Page 43 of Not My Coach

She pulls me in for a hug. “I love you, Eves.”

“I love you too, Mom.” Wrapping my arms around her, I squeeze her tightly before pulling away.

“Brett, I’m sorry it blew up the way it did. That was not exactly how we would have planned on telling everyone. But it happened, and we can’t change that. There is only one thing in this world that I won’t do for you, and that’s leave him. Would I take a bullet for you? A thousand times over. I would die for you, Brett. You’re my little brother. Please don’t ask me to end this relationship because I don’t want it to come between us.”

With that, I walk out of the door and get in my car. Looking at my passenger seat, I see the duffel bag that I packed, full of everything I would want and need to stay over at Nate’s.

My family is usually understanding. I know they just need a little time to mull this over. They will come around.

Putting my car in reverse, I back out of the driveway and start heading straight toward someone who is quickly starting to feel like home. I opt out of calling him, not feeling up to giving a recap of the conversation I just had. I shoot him a text that I’m on my way and I’ll be there in five minutes.

I don’t think even I realized how much Nate had invaded my heart and soul until this whole thing blew up and the thought of losing him crossed my mind. I know we haven’t known each other long, and we still have so much to discover about each other, but it doesn’t matter. That doesn’t mean that what we have isn’t important or that it doesn’t have the potential to last forever.

As I pull onto Nate’s street, my palms start sweating, and butterflies flutter in my stomach. It’s crazy how the longer we are together, the more nervous I get to see him. Compared to the first time we met, where there was no fear because we didn’t care about being rejected by one another. Now, there are feelings involved and something worth losing, and everything is suddenly a lot scarier.

Nate’s house comes into view, and a shadowy outline of a body watches me as I pull into his driveway. I can tell it’s Nate. At this point, I’ve memorized his body like it’s my own.

My heart is skipping in my chest. Parking the car, I grab my phone and jump out of my car, shutting the door behind me. A cool breeze chills my legs through the sheer tights.

“Thank God. I was hoping you wouldn’t change.” His voice is low and raw as he steps into the light.

I might not have changed, but he definitely did. Gone is the three-piece suit, replaced by casual joggers and a black hoodie with a backward baseball cap. I didn’t think it was possible for him to get hotter, but holy fuck, I was wrong.

“You like what you see?” he teases, strolling over to me and cupping my face with his hands.

“I like this look. It’s sexy.” I grin, exaggeratingly checking him out from head to toe.

“You’re sexy, especially in this,” he grunts, tugging at my jersey.

Grabbing my sides, he hauls me up and around his waist, nipping at my neck as I wrap my arms around him, squealing.

“Can we make it a rule that you carry me into your house every time?” I giggle, kissing his cheek.

“As long as you keep coming over, I’ll carry you every single time, sweetheart.”

He twists the doorknob behind me and kicks the door open with his foot. It’s nearly dark, aside from a soft glow behind me, as he carries me inside, and I breathe deeply, inhaling my favorite scent. I wish I could buy candles that smelled like him. I would burn them twenty-four/seven.

He flicks the light on, and my heart jumps into my throat.

My voice is barely a whisper. “What did you do?”

Vases of pink peonies cover the counters, and candles are lit along all surfaces.

He lowers me to the ground and slides his hands around my jaw, brushing his thumbs against my cheeks. “Today was a lot for you and for me. I know you probably have a lot on your mind, so I wanted to do something to remind you that I’m here for you and I don’t regret a single thing that I did today. If they fire me, I’ll just get a coaching gig somewhere else. A job is replaceable. You’re not.

“I’m so fucking crazy about you, sweetheart. I never want to be without you. I want to wake up next to you, and I want you in my bed with me every night. I understand that I can probably be a lot, and you might want to think it over before giving me an answer. But I want you to be mine for good. Asking you to be my girlfriend seems rather juvenile for how deeply I feel for you, but I want you to be my girlfriend. I want to see where we go from here because right now, I can’t picture a day in my future without you being in it.”

My eyes are burning as he finishes, and all I can manage to do is nod.

“Tell me, sweetheart. Tell me you’re mine.”

His words are husky and needy as he leans his forehead against mine.

“If I do, then what happens?” I bite my bottom lip. I can’t resist teasing him, even at this moment.

His hands slide down my chest, snaking around to my back and down onto my ass. He squeezes hard, and I jerk against him.

Dropping his mouth to my ear, he whispers, “Then, I’m going to carry you into the bedroom and fuck my girlfriend until her legs shake so goddamn bad that she can’t walk.”

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