Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
How is that machine down on the field the same man who holds me so tenderly? How is that the same man whose mouth makes love to mine slowly one second, becoming demanding in the next? He seems so far away. Like maybe everything that has taken place since I met him was a dream. He’s everyone’s fantasy, isn’t he? Maybe he’s mine. Maybe I imagined it all.
But no.
The chafing on my thighs tells me we’re real. The heavy ring sitting around my throat like a collar means the last week truly happened.
You will marry me, Iris.
Truer words were never spoken. I’m not sure I could make it a day without his arms around me. Without his skin warming mine. I’m in love. I’m so in love, it’s practically painful. I never could have imagined this deep, consuming brand of passion before now. But I’m letting it take me. I’m being sucked down into the inky darkness of obsession along with Teddy and it’s exhilarating. I can hear every breath I take, loud and echoing in my head. I have permanent goosebumps. My breasts feel exposed, even fully covered, because they’ve been so well loved. Sucked and squeezed and bitten. Even though I speak and nod at everyone who addresses me, I’m thinking of him. Getting back to him.
I blow out a shuddering breath, fogging up the glass in front of me. I am not going to let my schoolwork suffer, even though my relationship with Teddy is huge and overwhelming. I cannot fail to seize the opportunity I was given. There has to be something just for me. The way he has football, I have academics. I can’t allow anything to derail me from that.
That will be easier said than done, I’m guessing.
Down on the field, Teddy takes a hard tackle and I make a helpless sound, my shaking hand pressing to the glass until he stands up, jogs toward the huddle. Slowly, I let out the concrete breath in my lungs, my attention straying to the game clock. Five more minutes. We’re ahead by ten. Unless the other team really turns it on, another championship is in the bag. I’m so happy for Teddy. He needed this. He needed to know he could love football on his own, even though he shared the sport so closely with his father. I can’t wait to hold him later, tell him how proud I am of him for overcoming such a tragedy. For emerging better than ever.
A cheer goes up in the family box moments later, the wives exchanging a hug. Two of them even pull me into an embrace, making me laugh and blush.
And then they all begin clearing out of the room.
“Oh…” I catch up to one of the wives. “I was asked to wait here until Teddy comes to get me. Is that all right?”
“We have to clear out,” one of my security guards answers to my right. “It’s an insurance thing. The game ran late and there’s only coverage until ten pm.”
“Oh. Okay.”
The woman lays a hand on my arm. “Are you going to be all right, dear? Or would you like a ride home from one of us?”
Looking back toward the glass, I can see Teddy down on the field. His helmet is off now and he’s being interviewed, a microphone held in front of his face. His attention continually strays up to the box, but I don’t think he can see me, due to the glare of the lights. None of his teammates are being bombarded by reporters. They’ve all left the field. And my spine can’t help but straighten with pride. Of course they want to speak with him, he was amazing out there. Game MVP according to the giant screen above the stadium.
There’s a good chance Teddy will be busy for a while. However, instinctively I know he would probably lose his temper if I left without him. Or took a ride from someone without discussing it with him beforehand. Yes, that’s really controlling of him. His behavior is highhanded and sort of irrational—do I really need a security team?—but I won’t pretend I don’t like him caring for me, even in the craziest of ways. For so long, I barely existed. No one hugged me, let alone spoke to me. I was a shadow. He makes me feel like an entire planet.
“I’ll be fine,” I say to the coach’s wife, smiling. “Thank you for the offer, but Teddy asked me to wait for him.”
I retrieve my purse, tucking it under my arm, and I let the security team lead me down the buzzing hallway to a freight elevator. We take it down to field level and I suck in a surprised breath when the elevator doors open, revealing total pandemonium. Fans and players alike have uncorked bottles of champagne and they’re spraying it at each other. A big bucket of Gatorade is dumped on a man’s head. There are reporters and screaming students and flashes going off. It’s exciting. I’ve never witnessed something like this up close.