Page 34 of Anywhere with You
“Oh, yeah, and what might that be?” I ask as he feeds me my last bite of French toast.
Liam sets the tray on his nightstand. “Well, I have an amazing, beautiful, sexy girlfriend, and I’m hoping I can convince her to spend the rainy day in bed with me.”
I bite my lip, am I ready for that? “Liam—”
He places his fingers over my lips. “Baby, I just want to hold you and spend time with you. When we make love for the first time, we’ll be alone, and you’ll be one hundred percent certain you are ready to take that step. All I need is you, beautiful girl.” Then he kisses me soft and slow. We kiss for what seems like hours, only stopping long enough to catch our breath before our lips merge once again.
Liam’s so gentle and caring with me. Touching me everywhere, caressing me, but never taking things too far. Honestly, I want him to take things further. I crave the way he makes me feel. I’m also really enjoying making out with my boyfriend. This isn’t something I’ve experienced, so it’s nice to lounge around in his bed kissing, touching, and getting to know each other more intimately. We also talk a lot. Liam tells me about the draft and how nervous he is. I don’t want to think about that. As of this morning, I’m able to admit to myself I’m in love with him. When he gets drafted and has to leave me, I’m not sure how I’m going to cope. I knew going into this I would get my heart broken, but it didn’t stop me from forging ahead. I guess we’ll cross the bridge when we come to it. Liam tenses up when we talk about him moving away. I can tell it’s not something he’s looking forward to, now that we’re together. We still have several months before we need to worry about the draft. I’m going to take it one day at a time.
I’m currently wrapped in Liam’s arms, his front to my back. We’ve decided to take a nap when there’s a light knock at the door. “Go away,” Liam growls at the intruder.
I can’t help it, I giggle. In retaliation, Liam starts to tickle me, and my giggle turns into full blown laughter. “Uh, guys, ready or not, here we come,” Hailey says as she swings the door open. Liam releases me, and I try to gain my composure.
Hailey shakes her head. “Hey, love birds. Aiden and I are headed to Mom and Dad’s for lunch, are you two coming with us?”
“No,” Liam growls at her. “We’re staying in this room all day. Tell Mom and Dad we said hello.” With that he draws me tight into his arms and kisses my shoulder.
Aiden appears behind Hailey. “He said no, didn’t he?” he asks her.
“Yep, the beast has been tamed.” They both roar with laughter.
“You’re damn right I have, now get the hell out, so I can take a nap with my girl.” He then throws a pillow at the door.
Hailey and Aiden back out and shut the door. I can hear themlaughing all the way down the hall. “Liam, we can go to your parents’ if you want.”
“I don’t want. I want to lie here with you in my arms. I want to enjoy the fact that you’re mine, and I no longer have to lie here in this exact spot and wonder what it would feel like to hold you. I can do it, and that’s all I want. Allison, you have no idea the effect you have on me. I’m consumed by you, and until forty-eight hours ago, having you here was a dream. You’ve now made my dream a reality, and I’m not ready to step outside this bubble of happiness. The football season is gearing up, and my time with you will be cut short with away games, school, and practice.” He leans over me, so he can look in my eyes. “I just want to be with you today, baby.”
I nod in agreement because words fail me. If there were ever any doubts that I love him, his last little speech washed them all away. Liam holds my heart, and I’m scared as hell to tell him.
CHAPTER 24
Liam
Time is flying by. Allison and I have spent every spare minute together. We’ve adjusted to our life as a couple rather seamlessly. We’ve received several questioning stares around campus, but I couldn’t care less, they’ll get used to us and move on to someone else soon enough. Tonight is the first football game of the season, and I’m stoked to have my girl in the stands. Last night she stayed over, since she doesn’t have class on Fridays. We’ve spent the entire morning together. It was the perfect way to spend the day before my first game of my final season of college football.
I just finished zipping up my equipment bag when Allison comes walking out of my bathroom. She smiles at me, which makes my heart kick into overdrive, just like always. She begins to get dressed and starts looking around, like she’s lost something. Which she has, I hid the shirt she’d picked out to wear, because I want her to wear my jersey. I want everyone there to know she’s mine.
“Babe, have you seen my shirt?” I smile at her calling me babe. We’ve settled quite well into our relationship.
“Yep, I hung it back up in the closet.” I smile sweetly at her.
“Why would you do that?” she questions as she heads toward the closet. I reach out and grab her hand.
I take a deep breath, why I was nervous I have no idea. “I was actually hoping you would wear this.” I hold up my away jersey.
She smiles at me, her emerald eyes sparkling. “You want me to wear your jersey?” She drapes her arms around my neck and kisses me deeply. “Can I tell you a secret?” She waits for me to respond. I nod. “I really wanted to wear it, but I wanted you to ask me. I didn’t want to bethat girl. You know the one who parades around wearing her boyfriend’s jersey, staking her claim.”
I tuck a loose hair behind her ear. “Baby, you are notthat girl,you’remygirl, and you staking your claim would make me very happy.” Then I kiss her, trying to convey to her that she means everything to me. The past few months have been the best of my life, even before she was mine. I can’t picture my life, my future, without her in it. I still have yet to tell her I’m in love with her. Several times it’s almost slipped, but I want the moment to be right. I want her to always remember it. I’m hoping all goes well for our trip to my parents’ beach house tomorrow, and I can tell her then. I need her to know what she means to me.
Allison has slept in my jersey several times, and that, too, is a vision I’ll always remember. Today she’s just as beautiful wearing it with her jeans and tennis shoes. She has her hair pulled into a side ponytail, my name and number clearly visible on her back. She also has a small number seventeen on her cheek. I kiss my number. “You’re beautiful,” I tell her as I lead her out of our room and down the hall. Aiden and Hailey are ready and waiting.
When we arrive at the stadium, we have to part ways, so they can get to their seats while Aiden and I hit the locker room. Their seats are prime real estate, right behind the team on the fifty-yard line; I want her as close as I can get her. I kiss her soundly before leavingher. It’ll be several hours before I can taste those lips again. Cat calls and whistles come from my teammates walking by. I raise my hand to wave at them before kissing Allie on the forehead and leaving her there with her face flushed with embarrassment and Hales laughing her ass off. She’s going to have to get used to being in the spotlight. I’m talked about to be a first-round draft pick for the League, and she’s a permanent part of my life as far as I’m concerned. She’ll have to ignore the attention.
The season opener is kick-ass. We beat Ohio State University thirty-four to twenty-two, and I couldn’t be happier. I send Allison a text telling her and Hailey to meet Aiden and me at the main entrance. Her reply is, ‘hurry your fine ass up, I need a hug.’ I laugh, of course, I’m going to hurry. There’s nothing I want more than to wrap my girl up in my arms.
As we approach the entrance my eyes immediately start scanning for the girls. When I spot them, I’m overtaken by anger. The high I was feeling from our win instantly dissolves. Hales and Allie are leaning against the wall, and those fuckers, Jason and Todd, are standing in front of them, blocking them in. I can see they’re trying to be cordial, but are uncomfortable with the situation. I look over at Aiden; he’s obviously just as pissed off as I am.
I step behind Jason, place my hand on his shoulder, close to his neck, and squeeze as hard as I can. His knees buckle as he turns to face me. He throws his arm back, like he’s going to punch me, and I catch it mid-air. Aiden’s standing toe-to-toe with Todd, neither of them moving.
