Sweet Home

by Tillie Cole

  I whipped my attention to Cass, who was screaming at the top of her voice. Ally had her hand covering her mouth.

  Big, bruising defenders closed in on Romeo and I squealed. He managed to dodge left, then right, and seeing a small gap, set off running, sprinting, pumping his strong legs forward.

  “Go, Bullet. GO!!!” Cass shrieked as Romeo sprinted down the pitch. My heart fluttered in my chest as the Tide stand jumped and shouted in encouragement.

  Blockers were blocking, giving Romeo the space he needed to cut through, and we all held hands as he crossed into the end zone, scoring a touchdown with no time left on the clock.

  The stadium exploded as the Alabama players and coaches flooded towards Romeo, who threw off his helmet, pulling down the neck of his jersey, patting his chest and kissing his hand, holding it up to sky in an act of worship.

  I froze and watched the replay on the Jumbotron.

  “Oh…” I cried and dropped to my seat.

  Ally noticed and sat beside me, rubbing my back. “He did it when you left, so your baby would never be forgotten.”

  I nodded as tears filled my eyes. “Angel wings.”

  “For your lost angel.”

  Large droplets poured down my cheeks. “I left him all alone. He was hurting so badly, but I ran. I’m such a bitch.”

  Ally’s hand rubbed at my back. “Don’t beat yourself up, darlin’. You’re back now and you were hurtin’ real bad too. No one blames you.”

  Cass took the top of my arm and launched me to stand, sympathy in her blue gaze. “No tears, girl. We just won the shittin’ National Championship!”

  I nodded, took a deep breath, and clapped with the crowd until my hands grew numb. I watched proudly as the team took to the stage and were crowned the BCS National Champions.

  A male presenter moved to the stage and introduced the coach and the BCS commissioner, who presented the coach with the crystal trophy, and then moved next to Romeo. My boyfriend’s beautiful face quickly graced the screen of the Jumbotron. He’d been awarded MVP.

  The presenter lifted his microphone. “Bullet, how does it feel to be MVP at the BCS National Championship?”

  The crowd roared and Romeo pulled his devastatingly stunning smirk in response. “It’s a dream come true. As a kid, I always dreamed of playin’ for the Tide and I can’t believe we’ve just won the National Championship again.”

  Romeo bowed his head, seeming shy at all the attention.

  The presenter’s expression turned serious and he laid his hand on Rome’s shoulder. Romeo’s face hardened in reaction to the gesture.

  “Now, Bullet, we all love you here.” The presenter gestured to the stadium and the crowd began banging their feet in the stands in support. “And it’s no secret that you’ve had a real rough time in your personal life over recent weeks.”

  Cass and Ally held my hands in each of theirs and several supporters around me tapped my back. I had to breathe slowly, in and out, through the unwanted attention.

  Romeo crossed his arms over his chest, staring down at the stage floor. I smiled when Reece, Jimmy-Don, and Austin moved to stand beside him in support.

  The presenter signalled to hush the crowd. “We just wanted to ask how you’re doing?”

  Romeo cleared his throat. “Better, thank you.” He didn’t elaborate further.

  “The support by the fans for you and your girlfriend has been overwhelming. Is there anything you would like to say in response?”

  I quickly looked to Ally and questioned, “The support has been overwhelming?”

  She squeezed my hand. “Unbelievable, darlin’.”

  I nodded, trying to fight back my emotions.

  “I… I…” Romeo ran a hand down his face, unable to speak, and Jimmy-Don hooked an arm around his shoulders, whispering something into his ear.

  “Bullet?” The presenter pushed for an answer, sympathy in his voice.

  Romeo took a deep breath, raising his head. “I don’t know how to possibly thank everyone for the support. It’s truly blown me away. Alabama has the best damn fans in the world.”

  The crowd erupted once more.

  “Just one more thing, Bullet,” the presenter announced. Romeo nodded his head curtly. I could see how uncomfortable he was at being questioned so publically.

  “Do you really think your luck changed this year after that—now famous—kiss from your girlfriend and the subsequent ones at every home game?”

  Cass nudged my arm and made kissing noises at me. I just blushed and laughed.

  Romeo smiled, a full, beautiful smile, and stared right at me over the distance of the field. “Hell, yeah. My whole damn life changed with that kiss, man. My whole life changed the minute I met her.”

  Austin, Reece, and Jimmy-Don dived on Romeo, laughing, and the presenter turned to the camera, shaking his head in amusement. “Ladies and gentleman, give it up for your winners, the Alabbammmaaaa Crriiimmmssooonnnn Tiiiidddddddeeeeeeee!!!!”

  Streams of confetti burst from the roof and the opening chords of “Sweet Home Alabama” blasted through the stadium, the fans dancing and celebrating in the stands. The team moved from one another, hugging and laughing, and I watched as hordes of journalists beelined for Romeo.

