by J. Nathan
She released a slow breath, clearly expecting something much worse. “Fine,” she said.
“He told me you were a virgin.”
She flinched.
“He was trying to get to me, like he knew something personal about you, which I guess he thought would make me think you told him things you didn’t tell me.”
“We were playing Have You Ever,” she explained. “And it just came out.”
“It’s not your fault. And believe me, I tried to avoid him, but he kept pushing. Then he said something like he wondered how long you’d stay that way.”
She gasped.
“He wanted me to think he was gonna take your virginity.”
I watched as the blood drained from her face.
“So, I punched him,” I continued, needing her to know everything. “And he made it look like I started it, so Coach was pissed at me. The guy’s a snake, Em. I just want you to know who you’re hanging with.”
“Who I hung with,” she said. “I’m sorry I didn’t hear you out. That was wrong of me.”
A cocky smile pulled up the corner of my mouth. “I’d say you’ve made it up to me.”
Her brows shot up. “Oh, yeah?”
I pushed forward and rolled her onto her back, covering her with my body. “Definitely wouldn’t be opposed to you trying to make it up to me some more, though.”
She couldn’t respond because my lips captured hers.
When I finally pulled away, I said, “Let’s stop at that store across the street and grab you some clothes before we head back. You’ve been wearing yours since Alabama.”
“So, that’s your idea?”
“Nope. I’m full of them, baby.”
She laughed, and I loved that I had that effect on her.
I leaned down and buried my lips where her neck met her shoulder. I teased her with kisses that turned her laughter into quiet moans that would undoubtedly leave me hard as a rock for the foreseeable future.
* * *
I grabbed Emery’s hand as we walked out of the store with a bag full of clothes and a new outfit on her. While she’d been in the changing room, I’d been able to secure the surprise I hoped I could give her. We made our way across the street and the second we stepped into the hospital parking lot, her body tensed.
“What’s wrong?”
She looked around the crowded lot, as if expecting to find something there. “Nothing.”
“Em. This is me. Talk to me.”
“Wayne,” she whispered. “I keep expecting him to appear.”
I released her hand and wrapped my arm around her shoulders, pulling her into my side as we continued to walk. “I’m here. Nothing’s gonna happen to you.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because I know Wayne. And I know what a coward he is. He doesn’t fight men. He fights women because he’s stronger than they are. That’s the sign of a coward.”
“He’s stronger than me,” she admitted.
“It’s not gonna come to that,” I assured her. But could I really be sure? I wouldn’t be with her twenty-four hours a day. Maybe I could convince her to train in the gym with me. “I’ll teach you how to defend yourself.”
She balked.
“I’m serious. We’ll make sure that coward never lays a finger on you or anyone else for that matter ever again.”
She said nothing the rest of the way up to her mother’s room. I wondered if she believed me or if she just thought I was trying to make her feel better.
Emery’s somber mood changed once we stepped into her mother’s room. And despite the patient on the other side of the curtain in the center of the room, Em’s mom still had the privacy she needed to heal. “Hi, Mama,” Emery said.
Her mother was sitting up in bed watching television and she gave us a small smile. “You’re back.”
Emery sat in the chair beside the bed. “You look so much better.”
“I feel better. The doctor said I could be released in a few days.”
Emery’s eyes expanded and instead of shining with excitement, they were filled with fear. “A few days? You can’t go back home.”
“She’s not,” I announced as I placed my hand on Emery’s shoulder. “She’s going to my parent’s house.”
Emery and her mother looked to me confused. “What?”
“I spoke to them this morning.” I glanced to Emery. “You heard what my dad said. My mom needs something to do. And there’s nothing she loves more than taking care of people.”
“I couldn’t,” Emery’s mother said.
“Why not?” I asked. “She’s excited to have you. But she knows it’s only until you get back on your feet and find a place of your own that’s safe.”
“This is your idea?” Emery asked, almost unable to believe it.
I nodded. “Your mom will be taken care of and close to you.” I squeezed her shoulder. “You won’t have to leave school. It’s a win for everyone.”
Appreciation shone in Emery’s eyes. And something about that look made me want to do more things to get her to look at me that way. She looked to her mother. “Would it be something you’d be willing to consider?”
Indecision flashed in her mom’s eyes.
I wanted to say whatever I could to convince her it was the right decision. I couldn’t lose Em again.
“The Gradys are wonderful people,” Em continued. “You know that Mama. They love me and care about you too.”
She sat silent for several seconds. “Can I think about it?”
Emery nodded. “Whatever you need, Mama.”
“Would it be okay if I spoke to your mom?” she asked me.
“Yeah. Of course. But let me warn you. She’s gonna try tempting you with promises of fresh dumplings. They’re her specialty.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve had southern cooking,” she said with a smile.
That gave me hope my plan just might work after all.
Emery
I stood by the sliding doors of the hospital lobby with Jordan’s arms around me.
“Do I need to worry about you?” he asked into the crown of my head.
I shook my head against his chest. “You already threatened every cop who would listen that they needed to escort me to and from the hotel.”
