Behind the Camera (Love through a Lens, #2)

by Chelsea Curto

“Spit on it, then get on the bed with your ass in the air. I’m going to fuck you into the mattress so hard, you won’t be able to walk at the game tomorrow. You’re going to have to tell anyone who asks that you took every inch of my cock like the good slut you are.”

Oh. Possessive Dallas is my favorite Dallas.

“Yes, Daddy.”

“This is going to be quick.” He nudges my thighs apart with his knee. “Because you drive me out of my goddamn mind in the best fucking way.”

He slams into me, and I almost fall over. I grip the headboard to keep myself upright, and my teeth clamp down on the corner of a pillow. He’s rougher than he normally is, but I’ve never felt safer in my entire life.

“Har...

“M...

And when he smacks the swell of my ass just as he thrusts into me, I freefall.

“Me, too. Family is important to me, and I’m excited I get to spend time with yours. I know they can’t know we’re together, but one day they can, and I’m going to make sure there’s no doubt in their minds I’m the right person for you. Because you’re the right person for me.”

Dallas feels like a fairy tale. And when I drift off to sleep, his arms around my body and our hearts beating in unison, I know one day, I could love him wholly, and it would be the easiest thing I’ve ever done. I’m already on my way there.

“I don’t know if I’d consider that selflessness. Helping someone I care about is the bare minimum.”

“If that’s what you think is the bare minimum, I can’t wait to see what you consider going above and beyond.”

“Stick around and you’ll ...

I’ll stick around forever if ...

“I like when you get like this,” she murmurs. “Like you’d burn the world down for me if I asked.”

“You wouldn’t need me to. I’d just hand you the match and let you do it yourself. But I would. I would, Maven. There’s nothing you could ask for that I wouldn’t do.”

I frown and lean forward to try and see what it is, then my breath catches in my chest. It’s a photo. Of me, June and Dallas at the splatter paint room.

We look like a family.

“You have a picture of me in your locker.”

“Why?” He laughs, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Because you and June are my favorite people, and I like looking at y’all before I take the field. Because it’s my reminder that even when things go to shit out there—like tonight—I get to come home to you. To her. And everything else doesn’t really matter.”

“How long have you had it up?”

“I hung it the day after the art room. After I touched you. After I kissed you. After I realized that no matter how hard I tried to fight it, I was never going to be able to stay away from you.”

Falling for me. God, I’m not just falling for him. I’m jumping. Leaping. Willingly and hopefully. He’s carved out a part of my heart, and if he were to walk away tomorrow, he’d have it forever. I’d never get it back. I love you. I feel it in the center of my chest when he looks at me.

I’ve never said those three words before, but with Dallas, I’d scream them. I’d yell them from the mountaintops so everyone could hear.

I love you. I love you so fucking much. It burns through me like a raging wildfire and fucking consumes me. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. If someone asked me to describe it, I wouldn’t know how. It’s a lot like coming up for air after being stuck underwater. My lungs feel full. My vision is clear, and I can finally fucking see.

Fuck, I love her.

I love you so fucking much.

“I’d kill anyone if they tried to touch you.”

“You couldn’t even kill the spider in June’s room last week.” I drag my nails down his chest and his hips buck forward. “There’s no way you’d kill a man.”

“If he touched what was mine, I would...

M...

“Do you know what I think about when I wake up?” he asks, and he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. “I think about how happy you make me. How wonderful you are with my daughter and how you love her like she’s yours. I think about your kindness and patience. Your selflessness and your sense of humor. I think about how forever with you doesn’t sound long enough. I wonder how in the world today is going to be better than yesterday, because yesterday was the best day of my life. And it always is. You are my greatest joy, and there’s not a single thing I’d change about you. You are perfect. You are perfect for me. You are…” he dips his chin and takes my hand in his. “You are the sun and you’re the stars, and even on the worst days, when we’re mad at each other or tired or frustrated, it’s still going to be a good day, because you’ll be by my side.”

“I fucking love her,”

“I said, I love her.”

“I love you,” I say, softer this time.

“Months. But I think I knew the minute I ran into her in the stadium, her first day on the job.”

“I just fell,” I continue. “And I’d do it again without thinking twice.”

“I’m not happy with you. I’m really fucking pissed. There are plenty of women out there. Nice ones, who aren’t eight years younger than you and my goddamn goddaughter.”

“There are.” I touch her necklace again and smile. “But none of them are her. It wouldn’t be worth it.”

“If it comes down to it, I’ll retire. I’ll walk away from the game. I’ve accomplished everything I set out to do when I entered the league, and then some. I have two rings—and maybe a third soon. I’ve broken records. It’s all been fine and good, but I don’t care about them anymore. The thought of spending every day and every night with my daughter and the woman I love beats the hell out of getting knocked around on the field.”

“Don’t you get it?”

“Dreams change. You’re what I want now. You and June and the family we’ve created. I don’t care about the rest. I’ve done my time, and I’m ready to settle down. I’m ready to not be away from the best things in my life day after day. Because, fuck, Mae. I miss you when I’m gone. I miss you so fucking much my heart hurts. I can’t—I don’t know how long I can do this schedule when all I want is to be with you. Everything else is just extra shit I can live without. I can’t live without you.”

“I love you so much. I love June too. I know I’m not her mom, but god, I wish I was. You two have become my entire world, and I don’t want there to ever be a day when you’re not in my life. I’m a better person because of you, Dallas. And if you want to walk away from football, I won’t stop you. I want you to do what makes you happy, because you’ve made me happy for months now, and all I ever want is the same for you. Just please don’t do it for me. This is my problem to solve, and if I have to pick between you and photography, I’m going to pick you every time. I’ll find a new dream, but I’ll never find another you.”

“The only way for me to keep my job is if we break up.” I pull back to look at him. “Do you—is that⁠—”

“Never. Fuck, no, Maven. I told you I’m all in, and that includes right now, when things get hard. What if we both quit? Maybe that will get the league to listen to how fucking stupid it is that we can’t be together and both keep our jobs.”

“Your contract isn’t guaranteed. You’d lose out on m...

“So? I can have ten bucks to my name, but as long as I have y...

“You’ve been reading too m...