by Amber Heart
Leigh flipped channels trying to find something innocuous to watch. “Here we go. We’ll learn about airbrush makeup.”
“Fascinating.” Dean folded one of the couch pillows in half and stuffed it under his head.
Within 10 minutes, he was asleep. Leigh was pleased to learn that he didn’t snore. Instead he slept quietly, one arm behind his head and the other hand resting on his stomach. She meant to turn the television off and wake him up. She meant to go to bed like a normal person. Instead, lulled by the sales people on television and the warmth of his body, she fell asleep.
Chapter 7
Dean woke up feeling a whole lot better. His back only twinged a little when he shifted and pulled Everleigh closer. Wait. That would explain why he felt so great.
Everleigh had apparently gone to sleep shortly after him and now she was lying pretty much on top of him. Her cheek rested on his chest and her right arm and right leg were slung over him as well. She felt so damn good against him that he was tempted to fall asleep again.
Then he realized that it was Thursday. Which meant early practice. Which meant that the sunlight spilling over them, awakening the red highlights in that long hair he loved so much, was a bad sign.
He stretched out and grabbed his phone off of the coffee table. Everleigh mumbled in her sleep, wrapping her arm more tightly around him as he checked the time.
“Shit!” He had ten minutes to get to practice.
“What?” she mumbled, pressing her face into his solid chest to block out the sunlight. Then she sat up so fast that her head spun. “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry!”
Dean rolled off the couch and got to his feet. “I’ve gotta get to practice.”
Leigh pushed her hands through her hair. “Yeah, of course.” She could feel her face getting hotter and hotter and she was glad that he was focused on putting his shoes on rather than looking at her. He must think that she was incredibly desperate. She stood up. “Have a good--”
He pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers. Leigh made a surprised noise low in her throat. The kiss was over before she knew it and he was grinning crookedly at her.
“Don’t be sorry. And thanks for the pizza.”
“Uh, sure. No problem,” she said as he walked out the door. “See you tomorrow.”
Once the door was shut behind him, Leigh dropped back down to the couch. She ran her fingers over her lips. They were still tingling. It might have only lasted a split second, but it had been a hell of a kiss.
****
Leigh jumped when her phone dinged. She’d been on edge all day. She couldn’t stop thinking about Dean. More specifically, the kiss he’d given her so casually.
She wasn’t the type to overanalyze. At least, not normally. The handful of relationships she’d been in throughout high school and college had been pretty much drama free at the beginning and the end. They’d all been guys a lot like her. Studious and slightly introverted. More likely to spend a Saturday night on the couch than at a party.
Guys like Dean had never even popped up on her radar. She was perfectly willing to admit that she didn’t understand how he dealt with all the attention, how part of him seemed to thrive on it. So how was she supposed to take this new development when there was so much about him that she didn’t understand?
Did he want to sleep with her? That thought didn’t make any sense, not when there were plenty of other girls he could have. Hotter girls. Girls who were comfortable in the spotlight, and much more popular than she was.
Furthermore, Leigh liked to be in an established relationship with guys she went to bed with. She and Dean had barely known each other for a month. There was no denying that she wanted him, though.
She chewed her lower lip in deep thought. Waking up with him this morning had been pretty perfect. He was taller and more muscular than the guys she’d been with in the past and the way his body had cradled hers from head to toe had been distracting her all day. Just remembering it now made her knees a little weak.
She picked up her phone, her stomach going topsy-turvy when she saw Dean’s name.
“Coach was mad as hell that I was late. I think it was worth it. Looking forward to tomorrow, Everleigh.”
Leigh put her phone back into her pocket, realizing slowly that she was grinning from ear to ear. She was looking forward to seeing him too.
****
“Um. Hi,” Leigh said the next night when she opened the door for him.
“Hey,” Dean said walking over to the couch and dropping down onto it with a sigh.
“Uh...how’s your back?”
“Mostly better. I hate to break it to you, but no one knocked me down yesterday. I know you like that.”
Leigh couldn’t figure out what to say. It was like her brain had gone numb. Dean looked at her closely.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“Fine!” she said, her voice much too high pitched.
He raised an eyebrow. “Okay. Why don’t you try being honest with me now?”
She threw her hands up and sat down beside him. “What was up with kissing me before you left?”
Dean rubbed his chin and she heard the slight scrape of stubble. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for a while now. I figured I’d take my shot.”
She looked at him in surprise. “For how long?”
“Pretty much right about when you stopped pissing me off,” he said. “Actually no. I wanted to kiss you the day I went and helped you change your tire. So pretty much since we met, I guess.”
Leigh blinked. “Really? Even back then?”
Dean shrugged. “What do you want me to say? You’re sexy.”
