Page 17 of Overprotected

I was going to love this job and meet people. I was going to live my life.

We took the cannons out halfway through the game and called to everyone, telling them to let us know they wanted a shirt. People yelled and I looked at Bella with a smile before aiming the cannon high and attempting to shoot a shirt to a little girl halfway back. She was so cute with her blonde curls and her dad jumped up to get it as she waved at me. I smiled proudly as Bella shot hers to a guy to the left. We did this a few more times throughout the game and then ran off so the guys could score a touchdown to win.

We jumped up and down as everyone cheered and I genuinely felt happy for Jackson. He didn’t play a lot but when he did, he was good. I wondered why he wasn’t a starter, but we’d never talked about that. He was just happy to be playing with the pros.

We watched everyone leave the field and Bella asked if I wanted to go out with the group to celebrate a great day. I smiled and nodded as we walked to our locker room to shower and change into our street clothes, taking off my heavy make-up gratefully.

We piled into two cars to go to a local restaurant. I sat in the back seat and watched the lights of Nashville pass us by. I had no idea what would happen later with Jackson. I told myself to have fun now and deal with it later.

I still felt his face close to mine as Bella laughed and turned up the radio. I smiled, deciding to live in the moment.

CHAPTER 10

JACKSON

I passed on going out with the team to celebrate the win since I felt like shit about what happened with Emma. Apparently, she went out with the team and I ended up watching replays of our game as well as the others that were on that day. I finally went out to get some Chinese food and o bring home in case she was hungry later.

When I pulled up, I saw her walking to the building and watched as she unlocked the door. She was dressed in some leggings and a Henley, which I preferred over that skimpy uniform she wore at the game.

She looked hot and felt even better pressed against me, but I needed to put that behind me.

I let her close the door and walked a little faster to get in, as if I didn’t see her.

“Are you home? I got some Chinese and beer,” I kept my voice casual as I walked into the kitchen and set everything down.

She walked out of her room, brushing her hair.

“I ate with the team, but I could have beef and broccoli if you got that,” she replied nonchalantly looked at the bags on the counter and shook her head, reaching for a beer.

“Should you be drinking?”

Emma rolled her eyes. “You and Greg pounded back quite a few over your high school years, if my memory serves me well. You have to stop being protective. I drink once in a while and always in moderation.”

I decided to change the subject. “I remembered what you like,” I assured her as she blushed and opened the bottle. “Did you like the game?”

“The game? It was a blast,” she replied, not making eye contact as I unloaded the containers of food.

I fucked up earlier, and I didn’t know what to do to fix it. I didn’t want to bring it up, but I had to say something.

“You looked great out there,” I said. She looked at me with a small smile. “Look, I’m sorry about earlier. I get protective with you because I watched you grow up. It’s hard to admit that you’re not that little girl anymore,” I wanted to say more, but I decided not to. “Just be careful. Please.”

“I know, Jackson.”

She reached for a container after she saw the broccoli, grabbing a fork before she went to sit on the chair. I ordered two containers of that since I knew how much she liked it.

I chose to fill a plate and got a beer before heading to the living room. She was sitting on the chair, watching TV as she settled her stuff on the table beside her. She seemed withdrawn, and I dropped down on the couch and speared some chicken as I looked at her again.

I remembered how she smelled as I pressed her against the wall. It drove me mad, and it took everything I had not to draw the soft skin of her neck between my teeth to taste her. While I chewed my food, I remembered my comment about tasting her, knowing how direct and crude it was. I took a long swallow of the beer and washed down the distaste at the back of my throat. Emma didn’t deserve to be spoken to like that, and I was an asshole for doing it to her.

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