Epilogue
Elizabeth
The stadium lights washed the field in white and gold.
They were so bright that they turned the night sky pale.
I paused at the top of the concrete steps, allowing the noise to hit me all at once.
Thousands of voices blended into a constant roar while the marching band thundered somewhere in the distance.
Down below, players in sharp uniforms sprinted through warm-up drills like they were at bootcamp, with helmets flashing beneath the lights.
Ethan, who had been next to me a minute ago, had stopped walking.
He stood with his hands resting on the railing as he looked out over the field.
My eyes locked on him, and I had very little interest in the actual game.
His shoulders were relaxed in a way that I hadn’t seen all season.
He gazed at the quarterback who was throwing warm-up passes across the turf.
The spiral was cutting through the air before snapping neatly into the receiver’s hand.
“That throw,” Ethan muttered, half to himself.
I couldn’t help but smile. “You haven’t even taken your seat yet.”
He glanced at me almost sheepishly. “Sorry.”
We started walking, and quickly found our seats a few rows above the field.
I sat down and it felt like the entire stadium had wrapped around us.
The crowds were packed shoulder to shoulder; blue lights circled the upper decks, and banners were snapping in the wind.
The team lined up for the kickoff, and shortly after, the whistle shrieked.
The ball sailed through the air, and Ethan instinctively leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
“These guys are fast,” he said as a returner burst through the first line of defenders.
I followed the play down the field, watching the runner zigzag before he was dragged down.
“Fast is good,” I shrugged.
“Fast and disciplined,” he corrected. “Just look at the way they’re blocking.”
I glanced sideways. “You sound like Lucas.”
He let out a little chuckle. “Lucas would be screaming right now.”
The next drive started quickly. The quarterback took the snap and fired a tight pass over the middle. The receiver caught it cleanly and pivoted upfield before two defenders slammed into him.
Ethan shook his head with a small grin. “Clean route.”
I rested my chin on my hand and kept studying him. “You miss this, don’t you?”
He glanced over at me, confused. “Miss what?”
“This,” I said, nodding at the field.
Ethan stayed quiet for a moment and looked back at the field. A receiver sprinted down the sideline while the quarterback launched a long pass that arched perfectly into his hands. The stadium exploded, but Ethan exhaled slowly.
“Games like this…” he eventually said. He rubbed his thumbs along the edge of the seat in front of him. “I used to picture being a part of one.”
I didn’t say anything because I wanted him to live that moment. He leaned forward again as the team reset.
“The big stadiums,” he continued quietly. “Crowds like this… Playing at that level where you couldn’t do anything wrong in their eyes.”
A defender crashed into the quarterback just as he released the ball, but the pass still found its target. They got a touchdown, and the fans jumped to their feet. Ethan laughed under his breath and shook his head while I just sat there and watched the lights flicker across his face.
“And now?” I asked.
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he watched the players jog back toward the sideline while the scoreboard updated. Then he shrugged lightly.
“Now I think that it may not be as impossible as it used to feel.”
I slipped my hand into his, and his fingers closed around mine automatically.
“You’ll get there,” I said confidently.
“You don’t get to judge since you’re biased.”
“I have a right to be biased.”
The game rolled out fast and relentlessly.
Players collided with bone-jarring hits that made the crowd gasp.
Receivers twisted through defenders, and quarterbacks threaded impossible passes through tight coverage.
I wanted to keep seeing Ethan happy, so now and then when he leaned forward and pointed something out, I just played along.
“See the safety shifting?”
I nodded even though I didn’t fully understand what he was going for.
“Now watch the left side.”
The ball snapped, and the play unfolded in exactly the same way he had predicted.
“Told you.”
I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. “You’re such a nerd.”
By halftime, the stadium buzzed with energy. The lights dimmed slightly while the band prepared to play on the field. Ethan leaned back and turned his attention to me.
“Are you cold?” he asked.
I pinched my fingers together. “Only a little.”
He studied me for a second, and that familiar, thoughtful expression crossed his face. Then he stood up and offered me his arm.
“Come on.”
I blinked up at him, confused by the sudden shift. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
Ethan wrapped his arm around me as he led me out of the stadium and away from the top-tier playoff match he’d been begging to attend.
The noise we had just been submerged in had begun to fade, and before I knew it, we were crossing the parking lot.
Rows of cars stretched beneath tall light poles, and suddenly the night felt a lot quieter.
Ethan’s truck sat near the end of the lot, hidden from the rest. He unlocked it and casually leaned against the side.
“Have you realized that most of our dates are football-related?” he asked, looking a little embarrassed.
I shrugged. “You’re a football player. I just guessed it was normal.”
He pulled me closer and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. “But you weren’t watching the game.”
“I was watching you watch the game.”
He smiled slightly and reached up to tuck a stray hair behind my ear. There was a faint roar from the stadium, but it didn’t even get his attention.
“You look so happy out there,” I whispered.
He shrugged but quickly glanced at the glowing stadium. “I forgot how much I loved it.”
I rested my head on his chest and said, “I didn’t.”
He pulled away slightly and lifted my chin.
His eyes were filled with vulnerability, and it made my knees go weak.
Then he kissed me. It was slow, safe, and familiar, a gentle reminder of all the reasons why I fell for him to begin with, but things quickly escalated from there.
