She kisses my shoulder, then my neck. I turn my head and kiss her lips.
“Fuck. That was good. We should have been doing this years ago.” She chuckles lightly with me.
I roll to the side and lay flat on my back. “I think you killed me.” She turns and snuggles into my side, laying her hand on my chest.
“I hope not. I want to do that again.” I whip my head to her; her eyes are lit up and she’s smiling.
“Oh, we’re doing it again. Don’t you worry about that.”
Chapter 27
Jackson
“Fellas! You’re looking slow out there. Better step it up. You’ve got a big game tomorrow. It’s homecoming! You want to impress the girls, right?”
I’ve got them running drills.I’ve got the defense trying to block them from gaining yardage. My receivers are dancing around the field and my quarterback is throwing dots.
They look fucking great on that field.
But I have to keep them humble.
“Coach! Come on! It’s homecoming! We’re going to be too tired for the bonfire if you keep this up!”
I blow the whistle. “Bring it in!”
They circle up, grabbing water on the way, kneeling in a semi-circle around me balancing their helmets on the ground.“Ok listen. You guys look good, you’re ready for tomorrow’s game.”
“Of course, we’re ready! Tomorrow’s team is nothing, we always get an easy win for homecoming,” Connor says.
“Ahh that’s the kiss of death! There is never an easy win. Never a ‘nothing’ team. You have to work each and every day. When the Eagles play Dallas, do you think they say, ‘it’s an easy win, don’t work hard?’”
“That’s because their paycheckssaythey have to work hard.”
“No way! Their hearts say work hard. Their minds say workhard.” I point to Jameson. “You make it to the NFL as a quarterback, you’re going to go easy on certain teams because you think they’re not worth it?”
“I’m going hard each and every day if I make it.”
“Whenyou make it. And that’s exactly the attitude we need here. Mindset. Heartset. 100 percent. Right?”
“Right!” They echo back.
“What I wanted to say is, I know this is an exciting weekend, but please be mindful of your actions, don’t be out late. Don’t do stupid shit when you are out. And please, please always?—”
“Wear a condom!” Connor yells out. I reach out, smacking him upside his head.
“That too.” I roll my eyes. “Please do not drink and drive. Call me if you’re afraid to call your parents. I don’t care. I will not lose a player.” I look each one of them in their eyes. “Okay, you’re done for today. I’ll see you all tonight, six this evening in the locker room, we walk out as a team.”
A chorus of ‘see ya later’ filters out. I have a few words with my assistant coaches and turn and head to the parking lot. A smile spreads across my face when I see Chess leaning against the fence. I quickly turn my hat backwards because I know she likes that look and walk towards her, licking my lips as I go, hands clenching at my sides dying to reach out and grab her. Her grin spreads, matching mine.
“Hey, girlfriend.”
She chuckles. “Hey, boyfriend.” I wrap her in my arms, smothering her neck with kisses.
“Jackson!” She giggles, not fighting me at all.
“You spying on my team? Trying to scope out our plays for our competition?” I raise a brow, still holding her close. She smells so good, that coconut shampoo—I dream of it at night. I love that I can just touch her now. Hold her in public. It’s no longer a question. It’s expected.
“I heard there was a hot, single, head coach down here, so I had to check it out for myself.”
