Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 58792 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58792 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
“My dad bought one of those projection screens,” Tucker says. “Wait until you see the high-def on it. The players look like they’re jumping off the screen.”
“Oh, yeah?” Preston grins. “Bex will like that, too.”
“She can come,” Tucker offers. “You can bring Taylor, too,” he says to me, laughing. “If she’ll even look at you after reading that post.”
My demeanor shifts, the seriousness of the situation making me sick to my stomach. Preston laughs, and I consider punching him for egging Tucker on.
At this moment, it occurs to me that I can’t fully lower my guard with my friends. None of them know my secret. I can’t even talk to them about Taylor without getting a rash of shit. She’s the only person I can go to… and now I don’t even know where we stand.
A text dings in my pocket—it’s Taylor telling me we need to talk. The message that follows is a screen capture of The Queen’s post with a red-faced anger emoji on it.
Fuck, this is the end. I just know it.
When Taylor opens the door, she barely even looks at me. She steps to the side, allowing me to enter the on-campus suite. Bex was at my house with Preston. They were taking over the couches and eating the last of the chips when I left.
I follow Taylor into her bedroom and stand in the entryway as she sits on her bed.
“I don’t know what to think anymore, Drake.” She plays with the navy comforter, twirling her finger around it. “What is The Queen talking about? Did you send pics to any girls after we met? Because it read like you have.” A tear slips from her right eye as she meets my gaze.
My heart slams into my chest. I hate seeing her in pain over me. I rush over and drop to my knees on the floor in front of her, taking her hand in mine. “All of this is my fault, Taylor. I’m sorry, baby.” I raise her hand to my mouth and plant soft kisses along her soft skin. “I haven’t sent pics to anyone but you since we’ve been together. Whatever she’s talking about is in the past. You know my truth. I haven’t been with anyone. Only you.”
“I know,” she breathes. “But, Drake…”
I wipe her tears away with my thumb and give her a quick kiss on the lips. “I promise you, Taylor, I did nothing. You’re the only woman I want.”
I’m falling in love with her.
Somehow, she made what she once thought was impossible to happen with the person she least expected. Even I had my doubts.
Taylor kisses me back, her tears hitting my cheeks as she slips her tongue inside my mouth. She moans with each flick of my tongue. I groan as a ripple of pleasure spreads throughout my body. With Taylor, it’s more than just sex. Hell, we haven’t even had sex yet, so I know this is more than what I had with other women.
Once our lips separate, I cup her face in my hand. “I don’t want to lose you, Taylor.”
“Drake,” she sighs. “I don’t want to lose you either. I care about you too much to let you go. But that’s why this hurts so much. I hate the way they talk about you… about us.”
“If I hadn’t done the stupid shit I did in the past, we wouldn’t be in this situation right now. I am so fucking sorry, baby. I never meant for this shit to blow back on you.”
She clutches my wrist, sending a shiver down my arm. “How do we handle this? My teammates are attacking me. You’re getting it from The Queen. What if this is only the beginning?”
I run my thumb along her bottom lip. “I love you, Taylor. I didn’t think I would ever say that to a woman after keeping myself so guarded. But I do. I love you. You changed me. Because of you, I’m a different man, and I want to be what you need.”
A fresh set of tears fall from her eyes, this time from happiness. “You mean that? You really love me?”
I nod. “And I’m not just saying it because I want to have sex with you. I would do anything for you, Taylor. Anything. Name it and it’s yours.”
“I only want you.”
Her words warm my heart. I feel everything at once, all the emotions rushing through my veins. Hyped up on adrenaline and passion, I scoop her into my arms and lower her onto the bed, pressing her back on the mattress as I slip between her thighs.
“I want to take you on a proper date,” I say against her lips. “This weekend.”
“I have a game on Saturday.”
“How about Friday night? I have something special in mind I know you will like.”