from me. Marcy, I’m here and I want you. Honestly, I‘ve never stopped wanting you. I don’t even know what it’s like to not want you anymore. But, I don’t want you to be scared of that. I know I can be intense at times, I’m working on that. Maybe you can work on telling me when you’re feeling scared, share that with me, okay? We can work through this together if that’s what you want.”  

“That’s what I want. I’m willing to work on that, with you, Rob, to be with you completely and fully,” she exhaled then smiled at him.

“Good, because I want you by my side from now on. And not just as my PR, Marcy. I want you by my side as my wife.”

“Are you… are you asking me to marry you?” Marcy asked breathlessly. 

“Not yet, but soon. Think about it,” he winked at her.

“Um, sure. I’ll think about it,” she smiled.

Rob wanted to pull her close and kiss her but hesitated, looking at the crowd gathered around them.

“We’re making a scene,” he smiled at her. 

Marcy grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer, “I don’t care. Kiss me!” she said as she planted her lips onto his.