“I am not sexy,” she said with a laugh. “I’m just...normal.”
“Yeah right. And I’m just okay at playing football,” Dean said with a grin.
“So I’m just as hot as your football playing skills?”
He laughed. “Don’t get carried away.”
“I’m mediocre compared to your football playing skills but all right in general?” she teased.
He pulled her against him and tilted her chin up so that she had to look into his eyes. “Baby, there is nothing mediocre about you,” he said seriously.
Leigh felt her cheeks heat up. “And you just couldn’t help but kiss me goodbye?”
“That wasn’t even a real kiss,” he said, still looking into her eyes.
“It wasn’t?”
“Nah. I was just testing it out. Seeing if you were going to punch me.”
“I didn’t.”
“I know.” His mouth tugged into that devastating half smile. “What do you think?”
“I’m not planning on punching you now either.”
“Good.”
His hand was gentle on the back of her neck as he leaned down and kissed her. Leigh parted her lips and his tongue teased hers slowly.
“It’s like this,” he said, pulling back just enough to speak, his lips only a breath above hers. “It starts out slow, because I’m trying to build something up here.”
“Something like what?” she whispered.
“Tension.” Dean brushed his fingers down the curve of her cheek. “The more tension, the better.”
Leigh gripped the front of his shirt. She’d already been tense for several weeks now. She gasped when his lips moved down the side of her neck, the slight stubble on his chin rasping over her skin and making her shiver.
He pressed a kiss directly over her pounding pulse and she moaned, then clapped one hand over her mouth. Dean tugged it away, twining his fingers through hers.
“I want to touch you,” he informed her, pulling back to look into her eyes.
She nodded shakily and felt his hands cup her breasts over her shirt. She arched into the touch, surprising herself. She wasn’t a virgin, but she’d never really gotten the big deal about sex. For her, intimacy was mental, not physical. But now...with Dean’s hands on her, his thumbs lazily rubbing over her, making her nipples harden under his touch, she g
ot it.
Leigh’s head fell back as his mouth moved to her neck again and then down. He kissed over her collarbone and flicked the top button of her shirt open, pressing his lips to the newly bared skin. Button after button was undone and his mouth continued down, over the swell of her breasts, directly on her nipples which were still covered by the thin fabric of her bra...He deftly swung her around and moved so that he was over her on the couch, kneeling between her legs. His mouth moved down her stomach, over her belly button.
Leigh reached out and grabbed him, pulling him up again, yanking his shirt off and tossing it to the floor. It was the first time she’d seen him without it and she couldn’t help but stare. Muscle in defined ridges, a line of crisp, dark hair down the center of his chest. She traced it with her fingertip, making him bite his lip.
She tugged him down, wanting to feel his weight on top of her, wanting his mouth on hers once more. Dean didn’t seem to mind. He took her mouth more forcefully this time, making her gasp for air when the kiss broke. A surge of pleasure made her cry out suddenly when he moved forward, pushing against the center of her. She could feel that he was hard. She could also tell that he was big pretty much everywhere.
“God, baby, I want you so much,” he said, his voice rough against her skin.
“I want you too,” Leigh whispered. “But...I can’t. I can’t do that yet.”
To his credit, Dean went still immediately on hearing that. But he did groan against her neck.
“You’re killing me,” he said, his tone rueful.
“I just...we don’t know each other that well,” she said, struggling not to arch up under him when he began kissing his way up her neck, nipping at her earlobe. “It hasn’t been long enough.”
“I disagree,” Dean said as he sat up. “It’s been thousands of minutes since we met.”
Leigh laughed breathlessly. “A good point, but not good enough.” She began chewing her thumbnail. “I’m sorry.”
He caught her hand. “Hey. Don’t be sorry. Just...” Dean caught his breath, realizing that he was in for an uncomfortable few hours at least. “The minute you’re ready...call me.”
Chapter 8
“This is so freaking cool!”
Leigh smiled at Sophie, her friend from the pizza place. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I’m freezing my butt off.”
The autumn wind had a much more distinct chill of winter now and the iron gray clouds were refusing to let any sunlight through to the shivering spectators. Most of them were bundled in several layers, Leigh and Sophie included, but it didn’t help as much as she’d hoped.
“Oh come on, you’re excited, I can tell.”
Sophie leaned forward, watching the team run onto the field with sparkling eyes. The stadium erupted with cheers. Some people were actually chanting Dean’s name. Leigh smiled and drew her coat more tightly around herself. It was good to hear so many people supporting him.
“Okay,” she admitted in the interest of honesty. “I’m a little bit excited.”
Sophie laughed. “I think you’ve fallen victim to his charms after all.”
Leigh cleared her throat. “He’s nicer than I thought,” she said primly. “And a lot smarter, too.”
