Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
It was utter bliss.
Now, as I watch her sleep, desire swirls in my stomach. She’s so beautiful, with her wild curls and straight-as-hell lashes. Her lips move, almost in a suckling motion, and my heart aches in my chest. So adorable. Her cheeks are rosy, and a little line of drool leaves her lips once they part again. I almost feel bad for wanting to wake her, but my need for her is greater. I kiss her shoulder again, trailing kisses up her neck, and just as I’m about to grab her between her sweet thighs, a knock comes at my door.
Everyone is still here in the hockey house since they have practice today before they can leave, so my duty is not over yet. I groan inwardly as I get up, picking up my sleep pants from the floor, pulling them over my naked self, and heading to the door. I open it to find Jackson, and I know something is wrong.
“Do you have a second?”
I come out into the hall, shutting the door. The RA room is on a floor by itself—it’s basically the attic—so no one is around, and we still have privacy without going into my room. “My girlfriend is sleeping. What’s up?”
I cross my arms over my naked chest as he exhales heavily. “I told my parents I’m gonna quit college here and maybe try to get on a team next year close to home.”
I press my lips together. Honestly, I saw this coming. He’s been more and more withdrawn when I’ve seen him with the guys. Unfortunately, the whole situation has kicked his ass.
“My mom is all for it, but my dad suggested I talk to you and Coach Sinclair first to see what you guys think.”
I nod. “Why do you want to transfer schools? Because of everything that happened with the softball player?”
“Yeah, the rumors are fucking insane. Like, no one wants to talk to me, and sometimes I feel as if I’m the most hated dude in the house.”
I give him a look. “Jackson, you’re not. I always see the guys including you, and they’re being very supportive. You’re the one pulling back.”
“I know,” he says, shaking his head. “It just stresses me the fuck out. I don’t want to make my boys look bad, and I don’t want them to hate me because people are talking about them. I just hate that this has happened.”
“Absolutely. It fucking sucks,” I agree. “Have you talked to the guys? What about your roommate, Benny? I know him. He’s a good guy. English is weak as fuck, but he’s a good listener.”
He shrugs. “Yeah, but I don’t think he really understands what I am going through. He tells me to ignore it and just do me.”
“He’s right,” I add, holding his gaze. His eyes are full of fear and torment. I feel for the kid, but I sure as hell don’t want him to quit. “Let me ask you a question. Why did you choose to play for Bellevue?”
Jackson pauses for a second. “I love the history the team has, the campus is badass, and we’re close to Nashville, where I want to play.”
I lean my shoulder into the wall and nod. “All great reasons. I picked this school for the campus and because it was close to my family. After retiring—”
“I wouldn’t call it retiring. A sabbatical, really.”
He’s so hopeful for my return, just as I was. Hell, probably as hopeful as Owen still is. “I’m not going back,” I admit, looking him in the eye. “I am on a new journey now. I want to be the person I needed when my anxiety and panic attacks started.”
“Oh,” he says, his eyes wide. “I mean, it sucks. But at the same time, you gotta do what’s best for you.”
“Absolutely, which is what you need to do. Do you think you’d be happy back home, playing for some other college?”
“No,” he says slowly.
“So then, why change? Because people talk? You’re the convo now, but it’ll change as soon as the next thing happens. Don’t throw away this opportunity because of other people. Listen to me,” I stress, really begging him with my eyes. “I stayed in a sport, in a situation, because of other people. Because I cared so much about what my dad would say, about what my brother would say and how it would affect him. I was living for other people. Don’t make my mistake. Live for you.”
When his eyes get cloudy, he looks away, and I reach out, cupping his shoulder with my hand. “You’re an incredible right winger, Jackson. They need you, and I promise, everything will pass and it’ll be back to normal in no time. In the end, you have your teammates, you have me, and I know your parents are being supportive.”