45. Ellie
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
ellie
AFTER ENJOYING A PREGAME cookout coordinated by Theo, a few games of Candy Land with Chloe, and a snuggle or two with Honey, we got back into the car to head into Minneapolis.
I found myself walking next to Delaney on our way into the stadium, and for a very brief moment during which Blake had been called away from her side by his dad, who seemed to be having trouble finding his ticket on his phone, and Sully wandered to talk to Janie, having noticed she looked a little lost, it was just the two of us.
It was nice to reconnect with her; I’d been meaning to call and follow up now that I was in a little bit better place, but I hadn’t gotten the chance, and I’d been feeling bad about that. She was gracious, of course. Kind and sympathetic. I wondered if maybe we could be friends.
I hoped we could maybe be friends.
Once we made it through the front gates, Sully quickly gravitated back to my side, and I smiled at him when he slipped his slightly sweaty palm into my grasp.
I was glad he’d talked to Janie. It was something I adored about him—that he often went out of his way to ensure everyone felt comfortable.
Sully lived by a philosophy of putting other people first, one of the reasons I’d felt so very strongly that he’d had the chance to put himself first five years ago.
But now it was my turn to make sure he was comfortable; I could already feel his nervous energy, the tightening of his body every time someone brushed past us.
His hand moved to my lower back, propelling me forward with quickening steps.
The stadium was loud, packed with people, and a muscle jumped in his temple every time a booming announcement echoed into the hallways from the field.
I stuck close to him as we walked, and eventually, we entered the suite Noah had secured for us today.
“Well, that was terrifying,” Sully murmured as we broke free from the crush of football fans. “I thought you were gonna get swept away from me for a minute there. Was about ready to throw you over my shoulder and make a break for it.”
His arm banded around me, drawing my body back into his, and I felt the shaky stutter of his breaths.
I gave his forearm a tight squeeze, knowing he probably needed it. Music filtered into the suite from speakers I couldn’t locate, and the rumbling of the crowd could still be heard from the opening facing the field. “Why don’t you go sit down?” I prompted. “I can bring you a glass of water.”
“Yeah.” He exhaled slowly. “Yeah, that sounds good.”
His gradual movements told me he was reluctant to release me, but his arm fell, and I watched as he strode to the front row of seats where no one was sitting yet. He dropped his head into his hands, moving his fingertips to press on his ears.
The rest of his family had scattered around the suite, chattering with excitement.
I dodged my way through them until I made it to the water station in the back, where Theo was already filling a glass.
Before I could say anything, he handed it to me, and I thanked him with a smile before returning to Sully’s side.
“Here,” I said, and Sully took the water from me with a murmur of gratitude. After taking a sip, he set the cup in the holder and grabbed my hips, pulling me down onto his lap and draping my body over his like I was his weighted blanket.
I didn’t move for a few seconds, letting Sully take a few deep breaths. He closed his eyes, and I squeezed his shoulder until he opened them again. Then I adjusted my body, turning my head so he could hear me when I asked, “What are five things you can see?”
“I see about five million people,” he grunted. Against my side, I felt the rise and fall of his chest—a bit faster than normal.
“No, no,” I chastised lightly. “That’s not how it works.”
He blew a breath between his lips. “I see Noah on the field. The football in his hands. Someone wearing a fucking cheesehead hat. Seriously, what the hell are the cheeseheads doing here?”
I chuckled softly. “Two more, Sawyer.”
He tilted his head to look at me, and his breathing began to even out. “Two pretty brown eyes.”
“That should probably only count as one.”
He wrinkled his nose. “Nah.”
I let it go. “Four things you can touch,” I whispered.
“This chair that is way too fucking small for my body,” he answered, holding my gaze now.
I nodded. “Good.”
He made a face. “Is it?”
“What else?” I prompted.
“This jersey that isn’t mine covering your perfect body.”
“It technically is your jersey,” I countered. “It came from your closet, which is why I’m drowning in it.”
He grunted in response, and I felt his hand slip beneath the jersey so he was palming my hip, tucking his finger in the waistband of my pants. And then I watched his eyelids flutter shut as he breathed, “Your smooth skin and these jeans that I’d really like to take off.”
