Love Was Easy When We Didn't Make It So Hard

"Damn." David mumbled as he walked into mine and Eric's apartment looking around at the spacious pad that we had been calling home. "I could get used to this." He sighed, leaping onto our couch and stretching across the plush material. His face nuzzled into one of the pillows as Jake and the Gopher football gang tagged along behind him.

"Don't." Eric told David, chucking as he threw a pillow at him. Eric batted it down and it hit Gabby on the head, whom I just released from her kennel. She yelped in surprise and curled up into Eric's touch as he petted her soft fur. "Hey pup." Gabby licked his arm, her pink tongue standing out against Eric's tanned skin. "Thank you." He murmured, kissing her snout.

"Oh! What a cutie!" Kara exclaimed, flocking to Gabby and kneeling down to the floor. Gabby sucked up the attention licking Kara's face as Blake watched with a hesitant look on his face. "Blake, babe, I want one."

"Oh God. I knew that was coming. First a baby, now a dog. Anything else I can get for you darling?" Blake groaned as Eric gave him a sympathetic pout.

"I know. I didn't like her to begin with, but they grow on you." Eric gave me a smirk as I walked to where he was leaning against the counter.

"Hi." I whispered as our four friends and my two brothers focused on Gabby who ate up the attention.

"Hi beautiful." Eric murmured, his thumb brushing over the ring firmly attached to my finger.

"Er, I am so proud of you, babe." I told him my eyes closing as he rested his forehead against mine, both of us drowning out the sound of Jake rough housing with our puppy.

"Thank you." He mumbled. I threaded my fingers through his hair, tugging at it softly.

"Mmm, can we kick them out?" He breathed into my neck as he pressed his lips to my pulse.

"No, they just got here." I sighed, goosebumps puckering on my skin.

"They won't notice if we sneak into the bedroom."

"I'd notice, Decker." Jake growled.

"It's cute how you try to pretend that Ry is still a virgin." Adam snickered from his spot by the window where he was cradling Katie to his chest, looking out at the view of Chicago.

"She is." Jake snapped, his eyes lowering. Eric stayed perfectly still while I rolled my eyes and told Jake to go to hell.

"Conversation over." I stated, leading Eric to the couch and flopping down on it.

For the next two hours, the group passed the time talking and laughing, catching up on lost times. We told stories and reminisced of the old times. We talked about the future, the upcoming nuptials, along with Eric's new football career. It was adorable to watch my boyfriend blush at the compliments and praise from the other football players in the room. Eric's phone vibrated in his pocket while Jake was telling a story of the day Gracie began to smile. I looked over at the screen of his phone seeing Tom flash across the screen a second before Eric hit ignore. A sense of pride washed over me, making my chest swell so much I thought it would burst and a small giggle would escape my lips.

I shouldn't have been surprised that Eric's phone kept vibrating in his pocket. Every time Eric would hit ignore, or let it go to voice mail, the douche bag would call back in another ten minutes. It's like he couldn't stand the fact that Eric was having a good time. I sighed after feeling his phone vibrate once again, shifting around on his lap and glancing at him over my shoulder.

"This is why phones are able to be turned off." I smiled sweetly at him and grabbed the phone. I pressed ignore and then turned the phone off, setting it on the table.

"Who's calling?" Jake asked, already having a good idea.

"Just my agent." Eric shrugged, an eye roll that made me swoon. I snuggled my face into his chest to hide the smile as Jake began to grumble under his breath that it was late and that guy had no business calling. "I'm thinking I'll have to keep Jake on a leash while he's here." Eric chuckled softly as he whispered into my hair.

"Probably, but just remember, I have the power over him. I'll let him out if I want to."

"Riley, do me a favor? Keep your beast of a brother under control so I still have an agent." Eric sighed, running a hand over my hair, pushing it from in front of my face.

"I can't make promises." I mused to him, cupping his jaw delicately in my hand. "You know how Jake gets..." I trailed off, letting Eric think of all the times he had seen Jake when he was pissed off or better yet, when his anger was turned on Eric. I watched as he sighed softly, shaking his head in understanding before kissing my cheek softly.

"I just wish he wasn't so psycho about it all." Eric mumbled, wrinkling his nose slightly.

"Yeah well that's Jake. He's intense but only if you irk him." I chuckled, reaching up to kiss Eric under his chin. I smiled as his eyes slid shut in contentment before they opened, lazily looking down at me.

"I love you," he breathed out, just as a knock sounded on the door. I looked at Eric, my eyes wide as everyone in the room looked towards the front door.

"I swear to God if that is him..." I warned Eric as he set me down on the couch, walking over to the door. He opened the door and I could hear him mutter a fuck under his breath meaning it was exactly who I thought it was.

