Don’t hurt my fingers’ feelings
I don’t trust a word that a man outside of my bloodline says. And maybe some from Nate’s because I honestly cannot tell when the guy is joking, serious or straight up forgotten the facts and accidentally makes up a new one.
Everything that Will Mercer says? I believe it without a trace of doubt. I probably should be more watchful given how my ex has cheated on me, but I don’t even consider questioning Will on his loyalty.
I am eighteen years old and refuse to let one bad relationship taint whatever hope I bring to this new one.
Our schedules have collided so hard that "quality time" is basically two laptops on the kitchen table, one bag of assorted whatever, and our elbows touching.
It's enough. It's real. I'll take it, because at least it's ours.
And the occasional texts that make me way happier than I should because I’m already living with my boyfriend.
Maddy: zeus, we’re out of milk
Maddy: low on sugar. snack needed!!!!
Maddy: use ur godly power and drive me to grocery. Also can u repark my car???? Please!!!!!
The reason there's no time left on earth is that my tiny business stopped being tiny. It became small.
Fist bumps.
And because nobody listens to two college kids in mini skirts and a freelance spirit, the tab called NO on my spreadsheet is the longest. I colour-coded it anyway, because if I have to look at it I would prefer it to be beautiful.
A physio clinic said yes in October and stopped replying in November. One boutique told Jenny we were a bit young for the brand, which is objectively correct and still made me want to set fire to a rack of linen.
I have female athletes and people from other colleges who don't typically smile on command but would look effortlessly charming when Jenny and I either tease them or glare at them, because we're close enough to call each other friends.
So I have to land more clients. That is the entire strategy. Get told no by enough people that the yes have to show up because of maths.
Will? He's in the middle of the best season Princeton's had in forever, eight wins in a row and closing in on the inner round of the League. So he’s feeding every free minute back to basketball. Besides, he’s a cranky old grandpa when his game is fragile and his team is on the edge.
Tonight’s different though. I’m actually looking forward to tonight. I’ve spread my workload across the week so not everything is urgent urgent urgent, and I head home before the light can take my night away from Will.
I almost drop my ice cream tub from my hand when I find ten other dudes in my living room. Like I said, we don’t usually have guests over our place, and even then, maybe only one or two of Nate’s exes or gamers.
But no. This is full testosterone screaming and bumping each other’s shoulder with popcorn in bowls scattered across the living room.
And because we’ve been dating for five minutes, I don’t think I could gently say I would like you to send these boys home without looking like a girl who takes a captain away from his team.
“Will?” I try to find my boyfriend in the sea of tall muscular dudes.
“He’s getting ice from the freezer.” Nate quickly crosses the room and swing his hand over my shoulder. The guy doesn’t understand he has heavy arm and I am a small fragile flower when a NO tab lingers in my head.
“Fairfax!!!” Leon and another guy from the defence line call out my name with a massive grin.
Rory waves hi too and before I could wave back, Mason already points at the ice cream tub. “Is that for me?”
Mason has been extremely nice to me. Leon has been holding doors and Rory started saying my name like it’s load-bearing.
I don’t know what’s got into these jocks lately, but I won’t complain.
I turn to him nods twice and hand over the ice cream tube. “Yeah. Cookies and cream.”
The guys cheer and dispatch Rory to the kitchen for as many spoons as he can carry.
“Get some forks too. Might not have enough.” Nate already yells out to Rory.
“Why the basketball team is in our house, Nate?” I ask him.
“Baby girl, we’re doing some more film studies and decide to have a popcorn night at Cap’s house to lift the team spirit. The film room looks too stressful and ugly.”
“Stop calling her baby girl.” Will’s voice cuts through the noise as he walks back into the room with a faux glare at Nate.
He immediately protests. “You’re being territorial lately.”
I chuckle lightly as Will removes Nate’s arm on my shoulder without another word and lock his arm around my waist instead.
I press myself a little closer to Will and make a face. “So your team gonna be here for a while?”
“Yeah.” He points at a few guys who are clearly too excited for a film study. “Until they actually settle down. You want to stay and watch it with us?” He looks down to me, then press a small peck on my temple.
A few whistles come from somewhere near the other side of the room before I could answer. “Yeah. I want to watch something. If it’s a basketball match with a hundred pauses…? Sure. I’ll have shower first though.”