He laughed. “Damn straight I did.”
I snickered, but the thought of being there alone, with Wayne still out there somewhere, filled my body with fear.
“I’ll see you in a week,” he assured me.
I nodded.
“Everything’s gonna be fine. Isn’t that what you said before forcing me to get back to campus?”
I stepped out of his arms and gave him a brave smile. “Yes. I’ll be fine.”
He stared at me and I wondered if he was looking for a sign that I was lying. But I wouldn’t cave. He needed to get back to school. And he needed to play football. “I’ll be at the airport when you get back,” he finally said. “Should I bring a sign?”
“A sign?” I laughed. “You’re so stupid.”
“Why?”
“Because I couldn’t miss you in a crowd of thousands.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Emery
The week dragged by. I missed all my classes and, more importantly, I missed Jordan. We’d spoken every day, but it wasn’t the same as having him there with me. The positive side was my mama had gotten stronger. And she was heading home with me—or at least to the Grady’s. And that was all that mattered.
The police hadn’t located Wayne, so security remained a huge concern for both of us. But Jordan’s uncle Cal had worked his legal magic and secured twenty-four-hour protection outside the Grady’s home. A police car would be a beacon alerting Wayne of her whereabouts, so he arranged for an unmarked vehicle with a plain-clothes officer to be parked nearby until Wayne was caught.
There’d been talk of hiring security for me on campus, but b
ecause I’d never been a target for Wayne and security on campus was tight, I was allowed to return. Jordan’s uncle met with the dean and campus security. They decided I needed to travel to and from classes with another person, and I was never allowed to be alone outside of my dorm room.
As our plane landed in Alabama, I gathered our belongings—pretty much what we had on our backs and the few items Jordan and I had bought at the store in Arizona. Since the house was no longer a crime scene, Jordan offered to go grab my mom’s belongings, but she didn’t want him to. I wondered if she worried about what he’d see.
We waited for the other passengers to disembark, then I helped my mom off the plane. I grabbed a wheelchair and wheeled her past the luggage claim and out to the lobby.
I glanced around the crowded area. There were people reuniting with loved ones and people saying their goodbyes. My heartbeat stuttered when I spotted Jordan standing there. A smooth smile slipped across his face when he spotted me. He didn’t hold the sign he teased me about as he strolled toward us empty-handed.
My heart thumped in tandem with his steps.
When he finally reached us, he leaned down to my mom first and hugged her, which just made me adore him more. “How are you feeling?” he asked her.
“Good, honey. Thank you for everything.”
He stepped back from my mom. “You might want to look away for a minute,” he told her. “I intend to kiss your daughter until she forgets her name.”
She laughed as she looked away, taking in the scenery in the opposite direction to give us the moment Jordan requested.
Jordan swept me right off my feet. “Hi,” he said, his nose rubbing playfully against mine.
I wrapped my arms around him. “Hi.”
His lips found mine and, for the first time since he’d returned to Alabama, I could breathe easier. His tongue licked its way into my mouth and tangled with mine. I didn’t even care people passed by us—or that my mom was right there. I was caught up in the moment. Caught up in Jordan’s kiss. His arms around me. His scent. His affection.
With my mom healing and back in Alabama and Jordan in my life, I was home.
* * *
After settling my mom into Jordan’s parents’ house, all I wanted to do was spend my first night back on campus with Jordan at his house. But, because bad-timing seemed to be our thing, he was hopping on a bus for Mississippi. He didn’t want to leave me on my first weekend back, but I assured him I’d stay in my dorm room and order takeout until he returned. Plus, I had lots of school work to catch up on.
That night, Raquel and I threw our pillows on the floor and created a soft place to lay and catch up. We talked for a long time about what happened to my mom, and growing up in a home with an abusive stepdad. I hoped I wouldn’t be such an enigma to her anymore because that had never been my intention. Now I realized, I had a good friend in her if only I let her in. She also filled me in on her family. It felt good to finally learn more about her, though I knew she was still full of surprises.
Someone knocked on our door and we both stilled, listening for whomever it was to announce themselves.
“Em.” Jordan’s voice carried through the door.
Raquel and I relaxed, laughing when we realized we’d both been holding our breaths.
I jumped to my feet and unlocked the deadbolt before pulling open the door.
Jordan stood there in low-hanging sweats and a blue T-shirt, which accentuated his eyes.
“I thought you left?”
“I couldn’t leave without seeing you one more time,” he said as he pulled me into his chest and wrapped his arms around me.
Raquel sighed behind us, making sure to exaggerate it so we could hear.
Jordan chuckled before dropping a peck on my lips. “I’ll call and text. You need to do the same.”
“I will.”
“There’s one more thing.”
My brows shot up. “What?”
“Go on a date with me.”
My head flinched back. “What?”
“We’ve never actually gone on a date and I think it’d be a good thing for us to do. You know, do what normal people do when they start dating.”
My heart thumped in my chest, never so anxious for a weekend to end so I could see him again. “Okay.”
“Good,” he smiled. “When I get back, I’m picking you up and we’re doing something fun.”
