by Holly Renee
We were both silent for a moment. I had no idea what she was thinking about, but all I could do is imagine how this all would end.
“Here he is now.” Sarah pointed to the truck pulling into the driveway, and even though I knew it shouldn’t, my stomach tensed as I watched him climb out of the passenger seat.
“Hey there, sleepyhead.” He picked up a piece of my hair before letting it fall against my shoulder.
“Hey.”
I didn’t know how to deal with this Liam. Sure, he was physically the same guy standing in front of me, but he had never been like this at home. He was always so standoffish, so cold almost.
“I almost have him talked into it, Sarah.” His dad was climbing up the front porch steps with a small bag in his hands.
“No. He doesn’t,” Liam responded quickly. Too quickly.
“Talked into what?” I was hella curious now.
“Dad’s trying to talk me into playing in some flag football game tonight, but I’m not doing it.”
“It’s not just some game.” His dad huffed. “It’s our Masonville High alumni football team, and we’re playing our rival tonight. We could really use Liam’s arm.”
“It’s a bunch of old men reliving their glory days.”
“Not true,” Sarah said from beside me. “There are several younger guys on the team now. Brad even starts for Valley.”
I watched her as she said the words, and I swear she knew what she was doing. She knew the exact thing that would make Liam react.
“Yeah.” His dad nodded his head. “And he’s still good too. Valley High will beat us for sure tonight if he shows up.”
I snorted, and all three heads turned in my direction.
“Oh, sorry.” I held my hand over my mouth, but I couldn’t stop laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Liam cocked his head.
“Masonville High and Valley High. Arch-rivals. We really are in the south, aren’t we?” I raised an eyebrow at him. I felt like I was suddenly in the middle of some country soap opera.
“Are you making fun of us?” Liam moved in my direction, but I held my hands up to block him.
“No.” I giggled again. “I just never thought I’d hear a conversation like this in real life.”
“Dad, add me to the roster.” He bent down in front of me as his dad did an adorable little fist pump into the air. “I need to go deal with this one before the game.”
I rolled my eyes. Liam wouldn’t know how to deal with me if he tried. Especially not in front of his parents.
He wrapped his hands around my hips, and I tightened my hands on the arms of the rocking chair. “You wouldn’t dare.”
But there was a spark of playfulness in his eyes that I had never seen before. Definitely not directed at me, and I had a feeling that he would dare.
He lifted me up like I didn’t weigh a thing, and I shrieked as his shoulder knocked into my stomach.
His mom and dad were standing right there, and this barbarian threw me over his shoulder like I was his property.
“Liam, put me down!”
His dad chuckled, and I swear I saw his mama wink at him as he moved away from them.
I bounced on his shoulder as he carried me up the stairs. “Liam.” I hesitated, trying to come up with his middle name, but realized that I didn’t know it. “Wait, what’s your middle name?”
“Not important.” He was still walking, and for a moment, I wondered where the hell he was taking me.
“I bet it’s something super country like Jethro or Billy Bob.” I giggled just as he tossed me down on his bed.
“My middle name is not Billy Bob.” He rolled his eyes, but I was more concerned about the way his thighs were touching the edges of mine.
“Jethro was my first guess.”
He moved into my space, his face coming close to mine, and I tried to catch my breath from being thrown over his shoulder and being thrown into another situation where the only thing I wanted to do was press my lips against his.
“Do you have a problem with country boys?” He wrapped his fingers around my wrist, tugging me closer to him.
“No problem.” I blew some hair out of my face. “I’ve just never experienced one out in the wild like this.”
“You literally see me all the time.”
“Yeah, but you’re not quite this country at home. Being in the south really brings the redneck out in you.”
“I’m not a redneck.” He lifted the same piece of hair I was struggling with only a moment before and tucked it behind my ear. “There’s a difference between a country boy and a redneck.”
“And what if I don’t like country boys?” He was so close to me now I could practically taste the scent of him on my tongue.
“You don’t really have a choice. You’re dating one.” He raised an eyebrow in challenge.
“Fake dating one.” I pointed out the obvious. A point that neither one of us were in any danger of forgetting.
“Semantics.”
He looked down at my mouth, and I wondered if he was questioning the semantics of this arrangement as hard as I was. But Liam wasn’t as easily swayed as me. He pushed away from the bed, and I took a deep breath as I watched him walk toward his small closet.
“You have a really nice ass. Did you know that? As your fake girlfriend, it would be wrong for me not to point that out.”
I was thinking about how easily I could get used to this view just as something hit me directly in the face.
I picked up the shirt just as he said, “Go get gussied up. We have a game to win tonight.”
“Why do I have to get gussied up for your grown man football game?”
“Because, darlin’.” He put an extra strong drawl on the pet name and I swear my stomach tightened instantly. “This might be fake, but I’m still going to reap the benefits. And as your fake boyfriend, your ass is much better than nice and tonight you’re going to be my personal cheerleader.”
