Sunlight hits her red hair, and for a moment I forget how to breathe.That perfect shade of red that makes you think of fire, cinnamon, and sex.Eyes dancing as if she doesn’t realize she already owns me.
“Hey,” she says.
One word—that’s all it takes—and I’m out.Cooked.Melted right into the damn floorboards.Heart doing backflips.Cock already half-hard.
“Hey,” I manage.
She walks past me, her bag swinging low off her shoulder, hips swaying just enough to affect me.Her perfume reaches me next, sweet and alluring, before she smiles at me.
When I fumble while shutting the door because I’m too busy staring at her mouth, she laughs.That breathy, hit-me-in-the-gut kind of sound that makes my skin buzz.
We walk down the hall side by side, not touching.Still, my fingers twitch uncontrollably.Useless urges, always wanting more—wanting to curl around her wrist, her waist, and her throat.
But I don’t touch her because she asked me to hold back until the shitstorm settles.And I want to be that guy.The one who respects her boundaries.Even when my body’s burning to do the opposite.
“So,” she says, breaking the silence as we reach my room.“What did you want to tell me?”
She moves over to the bed and drops her bag, as casual as anything on the floor.
I exhale a breath, grateful for the shift before I lose my damn mind.
“Do you remember what you said the other night?”I ask, as I drop onto the edge of the bed.
“You’re gonna have to be more specific.”She sits down next to me.
“The part where you said I could still try,” I say.“For the team.For everything I thought I’d already fucked up.”
Her expression softens.“Yeah, I remember.”
My heart pounds again.Loud.Stupid.Honest.
“Coach pulled me aside after practice and said there’s a scout coming from Mayfair.”The words feel heavy in my mouth.“He’s coming next weekend to watch West.But Coach said he’ll be watching everyone.”
Her eyes widen, then that smile appears.The one that gets to me every time.The one I crave more than air now.
“Reece,” she says, leaning in closer.“That’s huge.”
“It is.”I nod.
She studies my face.“But is it what you want?”
I don’t hold back.Don’t downplay it.
“Yeah,” I say.“I want it.I want it bad.”
“So we’d be there together?”she says.
“Yeah,” I say.“If you want it.”
The hesitation, the hope, the weight of everything we haven’t said is all in the weight of her gaze.
“But fuck,” I mutter, dragging a hand through my hair, “I haven’t even been accepted yet.I don’t wanna get ahead of myself.”
“You’ll get there,” she says without missing a beat.“You were the best player on the field last game, Reece.”
I gaze at her.Red hair catching the light, eyes sharp and steady.The girl I never should have touched.The girl I can’t stop needing.
“You really think that?”I ask, my voice already cracking at the edges.
