Page 109 of Beautiful Defiance

“You’re beautiful, Leigh. So goddamn beautiful. You’re mighty fine with your arms stretched behind you and your face tipped up to the sun. Seeing you like that, it took everything in me not to run over and kiss you senseless.”

“Why didn’t you?” I challenge.

“Coach would’ve reamed me out for distracting the other players. Why, you want me to?”

My mouth is cotton dry. I run the tip of my tongue over my bottom lip. Suck my bottom lip into my mouth. Seven follows the movements. Groans. Sets his forehead on mine.

“Leigh, you’re killing me, babe.”

“Is that so?”

“So. Fuck,” he murmurs on my mouth.

I close my eyes and inhale his scent. Relax into his body when his fingers massage my scalp.

“My dad taught me to defy, but for the right reason.” I open my eyes. His are so dark. Like looking up at the sky on a moonless night.

His gaze drops to my mouth. “A kiss is a good enough reason. God, Leigh, I’ll defy until the cows come the fuck home just to have all your kisses, babe.”

“I want that too.”

“Only with me, baby.”

“Only you, Seven.”

Since Seven made it clear I’m his girl, holding my hand and walking me to my classes at the start of the week, the guys who aren’t his loyal teammates, who play other sports like basketball and baseball, aren’t shy with their intense checking out of me. In the hallways. The cafeteria. They are wondering what the appeal is.

I get it. I’m not the prettiest girl in the school. Or a social butterfly. Or the most fashionable girl. Nor am I rich.

What does Seven see in me? The guys stare. Ask for my number. Slip me notes asking if I can tutor them too. Seven sees what’s going on, and thank goodness he keeps his temper in check. There are no thrown punches. Or a garage full of expensive cars getting blown up.

It’s great he’s easing up on the destructive behavior, but his wanting to be with me and showing the world publicly that I’m his girl doesn’t get rid of my doubts.

What if I’m a temporary fascination? What if everything he told me isn’t genuine? My mother blatantly told my father she loved him, but she’d already given her heart to someone else.

As though sensing my doubts, Seven kisses me with this gut-wrenching desperation.

“You’re mine, baby. Always,” he says between our kisses, his palms clasping the sides of my head. “Tell me I’m yours?”

“You’re mine, Seven.”

“Always?”

“Always.”

Before I can say more or deepen the kiss further, there’s whooping and hollering from behind us. The players have gathered around his truck. The cheerleaders hang back. Hannah gives me a cheesy grin and a double thumbs-up. Ginger is staring at the ground. Poor girl.

I place my hands on Seven’s chest. “She’s hurting,” I say in a low voice. “Let’s go easy on the PDA, okay?”

A flash of annoyance on his face. What I’m fast learning is Seven doesn’t take well to policing his actions. If he had his way, he would be kissing and touching me every chance he gets.

I climb inside his truck. He runs around the truck and gets in, fist bumping Trace and Malice on the way. The guys tip their heads at me and smile. I smile back.

“Fuck, I am ready for a shower.” He backs up the truck, pulls out of the school parking lot, and gets on the road.

“Don’t.”

“Huh?” He looks at me and raises a brow before returning his attention to the road.

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