16: Ste.


    He''s incredible out there.


    Watching Gage sail the ball down the field, take tackles, run like the wind, find gaps in the defense, I can''t help but marvel. I''m in the family box with the wives of the coaches and various administrators. They have all been very kind to me, even if they did look a little puzzled when I arrived with four hulking security guards with guns. Most of the wives aren''t paying attention to the game. They''re most interesting in catching up with each other and talking about their children, so I sit alone, glued to the ss.


    How is that machine down on the field the same man who holds me so tenderly? How is that the same man whose mouth makes love to mine slowly one second, bing demanding in the next? He seems so far away. Like maybe everything that has taken ce since I met him was a dream. He''s everyone''s fantasy, isn''t he? Maybe he''s mine. Maybe I imagined it all.


    But no.


    The chafing on my thighs tells me we''re real. The heavy ring sitting around my throat like a cor means thest week truly happened.


    You will marry me, Ste.


    Truer words were never spoken. I''m not sure I could make it a day without his arms around me. Without his skin warming mine. I''m in love. I''m so in love, it''


    s practically painful. I never could have imagined this deep, consuming brand of passion before now. But I''m letting it take me. I''m being sucked down into the inky darkness of obsession along with Gage and it''s exhrating. I can hear every breath I take, loud and echoing in my head. I have permanent goosebumps. My breasts feel exposed, even fully covered, because they''ve been so well loved. Sucked and squeezed and bitten. Even though I speak and nod at everyone who addresses me, I''m thinking of him. Getting back to him.


    I blow out a shuddering breath, fogging up the ss in front of me. I am not going


    to let my schoolwork suffer, even though my rtionship with Gage is huge and overwhelming. I cannot fail to seize the opportunity I was given.


    There has to be something just for me. The way he has football, I have academics. I can''t allow anything to derail me from that.


    That will be easier said than done, I''m guessing.


    Down on the field, Gage takes a hard tackle and I make a helpless sound, my shaking hand pressing to the ss until he stands up, jogs toward the huddle. Slowly, I let out the concrete breath in my lungs, my attention straying to the game clock. Five more minutes. We''re ahead by ten. Unless the other team really turns it on, another championship is in the bag. I''m so happy for Gage. He needed this. He needed to know he could love football on his own, even though he shared the sport so closely with his father. I can''t wait to hold himter, tell him how proud I am of him for oveing such a tragedy. For emerging better than ever.


    A cheer goes up in the family box momentster, the wives exchanging a hug.


    Two of them even pull me into an embrace, making meugh and blush.


    And then they all begin clearing out of the room.


    "Oh..." I catch up to one of the wives. "I was asked to wait here until Gagees to get me. Is that all right?"


    "We have to clear out," one of my security guards answers to my right. "It''s an insurance thing. The game rante and there''s only coverage until ten pm."


    "Oh. Okay."


    The womanys a hand on my arm. "Are you going to be all right, dear? Or would you like a ride home from one of us?"


    Looking back toward the ss, I can see Gage down on the field. His helmet is off now and he''s being interviewed, a microphone held in front of his face.


    His attention continually strays up to the box, but I don''t think he can see me, due to the re of the lights. None of his teammates are being bombarded by reporters. They''ve all left the field. And my spine can''t help but straighten with pride. Of course they want to speak with him, he was amazing out there.


    Game MVP ording to the giant screen above the stadium.


    There''s a good chance Gage will be busy for a while. However, instinctively I know he would probably lose his temper if I left without him. Or took a ride from someone without discussing it with him beforehand. Yes, that''s really controlling of him. His behavior is highhanded and sort of irrational-do I really need a security team?-but I won''t pretend I don''t like him caring for me, even in the craziest of ways. For so long, I barely existed. No one hugged me, let alone spoke to me. I was a shadow. He makes me feel like an entire.


    "I''ll be fine," I say to the coach''s wife, smiling. "Thank you for the offer, but Gage asked me to wait for him."


