Chapter 26 #2
On each of their jerseys was a paper letter pinned to the material. It took me a second, mostly because I was mortified and looking for a hole to crawl into, but they spelled out Will You Go To Prom With Me, Ms. Fletcher?
The crowd collectively sighed as they realized what was going on. My friends elbowed me and Lydia ended up yanking me up to standing, none too gently for a girl who was having digestive issues half an hour ago.
Boon smiled up at me. “It’s a promposal twenty-one years too late, but I hope you can forgive me and agree to go to prom with me this year, Ms. Fletcher. What do you say?”
Tatum ran across the field and up the bleachers, two stairs at a time until he was in front of me, handing me the largest bouquet of flowers I’d ever seen outside of a hotel lobby.
The chant of the crowd picked up while Tatum ran back down the stairs. “Yes, yes, yes!”
I held the flowers while plotting Boon’s death.
Kinsley ran to her father’s side, leaning into the microphone. “Say yes, Ms. Fletcher!”
I huffed out a laugh, able to find the humor and sweetness in the situation despite the absolute mortification of having several hundred eyeballs on me.
I handed the flowers to Lydia and cupped my hands over my mouth.
The crowd went silent, and for one suspended second, I wondered how this was my life.
“Yes!” I shouted back.
The crowd went wild and Boon handed the microphone to Kinsley, taking the bleacher stairs just as easily as Tatum a few moments ago.
Lydia stepped out of the way with one encouraging slap to his back as he approached our row.
Boon swept me into his arms, tipped me over and kissed me like no one was watching.
My brain went fuzzy and my chest ached with something that made me want to stay in Boon’s arms forever.
After a minute of loud cheers and congratulations, the announcer came back on the microphone and got us back to our normal schedule of pregame songs and player announcements.
I sat down the second Boon released me, legs no longer able to hold me.
My eyes burned with tears as Boon sat down next to me.
I hated that public promposal, but I also freaking loved it.
It soothed some teenage wound that I thought didn’t affect me any longer.
The tears I was gulping back told me differently.
“Hey,” Boon murmured against my ear. “I know you hate that kind of attention, but I couldn’t let another prom go by without giving you everything you should have had in high school.”
He cupped my cheek and wiped away a tear with his thumb. “I gotta go coach these hoodlums, but promise me you don’t hate me for that stunt.”
I smiled up at him through the stupid tears. “I don’t hate you, not even a little bit.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Are you quoting Ten Things I Hate About You ?”
I laughed and he joined in, kissing me quick and then letting go. He held out his fist to Lydia, who fist-bumped him back before he ran down the bleachers to go do his job.
I glared at my best friend. “You’re in so much trouble.”
She blew me a kiss and sat right down next to me, unfazed by my threat. “You know you love me.”
I did love her. And I had a sneaking suspicion I was falling in love with Boon too.
Boon spent the night after his promposal giving me an orgasm for each of the runs his team scored in the game to win their way into the district championships.
He was high on life, and I was the happy recipient for his endless energy.
Of course, that meant I was dragging the next morning even after sleeping in.
Pregnancy was a marathon, and I’d never been a runner.
I ran a hand over my swollen belly and hummed with love for this little boy. Even though I couldn’t drink coffee anymore because of the heartburn it gave me, I still loved this little baby beyond reason.
“There’s my favorite person,” Boon grumbled behind me, sliding his arms around my waist to hug me from behind.
He watched me dip the chamomile tea bag into the steaming hot water in my favorite mug.
It was a poor substitute for coffee, but it would have to do.
His calloused hands dipped under my sweatshirt, smoothed over my rounding belly, and quickly slid into my pants, immediately cupping me like he wanted another round this morning.
I tried to push him off me because I had to get ready for our HAGS meeting, but he’d already felt how wet I was for him.
He kissed the side of my neck and dipped his finger into me. I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut.
“Fuck, Shae. Always so ready for me.” He added another finger and stroked his thumb across my clit, working me hard and fast. My breath began to hitch and I knew I could come in seconds.
He ground his erection into my ass, but didn’t make a move to free it.
“Come for me, baby. Coat my fingers before you kick me out.”
That did it. His gravelly voice telling me what to do sent me right over the edge.
Pleasure coursed through my body, heightened by the pregnancy hormones and the fact this man knew exactly how to touch my body.
My mug of tea splashed onto the countertop as I bumped it.
I had to rest my forehead on the upper cabinet door as I came down.
He withdrew his hand and licked his fingers lewdly. “Better than coffee,” he whispered before spanking my ass and walking back out of the kitchen.
I heard the back door click as he left for the day.
When I could function again, I put my cold mug of tea in the sink and went to get dressed.
I was hosting this week, which meant the girls brought food and I showed up in my favorite comfy sweats.
Fifi promised she had some maternity clothes from her work that she wanted me to try on.
Personally, I liked my new maternity shirt, the one that said Can’t.
I’m busy growing a human, but I wouldn’t turn down free clothes.
The girls all giggled while recounting Boon’s promposal last night.
I couldn’t seem to keep the smile off my face, both from his public gesture and the way we celebrated in my bed after.
When they’d settled down a bit, Rosemary asked the question that had been circling in my head, getting louder each day.
“Are you in love with him, Shae? Because it sure seems like he’s in love with you.”
I put down the chocolate chip cookie I’d been eating. “I don’t know yet. I mean, he’s hinted at it, but he hasn’t come right out and said it directly. He did say he intends to ask me to marry him again.”
“He treats you like a queen,” Hattie said softly. “It’s pretty amazing to see, actually. I have to up my standards after seeing Boon in action.”
“I’d slide that ring on my finger and run!” Fifi added.
Lydia, as always, got right to the point. “But you didn’t answer if you loved him .”
I could feel their intent stares. Could feel the burn of that question. It had been nagging me for months. Hell, when I was a teenager, I’d been in love with him. That hadn’t turned out well. What made me think the grownup version of a crush on Boon was going to turn out any better?
“You’re afraid to say it, aren’t you?” Lydia asked when I couldn’t seem to answer her.
I lifted my gaze to hers. If I couldn’t be honest with my best friends, who could I be honest with? “I’m afraid to feel it and get my hopes crushed again.”
Hattie leaned over to hold my hand. “Love is scary. So is being alone your whole life. Choose your scary.”
“And for God’s sake, get out of your own way!” Rosemary added. “Happiness can be yours, Shae. You absolutely deserve it, but you have to get out of your own way first.”
The baby kicked me and my hand went to my belly automatically. He wasn’t a super active baby yet, but I’d felt that one. Maybe he was trying to tell me something too.
“I’m trying,” I whispered back, that familiar burn back in my eyeballs. Jesus. I was either orgasming or crying these days. I swiped at my eyes, determined to enjoy my time with my girls. “Now help me find a dang prom dress made for a pregnant belly!”