Page 4 of Hold Me Closer
His thumb slides along my bottom lip again, setting fires all over my body. "Maybe I do," he whispers, his eyes darkening. "But maybe I'm also an asshole who wants to hear you say it."
"You aren't an asshole, Teo."
"Then say it," he groans, pressing himself up against me in a way he never has. "Let me be greedy just this once with you." His forehead rests against mine. "Set me free, butterfly."
"I love you."
"Fuck," he growls, heat flaring in his eyes. He dips his head, his lips inches from mine. "I've always loved you, Nadia. Always."
I whimper, my whole freaking soul lighting up. It feels like I'm flying, weightless. For one perfect moment, I'm in heaven in hisarms. And then his lips brush mine, and I'm in whatever place comes after heaven.
He kisses me like he's been dying to do it for his whole life. I kiss him back the exact same way. It's…perfect. Especially when he growls and tugs me even closer to his body, nipping at my bottom lip.
"Goddamn, I should have kissed you long before now," he groans, squeezing my hips.
"Yeah, you should have," I whisper back. "I've only been waiting forever."
He kisses me again before pulling back to rest his forehead against mine, breathing hard. "I should have done it, butterfly," he says. "When we were fourteen at the movies and you slipped your hand into mine the first time, that's when I should have kissed you."
"Why didn't you?"
"Uh, your dad is fucking terrifying."
"He's harmless."
"Says you," he mutters, making me giggle. "He loves you. He's going to hate me."
"He isn't going to hate you. He'll be happy for us. He's kind of been rooting for you all along, you know."
Teo has been trying to make my dad proud his entire freaking life. He looks up to him and respects him. I think he wants to prove to him that he's good enough for me. He always tries so hard. My dad loves him like a son, but Teo swears he hates him.
"Really? Well, shit." He rakes a hand through his hair, blowing out a breath. "Now he's really going to hate me."
"He isn't going to hate you!"
"Yeah, he is." He expels a heavy breath. "I need to tell you something."
"You're making me nervous," I whisper, anxiety coursing through me.
He hesitates for a long moment, clearly anxious. And then he shoves a hand through his hair again. "Fuck," he mutters. "Don't be mad at me for not telling you, but I got offered a chance to play football at UT."
"What?" I cry, my eyes wide. "Are you serious? When?"
"A couple of weeks ago."
"Holy shit, Teo. That's huge!" I fling my arms around him, squeezing hard. He doesn't need a scholarship because his family has money to pay for his education, and he doesn't feel right about taking a scholarship from someone who needs it just to get into college. So for him to play at the college level means being a walk-on player. It's not easy to earn those spots. He went to the last open tryout, but he never heard back. He assumed it meant he didn't get a spot. "Are you going to say yes?"
"I already did, butterfly." He pulls back, glancing down at me. His blue eyes are clouded with worry…not the look of a guy who just got his dream.
My heart clenches.
"What's wrong?" I whisper, dread coursing through me.
He cups my cheek, resting his forehead against mine. "Don't be mad."
I know him better than I know myself. Anytime he tells me not to be mad, it's because he knows I'm going to be mad. It's his way of preparing me for whatever he's going to unleash on me.
"Tell me," I say. "Right now."
