by Lizzie James
She nodded, her eyes shining with unshed tears before bending down and pressing her lips to mine.
I groaned, entwining my hands in the hair flowing down her back, holding her to me. After a few moments, I pulled back, not wanting to be revved up. Just looking at her did that to me. “Want to stay and watch a movie?” I asked, hoping she'd say yes.
She nodded, getting off me. She grabbed her sketchpad out of her bag and joined me back on the bed, lying down so that her head was down by my feet. Opening her pad, she grabbed a pencil and began drawing.
Turning Netflix on, I played the latest episode of Lucifer, knowing how much she enjoyed the program. I placed my hand on her leg, planning to tickle the skin there but that didn’t happen. Minutes later, I dozed off, letting my exhaustion win.
It was hours before I woke to a room of darkness. The only light coming in was from the light under Sammy's door. Looking down, I smiled when I saw Tillie cuddled up against me. We were in the spooning position and it felt perfect.
I nuzzled my nose against her neck, breathing in her sweet, vanilla scent. She stirred, turning her head in my direction.
“How are you still here?” I mumbled, thankful that she was.
“I fell asleep.” She chuckled before relaxing again. “I rang Joy near midnight and told her where I was staying. I didn’t want her to worry.”
“She must really trust me.” I chuckled, finding it amusing.
“She does,” she whispered. She turned her head and pressed a quick kiss to my cheek. “As do I.”
A few moments later, her breathing evened out before sleep took her back under where she remained until morning.
The next morning, I slid my arm gently from beneath her, being extra careful to not wake her. She had slept soundly for the rest of the night. As had I.
After taking a jog around the block, I took a quick shower—a nice, quick and very cold shower before drying off and getting dressed for class. Tillie slept through it all, not even fidgeting when I dropped my bag on the bed.
I grinned, crawling up the bed until I was over her. She looked too fucking cute lying in my bed. Her hair was a mess, sticking up in every direction and had the sexiest little pout on her lips. I couldn’t resist. I leaned down, intending on a quick kiss but when I pulled back, she groaned, opening her eyes.
“Good morning.” I grinned down at her. She had a ‘just fucked’ look about her that was making my cock start to come to life.
She looked over at the clock and frowned. “Why are you up so early?” She looked disgusted that it was only seven. She grabbed the blankets and tried pulling them up.
“It’s game day. We always get an early morning practice in. Coach says it helps put us in the winning frame of mind.” I laughed at her reaction.
“Then why don’t ‘we’ go to practice and I can go back to sleep.” She fought with the blankets and this time I let her win. She pulled them up, covering half her face with them.
“Don’t I get a good luck kiss?” I teased.
Silence followed for a few minutes before she gave in, pulling the blankets down. She grabbed the collar of my tee and pulled my lips down to hers. I groaned at the feel of her small body beneath mine. She wound her arms around my neck, causing her chest to brush against mine. She was in a thin t-shirt and I could feel her nipples harden.
I pulled my lips back, noticing how red hers were.
“I’ll see you later, line-backer.” She smiled up at me, tucking the blanket back in around her.
I got up, grabbing my bag and heading for the door. Turning to look at her, I grinned, loving the sight of her there.
“I like waking up with you,” I whispered.
Half of me wanted her to hear me and the other half, I admit, was afraid for her to hear me.
Her eyes opened slowly before a small smile graced her face. “Me too.”
Leaving her to get an extra hour of sleep, I jogged downstairs, grabbing an apple and waited for the boys. Chunk soon followed and then Sammy.
Logan took the longest looking a lot like Tillie that morning. “This football shit sucks,” he groaned, slinging his bag on his back. “Seven in the morning is no time for practice.”
I laughed, leading them from the house and leaving a key on the shelf for Tillie.
Logan would never make it as an actual player. I expected he was only in the team for the first year to get extra credits for comparison in his later subjects. He’d make a terrible player with the commitment, but I knew he’d make an excellent sports therapist one day.
11
Tillie
Climbing out of bed, I wanted nothing more than to stay there, all day if I could. His bed was so comfy.
Hearing my phone vibrate, I quickly grabbed it out of my bag, cringing at how loud it was.
“Hello?” I hated answering calls off private numbers.
“Hey, chicka!” Bex replied, sounding way too loud and cheery. “Want to have brekkie before class?”
We had a free lesson on Fridays, so our classes didn’t usually start until 10:30am.
I nodded before replying. “Sure. Just let me go home and get changed.” I cringed at my reply. I didn’t want her knowing I had spent the night at Johnny’s. She could be like a dog with a bone.
“Go home?” she asked, sounding confused. “Go home. Tillie, where the fuck are you?” She gasped before continuing. “You slept with Johnny!” she screeched, sounding like a wound-up toy.
I cringed, pulling the phone away from my ear. “Calm down. I only fell asleep,” I defended. Her comments had me blushing like a stupid little girl that had gotten caught stealing cookies or something.
“Okay.” She didn’t believe me. “Carter’s at nine.” She hung up.
Breakfast now sounded like the worst idea ever. I grabbed my bag, pulling my hoodie on and left the house, locking up with the key left on the shelf. Walking in to Joy’s, I smiled when I saw her going through a gardening catalogue.