I laughed, continually surprised by him.
“I’m gonna miss you,” he said, before kissing me one last time, this time slow and soft and weakening my knees.
“Jealous roommate right here. Could you stop rubbing your happiness in my face?”
We both laughed as we looked to Raquel sitting amongst the mound of pillows on the floor.
“I’ll talk to you later,” Jordan said as his hand drifted over my cheek. He stepped back and motioned to the door as he stepped through it into the hallway. “Close this. And lock it.”
I nodded, pulling the door closed slowly so I could see him right up until it clicked shut.
“I want a Grady for myself,” Raquel said as I locked the deadbolt.
I turned away from the closed door and looked to her. “You sure you could handle him?”
She shook her head. “Nah, he’s too hooked on you. That’s for damn sure.”
* * *
“When are you gonna break the news to Flip?” Raquel asked as we watched the football game on television Saturday night. “That’s if Grady hasn’t already rubbed it in his face.”
“Flip deserves it.”
Raquel’s mouth dropped. “That’s the meanest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”
“He tried to keep Jordan and me apart. That’s not cool.”
“It’s still gonna sting to know you’re dating the enemy.”
“You make it sound so dramatic,” I laughed.
“Nope, but guys are territorial. And those two already hate each other. What’s next for them? A gunfight at noon? A duel at sundown? Lightsabers?” Her voice trailed off as Flip threw a long pass down the field on TV. We waited with bated breath to see who caught it. A Mississippi player.
“Nooo,” I cried.
The Mississippi player sped down the sideline with the ball under his arm to the deafening roar of the home crowd. He neared their end zone, looking ready to throw himself right into it. Out of nowhere, Jordan came barreling at him, lowering himself and throwing his arm around the player’s hips, stripping the football right out of his arm as they both tumbled to the ground.
“Yessss!” I screamed, moving so close to the television it was a wonder I could see anything.
Jordan wasn’t done. He jumped up and grabbed the loose ball, tucked it under his arm, and ran. I’d never seen him move so fast. The weight he’d lost made him faster and, dare I say, stealthier. Jordan’s teammates blocked for him, keeping the Mississippi players at bay as he hit the fifty-yard-line…then the forty…the thirty…the twenty…the ten…Touchdown!
Raquel and I jumped around our room as Jordan spiked the ball into the end zone. Within seconds, he was encircled by his teammates jumping all over him. The camera zoomed in for a brief moment, and I could see Jordan beaming with pride from under his helmet.
Flip ran toward him, waiting for the guys to release him so he could slap his hand.
I stilled, waiting for Jordan’s reaction. I saw the moment he spotted Flip. He paused then lifted his fist for Flip to tap. They separated after, the fans none the wiser to the fact that they hated each other.
They ended up winning by seven.
Raquel took off to take a shower while I watched the post-game, hoping they’d interview Jordan. They did. His helmet was off, his cheeks flushed, and his sweaty hair jutted out all over.
“Great game, Jordan,” the sideline reporter greeted him with her pretty smile.
My body buzzed watching his cool demeanor as he answered her questions like the star he
was always meant to be.
“What do you think was different about today’s game for you?”
He smirked, and I couldn’t fathom what he’d say. “Right now,” he said, his eyes looking directly into the camera. “Things are going very well for me in all aspects of my life. I’ve got the support from my coaches and teammates, as well as my parents and my amazing girlfriend.”
My entire being melted into a useless pile of goo at the sound of the word girlfriend out of his mouth.
“I think that carried out onto the field today,” he continued.
“It did,” the reporter assured him. “Thanks for taking the time, Jordan,” she said.
“Thank you,” he said, before she sent it back to the studio.
I sat there, long after the interview ended. I wanted to pinch myself. I wanted to be sure it was all real. Getting something you’ve wanted for such a long time was unlike any other feeling out there. It was surreal. And scary. But it was also…amazing.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Grady
I couldn’t fucking wait to see Emery. It had been tough being away from her, especially knowing she was alone and otherwise unprotected on campus without me there. But, we’d spoken and texted, which gave me some relief.
I climbed the stairwell until I reached her floor, unusually nervous—probably because I didn’t want to mess up our first date. I’d worn a navy Henley, dark jeans, and a navy hat pulled down low—the way Emery liked it. I was going for casual but not too casual. She knew me better than anyone else, so I didn’t want her to think I was trying too hard. Though I totally was.
I made my way to her door, stopping outside of it. I stared at their sign asking visitors to announce themselves. To anyone else, it seemed as though they were channeling ancient times when suitors were required to be announced. But I knew the truth behind the sign. I knew why it was imperative they didn’t open the door for anyone. Why my girlfriend needed to constantly look over her shoulder. And it sucked.
“Em, it’s me,” I said through the door, tapping gently on it.
It took a minute, but the door opened.
My breath caught in my throat at the sight of her standing there. Her hair hung in loose curls. Her makeup was minimal but enough to tell me she wanted to look good for me. And her red strapless dress ended mid-thigh so there was still something left to the imagination. “Wow.”