before she slipped to my side and laid her head against my shoulder. I stared at the stars overhead as I tried to calm my breathing.
“That was fun,” she whispered and I smiled.
“It was. Why’d you stop?”
“Because . . .” She hesitated. “I figured this is probably the first time you’ve kissed a girl since your . . . well . . . your girlfriend. I didn’t want you to feel rushed into anything.”
My thoughts instantly went—not to Nikki—but the burning kisses I’d shared with Brittney. The image of her lying on the bed beneath me was forever seared into my mind. I saw it every night before I fell asleep. This was probably not the time to bring that up.
“What’re you thinking about?” she asked, shifting uncomfortably, and I scrambled to think of something.
“How much fun I’ve had today. It’s been a long time coming.”
She smiled and traced a finger in a circle over one of my pecs before drawing down to my abs. “I hope I had something to do with that.”
“You did.” I grinned as I reached down, arresting her traveling finger and twisting it with my own. I took a deep breath, preparing to take the plunge. “How’d you like to do something with me next week? Maybe see a movie or something.” I wasn’t sure if I was really ready for this step, and I didn’t know if she was the right person to take it with, but I figured it was the least I owed her after making out like we had. I wasn’t sure if I was asking her for her, though, if she reminded me of Nikki—or if I was trying to forget about Brittney being currently wrapped in someone else’s arms. I sighed. When did life get so complicated?
“I’d love to go out with you again. What day?”
Well, I was committed now. “Hmm. I have practice most afternoons, but we are usually done by six. Maybe Thursday at seven?”
“Thursday is perfect.” She squeezed my fingers.
“What movie do you want to see?”
“I’ll let you pick. Surprise me.”
I chuckled. “Okay, but as you stated before, I’m rusty at this, so you can’t be mad at me if I mess things up.”
She laughed. “You won’t. I can’t imagine you messing anything up. You’re too nice.”
I eyed her down. “You should know I have serious issues with the word ‘nice.’ It usually doesn’t mean anything good.”
“Okay then, how about you’re too sweet?”
I groaned. “You really aren’t helping my ego.”
She giggled and shifted so she was leaning over me. “All right. Then how about you’re too much of a stud?”
“ Much better.” I grinned, and her lips met mine once again.
My mood was beyond foul today. I was currently releasing that aggression during practice drills. I stepped from the pocket and threw the ball as hard as I could toward the receiver, hitting him with a firm smack against his pads. He made another “oomph” sound, catching it this time, and started running the other direction.
Coach Bell blew the whistle. “Set it up again.”
“Will you take it easy, Walker?” the receiver, Jared Webber, grumbled as he returned. “What crawled up your butt and died today? Geez.”
“You take care of your job, and let me take care of mine,” I snapped, grabbing another ball and getting into position.
He glared at me. “I could if you’d quit being such a damn diva.”
I straightened shuffling the football between my hands and took a step toward him. “Well, if you’d learn how to catch this without dropping it sixty percent of the time, I wouldn’t have to teach your pansy ass how it’s done, now would I?”
He ran at me, lifting his fist into the air, but Brett and several others from the line stepped in front of me, keeping him away.
I grinned and continued tossing the ball as if I didn’t have a care in the world. “Rule number one for the line. Never let them touch your quarterback. Sucks to be you right now, doesn’t it?”
Jared struggled against the guys who held him, his face red with fury.
“That was fun,” she whispered and I smiled.
“It was. Why’d you stop?”
“Because . . .” She hesitated. “I figured this is probably the first time you’ve kissed a girl since your . . . well . . . your girlfriend. I didn’t want you to feel rushed into anything.”
My thoughts instantly went—not to Nikki—but the burning kisses I’d shared with Brittney. The image of her lying on the bed beneath me was forever seared into my mind. I saw it every night before I fell asleep. This was probably not the time to bring that up.
“What’re you thinking about?” she asked, shifting uncomfortably, and I scrambled to think of something.
“How much fun I’ve had today. It’s been a long time coming.”
She smiled and traced a finger in a circle over one of my pecs before drawing down to my abs. “I hope I had something to do with that.”
“You did.” I grinned as I reached down, arresting her traveling finger and twisting it with my own. I took a deep breath, preparing to take the plunge. “How’d you like to do something with me next week? Maybe see a movie or something.” I wasn’t sure if I was really ready for this step, and I didn’t know if she was the right person to take it with, but I figured it was the least I owed her after making out like we had. I wasn’t sure if I was asking her for her, though, if she reminded me of Nikki—or if I was trying to forget about Brittney being currently wrapped in someone else’s arms. I sighed. When did life get so complicated?
“I’d love to go out with you again. What day?”
Well, I was committed now. “Hmm. I have practice most afternoons, but we are usually done by six. Maybe Thursday at seven?”
“Thursday is perfect.” She squeezed my fingers.
“What movie do you want to see?”
“I’ll let you pick. Surprise me.”
I chuckled. “Okay, but as you stated before, I’m rusty at this, so you can’t be mad at me if I mess things up.”
She laughed. “You won’t. I can’t imagine you messing anything up. You’re too nice.”
I eyed her down. “You should know I have serious issues with the word ‘nice.’ It usually doesn’t mean anything good.”
“Okay then, how about you’re too sweet?”
I groaned. “You really aren’t helping my ego.”
She giggled and shifted so she was leaning over me. “All right. Then how about you’re too much of a stud?”
“ Much better.” I grinned, and her lips met mine once again.
My mood was beyond foul today. I was currently releasing that aggression during practice drills. I stepped from the pocket and threw the ball as hard as I could toward the receiver, hitting him with a firm smack against his pads. He made another “oomph” sound, catching it this time, and started running the other direction.
Coach Bell blew the whistle. “Set it up again.”
“Will you take it easy, Walker?” the receiver, Jared Webber, grumbled as he returned. “What crawled up your butt and died today? Geez.”
“You take care of your job, and let me take care of mine,” I snapped, grabbing another ball and getting into position.
He glared at me. “I could if you’d quit being such a damn diva.”
I straightened shuffling the football between my hands and took a step toward him. “Well, if you’d learn how to catch this without dropping it sixty percent of the time, I wouldn’t have to teach your pansy ass how it’s done, now would I?”
He ran at me, lifting his fist into the air, but Brett and several others from the line stepped in front of me, keeping him away.
I grinned and continued tossing the ball as if I didn’t have a care in the world. “Rule number one for the line. Never let them touch your quarterback. Sucks to be you right now, doesn’t it?”
Jared struggled against the guys who held him, his face red with fury.
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