“Hi sweetie,” she smiled up at me.
“Thank you for last night.” I bent and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I fell asleep and was too comfy to move.”
She laughed, making me grin. Joy had gotten to know me well enough to know how much I loved a comfy bed. I stood, waiting for her to ask me the awkward questions that I knew Bex was gearing up to ask in just under an hour.
“Everything okay?” she asked, smiling up at me. There was a cheeky sparkle in her eye, but she never asked or hinted at anything. “Are you going to the game tonight?”
“Yes, Chunk got me a ticket.”
She frowned at my response.
“Is that okay?”
“Of course. I forgot to tell you that I’m away this weekend. A few of us ladies had booked tickets to go and see a play.” She looked worried at the thought of leaving me on my own.
“Oh, that’s cool,” I enthused, trying to make her feel better. “Have a good time!”
She relaxed at my words, going back to browsing through her catalogue.
Jogging upstairs, I took a quick shower and changed, throwing my hair up in a bun.
After wishing Joy safe travels, I left the house, making sure to grab the keys. Making my way to Carter’s Café, I resolved to be honest with Bex. Sex was obviously a touchy subject for me and it wasn’t like I could talk to Joy about it. I wondered if Bex might be able to offer some good advice.
Walking in, I grinned at Bex, who sat in a booth at the back, waving enthusiastically at me. There couldn’t have been more than ten people inside. I grinned, sitting across from her, smiling at the waitress coming to our table with a latte for Bex and a steaming hot chocolate with extra chocolate sprinkles for me.
“I ordered the pancakes with extra bacon for you.” She grinned at me, knowing me all too well.
“Thanks, Bex.” I smiled at her, laughing when I saw a blush steal over her cheeks. She blushed over the craziest things. “So,” she said, shaking her head. “Give me the details.”
/> I cocked an eyebrow at her, trying to act clueless. “I only slept.”
She rolled her eyes at me. “Seriously? You had that piece of fine ass in a bed, all to yourself, and you’re trying to tell me you only slept? What the fuck? You should have been climbing him like a pole.”
I laughed, loving her enthusiasm. The more I hung out with Bex, the more I was convinced that she would be perfect for Logan. Shame she was into girls.
“So,” she said quietly. “What’s the problem?” She smiled at me, trying to make me comfortable I think.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged my shoulders, not knowing how to explain it. “I just… I don’t think I’m ready for it.”
She looked confused.
“He’s been with so many and what if I’m not enough?” It was a simple question and one I felt comfortable enough with Bex to ask. What if I wasn’t enough? What if, by morning, I was another notch on his belt? It would kill me. I’d become the laughing stock of the entire college. What if, deep down, he realized he would prefer someone like Lucy?
“Tillie.” She reached over, taking my hand in hers. “That boy is in love with you.”
Was she high? I shook my head, disagreeing with her. It was just a crush, that’s all.
“I’m serious,” she continued. “I’ve seen the way he watches you. Not only has he stopped sleeping around, he doesn’t even look at another girl. I bent over in front of him to pick up a pencil—just to test him—and he just freaking looked around me to watch the door. He’s like a little puppy waiting for the next treat.”
I laughed at her choice of words. Was she serious? Could he be as crazy about me as I was about him? I couldn’t lie. I had created a wall to protect myself, but I wanted to trust him.
“You have a good heart, Till. Don’t lock it away. Open it up and let him in.”
I looked at her, trying to believe her words.
“If he screws up, I promise to personally whip his ass.” She gave me a cheeky wink, making me giggle.
Breakfast quickly arrived, and it was delicious. I could have lived off pancakes and bacon, especially if the bacon was crispy. It was the food of the gods.
“That reminds me. I have a ticket for you.” I took it out of my purse, sliding it across the table to her. “Please say you’ll come with me. I don’t want to go alone.”
“I suppose I can be seen with you.” She rolled her eyes before grinning at me. “We can meet there around six?”
I nodded, agreeing with the plan.
Hours later, I was rushing from classes, my mind turning over my last subject. I cringed at how the professor favored life drawings over landscapes. Apparently, landscapes were not suited to today’s environment. We now lived in the digital age and sitting in front of landscapes capturing the detail was to be considered a thing of the past, especially since we had such advanced software like Photoshop.
What a twit! How did he not realize that using digital software to create landscape drawings was sick. That should be a thing of the past. I would choose sitting in front of lush green fields capturing the beauty of a windmill turning in the wind any day of the week. It relaxed me—made me feel at ease. It was one of the many things I used to do with my mother. No matter how many times I would drag her somewhere to draw, she would never complain. She would always just sit patiently and wait until I was done. She was where my love of drawing came from and I was never going to give that part of my skill up.
Walking inside, I dropped my bag on the armchair and ran upstairs to my room. I had just enough time for a quick shower and change before meeting Bex. Stripping in the bathroom, I jumped in the shower doing a quick soap up and jumping back out. Wrapping a towel around my body, I froze when I got to my doorway.
On my bed, was a blue box with a white bow on top. Tucked beneath the ribbon was a note written in Johnny’s handwriting.
