Love Entwined by M.C. Decker Page A

would’ve had to score a touchdown first,” I said with a smirk. “After all, I thought you were going to show me how it was done.”
    “You’re asking for it, Shamrock. I’m rusty that’s all. I haven’t played this game in months. I’ll get you next time,” Bentley insisted.
    “Dad, what are you talking about? We just played this last night,” Tanner piped up.
    “Busted!” I screamed as Bentley started tickling my sides and pulled me in for a quick kiss. Somehow this really had turned into a perfect night. Bentley held me on the couch for a few more minutes while Tanner was distracted by the game stats.
    “Unbelievable. She had over five hundred passing yards!” Tanner mumbled to himself. “Ireland, are you ready to face me now?”
    Bentley gave me another chaste kiss on the cheek and looked down toward his watch. “Tanner, I think we better get going. I have to work tomorrow and your mother will be at the house early to pick you up for the weekend. Maybe we can come back next week sometime and you can face Ireland,” Bentley said, sounding hopeful.
    “Please, Dad. Just one more game.”
    “I can take him down quick. Just like you taught me all those years ago,” I whispered in Bentley’s ear so only he would hear.
    He gave me a knowing smirk. “OK, but just one more and then we’re heading home.”
    Just as promised, it was only a matter of minutes before I had Tanner begging me for mercy.
    “Ireland, how did you get so good?” Tanner asked. “I really thought my dad was letting you win, but I see now that he wasn’t.”
    “I had a good teacher,” I said, glancing over at Bentley. “Your dad and I used to play this when we were kids. He was the one who got me interested in gaming. The day I met him he actually was playing Gameboy.”
    “Gameboy?” Tanner asked. “What the heck is that?”
    “Wow, kid. Way to make your old man feel—old.”
    “But, Dad, you are old.”
    Bentley and I started laughing uncontrollably on the couch and before we knew it, Tanner had started in. The sound was music to my ears. Maybe this would actually work out after all.
    When we all had time to catch our breaths, Bentley announced that it was time for the two of them to leave. We all sat up and headed to the door. “I’ll see you on Friday,” Bentley said, pulling me against his body and placing a soft kiss on my lips. I didn’t want to pull away from him, but I knew Tanner was watching us.
    “I’m looking forward to it,” I said, giving him another quick peck on the lips.
    “It was nice meeting you, Tanner,” I said.
    “You too, Ireland,” he said, placing his arms around my neck for a quick hug. “I actually had a really good time tonight. I hope we can have a rematch soon.”
    I wasn’t expecting Tanner to hug me, but I was glad he had.
    “You’re welcome here anytime, Tanner,” I said, as he walked out onto the porch giving Bentley and me a moment to ourselves.
    “I’ll talk to you tomorrow. And, if I didn’t tell you earlier, good game,” he said, spinning me around and slapping my ass like I was one of the guys in the locker room after a high school football game.
    I just smiled and stood on my tip toes to give Bentley a chaste kiss. He deepened it briefly before pulling away.
    “If I don’t stop now, I won’t be able to walk out that door. Just know, I’m not stopping this weekend,” he whispered, before turning to leave.
    I closed the door behind them and sank to the floor in relief. Tanner had been able to steal another piece of my heart right along with his father. I rested my head against the back of the door and said a silent prayer that I would recover if I ever lost them.

 
    B entley was coming to pick me up in just a few short hours and I still hadn’t packed a thing. I sat on the floor of my walk-in closet with a pile of clothes strewn about. I was only going for a few days, but I felt like I needed to pack for an entire month. It was the middle of summer, but we