The second we got back to campus, he had me right where he wanted me—back in his bed, wearing nothing but his jersey, giving him the uninterrupted replay of his favorite Christmas gift.
It was the hottest thing I’ve ever done, and the way he looked at me that night? The way he touched me, like he was memorizing every inch of my skin?
Yeah, I’d be thinking about that forever.
Now, back at school, the energy on campus is electric. The championship game is just two weeks away, and everyone knows what’s at stake. The team is locked in, focused, and there’s no room for any distractions.
But tonight?
Tonight, the football house is throwing one last party—a final hoorah before the season ends and everything gets serious.
Lyla and I are getting ready in our apartment, music blasting as we sort through our closets.
"I cannot believe you pulled off a B in math," Lyla says, tossing a top at me from across the room. "Honestly, if Jaxon wasn’t so hot, I’d be annoyed at him for being good at literally everything."
I snort, pulling the top over my head. "Hey, I did the work. He just helped."
She smirks, giving me a look. "Mmm. Pretty sure that boy would do anything for you, Maddy."
My stomach flips, but I don’t let it show. Instead, I roll my eyes. "Are you gonna finish getting ready, or are you just here to narrate my life?"
She laughs, slipping on her heels. "Both. Always both."
By the time we finish, I check my reflection in the mirror and blink.
I actually look…good.
My top is just the right amount of fitted, my jeans hug me in all the right places, and for once, I don’t feel the need to hide under layers of oversized clothing.
And if Jaxon’s reaction is anything like I think it’s going to be?
Well, that’ll make it even better.
The football house is packed, bass shaking the walls, bodies pressed together, the celebration in full swing.
I barely have a second to take it in, though, before I feel him, my head turning and finding him instantly.
Jaxon moves through the crowd like a force of nature, his eyes locked on me, his body tensed, like he’s holding himself back from closing the distance too quickly.
And goddamn, he looks good.
His dark hoodie hangs loose over his broad frame, but the way his jeans sit on his hips is absolutely unfair. His hair is still damp from his post-practice shower, tousled in a way that makes me want to run my fingers through it, and when he smirks?
I swear, my knees almost give out.
He doesn’t stop as he walks straight to me, reaching for my body the second he’s close enough, pulling me into him, his hands warm as they grip my waist. He claims my mouth, his kiss deep and possessive, like he wants everyone in this damn house to see I’m his.
I melt against him, my fingers twisting into the fabric of his hoodie, my body pressing fully into his as his hands tighten.
The noise around us disappears. There’s no crowd, music, or flashing lights.
There’s only us.
"Alright, alright, save some of that for later." I barely pull back in time to see Carter grinning at us, shaking his head as he takes a sip of his beer.
Jaxon just chuckles, pressing one last kiss to the corner of my mouth before turning to him. "What do you want, man?"
Carter grins. "We’re starting a game in the living room. Lyla’s already in, so you two don’t really have a choice."