Sophie poked her in the ribs. “And hot, am I right?”
Leigh put her nose in the air. “I never said he wasn’t hot.”
“Look, there he is!” Sophie pointed to him. “Number 42!”
He’d taken his position. Leigh put her thumbnail into her mouth and began to chew. He’d been worried about this game, even though he hadn’t wanted to admit it. It was the first one since the rough victory of two weeks ago.
“There’s the snap,” Sophie said, still leaning forward. “Oh, he’s got it!”
Leigh clapped her hand over her eyes. Sophie tugged it down and they watched as Dean ran. He dodged two of the other team’s linemen and faked out a third. A lightening quick reversal had him into the end zone. The crowd was on their feet, Leigh included. It had been an astonishingly quick and efficient play.
“An amazing start to the game from the Tigers running back, Dean Harper!” the commentator boomed. “It’s no wonder several recruiters have had their eyes on him. We haven’t seen speed like that in years!”
Leigh just barely held back a squeal. There was no way she was going to prove herself that far gone, but she did clap till her hands hurt.
“Are recruiters really watching him?” she asked Sophie when the crowd had managed to calm down.
Sophie shook her head with a laugh. “You really don’t keep up with anything but classes, do you?”
“Well...” Leigh said. “Okay, no. But I’m asking now.”
“Yeah,” Sophie said seriously. “They’ve been watching him for a while. This year especially. I think he could go pro anytime he wanted.”
Leigh smiled. “That’s really good to hear.” First of all, because he wanted it so badly. Second of all, because he obviously intended to graduate before he went pro. Pride welled up within her and she had to hide a smile. She didn’t want Sophie to know. Not yet.
The rest of the game flew by and she was surprised to find herself actually interested. The team was up by quite a lot, but she was almost holding her breath by the last quarter. When the Tigers were announced the winners, she stood and clapped again, joining in as the rest of the people in the stadium shouted happily.
The crowd milled about in cheerful chaos and a few girls Leigh knew from class called to Sophie. Sophie waved back and Leigh made her way down to the field while her friend was distracted. She doubted that she’d get to Dean, but maybe she could wave. She just wanted him to know that she had been there. That she’d seen him exceed everyone’s expectations. That she was proud of him.
As she got within sight of the field, a pretty redhead swept past her, moving confidently toward the players. Leigh thought absently that the girl must be seeing one of the other guys on the team. Then the redhead stepped up to Dean, threw her arms around him, and kissed him.
Leigh stopped in her tracks for just a split second. The girl was stretching up, her body curving sensually to Dean’s. They looked like they fit together. They were both remarkably attractive, both of them exuded confidence. She remembered the way the girl had moved through the crowd, expecting and accepting the way it parted for her.
Leigh spun around and worked her way back through the throng. This time she moved quickly, desperately. If he saw her now... She couldn't let that happen. Her eyes misted over as her throat tightened. Thank God she hadn’t said anything to Sophie. Or anyone else, for that matter.
By the time she managed to get home, she was sobbing and feeling like a complete idiot for doing it. She’d barely been able to see to drive home. As she opened her door, she was profoundly thankful that her roommate had gotten the last of her things the day before. She really didn’t want to run into anyone when she looked like this.
Leigh locked the front door and walked down the hall, trying to stop crying. They hadn’t even been together, for God’s sake! At least, not officially. But she couldn’t stop picturing it. And her heart wouldn’t stop hurting. And, overly dramatic or not, all she wanted to do was drop into her bed and cry herself sick.
She went into the bathroom and washed her face. A glance in the mirror set her off again. She would have bet her life that the redhead cried prettily. She, Leigh, did not. Her nose was as red as Rudolph’s. Her eyes were nearly swollen shut. And she’d produced more snot than she’d thought possible. It was the final straw.
Leigh went into her bedroom, closed the shades to plunge the room into darkness and stripped off her clothes. She pulled on her ratty yoga pants and an old sweatshirt, kicking her clothes in the direction of the hamper in the corner. Then she crawled into bed, pulled the covers up around her shoulders and cried. It hurt more than she’d thought possible.
She hadn’t known Dean that long. But it didn’t matter. She had completely fallen for him. Much too fast and much too
hard. And now she was paying for it.
Leigh heard her phone ding with a text. Then another. Then another. Then a phone call. She pulled a pillow over her head. She didn’t want to hear it. It was either Dean telling her that they were through, or Dean not telling her they were through. After the kiss she’d seen, she didn’t want to hear either one.
****
Dean frowned at his phone the second time he got Everleigh’s voicemail. She’d promised to come to the game, but he couldn’t find her anywhere. As he searched through the crowd, he ran into a girl that he remembered seeing with Leigh on campus a few times.