Blake
When I walk into the house, Briar is in the living room. She runs up to me. I grab her and kiss her.
“I saw your fight with Logan. And the brawl that broke out afterwards. It’s all over college sports news and social media,” she says when we break apart.
“Great,” I say through an exhale.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
She gazes up at my face, her brow knit in worry. She reaches up and gently touches the edge of my jaw, then my forehead.
“I’m fine,” I say.
“Blake, you’ve got bruises and cuts all over your face.” Her eyes are teary as she looks up at me. “You’re hurt because of me.”
When her lips start to wobble, I cup her face in my hands.
“Hey. This isn’t your fault.” I press a kiss to her forehead. “Don’t cry. I swear, I’m okay. It looks worse than it is.”
She sniffles. “You promise?”
I crack a smile at how sweet she is. “I promise.”
The worried wrinkle in her brow eases.
“What did Logan say to you on the ice?” she asks. “I saw him say something to you. And in the video that got posted online, he said something to you in the tunnel too.”
I grit my teeth just thinking about it.
“Nothing worth repeating,” I say. “He’ll never bother you again, Briar.”
Her mouth parts open in surprise. “But how can you be so sure?”
“Because I told him if he ever did anything to you again, I’d kill him.”
I instantly regret telling her that. She probably thinks I’m a psycho.
But then, she gently grabs my face and kisses me. I groan into her mouth as she leads me in a slow, teasing kiss.
When we stop, we’re both panting.
She leans her forehead against mine. “Blake, I need to tell you something…”
I lean back to look at her.
“I can’t do this anymore,” she says, the look in her eyes pained.
My stomach falls to my feet.
She hesitates for a second before she starts speaking again. “I can’t keep going like this. I can’t just be your friend who you fool around with anymore.”
Shit. She’s going to end things between us.
“I want more,” she says.
My brain is a record screeching to a halt. “What?”
“I want you to be my boyfriend, Blake.”
I stare at her for a long moment, hoping I heard her right.
She gnaws at her bottom lip and plays with the hem of my jersey like she’s nervous.
“I know it must freak you out to hear me say that,” she says. “Especially since I said I wanted to take things slow. I tried. I really did. But you’re just so amazing, Blake, and I fell so hard for you, and—”
I crash my mouth against hers. I tease her lips apart, lapping my tongue against hers. Cradling her face in my hands, I tilt her head back, deepening our kiss.
She claws at my chest, pulling me closer. My hands slide down her sides, settling at her waist.
I need her closer to me. I need her body on my mine. I can’t stop touching her. I can’t stop kissing her.
“You want me to be your boyfriend?” I rasp against her mouth. I can’t believe she wants me.
“Yes. More than anything.”
We look at each other, both of us breathing hard.
“I want that too,” I say.
Her green eyes are big and glittery as she looks at me. “You do?”
I let out a laugh of pure disbelief. Does she really not know?
“Of course I do. Briar, I would have said yes to being your boyfriend months ago. Years ago. I’ve always wanted you.”
Emotion flashes in her beautiful green gaze as she stares up at me.
“I know we both admitted to having crushes on each other before, but it’s always been more than that for me,” I say.
“I’ve always had feelings for you. Everything about you makes me crazy.
Your smile. Your laugh. The way you play with your hair when you’re nervous.
How kind and sweet you are. The way you make me feel. ”
Her smile softens as she looks at me. “How do I make you feel?”
“The happiest. Whenever I’m around you, Briar, the sun shines brighter. The sky is bluer. The air smells better. My heart beats faster in my chest. Everything in the world feels right when you’re with me.”
She’s quiet for a long moment. Emotion flickers in her eyes. “I feel the same way with you, Blake.”
My heart feels too big for my chest. I’m smiling so hard, my face hurts.
“You make me feel safe. You make me feel seen. You make me feel desired. You make me feel like I matter. When I’m with you, Blake, I feel like I’m home.”
Behind my ribcage, something tightens. I feel dizzy and warm all at once. And so fucking happy.
I grab her face and kiss her again. Slower this time. I want to savor everything about this moment. The way she tastes. The ways she feels. The way my heart aches hearing her say how much she wants me—how she wants to be mine.
“Will you take me to your bed?” she murmurs against my lips.
I scoop her up. She wraps her legs around me, and I walk us upstairs. We kiss the whole time.
I walk into my bedroom and set her down so she’s standing next to my bed. She gazes up at me with those gorgeous green eyes.
“Blake. I’m ready to have sex with you.”
My cock twitches in my pants.
“Are you sure?” I ask.
She nods. “Yes. I want this with you. Please?”
I lean down and press a soft kiss to her lips. “You’re sure?” I ask again. I want her to be certain. I don’t want her to have any doubts.
She smiles against my mouth. She leans back, her mouth curved up in a sweet smile. “I’ve never been more sure of anything, Blake. I want you.”
A wild, frenzied feeling courses through me. It’s like someone unlocked a gate and a thousand untamed horses sprinted through it.
No more holding back. This is Briar’s first time, and I’m going to make sure it’s phenomenal. I’m going to make this so good for her.
I grab her by the waist and set her on my bed.