I held up the jersey with Gentry on the back.
“Do I get pom-poms?”
He grabbed a pair of gym shorts and boxers before making his way to the door. “As long as you’re shaking your ass and chanting my name, I’ll get you whatever you want.”
Ten
His Cheerleader
Brooke
I took what Liam said to heart, and I was dying at the way his mama kept smiling as she looked at me.
Him and his dad left the house two hours ago to go get warmed up which Sarah told me meant drink some beers before the game. The game was happening on the high school football field, and I was surprised by how many people filled the stadium as Liam’s mama and I walked up.
“I know I’m his mom, and I probably shouldn’t say this, but Liam’s going to die when he sees you.”
I hoped she wasn’t wrong. I put in a lot of work for this cheerleader job of mine.
I put on his jersey, but it practically swallowed me whole. So I rolled up the sleeves and tied up the back to pull it taut against my chest and stomach. The tiniest sliver of my stomach was showing just above the smallest pair of blue jean shorts I owned.
I questioned not wearing any of it, especially knowing his mom and dad would be here, but Liam was the one who told me he wanted them to like me less. Plus, Sarah’s reaction was basically a squeal of delight when she saw me.
I’m pretty positive it’s because she secretly wants me to get pregnant.
I don’t know how big of a secret that is to Liam, but we spent a good majority of the ride here talking about whether or not I wanted babies while I simultaneously freaked out.
I wasn’t ready to have babies.
I didn’t even have a real boyfriend, for crying out loud. Not that I could tell her that.
We took a seat in the front row, and I took a second to look around me at all the people I didn’t know.
I spotted Katie sitting with a group of other girls, and she was dressed completely normal. She had on a pair of jeans with a white ta
nk top and her brown hair laid against her shoulders in a pile of curls.
Suddenly, I felt foolish.
It was insane that I was allowing this girl who I didn’t even know to have this power over me. But Liam had loved her once upon a time, and I had never even come close.
But here I was in his old football jersey with some eye black under my eyes looking like some sort of lovesick fool.
I was staring at Katie and her friends so hard I barely noticed Sophie as she ran in my direction and pulled me into a hug.
“You’re here!”
“I’m here.” I laughed.
“Hey, Jase.” He was standing behind her looking as beautiful as always.
“Brooke.” He nodded toward me with a smirk, and I knew that he probably knew exactly why I was here. “Mrs. G.”
Sophie let me go and held me at arm’s length as she looked me up and down. “You look so damn hot.”
“It’s too much.” I looked down at my outfit.
“No.” She shook her head. “It’s perfect.” She looked over at Sarah and gave her a small wave. “Come to the concession stand with me.”
“I’ll be right back,” I said to Sarah, but Sophie was already pulling me away.
As soon as we made it out of earshot, she started in on me. “I talked to Kennedy. She told me what you’re doing.”
“Oh. She told you I was out here looking like a fool for my fake boyfriend.” I waved down at my outfit.
“Are you two fucking?” She cocked her head to the side.
“No. We’re not fucking,” I whisper-yelled because Sophie was being incredibly loud.
“Well, you’re going to be once he sees you in this outfit. I kind of want to fuck you myself.”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help grinning. “You’re ridiculous.”
“No. I’m honest.” We got in line for the concession stand, but she kept up with the questions. “Have y’all at least kissed?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“And?” She waved her hand, asking for more details.
“And what?”
“How the hell was it? I bet Liam’s a good kisser.”
I nodded my head. “He is.”
“Did you get little butterflies in your stomach when you kissed?” She was far too excited about the prospect.
“No.” I looked at her like she was crazy even though she was far too on point. “I’m too damn old for butterflies, plus we’re fake dating, remember?”
“That doesn’t make his tongue fake.”
“No. It sure doesn’t.”
“See.” She snapped her fingers. “I knew he was a good kisser.”
While she was right about his kissing skills, I couldn’t stop thinking about the time he used his tongue a little farther south. Heat spread across my chest, and for a second I wondered what the hell was happening to me. I didn’t blush, and I sure as hell didn’t fall for a guy simply because he was good at going down on me.
Okay, to be fair, he was far better than good.
Life-altering, even.
But there were plenty guys out there that could rock my world.
“Being a good kisser isn’t going to make me fall for the guy. This is a simple business deal.”
“Uh huh.” She looked like she believed me about as much as I did. “You keep telling yourself that.”
“Oh, wow. Sophie Moore, is that you?”
As soon as I heard Katie’s voice, my heart fell into my stomach. She was standing behind us in line, only one other person between us, and prayed harder than I had ever prayed before that she didn’t just overhear our conversation.
And of course the main reason was because I didn’t want her to tell Liam’s parents and ruin this entire rouse we had going, but more than that, I couldn’t stand the thought of her thinking Liam had to make a business deal to get a girl to come home with him.
To be happy.
It didn’t matter if that was the truth of what happened.
The bigger truth was that I would have come anyway for him.
