Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“If I give you my number, will you let me go?”
“Today. I’ll let you go today,” I correct her, because I’m not giving this woman an inch for her to take a mile. I’m also going to have to learn to sleep with one eye open if I’m ever lucky enough to get her into my bed.
“Give me your phone.” I don’t bother to hide my smile as I hand it to her and rattle off my code. She freezes, and I smirk. “I have nothing to hide.” I shrug. She drops her head to enter her number and hands my phone back to me. Immediately, I search for her contact and hit dial. Her pocket rings, and I nod to her to answer. She rolls those beautiful brown eyes, but retrieves her phone from her pocket and answers.
“Hello?”
“I missed you,” I tell her, my eyes locked on hers.
“Is it possible to miss someone you barely know?”
“You tell me. Did you miss me, Bell?”
“You have my number,” she says instead. “I should get back to Amanda.”
She’s not worried about her dad, but about her best friend. “Okay, babe, let’s go.” I end the call, as does she, and lace her fingers through mine. She doesn’t pull away, which surprises me, but I’m taking the win all the same.
“Coach, take care of my girl for me.”
“Montgomery,” he says with a growl, and I chuckle.
“Bellamy, this is my family.” I take the time to introduce everyone, even though Coach already did, because these are my people, and she’s my girl. I needed to be the one to tell them, and her, the importance that each of them plays in my life. “This is my dream girl, Bellamy,” I finally say, after making my way through everyone.
“It’s so nice to meet you.” Corie, Rowan, and Sloane take turns pulling her into a hug.
“Oh, and this is her best friend, Amanda.”
The girls start chatting while I watch them, pretending that my coach isn’t staring daggers at me. That’s fine. I can take his wrath on or off the field. He might not have thought she was worth fighting for, but I sure as fuck do.
Chapter Eight
Bellamy
I’ve stepped into an alternate reality. A dream world, that has to be what this is. There’s no way that Reid is here and works for my father. The hottest night of my life was with a football player—one of my dad’s football players.
“We should exchange numbers,” one of the women suggests. I think her name is Corie, but honestly, the last thirty minutes have been a blur. Well, not all of it. I still remember his touch and his words, but who’s who is lost on me.
“Oh, um.” I don’t want to tell them no. They seem nice, but I’m spiraling.
“For sure,” Amanda says, jumping in to save me. She rattles off each of our numbers, and our phones beep three times each. I’m guessing they’ve texted us their numbers.
“You’ll have to join us for girls’ night. The more the merrier,” another says. “We’re constantly outnumbered.” She points at the group of guys behind them over her shoulder.
“I… I need to go to the restroom.” The words are barely out of my mouth before I’m bolting away from them. I don’t worry about the scene I’m causing. I just need to get away. I need to breathe. I need air that I’m not sharing with him. Air that’s not thick with desire and memories of a night that was supposed to remain in my past.
Finally, I spot the bathroom. Slapping my hands against the door, I push inside. Thankfully, it’s empty. My legs shake as I make my way to the sink, resting my hands there, and bowing my head.
“Fuck my life,” I mutter, just as the door opens. I snap to attention, standing to my full height, trying to pretend like my world didn’t just tilt on its axis. Looking in the mirror, I watch for the newcomer, and when I see him, my breath stalls in my lungs.
He takes a few steps but stops short of being within touching distance and holds my gaze in the mirror. “Are you okay?”
“W-What are you doing in here?”
He tilts his head to the side. “You’re here.”
“Reid,” I groan.
“I see those people every day. I just found you again. You were as white as a ghost when you ran off, and I needed to make sure you were okay. Amanda and the girls are outside, but I made them let me come in first.”
“Why?” My voice cracks at the question.
My eyes never leave his in the mirror as he steps closer. His steps are soft and slow, as if he’s afraid I’ll spook, and I’m not so sure that I won’t. When he finally reaches me, he wraps his arms around me from behind, pulling me back into his chest. His eyes remain locked on mine.