Page 87 of Dangerous Play

“Come here, Blossom,” he asked, extending both of his hands toward me.

“You really shouldn’t be here,” I muttered as my fingertips brushed his, and his pine scent surrounded me all at once.

Max wrapped his fingers around my hand and pulled me to himself. “I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. And I should have been here sooner.”

Students brushed behind my back, and whispers penetrated our little bubble. “You shouldn’t be here. What are people going to say? You are…”

“Let them say whatever they want, I don’t care.” He pulled me until my chest was flushed against his, his arms sliding around my waist. He flashed me the softest yet realest smile I’d ever seen on his face. “I missed you, Blossom. Every single day since the semi-finals. I’m sorry for not being here sooner, for not being more persistent and trying to get your attention. And most of all, I’m sorry for acting like none of it meant anything and thinking that if I removed the pictures, I could remove all the impacts you have made on my life. Because I can’t, and I don’t want to pretend like I can or want to anymore.”

Tears burned my eyes, and I felt like I was dropped into an alternate universe. One where the guy I was fake dating, whose career almost crumbled because of me, still wanted me despite all that.

“I don’t understand,” I whispered stupidly as I blinked up at him. He seemed different than before, yet he was exactly the same. I couldn’t decide what had changed about him, but something did.

Maybe it was the way he held himself with endless confidence, or the smile that sat on his lips, or the way he hugged me to himself, all protective.

“What about the National Team? All the... mess?” I asked, thinking the reason we broke up was the leaked messages and that everyone expected him to fall in love with me and mess up his game. Which almost happened as well. He was a prophecy coming to life, and yet, despite all that, he chose me.

Max shrugged. “The season is over; we won the final, despite the fact that you not showing up messed with my head bad.” He flashed me a cocky side grin. “And that’s all. I re-evaluated my life and realized... I won’t always please everyone. I’m talented and an asset to any team who wants me. My worth as a player or human being is not decided by a coach who doesn’t see who his daughter really is and puts his daughter above the team. I know when and how to make sacrifices for the team. But I’m not willing to make them right now. I proved myself time and time again. I know I’m a good fit; there’s nothing else I can do. I won’t sit and beat myself up over his decision when I know that in my heart, I did everything to prove my worth. So, I decided to follow my heart, take a leap of faith, and do something out of character for once that will benefit me. Not the team or my career, just me.”

My heart fluttered in my chest as he spoke, and every word melted away the walls I tried to put around myself. He waspenetrating all my defenses, and I had no desire to reject him. Not when he poured his heart out and laid all his cards in front of me. He was honest and offered me a fresh start—a new beginning for the two of us, despite everything.

“I know we can’t forget everything that happened, and I don’t want to. You made me a better person. You changed me during these past few months, and I have no intention of forgetting that. I want to continue from where we left off the morning of the semi-finals and pretend like everything in between didn’t happen. If you want it too.”

I let out a low chuckle and pushed my head into his neck. “I would love that, but equally, I want nothing more than a fresh start for us. To wipe out everything and start over on that day in the bar or even pretend we really met at a marathon. But we both agree on one thing... I want you. And I’m tired of pretending I don’t want you.”

The side of Max’s lip tipped up into a sexy smirk. “Good to know we agree on the main thing.”

I laughed and tipped my head up, looking up at him and brushing my lips over his. Max captured my lips with his in a deep, passionate kiss. There was no tentativeness in the way his hand came up to cup my face or in the way his tongue teased mine, leaving me wanting more.

A small moan escaped me as I fully flushed against him, my arms around his neck pulling him as close as I could while we kissed.

Max’s fingers dug into my face as he held me to him with a deep kiss before pulling away and flashing me a grin. “I don’t want to cut the mood, but... can we go somewhere more private to finish this?”

I laughed and nodded. “I would offer my dorm, but apparently, some idiot left me roses there.”

“Come home with me,” he said, pushing his forehead to mine, his pleading puppy eyes boring into mine. The way he said “home” made me melt even more.

“Sounds perfect,” I whispered, my voice once again hoarse from all the emotions.

Max held my hand all the way as we walked across the Westpoint campus and throughout the drive back to Hillview University’s soccer house. There was something oddly calming and familiar in the way we walked hand in hand through the door.

Max wrapped his arms around me and kissed my neck as we entered. “Welcome home, Blossom,” he muttered into my flushed skin, and I blinked up at the big blue banner hanging in the foyer that read:Welcome Back.

I let out a laugh and turned in his arms. “Were you that sure I was going to come back with you?”

“Was I that easy?” Max touched the tip of his nose to mine and grinned. “That was for Dex, when he got back from the hospital, but the guys wanted to keep it on in case we decided to get back together.”

That settled some of the annoyance that started brewing in me. I didn’t want to be easy or manipulable anymore. That wasn’t the new Ivy I tried to be.

“I think we both learned a lot about ourselves since our arrangement,” I told him as he kissed my neck. “We have both grown, and we’re not the same people we were.”

“Completely agree,” Max nodded. “I would love nothing more than to get to know the new Ivy. We could have a Disney date—I think you promised that over Christmas. Or we could go on a hike; I found this new trail not that long ago and saved it for us.”

It was hard to remain serious and level-headed when Max was that sweet and attentive. I wanted nothing more than to lockourselves in his room and remind myself why I fell for him so easily, besides his amazing personality.

“Can we go up? Before we run into anyone?” I looked around, self-conscious.

Max claimed my lips again, kissing me long and slow, like he had all the time in the world. “Everyone is in the gym. Strength training.”

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