Whatever She's Got

by Lyla Grace

  The expansive kitchen suddenly feels very tiny, like it’s closing in on me. Clumsily, I get off of my stool and make my way into the living room. I stand at the floor-to-ceiling windows, hoping that looking out at the gigantic world in front of me will make me feel less trapped.

  “Livie?”

  “Yeah?” I turn and see him standing there, hands shoved in his pockets, the top button of his shirt undone and his tie nowhere to be found. God, is he gorgeous. I lose control. Like a predator would attack its prey, I make my way to him and fist his shirt, pulling him into me and kissing him with everything I have. He could hate me, he could push me away--but he doesn’t. Instead, his hands cup my face as he deepens the kiss. Silently, I pray for this kiss never to end. I just want to stay here in this moment with him forever. The franticness of the kiss slows and eventually comes to an end, but he’s not pulling away. He stares at me expectantly. He looks at me, eyes searching, heart on his sleeve and the remnants of my lips on his.

  I push away from him and return my gaze out the window. The city looks beautiful tonight, but it is nothing compared to the man that I have standing behind me. I will myself to speak, because if I don’t do it now…I may never have another chance.

  “I don’t deserve you, or the way you treat me. I sure as hell don’t deserve this dress or your kindness tonight. Not after how I treated you.” Out of the corner of my eye, I can see him run his hand through his hair like he always does when he is nervous or unsure. He opens his mouth to speak. Get to the point, Liv. “And even though I know I don’t deserve you, that you could do so much better than me, I can’t help but want you. I miss you, Landon, I miss us. I knew I made a mistake the minute I walked out that door. It was the worst decision I have ever made, and I am so sorry I hurt you.”

  I turn to him. What I have to say next needs to be said face to face. I want him to look into my eyes to know that what I am saying is the truth. “Seeing you again tonight, dancing with you, kissing you, it just solidified what I already knew.” My hand gently caresses his face. “I love you, Landon--I have since the moment I met you.”

  Chapter 26

  Landon

  If I never heard another word in this lifetime, I would be okay. Because those four words are all I ever need to hear. It feels like a dream, and I am tempted to pinch myself. “Say it again.”

  Her mouth curls into a smile and I can see the trepidation in her eyes dissipate. “I love you, Landon.” Touchdown. I pull her close to me. My Livie, my life, my everything. I caress her cheek, our eyes trained on each other. The look we share says more than words ever could. My lips cover hers. I pour my soul, every emotion I have ever felt in my life into this kiss as though I am sealing us for eternity, claiming her, making her mine. And that’s exactly what she is…finally.

  My nerves kick into full gear as I stand in the bathroom with my hands firmly gripping the marble countertop. It’s Game Day. This is by far the most important day in my entire football career, Super Bowl Sunday. After a long, hard season the team’s efforts have finally landed us here. The Holy Grail for any football player. By nature I am not typically a nervous guy, but this once in a lifetime—okay, maybe more if you’re a lucky son of a bitch like Tom Brady--opportunity has me more than a little jittery.

  “You okay, Stud?” she asks from the doorway. Her shoulder is leaned up against the door jamb, her arms crossed over her chest, the barely-there tank top exposing her taut nipples. Shit. I definitely do not need her kind of distraction right now. I need to focus, to get my game face on. Even though I have seen her every day for the past three months, I’ll be damned if looking at her still doesn’t make my mouth water and my dick stand at attention.

  “I’m fine,” I lie. But she can see right through me. Always can.

  Her arms wrap around my waist. “You’re going to do great. You guys got this.”

  “I couldn’t do this without you.”

  “I know,” she says, a twinkle in her eye. “You would have been too uptight to make it this far.”

  “I am not uptight,” I argue. It’s our thing. I am--I know it, she knows it, but apparently she loves me anyway.

  “You got time for a little pre-game action?” she asks. She licks her lips, fully knowing exactly what that does to me. I always have time for her, so I hoist her up; her legs wrap around my waist. One long look at her before I toss her back on the bed and have my way with her. All I can think is even if we lose tonight, I’ve already won this game. And that’s all that matters.

  I can’t believe it, I can’t fucking believe it. We won. The Knights won the fucking Super Bowl. The game was tied until Carter made a sixty-five-yard touchdown to win the game. I grab Chase and hug him. Eight years of hard work finally reached its culmination.

  “We did it, brother, we fucking did it.” Family, friends, news reporters storm the field. My mom, dad, and brother all throw their arms around me. We celebrate, the best day of our lives. My eyes dart around the field in search of Livie. She’s taken a step back from her family, so I know she isn’t with Chase. I begin to worry when I don’t see her anywhere.

  The music that is blaring through the stadium changes, a familiar song replacing it. I love the song--it’s mine and Livie’s. Definitely not what you would expect to hear at a Super Bowl. Then my eyes fall on her, and I couldn’t care less what song is playing. My girl, the Super Bowl…what more could I ask for? Perfect fucking day.

  She stops in front of me, her smile wide, her eyes filled with love. “Congratulations, Stud; I knew you could do it,” she says, my own personal cheerleader.

  “Thanks, baby,” I say as move to hug her.

  She pulls back and turns her back to me. What the hell is she up to?

  “Livie,” I shout to her.

  She turns her head back to me, hands on her hips. She’s still smiling. Laser-focused on her, it takes a moment before I realize cheers are ringing out again. I look down at the jersey she is wearing. The words “Will you marry me?” are printed on it.

  What the…. Is she serious? My jaw falls open. This can’t be real. It wasn’t that long ago that I was struggling to get her to acknowledge we were dating. Asking her to move in almost destroyed us. And now she’s proposing? This has to be a mistake. But there it is in black and white. “So, Stud, what do you say?”

  What do I say? Is she crazy? There is only one thing to say. “YES!” I shout back at her. She runs to me and jumps into my arms. I twirl her around, my head buried in her neck.

  “Are you sure?” I ask.

  “I have never been more sure of anything in my entire life. There is nothing I want more than to be your wife.”

  My lips are on hers in a heartbeat. Reporters surround us. “Hey, Landon, you just won the Super Bowl. What are you going to do now?”

  “I’m going to marry this girl,” I shout.

  The End