Zeke’s body wash invaded my nostrils as I wrapped my arms around his waist, my head on his shoulder, leg slipping between his. He wrapped me up just as earnestly, pressing a kiss to my hair still damp from our shower.
We’d gone out with the team for a drink, but neither one of us wanted to stay out long enough to ring in the new year. We had other ideas in mind for celebrating — ones that required him sneaking into my room when we were sure no coaches or other players were around.
I’d barely shut the door behind him before my clothes were torn off me and we were both in the shower. It had been quick and desperate, both of us finding our releases in what felt like seconds before we laughed and washed each other, changing into our sweats and crawling into bed.
Now, my heartbeat steadier, I listened to his mirror the rhythm as I drew circles on his chest. “So,” I said, peeking up at him. “What now?”
He blew out a breath, running his hands through my hair before letting the damp tendrils fall against my back only to repeat the motion. “Now, you’re my girlfriend.” He shook his head. “Poor thing.”
I snorted. “There are actual fan groups online that I think would disagree with that statement. In fact, I might need a bodyguard now.”
“Hey, that’s not a bad idea,” he said. “It would keep you safe, as well as any dumb sucker who tried to hit on you. Because if I see it…”
I smiled, curling into his side. “I love when you get possessive.”
“Then you must have loved watching me squirm when you were mine but not mine.”
I bit my lips together. “Honestly? I kind of did.”
Zeke shook his head, and then before I knew what was happening, he flipped me onto my back and tickled me relentlessly as I squirmed and kicked and damn near peed myself. The only way I got him to stop was by capturing his lips with a kiss, one that he deepened, his hands stilling as he settled between my legs.
“I guess we don’t have to worry about telling anyone,” I said after a minute. “The whole world knows after that on-field kiss.”
I made it a joke, but Zeke must have noticed the slight tinge of worry in my laugh. “Do you regret it?”
“No,” I answered quickly. “I just… Coach is right. I don’t have to log onto Twitter to know there are probably thousands of people saying very not-nice things about me.”
“Who cares? They’re sad, stupid people hiding behind their keyboards,” he said easily. “Let one of them try to say something to your face. They’ll have me to answer to.”
“I can handle myself, you know,” I warned.
“Oh, I know. But it doesn’t mean I don’t love having the honor of handling your light work.”
I smirked, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck as I digested what this all would mean. But the longer I stared up at him, at those warm brown eyes, the more my thoughts shifted. I reveled in how it felt to have him between my legs again, how he balanced on his arms over me, how we fit together so perfectly.
“I really missed you, Zeke,” I confessed on a whisper, one that made my body tremble.
He frowned, letting out a long exhale before he dropped his forehead to mine. “I have no words for how miserable I’ve been without you.”
“Can we agree never to do that again?”
“I might make you sign in blood.”
I smiled, tilting my nose up to nudge his until our lips met. I hoped that kiss would tell him more than anything else that I had no intention of ever pushing him away again.
“I can’t believe the season’s over,” I breathed against his lips.
“That makes two of us. But if Coach’s speech was any indication, our next season is picking up with spring practice in just a couple months.”
“March,” I breathed, wiggling underneath him. “It just seems so far away.” I bit my lip, dragging a nail down his spine. “What are we going to do with all the time until then?”
The corner of Zeke’s mouth curved up. “I’m going to take you on actual dates.”
“Dates?” I repeated as he kissed along my neck.
“Mm-hmm. Dates. Movie nights. Fancy dinners. Dancing. Museums.”
“Museums?” I moaned. “Oh, say it again.”
Zeke bit the lobe of my ear. “We’re going to go to so many museums.”
I moaned even louder, and Zeke laughed before he his hips rolled between my legs, erasing any jokes left hanging around.
Then, he was on his knees long enough to grab my wrists and pin them above my head.
He held them there as he kissed me hard and deep, releasing my lips only to crawl those bruising kisses down the length of my neck, over my collarbone, and down as far as he could go with my tank top on.
I bucked my hips against him, needing more, and he took the opportunity to sit back on his heels again and strip my sweatpants off in one fluid motion.
I reached for him, wanting to strip him, too, but he snaked away from my grasp, gripping me by the hips and tugging until I was flat on my back, knees open, and he was hovering over my pussy like it was a feast waiting to be had.
Everything was slowed down now, a drastic change from our frantic fucking in the shower earlier. This time, he kissed along the inside of my thighs, dragged his tongue along the creases where my legs met my hips, and snuck featherlight touches against the core of me that ached so badly for more.
But I reveled in how he teased me, in the gentle way he worked his tongue against my bud as his fingers slipped inside me. He knew just how to touch, just how to kiss, just how to work the two together to drive me mad.
I was ready to burst when I reached down and yanked on his arms, pulling him back up my body so that I could taste myself on his tongue. I rolled until he had his back to the headboard, and with him tugging his shirt up overhead as I dragged his pants down his legs, I stripped my tank top off and climbed into his lap, both of us moaning once we were connected.
His hands found my hips, and I kissed him in the way I’d dreamed of so many times over the past agonizing month as I let him lift and position me over him. His crown pressed inside me, both of us gasping as I slowly, inch by inch, lowered down to take him all the way.
I rolled my body, Zeke catching my nipple in his mouth as I glided back down and took him deeper. Every touch was soft and carefully placed, every new thrust sending both of us closer to the edge. We didn’t hurry, didn’t chase that fire, but merely teased it, slowing even more before either of us could fully succumb.
It felt like hours, both of us soaking up every earth-shattering rock of pleasure one position had to offer before switching to a new one. My muscles protested with every movement by the time we both released, and we collapsed into the sheets in a heap of damp limbs, holding onto each other despite the heat radiating off our bodies.
When our breaths had evened, Zeke brushed my hair back, his eyes searching mine.
“On the field,” he whispered. “Before the kick. I thought… I thought I saw you mouth—”
“I love you?” I finished for him. “I did.”
He let out a sigh that sounded almost painful, wincing and shaking his head as he dropped his forehead to mine.
“I do, Zeke,” I whispered, holding him tight. “I love you.”
His arms wrapped around me even more, crushing me to him as his lips captured mine. He kissed me long and sweet, and then his words kissed my soul.
“I love you, too.”
And though I knew there would be hell to face, that the road we walked would be filled with people wishing for us to fail, and that there would be even tougher days ahead, I felt safer in his arms that night than I had in my entire life.
No matter what came our way, I knew one thing for sure.
We’d fight it.
Together.
And just like tonight…
We’d win.
