Page 161 of Naughty & Nice

At school, neither of us wanted to be a part of that crowd. So we let Wilder do his thing with his team and his friends, and then we celebrated or commiserated at home, away from all that.

If we embark on this, there will be no distance with our support. We’re going to be dragged right into the middle of Wilder’s life.

Will Noelle cope with that?

“Not if I have her.”

All the air comes rushing from my lungs.

Shit. He really wants this.

“And what about the jersey chasers, the parties?”

“What about them?” he snaps as if he’s offended by the question.

“I just mean, that life is still going to be there. The girls... they’ll still want you.”

He smirks.

“Oh, wipe that smug look from your face,” I mutter.

“They can want me all they like. They’re not going to have me.If I wanted them, I could have had them this week. It’s not like they haven’t been trying.”

“Have you? Slept with any of them this week?”

“Is that a serious question?” he asks, his lips pursed in frustration.

“What? I know you, Wilder. I know what you’re like.”

“No,” he states. “I haven’t slept with any of them. I don’t want to. The only girl I want is sleeping in the living room.”

“You could have had her. Why haven’t you?”

“Because I knew that if I did, and then you both told me that we were done, it would wreck me.

“Look, just fucking look at me. This week… it’s been fucking hell.

“How the fuck we won that game, fuck only knows. I wasn’t focused. My head was still back in that cabin with you. She’s the only thing I’ve been able to think about.

“I want her. I need her. I fucking love her.”

Soft footsteps follow his passionate confession, and we both turn to the doorway to find the girl in question walking toward us.

She’s only just woken up, that much is obvious, but the smile on her face takes my breath away.

She studies Wilder for a beat before turning her eyes on me.

“The entire college is going to have an opinion about this, let alone the entire football conference.”

“Does that put you off?” Wilder asks.

“Does it you?” she shoots back.

“Fuck no. People will always talk. Might as well give them something to talk about.”

“Okay,” Noelle agrees. “Rix?”

“I think you already know that I want whatever is going to make you happy.”

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