Will nods then presses another peck to my hairline. “Come down whenever you’re ready.”
Yeah. Shower is much needed right now. It’s been such a long day I desperately want to wash it off.
Besides, my cherry blossom shower gel always makes me feel better. I don’t want to be in a room full of jocks while behaving like a grumpy monkey who scratches at the first person who say anything remotely stupid.
I’m not saying I’ll be the wise one though.
When I come down there is no seat left, so I go straight for my boyfriend's lap, because what is the point of having a boyfriend if he will not function as a chair.
Will’s arms wrap around my waist before I’ve even fully settled, pulling me closer then goes completely still. Like a man who has just remembered where he is and who's in the room, and is now running some calculation I have no access to.
One second. Two.
I keep my eyes on the television and my face doing nothing, and I would like to state for the record that I do not know what I have just done.
Whether I've claimed him in front of his entire team or whether I have handed nine boys something to look at.
Then his hand flattens against my hip and pulls me back into him, and whatever the calculation was, it has resolved in my favour.
The guy has started watching a live basketball game now instead of their usual film for studies.
"Which one of them is you?” I reach out for a handful of popcorn then feeds him some with my hand.
“Number four is the closest.” He answers in between popcorns.
“Number four looks fast.” I point at the TV. “Oh. That’s a good shot.”
“Well, I’m faster.” Will nuzzles his nose onto my ear.
I turn sideways to chuckle directly into his lips. “Of course you are. And you look better when you shoot. Do you rehearse your postures before going for the hoop?”
“Never. It comes with the skills.”
“Mm.” I shift to see the screen better and take my time arriving.
Whatever Will was about to say next does not happen. His hand flattens against my hip and stays there, and he breathes out through his nose against the back of my neck.
“You good, Willy?”
“Watch the game.”
“Fine. I’ll watch it harder, Cap.” Then I giggle. It’s simply physics.
“Get a room, idiots.” Nate groans loudly from the other side of the sofa.
A few other guys hiss in agreement, and I feel Will's chest change under me.
Before I could protest, Will turns my face towards him and kisses me properly, all tongue and breath. Somebody says what the fuck and somebody else laughs and Will does not stop.
When he leans back, Will looks directly at Nate. “No.”
Then he turns to the television and says something extremely complicated about basketball, with perfect calmness, while the room whistles, and his hand stays exactly where it is.
Yes. One thing I love about Will’s team is that nothing seems to faze them anymore. Half of them could be stripping down naked and nobody would blink.
But seeing the captain kissing his girlfriend? Whistling.
I settle back against his chest with my popcorn and my excellent posture.
Okay. I do not stop moving for the next forty minutes.
Sue me.
————
Two fucking hours later, Will finally comes up to my room when his teammates leave. I was writing my essay when he steps inside my room. He looks flushed, eyes darkened and determined. Without saying a word to me, he simply looks at my laptop, then pushes it to the side.
“Enough study for tonight.” He whispers into my ear then moves to taste my lips with his tongue.
“You’ve finished your study group?” I only giggle when he lifts me up from the chair and places me sitting on my desk, next to my huge sociology notebook.
“The little fuckers made it impossible but we got somewhere. The game was fun to watch though.”
“Got somewhere?”
“Doesn’t matter. I don’t really care about the film studies right now.”
His fingers trace up my inner thighs as he leans down and kiss me hard and deep. His free hand finds my waist and knead it equally hard.
“You’re still energetic after two hours long of film studies?” I pull back a little, his lips chase mine.
“You have no idea.” Will’s eyes inflated in darkness when his fingers find their way to my thin lacy thong. “I love it whenever you wear this.” His thumb hooks the strap, barely cover my core and find my clit, rubbing in slow circle.
“No teasing tonight?” I kiss his jaw. He didn’t shave this morning, I kind like it when it’s rubbing my lips.
“Sorry. Can’t. Won’t. It was done deal three hour ago when you sat on my lap.” His soft tongue grazes the skin below my neck, nipping while his other hand has moved from his waist to my breast. “Fuck, baby. You’ve been walking around without a bra this whole time?”
“They’re very uncomf—.” Then I can’t finish my sentence because his thumb has found my peaked nipple. They have come up on their own whenever Will’s near my nose and my body picks up the little touches of his fingers on my picked skin.