Page 21 of Shes my 1 Try

“Holy hell,” Ines breathes at my side, fanning herself.

I don’t even have the capacity to answer her, Asher having completely boggled my mind. All I can think about is riding him till he comes, all while wearing the jersey I’m glad I got.

The rest of the game is just as brutal and I’m at the don’t-give-a-fuck point and begin cheering whenever the Dingoes make a break or score a try. By the time the final hooter rings, I’m so wired, I have to dance on the balls of my feet to stop myself from imploding.

“Wow, that was some battle.” Ines isn’t wrong, the Dingoes may have taken this round by one measly point, but the war created by one man isn’t over. “Are you gonna wait for him, or do you wanna get out of here?”

“Would you think less of me if I wanted to wait?” I’m not sure why it matters. I’m an adult and I can do what I want. But the idea of the only person in my life not understanding, no matter how insane it might seem, that Asher Scott is worth waiting for, hurts.

“Never. Now go get your man.”

EIGHT

Asher

“Why the hell are you in such a rush?” Blake and Gideon rag on me as I shove my things into my duffle.

“You guys are dumber than a bag of rocks,” Billy jeers, slapping Blake up the side of the head. “Did you not see his hottie girlfriend in the stands?”

Pinning Billy with a warning glare, he shrugs, scrubbing a towel over his wet hair.

“Don’t let Kennedy hear you say that.” Kai strolls in, a loud snap making Billy yelp and clutch at his ass.

“Fuck you, Kai. That bloody hurts,” he whines, taking the towel in his hands and spinning it into a weapon, attempting to snap it back at Kai.

“Leave the kid alone.” He winks at me, his support welcomed, but not warranted.

“Yeah, I’ve got a fucking stunning woman who happens to be mine waiting for me. So, if you don’t mind, I’ll be leaving all your stinky asses behind and going to spend time with her.” Hauling my duffle over my shoulder, I head for the door.

“Hey,” Kai calls out, his wet feet slapping on the tiles as he jogs over to me. “Don’t forget, bus leaves tomorrow at eight. Be on it, okay?”

“I’ll be there,” I assure him, one foot already out the door. Every minute here is another I don’t get with Wiley.

“Have fun,” Kai’s voice catches me as I leave him standing there, my mind already wired for our first kiss.

“Oh, I intend to,” I mutter, taking the stairs two at a time as I head down into the main part of the stadium.

Coming out of the tunnel, thankfully there aren’t as many people here, but I still pull the hood of my jacket up as I hit redial on my phone. I scan up and down the length of the wide walkway, hoping to spot her.

“Hey, you,” she answers, and all I can think about is seeing her in that jersey with the Number One Cute Boy Fan words on the back.

“Is my cute girl ready to get out of here?” I start walking toward an exit, just hoping to catch sight of her.

“As soon as I find my cute boy, you bet your sweet ass I am.” I falter, my brain not able to send my feet the message to keep moving because Wiley Nolan just claimed me as hers.

I knew without knowing—if that makes sense—that she was the one. Yeah, it might have taken Mandy to make me see it, but once my eyes were open, there was no denying it. Having Wiley claim me back…I feel high. If love were a drug, I’d test positive—FUCK! I…I love Wiley Nolan.

“W…where are you?” I stutter out, my heart beating a million miles per minute, sweat beading across my forehead.

“I’m waiting by the Pacific Parade exit, just inside the tunnel.” Jerking to a halt, I know exactly where she is, this stadium, my old stomping ground. I begin to wonder how I never saw her before, but shake it off.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” I state, hanging up and jamming my phone into my pocket. “Okay, brain, let’s get us to Wiley without fucking up, yeah?”

Putting one foot in front of the other, I kinda feel like some baby giraffe taking its first steps, all wobbly and uncoordinated. What even is that?

As the tunnel twists in a curving arc up ahead, I realise I came out on the opposite side of the stadium and pick up my pace. My body and my mind finally catching up to each other. As I round the bend, it all comes undone again when I spot her standing there. I trip, like a fucking idiot, and just mange to catch myself from face planting on the concrete. Plastering a smile on my face, even from here I can see laughter on Wiley’s and I don’t fucking care. I couldn’t give a shit if I just made a fool of myself. I’d do it ten times over just to get to her.

With a shake of my head, I calculate twenty steps are between us and each one seems to take forever in my mind. It’s like the ground has suddenly become quicksand, but when she starts heading towards me, that fucking jersey like a homing beacon, I break free.

---