"Who is it?" Jake asked me, his eyebrow cocked, waiting for my answer. I looked around Eric, just making sure as Tom started to grill him about turning his phone off.

"Tom." I sighed inwardly as Jake stood up, his huge body suddenly looking fairly intimidating as he stalked to the door, coming up behind Eric and looking Tom up and down with a nasty scowl. I glanced at Kara and Katie who were both watching Jake with wide eyes while David chuckled silently in his chair. I shot him a look to knock it off and watched as Eric shut the door, Tom and Jake standing toe to toe. It was hilarious to see the two of them, total opposites standing there looking at each other. Jake easily has Tom's weight in muscle while Tom had puny arms that would do nothing to my brother. I snuggled into the couch cushions, allowing Jake to have his fun while Eric gave me a look, begging me to do something.

"Dude, what the fuck is your problem?" Jake hissed out, snarling darkly at Tom.

"I'm dealing with my client."

"At midnight? Are you sure you aren't just gay for Decker? And what's up your ass? Why are you taking Eric at all end of the day and making him treat my baby sister like shit?" Jake looked like he was two seconds from grounding Tom's face up with his fist.

"Eric is a professional football player and his job is demanding. I'm helping him make a name for himself and that comes from a hell of a lot of work. Eric understands that and that is all that matters even if Riley doesn't."

"I don't care what he has to do for his career. He is engaged to my sister and if you keep taking him away from her, I'm going to fuck you up." Jake stepped forward and as if to give Tom a preview of what would happen, he jabbed at his chest, eyes clouded over as he snarled down at him. "Stop trying to fuck up their relationship. She isn't going anywhere." Jake didn't step away from Tom as he looked up at Jake, a nervous expression on his face. Eric cleared his throat from next to Jake, making my brother turn to face him. I could tell Eric wished he hadn't have done that because now Jake's fierce look was directed at him. "And you, stop being a dick. My sister comes before football."

I pursed my lips as Eric glanced at me before nodding to Jake and turning to Tom. Jake walked back into the living room, coming over to the couch and picking my feet up. He sat down, letting my legs fall over his lap as Eric and Tom continued to talk before the agent left in a huff, rolling his eyes at Eric and giving him a slight glare. I bit my lip as Eric came back into the living room, looking as if he was just scolded by both sides of his life.

"Seems like a nice guy," David snorted, throwing a pillow into the air and catching it before tossing it up once more. I gave him a look and he stopped, smirking at the ceiling as Eric heaved a sigh.

"Look, he's a little intense, but he's good for my career. I know you don't like him", he motioned to me, "but he's here for at least my time in Chicago and I need you to just be with me on this."

"I'm with you. I'm not with him." I stated dryly as he walked over to the couch, slinking down to the floor in front of my face.

"Babe, it would make my life easier if you and your hoard of brothers would just leave the football stuff to us." Eric sighed at my unchanged expression. "Just for me, try. Try really hard."

"Trust me, I do try hard. It's difficult to even be in the same room as that prick. Don't ask me to like him Eric because it won't happen."

Sensing the tense air, Adam got up, stretching and yawning as Katie stood with him. Blake and Kara followed, the two of them hooking hands as Kara softly petted Gabby who stood up to accommodate her new favorite person. "We're going to head out. It's late and we have an early flight." Adam spoke, smiling at the two of us.

We nodded, dropping the issue for the moment as we stood up along with my two brothers. Hugs were shared around the room as goodbyes were quietly muttered. I squeezed my two best friends tightly since we wouldn't be seeing each other for some time yet. My two brothers gave me sweet kisses on the cheek as Jake gave me a tight squeeze, scooping me from the ground for a moment before letting me softly fall back on the balls of my feet.

"See you later kid." Jake mumbled as he was the last to leave. I shut the door behind him, leaning against it and locking eyes with Eric. He had a slightly annoyed look on his face but it quickly dropped as I shook my head at him.

"We are not fighting about this." I stated as I walked past him and to the bedroom. He followed me, snapping his fingers to Gabby while turning off the lights through out the apartment.

"There isn't anything to fight about."

"Except the fact that your agent is a fucking asshole. I can't believe out of all the people who approached you, you picked him." I snapped, frustrated with the situation more so than Eric. I turned the bed down, throwing the pillows across the room, listening to the beads smack against the wall. I pursed my lips in a frown before tugging off my clothes, including my Decker jersey, shoving it into a drawer and stuffing myself into my pajamas. "And have you noticed that the only time we ever fight, it's about him." I gave Eric a pointed look as he walked out of the bathroom, a pair of Minnesota football shorts hanging low on his hips, chest bare. I felt my mouth fall slightly slack as he ran a hand through his hair, slipping into bed next to me.

