“You were with me every second. In my head. In my heart.” He caught my hand, pressing a kiss to my palm. “You've been carrying me through this recovery for months. Tonight was just proof that it worked.”
We kept swaying, the music wrapping around us like a cocoon.
“Can I tell you something?” Derek asked after a moment.
“Always.”
“When I was lying on that field ten months ago, after thetackle, I thought my life was over. I thought I'd lost the only thing that mattered.”
I held my breath, knowing this was important.
“But I was wrong. Soccer wasn't the only thing that mattered. It was just the only thing I knew.” He stopped moving, his eyes locked on mine. “You taught me that I could be more than just an athlete. That I could be Derek, just Derek, and that would be enough.”
“It is enough. You are enough.”
“I want to show you something.” He stepped back, pulling his phone from his pocket. “I've been adding songs to a new playlist. Our new one, but I haven't shared it yet.”
“Why not?”
“Because I wanted to wait for the right moment.” He pulled up Spotify and showed me the screen. “This is everything I want to say to you but don't have the words for.”
The playlist was titled: “You, Officially.”
My heart stopped. “Officially?”
“Yeah. Because I'm done with 'unofficially.' I'm done hiding. I'm done pretending.” He set his phone down and took both my hands. “After the championship game, I want to tell Aaron. No more secrets. I want to take you on actual dates. I want to hold your hand on campus. I want everyone to know you're mine.”
“Derek, are you sure? The team, Aaron...”
“I'm sure. I've never been sure of anything.” He squeezed my hands. “But only if you want it too. I won't push you. This is your choice.”
I thought about Aaron, about the team, about all the complications. But then I looked at Derek, really looked at him. At this beautiful, broken, brave man who'd fought through hell to stand here with me. Who loved me enough to risk everything.
“I want it too,” I whispered. “After the championship. We go public. Together.”
The smile that broke across his face was worth every moment of fear.
“Come here,” he said, pulling me back into his arms.
We danced for another song, then another, neither of us wanting the moment to end. Derek's hands roamed my back, not in a sexual way, just learning me, memorizing the feel of me against him.
“Your muscles are going to be so sore tomorrow,” I murmured against his chest.
“Worth it.”
“I should probably stretch you out. Properly. Before they tighten up.”
“Are you offering me a private Pilates session?” I could hear the grin in his voice.
“I'm offering you proper cool-down stretches so you don't hate yourself tomorrow.”
“How romantic.”
I pulled back, swatting his chest. “I'm being serious. Sit down.”
“Bossy.”
“You love it.”