“Katie, how are you?” Sophie moved to hug her, and the guy behind us seemed annoyed so I offered for him to go in front of us.
Because being closer to Katie was exactly where I wanted to be.
“I’m good.” She smiled, and I swear her smile was big and natural and real, but I still hated it. “Just about to watch Brad kick some Masonville butt tonight.”
I wanted to roll my eyes. The girl didn’t even say ass and that annoyed me far more than it should have.
“Good luck with that. Liam’s playing tonight, and he brought his good luck charm with him.” They both looked up at me, and I swear the look on Sophie’s face told me exactly how much she was enjoying this.
“Oh, right. Brooke, right?”
“Right.” I nodded my head. She knew my name.
“How long have you and Liam been together?” She seemed genuinely curious.
“A couple months,” I recited the answer we had practiced even though I wanted nothing more than to tell her we had been madly in love for years.
“Officially.” Sophie rolled her eyes playfully. “These two have been dancing around each other like two lovesick puppies since the day they met though. I’ve never seen him so smitten.”
Katie physically flinched. Only slightly, but I noticed. And for the first time since I met her, I actually felt a little sorry for her.
“I don’t know about that.”
“No. She’s right.” I was so surprised by Katie’s words that I just stared at her. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this happy.”
“He makes me really happy.” Those words slipped off my tongue far too easily. “He makes it easy.”
“He does.” She nodded, and even though she looked regretful and only a moment before I felt sorry for her, I wanted to knock her head off her shoulders in that moment.
I wanted to scream at her.
If he made it so easy, then why did you hurt him? Why did you fuck over the best fucking guy for that douchebag you are now dating?
I didn’t say any of that though. Instead, I turned toward the concession stand and ordered far too much food for Liam’s mom and I and a couple extra waters for Liam and his dad.
Sophie and Katie were still chatting a bit, about people I had no clue who they were, but all I could think about was Liam.
It was all I ever seemed to think about anymore.
“Well, we’re going to head out there. The game should be starting any minute now,” Sophie said as she piled her own food into her arms.
“Okay. I’ll catch y’all later.” We started to walk off, but Katie called out to us again. “Jeremy is having a bonfire tonight after the game to celebrate. Both teams are welcome of course.”
I had no idea who the hell Jeremy was, but that didn’t sound exactly awful.
“Thanks! We’ll let the guys know.”
Sophie was watching me as we walked away. “What, Soph?”
“You know who that was, right?”
“I do.” I nodded my head. “Liam told me she was his ex, but his mom told me the details.”
“I hate her.”
I was shocked because she just seemed so friendly with her.
She could see the shock on my face too. “What? I’m not in high school anymore. I’ve already decked her once for her mistake. We don’t need to hash it out again.”
“Wait.” I almost dropped my food as I swiveled in her direction. “You punched her?”
“Yup.” She looked so damn proud. “Tucker and Liam wouldn’t let me say shit to her after what she did to Liam, so I waited until the day they left. Poor girl was traumatized, but it felt so damn good. She deserved it.”
We kept walking back to our seats. “I didn’t think I could love you more, but I do.”
She laughed, and I was so distracted by her that I almost missed Liam leaning against the fence in front of Jase and his mom. He was wearing a pair of gym shorts that hung low on hi
s hips and showed off every single ridge of his impressive stomach.
He was so incredibly handsome, and I swear every female within a hundred-foot radius had their eyes on him but he was looking at me.
I handed his mom her food and set my food down next to her as I took a moment to avoid him and the way he was looking at me like he wanted to eat me alive. I turned back toward him, two water bottles in my hands, and I held them out to him. “I got you and your dad a water.”
I was pretty sure he hadn’t registered a word I said. He reached out for my hand, tugging me toward him, and my chest pressed against his.
He stared down at me without saying a word, and I could barely breathe. This was where everything became so confusing. This right here. It felt real. Far too real. But I didn’t know where the truth began and the lies ended.
Was this for him or was this for everyone else?
“What?” My voice sounded as breathless as I felt.
“You really took the cheerleader thing to heart, huh?” His hand moved to my hip. It was an innocent touch, but I felt like he was stripping me bare right here for everyone to see.
“I’m nothing if not a little extra.” I shrugged as he grinned.
“Are you going to cheer for me?” He moved his face closer to mine and pressed a kiss on my jaw that was so gentle I almost thought I imagined it.
“If that’s what you want.”
His lips were now right against my ear. “I want a lot of things.”
I swear to God a chill ran through my body and everyone in those bleachers or on that field had a front-row view of Liam turning me to putty in his hands.
“If we lose this game, I’m blaming you.”
“Me?” I turned my face to look at him, but that only put his mouth incredibly close to mine. “What did I do?”
“You came here looking like a wet fucking dream, and I’m going to be distracted.” His hand tightened on my hip, and I swear if we weren’t in front of his whole damn town I would say fuck this agreement. I wanted Liam, and despite our history, I knew he wanted me too.