Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80774 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80774 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“Jesus, baby.”
“Pathetic, right?”
“No. You were looking for something, you were sad and alone, and I was there.”
Lucas shakes his head. “I was sad and alone, but it was more than that. I saw something in you even back then. I was always drawn to you… We sat on the chairs outside, and you gave me a lecture about drinking.”
Sparks of memories start forming in my head. I remember that night. Remember spending like an hour out there with him, trying to speak with him and help sober him up.
“You brought me water and asked about my photography. It was probably just because you didn’t know what else to talk to me about, but—”
“That’s not why. I have always been interested in your art. I always asked about it.”
“You did.” He gives me a small smile. “You asked me why I didn’t go to your game.”
More memories coalesce. “You said no one wanted you there.”
“And then you said, I want you there. And helped me to my bed even though I didn’t need it. I jacked off afterward, thinking about you, and the next week, a ticket to your game was pushed under my door, and I think that’s when I knew you were it for me. I decided it right then.” He shrugs. “It’s been true ever since.”
My heart thuds in my ears, everything sounding echoey. “Lucas…”
“You wanted the truth, and there it is. It was always you for me, and it will always be you for me. Maybe that’s too intense, but that’s me.” His gaze holds mine, defiant, daring me to look away.
But I don’t. I don’t want to, and probably couldn’t even if I did. He’s waiting for me to run, waiting for something about him to be too much. It’s not. It’s everything I didn’t know I wanted until I had it. It’s messy and imperfect, wild and untamed, which is so different from every other aspect of my life.
And I need that.
I need him.
“I love you, Lucas. I love you, and I want you.” I wait for the panic to come, but it doesn’t. The fear is there, of course it is. This is still a disaster in everyone’s eyes but ours. I still don’t know how we’ll make this work. I’m not even sure my mom would understand. But I love him, and I’m not going anywhere.
Lucas doesn’t answer right away, but when he does, it’s in that way that’s unique to him. “You sure about that?” He cocks a brow.
“Yes.”
“I want you too.”
He doesn’t use those other words—the ones I never thought I would say to anyone else, the ones I never thought I would feel—but I don’t need him to. Lucas has been saying them in other ways all along.
“Let’s go inside, Hunt.”
He takes my hand, and I follow. We spend most of the night losing ourselves in each other’s bodies…we spend most of my bye week like that. Just Lucas and me, alone together.
My mom calls to check on me, surprised I didn’t come home during my bye week. I always do. Coach Blake calls too, but I ignore him.
It’s easy to forget everything when I’m so consumed with Lucas. Being with him feels like it’s mine in a way nothing in my life ever has been, and all I want is to soak up this feeling and pretend none of our problems exist when we’re together.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Hunter
We spend the day after bye week in team meetings, going over film, and having a light practice. It’s always an adjustment getting back to the grind after a week off. The rest is always needed, but going from our typical hardcore weeks to being off, then back at it again so quickly, is not easy.
“Hunter, can I talk to you for a second?” Coach asks when we’re done for the day. We’re off tomorrow since it’s a Tuesday, which is a little weird after a week off. The schedule feels broken up, and now that he’s asked to speak with me, all I can think is I did something wrong.
I feel more rested than I have in a long time, though. Usually, I go home during my bye week, but I also spend time training. Last week I didn’t do shit. I didn’t even think about football if I’m being honest. I’m not sure there’s ever been a week in my whole life where I didn’t constantly think about training or playing. I just hadn’t wanted to do anything but be with Lucas.
“Yes, sir.” I hang out in the film room as everyone files out. Oakley squeezes my shoulder in support, my head automatically nodding in a way that says both thanks and what the fuck is going on. “Is everything okay?” I ask when it’s just Coach and me.
“It sure is,” he replies, and a deep breath whooshes from my lungs, the stiffness in my shoulders easing. “I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you. I know the last few years have been rough on you…losing Ellis and all. I must admit, I was worried about you. You’ve always been good, but lately not Hunter King good. That light you always had in your eyes was gone, but I’ve noticed it again the last few months. Haven’t seen your name in the news for anything other than your game either, so whatever it is you’re doing, keep doing it. That’s it. You know how much we depend on you, the team looking to you for direction, and it’s been different for a while, but now the old Hunter is back.”