    I retrieve my purse, tucking it under my arm, and I let the security team lead me down the buzzing hallway to a freight elevator. We take it down to field level and I suck in a surprised breath when the elevator doors open, revealing total pandemonium. Fans and yers alike have uncorked bottles of champagne and they''re spraying it at each other. A big bucket of Gatorade is dumped on a man''s head. There are reporters and screaming students and shes going off. It''s exciting. I''ve never witnessed something like this up close.


    In a rtive daze, I start to walk off the elevator, but one of the guards stays me with a hand on my elbow. "I think we should wait somewhere else."


    He''s probably right, but...this is my boyfriend''s world. Should I get used to it? I understand he''s protective of me, but I can''t always be sheltered in the background. "I would rather stay here, if that''s okay."


    The guards seem uneasy, so I step off the elevator before one of them stops me Someone hands me a red solo cup of beer and Iugh, taking a sip. The crisp night airbined with the magic of victory is wonderful. Knowing I''ll be home with my boyfriend soon is equally incredible. I''m just about to take my first sip of beer when one of the yers stops in front of me, his jersey soaked in champagne and sweat from the game.


    "There she is. The unsung hero of this game." He turns to the crowd of celebrating fans. "Hey everyone! This is the girl who tutored Weston. She''s the reason he passed the test so he could y tonight. Give it up!"


    I''m stunned when they cheer for me. Loudly. So loudly that I fall back a step.


    "Mr. Weston made it clear he didn''t want her speaking with anyone outside of the family box," says the head of my security team.


    "Ah, I''m one of his receivers," says the yer, waving him off. "That makes me family." Ignoring the continued protests from my guard, the receiver smiles back down at me. There is something in his expression that makes my stomach feel hollow, but it''s probably just me. I''m still not used to speaking with strangers. "So are you going to continue tutoring Gage?"


    "If he needs it," I say, cradling the solo cup to my chest. "But it...i-it might be a conflict of interest now-"


    "Since you''re dating?"


    His eyes are on the ring around my neck. When they travel lower to my breasts, I tamp down on the urge to squirm. "Yes. Since we''re dating."


    "Yeah," he says slowly. "He scooped you right off the market before any of us poor assholes got a chance to shoot our shot." His gaze meanders down to my thighs, lingering on my stockings. "Only the best for our superstar, right?"


    The hint of bitterness in his tone keeps me silent. I don''t know how to respond.


    He leans in, dropping his voice to a whisper. “But we both know it''s not real, don''t we?"


    Pins and needles prickle my scalp. "What do you mean?"


    "Gage told us. When I say nothing, u9,


    he looks at me like I should know.


    Like we''re in on some secret together. "That he''s dating the smart


    girl for his image. So he''ll lo Smart


    for the scouts. He needed something to convince them he''d settled down after all the delinquent shit he pulled. And here you are." Surveying my body openly, he licks his lips. "Although I''m sure he''s having one hell of a


    time...pretending."


    I don''t realize I''ve dropped the red cup until beer sshes up onto my shins.


    My stomach is in a puddle on the ground along with the drink, my ears ringing, eyes stinging with such intensity, I can barely see what''s around me.


    No. No, it''s not true.


    Is it?


    Does Gage want to marry me so soon because he''ll have an easier time being scouted? Was I naive to think he just loved me so much he couldn''t wait? "You know," the yer continues. "I''d appreciate you so much more than him."


    Those words bounce right off. Just noise. Through gritty eyes, I survey the crowd. I look at the girls who are obviously more suited to dating a famous quarterback. Confident, capable of talking to strangers without stuttering.


    Was I stupid to believe this rtionship with Gage was authentic? It seems real. More real than anything. But what do I know? I''ve never been ina rtionship before in my life.


    Humiliation turns my skin red. People are staring at me because I spilled my drink


    and I''m making no move to pick it up or clean myself off.


    I have to get out of here.


    I have to get away.


    Turning on a heel, I dash for the tunnel leading to the perimeter of the field, taking my guards by surprise. The audience has cleared out by now, so there is no crowd to slow me down on my way to the parking lot, dash through those lingering behind and despite the shouting of my name in the distance, I don''t stop running until


    I''m off campus, my heart shattered in my chest.