Please wear me
I grinned, pulling the lid off and gasped at what was inside. It was an exact replica of Johnny’s jersey except the front had his jersey number, number ten, and ‘#1’ on the back. I loved it! I knew Lucy and her minions would hate it and it would probably send me to the top of their most hated list, but it would be worth it. Johnny obviously put enough thought into it for me to wear it.
After a quick change, I grabbed my cream cardigan and left the house, locking up and making my way toward the sports arena. Standing outside, I looked around, trying to spot Bex. The place was packed with crowds of people. I was surprised that so many were there but then remembered this was a town that loved their football players.
I spotted Lucy up ahead, cringing at the smirk she sent my way. I really didn’t want any contact with her that night. Confrontation and I did not get along. My gawking was quickly interrupted when Bex appeared in my view. I laughed at how her face was painted with the school colors on her cheeks.
“Problem?” She cocked an eyebrow at me. “We turned lesbian all of a sudden?”
“What?” I looked at her confused.
“You and Lucy having a stare down. Wasn’t sure if you wanted to rip each other’s clothes off or pounce on each other.”
I rolled my eyes at her lame joke. “Ha ha. Very funny.”
She laughed, looping her arm with mine and pulling me toward the entrance. Taking our seats, I laughed at her. She was looking so cocky with the team’s logos painted on her cheeks.
“I look fabulous, right?” She grinned at me, showing off her pearly whites.
The stands started filling up. A few people stared at us, but most of them were chatting amongst themselves. Some had their faces painted, but mostly everyone just looked excited.
“So, do you know the rules of football?” I hoped she did because I had no clue.
She shook her head before her eyes moved past me. She widened her eyes, nodding her head forward for me to look.
I turned my head and froze when I saw Johnny climbing the steps. He was dressed in his football jersey and tight trousers. He even had his shoulder pads on and was carrying his helmet.
Fuck, he was sexy.
He high-fived a few members of the crowd before his eyes landed on me. He gave me a sexy wink before continuing in our direction. What the hell was he doing? He should be in the changing rooms or something.
He stopped next to me, going down on one knee and placing his helmet on my lap.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, quietly.
I noticed people beginning to gawk at Johnny in the crowds. I guess he did not do this all the time. Even people a few blocks down were turning to look. Some were even standing. They were acting like he was an NFL player already or something.
“You ready for your first game?” He grinned at me, looking every inch the professional football player.
I’d never seen the attraction with footballers before but looking at Johnny, I had been converted.
“I think so.” I grinned at him, trying to ignore the stares from around us, including from Bex.
“Take your cardigan off,” he said, reaching for my hand.
“What?” I chuckled, feeling very confused.
“It’s not too cold,” he reasoned. “Plus, nobody is going to see how fucking amazing you look in your jersey.” He emphasized the word ‘your’. “It’s yours and no one else’s.” His eyes bored into mine, making me swoon.
I reached up, slipping my cardigan off. The second my back became exposed, the whispers started up. I guess the ‘#1’ said a lot.
“That’s better.” He grinned up at me, entwining his fingers with mine. “Kiss me.”
I laughed at him, thinking he was joking. When he only continued to look at me with that carefree smile on his face, I cringed.
Seriously? He expected me to kiss him in front of the entire freaking arena?!
“Ooh, look, look!” Bex said, taking my attention from Johnny. She was pointing at the big massive screen at the top of the field.
Kill me now.
I was on the screen with Johnny. A
live fucking camera feed.
I looked back to him, expecting to see a cocky smirk on his face, but I didn’t. He was looking at me like I was his whole world. It was the same look every Disney prince wore when looking at their princess. I sighed, wanting to believe Bex’s words from earlier but it was hard when you go from being a loner to the centre of someone’s world as Bex would put it.
“Kiss your fella!” Bex demanded, bumping me with her elbow. She widened her eyes at me, trying to convince me to take the bait.
Looking back to Johnny, I was resolved to do just that. It wasn’t like I hated kissing Johnny. Honestly, I could die a happy death doing that all day. Before I could make a move, he took my chin in between his forefinger and thumb. He pulled my face closer to his, fusing our lips together. He kept it sweet and short, thankfully, before pulling away from me. One last wink and he was jogging back down the stairs to a roaring applause.
The live camera screen followed him, leaving me and my embarrassment behind.
Bex was staring at me with her mouth wide open. “So fucking hot,” she whispered, dramatically fanning herself.
“Shut up,” I chuckled, focusing back on the field.
I cringed when my eyes settled on Lucy. Even from this far away, the girl did not look happy. Downright pissed would have been a good way to describe her.
The music started up, blasting through the speakers and the players slowly filtered on to the field. Individual announcements were done for all the main players, where the back-up players just ran to the bench and sat down. The crowd went wild for most of them, but it was deafening when Johnny was introduced. It was clear who the main attraction was there.
An hour later, we were nearly at the end of the game. To me it was already over. The score was 73-30, but my boys were well in the lead.
“So,” Bex started. “Are you going to be at the party later?”
“Party?” I hadn’t heard anything about a party.