I cocked my head and widened my eyes, asking if she was sure. There would be hell to pay if I did. She’d have to pay first. I’d pay later.
She nodded for me to go. “Go on. Git.”
“Okay.” I turned, Anna’s arm still around me, my heart thunking like a bowling ball bouncing down a lane. We speed-walked and ducked around the corner, stepping into the darkness. I let go of her. My hands pressed against the brick wall as I breathed it out.
She ducked between my arms, her face right in front of mine. “Hey, it’s okay.” Her hands slid up around my neck. “I’m okay. It’s just us. Forget all that. This is our moment. Starting right now.”
But my hands were shaking too badly and my eyes were full of tears. “This isn’t…” I blew out my breath, blinking, taking a second. “This isn’t how I wanted things to go.” I lifted my gaze, finally looking into those beautiful eyes. “You’re not a distraction. Don’t listen to him.”
She shrugged and smiled. “Sure I am. But I’m not going to get between you and football.” She pulled me down until our foreheads were touching. “You know that, right?” Her voice was low and soft. “I just want you to be happy. I want tomakeyou happy.”
My hands were finally on her waist, my heart calming. “You do make me happy. Like stupid-happy.” Our noses were touching, our lips just millimeters apart.
“You make me stupid-happy too.” Her thumb brushed over my cheek. “I love you, Blue,” she breathed. It was the first time she’d said it.
And it tipped me over the edge.
I couldn’t even hold back long enough to return the sentiment. I placed a kiss to her lips so feathery soft, I almost didn’t feel it. Because Anna was porcelain. Something to be treasured. I fully planned on doing just that.
But then she smashed her mouth onto mine so hard it made me smile. Her fingers were in the back of my hair. She wove her arms around my neck pressing her whole body into me. I pushed my tongue against her teeth to see if she’d let me in. Which she did, eagerly. Her tongue slid against mine and we both let out an embarrassing, unified moan. Which made us both smile. But we didn’t stop. Went right back to it, staying there way too long. Probably five solid minutes, melded together, hormones thrumming out a sweet, heady harmony.
When I finally pulled back, it came rushing out. “I love you too, Anna.”
“I know you do.” She pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I have to go. My phone has been ringing in my back pocket for at least two minutes.” She tossed her head back, giddy. “Silas is going to kill me. But I don’t care.” She kissed me again. “Because Blue Bishop is mine and it was totally worth it.”
I gave her one last squeeze before reluctantly unlocking my arms from around her back. I picked up her hand and kissed the center of her palm. “I’m never giving you up. I hope you know that. Not for no one or nothing. I am one hundred percent committed.”
She beamed. “Me too. All to pieces.’”
“All to pieces?” My forehead furrowed.
“It’s a Dupree thing. My momma used to say it.” She lifted her hand in a wave. “We can talk about it tomorrow. See you then.”
“See you.”
But she stepped back over and pecked me on the mouth one last time, just because she could.
Then she disappeared around the corner.
My hands went to the back of my head and I grinned. Anna Dupree was so many things. Hilarious, confident, sassy, gorgeous. A high-class girl. Somebody who could roll crap off, like what my dad had just done, and turn things around in a heartbeat. Why she wanted a nobody like me, with nothing to my name, I didn’t know.
But I was never going to give her a reason to change her mind.
Tomorrow, at the ranch, we’d be exchanging that sweatshirt again. And every day after. I was going to make sure of that.
CHAPTER 14
anna
“What’s that?” I asked, sitting in the back seat of an SUV next to Blue. He was a free man. Finally. After two long days in the hospital, Dr. LaForce cleared him to return home so he could head back to classes. I wasn’t sure how Blue was supposed to keep up with them since he couldn’t remember what he’d learned the week before. But Daisy assured me, with a wink, that UK would worry about Blue’s grades. So the second he was cleared to leave the hospital, they put us in a car to take him to Smoky Mountain Stadium for the long-awaited press conference.
Blue scowled, looking down at a fancy legal document, bound in a dark green sheath. He whispered, “Something my dad wants me to sign.” He pointed to the words “The University of Texas” at the heading of the page.
I glanced at Coach Whitlock who was riding shotgun, chatting it up with Coach Shelton, who was driving.
“May I?” I whispered.
Blue handed the document to me. As I read, my stomach twisted in a knot.
