Page 13 of Stalked By the Cornerback

That’s when I’d heard enough.

Crank might have been in front of me just a couple of steps ahead, but I beat him to it. Before Crank knew it, not only was I at his side, but I picked up Tuck by his shirt. The guy was aboutmy size, but that didn’t stop me from lifting him up and off the ground.

“What the fuck did you just say?” I growled, shoving my face in front of the douchebag.

“Relax, Dyl! Jesus. What’s your problem? She’s just some fat chick with––“ I didn’t let him say another goddamn syllable. My arm pulled back, and I punched Tuck in the face. Pain radiated down my hand, but I didn’t care. It was worth it. All I could do was see red.Who the hell does he think he is, calling my girl names?

“Fuck! What the hell, man?!” Tuck exclaimed, holding his face. He glared at me. His hand covered his nose, but he didn’t make a move to attack me back.

He didn’t have the balls.

Not when a couple of the guys on the team were already surrounding us. Standing at our sides, ready to pull us apart in case this thing turned into a brawl.

“Don’t you ever talk about her like that.” I jabbed Tuck’s chest with his finger. “Don’t even fucking look at her,” I growled. His nose flared. My hands itched to punch him again, but that’s when I felt her. I might not have seen her move, but I felt the soft heat of her body behind me. Her small hand touched my arm, and it felt like all the fight and heat in my blood started to fade away.

She soothed something in me with a simple touch, and if I hadn’t already crossed so many damn lines and boundaries, right then and there, I would have known I was fucked. Just with a touch.

“You hit him.” Her voice was whisper soft as I turned to look down at her.

“I did.” My jaw clenched. “I’m sorry.” My voice sounded raspy in my own ears. “I didn’t mean to scare you, but—" Mattie’s hand took mine, and she lifted it up between us.My heart thundered against my rib cage. Holy fuck, she was touching me.

“We should get this cleaned up,” she said softly. Mattie looked toward Libby, who I was standing next to by now, and shrugged. “Sorry. We’ll talk later?”

“Sure.” Libby nodded as she leaned into Crank.

“Text me you got home okay?” Mattie urged, and Libby nodded. I would have smiled, really liking the fact Crank’s girl and mine got along, if it weren’t for the fact that Mattie started to walk away.With my hand in hers.

Heat rushed through my body to temperatures I was unsure I had ever felt. Not even when I got a really bad flu when I was twelve. I silently let her lead me through the house. People moved out of the way for us, not that I paid attention to them. Not when all I could do was follow her like a puppy while I watched the top of her head. She walked us towards the back of the house and stopped in the somewhat crowded kitchen by the sink. People were watching us, but I only had eyes for her through the roaring of blood rushing through my ears.

Mattie let my hand go and reached for the paper towels. Without asking, she took the roll and returned to me.

“Come on,” she said, once again taking the hand I hadn’t used when I punched Tucker, and walked us to the backyard, not stopping until she found a quiet spot, where she pointed at a bench for me to sit. I took it and looked at her, daring to tangle our fingers together. “Can you sit here while I go to those coolers to grab you a water and some ice?”

“Mattie—“

“Please,” she said, letting my hand go and picking up the one I’d punched Tuck with. “We need to ice it to make sure it doesn’t swell,” she insisted. I nodded because. As much as I hated the idea of her walking away from me, I doubted I could deny her anything. She gave me a small smile before she turnedand headed towards the coolers. I didn’t take my eyes off her as I soaked in the sight of her.

There was a quiet elegance with the way she moved. Her hips swayed, almost like they did it just for my eyes. When she stood by the cooler waiting for some guys to get their beers, she glanced over her shoulder, and our eyes connected.

Mine,the voice perked up, softly, in my head.Mine. Mine. Mine.It started to chant everyminea little louder than the last. I was fucked. There was no sane part of me left. Not now. Not after her coming to take care of me. Her soft body returned and stood between my thighs. My mouth went dry.

Without a word uttered between us, I watched her get to work, tending to my reddened knuckles. She poured water on a paper towel and gently took my hand to dab the wet paper towel over my knuckles.

“Bright side, it didn’t break the skin. But we should still try and find some hydrogen peroxide and something to keep it clean with. Maybe wrap it up.” I grunted because my fucking brain couldn’t seem to function enough to string a couple of words together.

Her eyes rose and connected with mine, and fuck me, she could have toppled me over. “You shouldn’t fight. It can get you kicked off the team,” she said softly and my heart, my poor fucking heart, squeezed with joy.She cares.That fed hopes into my veins.

“You worried about me, shortcake?” The term of endearment slipped past my lips before I could stop myself. If it affected her, she didn’t show it.

No. My girl simply rolled her eyes and kept dabbing on my knuckles. “You’re talented on the field. It would suck if you couldn’t keep being great out there because you hit some dumbass douchebag.”

“He disrespected you,” I growled and winced when she rubbed ice over my knuckles.

“And?” Her eyes rose. “They were just words, Dylan.”

“Yeah, and I won’t have him, or anyone, talk to you like that.”

“You make it sound like you care,” Mattie mumbled under her breath, but I didn’t miss it.

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