11. Jeremy
Ikept a close eye on Teresa that week. Or a closer eye than I already had. Last night after practice, Coach had pulled me aside and told me my girl had nothing to worry about after the school announced Professor Gage’s immediate resignation.
I didn’t ask questions. Especially about Coach’s knuckles and hand being cracked open, the scabs slowly healing. All I’d said was that I owed him. He shot me a look, and I knew one day, I’d get a call and would do anything he or Ferguson and Marquez asked of me.
But I didn’t care.
I didn’t lose sleep over whatever the hell happened to that motherfucker. It might make me sick and twisted, but I’d heard him. I’d read his intention when it came to my woman and hoped to god there weren’t more of his victims on campus where nobody had been able to get to them on time.
My girl, though, had lost sleep. She woke up in cold sweats, her heart racing and body trembling like the last leaf on a tree at the end of fall. She’d turn to me regardless if it was in her room or mine and ask me to hold her closer.
Then, last night, when she’d woken up, she reached for me, cupping my face with her delicate hands, and kissed me. Something I’d avoided doing because I hadn’t wanted to push her into something she wasn’t ready for after being accosted that way.
“I love you.” Her whisper-soft words brushed against my lips, and I groaned.
“Cielo.”
“I know. It’s crazy fast and—“
“Shh…” I pressed my mouth to hers, flipping us over so she straddled my lap and I could hold her, both my hands on either side of her face. “I wanted to be the first one to say it.”
“Say what?” she adorably sassed, leaning down and pressing her lips to my cheek.
“That I love you.” My voice sounded deeper than usual.
And through the moonlight that drifted in through the window, I watched as my girl’s face transformed.
Teresa was a lot of things. Strong. Fierce.
Sassy and loyal. But there were only a handful of people she let see a different side of her.
A softer, tender one she held at bay, protecting it from ever getting hurt.
And right then and there, I was honored to know I was one of the fucking few.
“You love me?” she asked, vulnerability radiating off her. All I wanted to do was put myself between her and anything in the world that might ever hurt her.
“With all my heart.”
“Mmm, that’s good, I guess.” I grinned and shook my head.
“Good. Because I wasn’t kidding, cielo. You’re stuck with me.” Her eyes flared, and I knew exactly where this late-night talk was headed.
“There could be worse places to be stuck at.” Damn, I loved that smart mouth.
I’d flipped her over and slowly took my time worshiping her body all night long. Exploring every tan line, kissing every freckle, old scar, and beauty mark from the bottom of her feet to the top of her head, knowing I wanted to do that every day for the rest of my life.