"I know, but it's also about the transition. It's hard to go from college to the real world, especially when it's such a crazy switch."

"And it's just cause he's a dick."

"Riley," Eric warned me, a deep sigh escaping his pursed lips. I looked over at him after I was all snuggled under the covers, licking my lips and nodding. I shut my mouth after that as Eric tugged on my hips and pulled me into his body. "I'm tired, baby."

"Sleep. You had a long day." I kissed the top of his head as he settled into my chest, heaving one last sigh before drifting asleep.
***

"Babe." Eric shoved me early the next morning, making me jolt awake. I looked over at him, laying on his stomach with his face smashed into the pillow. I growled lowly at him and shoved at his shoulder. "Your dog needs to go out." He huffed as Gabby yapped by the door, scratching at the carpet and whining. She gave out another yelp to get one of us up and I snorted at Eric.

"Then you better get your ass up." I told him, placing my foot on his hip and shoving him to the edge of the bed. He picked his head up, his lips already curled to whine at me. "Go." I pointed to the door. Eric scoffed and pushed himself off the bed and threw a sweatshirt over his body, grabbing Gabby's leash off the dresser.

"Let's go demon." Eric mumbled, opening the door.

"Eric Decker! Be nice to my baby!" I screamed to him just as he shut the door to the apartment. I huffed out an annoyed breath before rolling onto Eric's side of the bed, breathing in his smell. I smiled softly, enjoying the plush bed and the warmth the sun held as it fell over my body.

Eric returned a couple minutes later, crawling onto the bed and giving my ass a hardly slap. I yelped at him, covering the spot that was now burning from his hand. I gave him the stink eye as he chuckled, collapsing to the bed and pulling me onto his chest. His large hands fell to my butt, squeezing it in his hands as I straddled his waist with a teasing look.

"When do you have practice?" I murmured to him as he glanced at the clock.

"In like an hour."

"Are you free after that?" I wondered, drawing a heart over his actually heart on his chest.

"Yes." He drew the word out, knowing I was going to ask for something.

"Do you love me?"

"Shit."

"Is that a no!?" I exclaimed, looking into his brown eyes with a heavy pout. Eric gave me a look, shaking his head and puckering his lips for a kiss.

"You know I love you more than I can even express. What do you want?"

"Let's do stuff for the wedding today." I murmured to him, setting my chin on his chest as he scrunched his nose up in distaste.

"I don't know babe. Shouldn't you do that with your friends or your mom? I don't know anything about weddings. Plus, isn't that the bride's job?"

"No! It's your wedding too! You need to help me with stuff. I want you to like the colors and the music and the guest list. By the way, is it okay if Tom isn't on the list?" I grinned at him as he shook his head no earning an eye roll from me. "Why should he get to go? I swear he's going to be the one objecting."

"Riley. Look, baby, I don't care about the colors, the music, the guest list. All I care about is that I get to make you mine forever. I just want to be able to call you my wife." He snuggled his face into my neck as I slid up his chest, letting him place soft kisses against my neck.

"That's sweet babe. But I want you to at least look at the stuff." I told him, running my fingers over his face lightly.

"Fine. But why don't you go with your mom or something to look at stuff. I don't care what you get, anything you want, go ahead. It's your day."

"It's our day." I reminded him.

"I can't wait to see you walking down the aisle. You're going to look so incredibly beautiful; I might need Adam to hold me up."

"Listen to you sweet talking me. We have time for a shower you know." I wiggled my eyebrows at him. "And let's just say, you have been successful in sweet talking my pants off." I giggled as Eric sat up, scooping me off the bed and charging into the bathroom.

"I'm serious though Riley. I don't care about all the other things that go into the wedding. I just want you to be mine forever."

"I always have been."

"Yeah, but I want everyone else to know it." He looked down at me with an overprotective gaze, his brown eyes locking on my green eyes as I smiled softly at him. He picked up my left hand, his lips grazing over my ring before he turned to the shower, turning the water on.

"Are you ready to be stuck with me for life?" I asked Eric with a smirk as he pulled my shirt over my head before letting it join his on the floor.

"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't." He grinned at me, winking before he lifted my hips, yanking off my small shorts. I squealed as the cold granite of the bathroom counter hit my bare butt as Eric tested the water. "But I have a better question, are you ready to scream?" The look in his eyes and the sexy smirk his lips held temporarily made me dizzy, my heart pausing in my chest. I nodded and as if that was his cue, Eric scooped me up and pressed me against the cool tile of the shower. The heat swirled around our bodies as he leaned in close, lips brushing right against mine as he spoke. "Good, because I'm not stopping until I've got three touchdowns."