"This is Michelle," Maddox hugs me to him and carefully brushes his fingers through my hair before facing his mom. "She is my girlfriend. We are dating, and please don't call her a little girl just because she is short." I freeze, surprised that Maddox is sticking up for me. Funnily enough, his mot
Michelle I don't belong at this fancy restaurant, and my only comfort is that Maddox doesn't fit in either. Not when he is wearing sweatpants and a hoodie—the only thing he had with him to the game. The rest of his stuff is in the back of his car. I eye his chest, and even though his muscles ar
"How do you pay for rent?" I grimace and squirm in my seat. I don't like the questions, but... I'm trying to give Maddox a chance to get to know me. Call me silly, but I think we could become friends. "I had a part-time job, but... The working hours didn't suit me, so I'm searching for a new one,
Maddox Jason waltzes into the kitchen and gasps. "Are you making homemade chocolates?" I'm wearing a pink apron and mixing brown stuff—what else would I be making?! There are forms on the table! "Dude, are you blind? Because it ain't fucking dog shit I'm melting and mixing on the stove." Jason s
Silence falls. The only thing I hear is my own mental counting. Four. Three. Two. One. I get rid of the metal bar. It hits the rack with a clatter, and I exhale while blinking up at the ceiling. I lay motionless, wishing the room's fan was stronger. I stink. "Good job," Jason tells me and d
Michelle My stomach is tied in a tight bundle of nerves. Maddox is walking ahead of me, holding up the door to the fraternity house. A carpet is rolled out on the cobblestones outside. It's yellow—just like the color of Maddox football pants. It somehow adds to my nerves. I feel like I'm visiti
It must be the alcohol... There is plenty on the table, and some of these guys are entirely red in the face. Yeah, they must be drunk. Yet even with that knowledge, I'm freaking out. I'm not used to being around this many men at once. And these are BIG men. Like they have muscles on top of muscles,
Michelle I've had too many drinks and shots. I'm dizzy, but like, not nauseous. It's more like I won't stop smiling. I feel funny. I think I'm giggling; I'm not a hundred percent sure. Maddox is drunk too and leads me into his bedroom. His friends have all passed out inside the frat house. There i
"You're doing great," Lynn tells me, and my chest swells when she looks at me with proud eyes. Her hand touches mine, and her lips curl into a sweet, adorable smile. "I know that you will be drafted. You train like an idiot, and football is the only thing on your mind, except for maybe some fishing.
Isaac It's been two months since Lynn and I started dating. Things have been going great. She comes to my football games, gets along with my mom, and I'm just constantly floating on pink clouds. But today, I can't make my stomach stop churning. I'm about to have dinner with Lynn and her parents.
Eventually, I wet my lips. "Can I... Can I hug you?" Isaac breaks out into a smile. "Of course." I don't waste a second. I push away the tray and launch myself at Isaac, who laughs in surprise when I tackle him to his back. I can't help it. I like him so much and immediately squeeze him in a bear
Lynn I don't know what to say when Isaac walks into the room. I know we both like each other now, but what do I tell him? How do I get into that topic? Do I say nothing at all and let him talk? My nerves are all over the place, and so are my thoughts. A shadow moves over me, and then Isaac stands
Lynn I wake up with a terrible headache and groan. "I'm never drinking alcohol ever again!" A snicker comes from above me, and I see Isaac's face when I open my eyes. We are lying in a bed together, and I'm nestled to his side, head resting between his pectoral muscle and muscular arm. "Good mor
Oh, I will. I stride forward. There is no space for me on the couch, but I force my way into a corner by lifting Lynn into my lap. She yelps in surprise and leans against me. Magnus glares at me, and I flash him a smirk when Lynn isn't looking. I'm such a lucky guy. Her butt rests on my thighs,
Isaac I stare at my reflection, trying to muster the courage needed to tell Lynn I like her more than a friend. We won our game earlier. Countless people are partying downstairs, but I can't go there. I'm not ready. For the billionth time, I point at myself. "You are a brave guy, and you will tel
I'm not petite, like... My mom is a Latina, and I have curves. I'm not ugly, though, but I get the feeling Isaac would want a small girlfriend. Sure, he calls me tiny, but compared to that blonde? I feel big. What if Isaac wants a more petite woman, like, even his mom is tiny? Isn't it scientifica
Lynn Two weeks after moving back home, I'm sitting on the football bleachers with Linnea and Natalie. Natalie's dad, Zane, is good friends with my dad. They used to be old teammates back when they played in the NFL. Linnea's dad is dead, but her brother used to play in the NFL too. "It's exciting