Page 43 of Stalked By the Linebacker

“I bet you did.”

“I’m serious.” That’s when I noticed it. Libby’s cheeks were a pretty shade of pink and there was a slight hint of guilt in her eyes.

“You knew?” I guessed, and she shrugged.

“I kinda guessed,” she answered softly. My body started to slowly relax.

“How?” Maybe I hadn’t been as stealthy as I’d thought I’d been.

“Your cologne.” I stilled. “My room always smells like you when I get back from the library. I thought I imagined it at first, but then it was more obvious.” That made sense, considering. “Then you call me like a second after I get inside, and you’re here always less than two minutes after we hang up.”

“So?”

“So?” She giggled. “It takes like five with that elevator. And that’s if you’re already down at the lobby.” Her body relaxed and her hands wrapped around my neck, her finger toying with hair at the back of my neck.

“You’re not pushing me away,” I noted. I’d been ready for her to do exactly that.

“Are you still going to keep doing weird stuff?”

“Weird?” I asked. Libby’s brow rose, silently challenging me to call it something else. “Yes,” I admitted. I couldn’t lie to her. My heart stopped and lungs seized for a moment. Her face was expressionless until her lips twitched and her eyes sparkled. “Yes,” I repeated with confidence. “I don’t think I could stop, Lib.”

“Is it bad if I say I don’t want you to stop?” she whispered, and I knew it was going to be okay. I didn’t need to worry because she was made for me and all my weird shit.

“Fucking hell,” I groaned, resting my forehead against hers, holding her face in my hands. “I don’t deserve you. I have no idea what I did to get lucky enough that you’re okay with this side of me. I didn’t even know I had a side like this.” She exhaled slowly.

“Your freak matches my freak,” she whispered, and I laughed roughly. Opening my eyes, I stared into hers. Eyes I couldn’t wait to see every day of my life until my last breath.

“It’s not going to be easy,” I warned, not that I’d give her a choice of whether she was stuck with me in her life or not.

“What isn’t?” Her eyes searched mine.

“This. Us. This year…” I licked my lips and swallowed hard. “Football season is starting and––“

“Shh,” she hushed, pressing her lips against mine and kissing me slowly. Sweetly. “It’s going to be okay.”

“It is,” I vowed, “But you need to know. Practices and trainings and away games, it can be a lot.” She pulled back and looked at me.

“I know.” This time when she blushed, the pink tinge hit the tips of her ears.

“You know?”

“Hector, I came to school here last year. I know what a time commitment football season is, not to mention the classes you’re taking.”

“And the classes you’re taking,” I reminded her, and she nodded.

“We’re going to graduate at the same time.” I nodded. “We both want to go to med school,” she added. Where I wanted to be a surgeon, my girl wanted to be an anesthesiologist.

“We will make it work,” I growled. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I can be kind of a demanding asshole.”

“You give yourself too much credit.” She laughed, and I wrapped my arms around her tightly, breathing in the scent of the top of her hair.

It was like a breath of fresh air.

The first full breath I’d taken since I decided to let her catch me today so I could lay it all out. “I love you, Libby. I love you so fucking much.”

“I love you, too, Hector. All of you,” Her fingertips stroked my jaw. “The funny easy-going side and the darker one that’s a little…”

“Stalkery?”

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