My hands started roaming over his body, and then I found the hem of his shirt so I could move underneath it.
He moved for my ass but pulled away after one tight squeeze.
“I think we need to get in. Right now,” he said, and his voice was shaky. “Because if we don’t, I’m going to fuck you right here.”
“I will have to agree with you on this one,” I breathed as I gave him another kiss.
He smiled against my lips as his hand moved in behind him and he quickly opened the door.
Then he grabbed my waist, turned me around and helped me in while pulling down my pants in the process.
He definitely wasn’t lying when he said he couldn’t wait, but I wasn’t complaining because I felt exactly the same way.
The minute my pants got to my ankles, he raised my legs, got in and closed the door behind him.
His icy fingers moved over my lips, sending a chill down my spine.
Then he slipped them in between my folds and spread them.
He licked his lips as his cold finger teased my clit, which had a variety of effects on me.
My pussy got dripping wet, my little bud hardening, my legs opened even wider and wave after wave of shivers washed over me.
Each time I blinked, I saw splashes of color, telling me just how close I was.
But just as my core threatened to shut down because of extreme weather, he dipped down and replaced his fingers with his hot tongue.
My back arched instantly, and my fingers tangled in his hair. The contrast in temperature created the most amazing clash within me. It was as if my entire body was filled with sparklers and they had all been set alight.
“Ethan,” I breathed, but it sounded more like a plea than anything else. “I’m so ready for you.”
He groaned, but instead of giving me what I wanted, he grabbed my ass and raised it a bit.
He slipped two of his fingers into me, creating yet another temperature clash, and every instinct I had when it came to breathing just vanished.
He started moving faster and faster, forcing me closer to the edge with every single one of his movements.
I so desperately wanted to hold back, but he was making it impossible.
So I just closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and let go.
Wave after wave of pleasure moved over me with each thrust. Those splashes of color had become one solid ocean of blues, greens, and reds, surrounding me with their brightness.
Just as I thought he was going to give me a break, he started all over again until it got to the point where I couldn’t take it anymore.
“You’re always so ready for me,” he said, trailing kisses along my upper thigh. “And you taste so damn good.”
I heard the words that came out of his mouth, but I found it impossible to understand them. It was like my pleasure center had taken over my entire brain and it rendered me completely speechless. So I just lay there trying to find myself once more.
“Have you already had enough of me?” he asked, and he sounded more shocked than I expected.
I barely managed to shake my head, but he gave me a soft kiss as I did, and I could feel his smile.
“Good, because I’m nowhere near done with you.”
He turned me around and pulled my ass up so he could have full access to me. He ran his hand over my butt cheek and hissed in a breath before spanking me. The sting felt so much better than I thought it would, and I shook my booty in response.
Ethan wrapped my long hair around his fist as he gently rocked his cock up and down my core, preparing me for his entry.
“I can’t take any more of this torture,” I breathed, eventually finding my voice. “I’ve never wanted you as much as I do right now.”
“You have such a dirty little mouth,” he said as he stole a kiss. “I absolutely love it.”
“Then stop teasing me and start fucking me.”
Ethan grazed my shoulder with his teeth, creating a delightful sting, and he slowly pushed into me.
Once he was all the way in, he froze and took a moment to plant soft little kisses all over my upper back.
I moaned at the sensation but started moving my hips ever so slowly, and my body started demanding another release.
“You’re pure evil, woman,” he scoffed as his hips started moving with mine. “For a woman to have as much control over a man as you have over me should be illegal.”
“If I had as much control as you say, I would’ve been on my third orgasm by now.”
He nipped at my shoulder, then pulled his cock all the way out before slamming back into me.
He wasn’t thrusting like he normally would.
This was faster, deeper, and a lot more intense.
Every time he pushed into me, I lost my breath, but I also inched closer to that climax I wanted so badly.
Yet I felt like I hadn’t done much to him this time around, so I put my hand between my legs and teased his balls each time he moved in.
I could hear his breathing change, and I instantly knew that I was doing something right.
A bright smile crossed my lips. Ethan pushed all the way in and held it.
I gently squeezed his balls, earning a hiss, and then he grabbed my wrist and moved my fingers to my clit.
My fingers flicked once, then twice, before my legs began to tremble.
Ethan started moving again, making things even better.
“Oh, God,” I cried out as my hips started moving of their own accord.
“Fuck!” Ethan moaned as his body stiffened.
He came harder than ever before, and it was enough to pull me over the edge as well.
My knees snapped shut as my inner walls squeezed his cock.
He was barely breathing, but he showed no intention of slowing down.
His hot come burned into me, but at the same time my pussy kept draining it out, begging for more.
It was the most intense feeling I had ever had, and I enjoyed every single second of it.
“Good God,” Ethan breathed as we collapsed on the seat. “What the fuck just happened?”
“I don’t know.” I paused for a breath. “But I definitely want more of that.”
“You and me both, baby.”
Ethan and I repositioned so we could lie comfortably and took a moment to absorb the experience.
Then, off in the distance, we heard a whistle blow and an announcer giving the final score.
The game he so desperately wanted to see had come to an end, and we had fucked our way through half of it.
I smiled at the thought and leaned up to draw a little smiley on the fogged-up window.
I didn’t know what the future had in store for the two of us, but I did know I would do whatever it took to make him happy.
And that things would just keep getting better.