“You must be feeling better if you’re getting horny.”
He gave his head a tight shake. “I am, in fact, horny for you in every state of being.”
“Okay,” I acknowledged. “Three things you hear, then.”
“Theo being afraid of Janie.”
“You cannot hear that.” I swatted lightly at his chest. “I’m trying to help.”
“I know you are, I’m sorry.” Exhaling, he opened his eyes again, and they looked clearer.
“But I’m feeling better. Just got a little overstimulated there for a second.
I could feel my clothes on my skin, and I could just sense strangers touching you, and it’s so fucking loud in here after the quiet of Rosewood. ”
“I know,” I said softly. “It is. Do you want to do the rest of the exercise?”
“Maybe.” His gaze drifted to my mouth. “Is one of them taste?”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“I thought you were trying to help me, Eleanor.” His thumb came to my chin, tilting it. “I think tasting you would make everything better.”
“Would it now?” I breathed against his lips.
“Mhm,” he murmured, and then his mouth pressed to mine in a slow kiss.
It was a kiss that made everything fade away—the crescendo of fans in the stadium, the laughter of his family behind us, the bright, flashing lights.
Everything vanished until it was just him and me in a chair that was too small for one of us, let alone two of us.
His tongue slid into my mouth, tasting me the way he wanted, and I shivered with delight.
“Yeah,” he said when it ended. “That’s much better.”
And there wasn’t an ounce of my being that could argue with him.
The Knights won the game, much to the disappointment of many Minnesota fans.
The eruption of cheers that came from our suite garnered a lot of stares throughout various plays that Noah dominated, but I think people started putting it together at some point, considering the number of phones and cameras that were pointed our way by the end.
By kickoff, Sully had relaxed. I’d stayed in his lap for a few extra minutes, but eventually, he gave my hip a little tap, like he wanted me to know it was okay to get up.
I moved to the seat next to him—between him and Theo—and Sully got to his feet to cheer for his brother, his grin wide and genuine.
Something about that moment made my throat tighten with emotion, and it stayed that way for most of the game, all the way until we were welcomed onto the field for a photo opportunity after the crowd had dissipated.
I watched as Gemma skipped up to her fiance?, and Noah’s face lit up the second his eyes landed on her.
Sweat trickled down his temples and decorated the lines of his tattoos, but Gemma didn’t seem to care, letting Noah sweep her into his arms for a kiss.
I stood there with a silly grin on my face as a few whistles and hollers echoed around us, the clicking and flashing of cameras punctuating the kiss, and when Noah finally released her, Sully said, “That’s going to feed the tabloids for months,” making everyone laugh.
Noah included—though he didn’t really seem like he cared.
His gaze drifted to his brother and then to his arm, which was draped over my shoulders, and then the football player was crossing the field to pull us into a sweaty hug, too.
“God, a part of me didn’t believe this was real,” he said, words muffled by the hug. It made my throat do that thing again. “This makes me so fucking happy. Hey, can you do me a favor and, like, never break up again? That would be great, thanks.”
“Typical famous quarterback shit,” Sully tsked. “Out here trying to make our relationship about him. Can you believe it, El?”
Noah rolled his eyes as he pulled back, and a laugh squeezed through my constricted vocal cords.
“Ellie, I’m so glad you’re back,” Noah said, looking at me. “He’s been a fucking menace for the last five years.”
“Don’t worry.” My eyes skirted to Sully to find he was already staring at me, gaze bright. “I’ll keep him in check.”
“I know you will,” Noah laughed before adding, “Nice jersey, by the way. Sul, don’t you think that’s a nice jersey?”
My boyfriend’s eyes flashed. “Did you know that I actually hate you?”
Noah laughed harder, shaking his head. “I love you, man.” He launched another hug at us, squeezing a little tighter this time and speaking a little softer. “Love you both. Thanks for being here.”
“Love you, too. Wouldn’t miss it for the world, bro,” Sully said, and even though I couldn’t see him, blocked by Noah’s massive football pads, I could hear the smile in his voice.
And once again, I couldn’t think of a single thing to argue about.
“Me, either.”