  I felt completely overwhelmed by the entire day and Cass, seeing me sit down, handed me her flask of moonshine. “Take a swig, you know you want to girl!”

  I grabbed the flask with a roll of my eyes and took a tiny sip.

  Yeah. It didn’t taste any better second time around.

  Lexi came sprinting over to our seats, pompoms in hand. “Molly! You came!” she screamed and, handing the flask back to Cass, I bent down over the advertising boards to give her a hug.

  “How are you, sweetie?” she asked tentatively.

  “Better, thank you. Glad I’m back home.”

  The fans suddenly increased in volume and when I looked up, Romeo was jogging my way, and as always, the camera followed him the entire way.

  When Romeo reached the boards, he picked me up and held me in his arms. “We won, baby!”

  “I’m so proud of you,” I said and kissed him softly.

  “I need to be alone with you. Now,” he announced sternly, for my ears only.

  “Don’t you have to be with the team?” I asked as he quickly headed to the players’ exit tunnel, ignoring anyone who got in our path.

  Leaning in close, Romeo whispered, “You wanna give ‘em all an after show? ‘Cause right now all I can think of is bein’ inside you and no matter where we are in thirty minutes, it’s happenin’.”

  “We need to go… like now,” I agreed.

  “Glad we’re finally on the same fuckin’ page.”

  27

  Romeo never spoke once as we travelled to the hotel, and I was desperate for him to say something… anything. I wanted him to scream at me, be angry, be sad, but the silence he made me endure was a slow and painful torture.

  After an incredibly tense elevator ride, we entered the large, plush double room dominated by a huge four-poster bed covered in crisp white sheets.

  My scalp pricked. I could feel Romeo hovering at my back, the sweat from the game still clinging to his skin as his finger traced a line from the top curve of my spine to the bottom. We’d left so quickly that he hadn’t even bothered to change from his uniform and him being so rugged and rough was making the tension between us even worse.

  Brushing my long hair off my shoulder, Romeo licked along the slope of exposed skin.

  I almost combusted.

  Rome’s hand tugged the halter tie loose, causing my white dress to drop to the floor, my breasts exposed, leaving only my lace boy shorts on my body.

  Familiar minty breath whirled against my hot skin as I rested my head on the crook of Romeo’s shoulder and his fingers ran down my arms, intertwining our hands, slowly lifting them one by one to wrap around the back of his neck.

  I tilted my head in the direction of his lips and his tongue flicked out, licki
ng along my cupid’s bow. I moaned and closed my eyes.

  Romeo’s mouth opened against mine and he teased, probing his tongue softly. His calloused hands skimmed around my ribs and grasped my breasts as I broke away on a hiss.

  “You’re never runnin’ from me again, are you, Shakespeare?” His hands palmed my breasts harder. “Are you!” he barked.

  “No, never,” I cried as I arched my back against his chest.

  Romeo switched his torment to a soothing massage and nibbled my earlobe. “I missed you. I didn’t like the thought of you never returnin’. I vowed to myself that if you ever did, I’d make sure it’d be forever.” I loved how he switched from controlling to gentle in the blink of an eye.

  Edging his hand down to my panties, he it slipped under the waistband and straight along my heat. He sucked in a sharp breath. “Jesus Christ, baby. You’re always ready for me.”

  The feeling of his fingers dipping inside my channel compelled me to roll my head and moan, clutching onto his long hair for balance.

  “I’m gonna make you come, Mol,” he said as his thumb flicked over my nub of nerves.

  “Fuck!” I shouted as my hips began to rock, my backside working against his groin.

  His teeth held on to my shoulder as I became lost in the euphoric sensations.

  “I love you, baby. Can you feel how much I love you?”

  “I love you too!”

  Romeo’s fingers became too much, hard and unyielding. “Then why did you leave me?”

  “Because I… couldn’t take the pain. I thought you’d be better off without me.”

  He added in a third finger, earning him a scream. “I’ll never be better off without you. Did you think I could take the pain? Thought I didn’t fuckin’ die every time you turned away from me? Shut yourself out?” He thrust even harder. “Thought I didn’t hurt when I came back to the hospital to find you gone. No note, no call, no nothin’? Thought it didn’t hurt when my family scandal and pictures of my bleeding girlfriend were all over the fuckin’ news?”

  Scolding tears ran down my face as I clawed at his forearm. “Romeo, I’m so sorry.”

  He bit down harder on my skin and with a final drag of his fingers, whispered, “Come now, Mol.”

  I did.

  Black spots blotted my vision as I used the strength of his body to stay on my feet. He brought me down slowly, kissing up my neck. He withdrew his hands and in one tug, ripped my lace panties in two, throwing the flimsy material to the floor.

  I was naked, sated, limp, and so aroused that my skin felt as though I was lying flat on hot coals.

  “Turn.”

  I did as instructed and watched as his nostrils flared. Reaching behind, Romeo pulled his jersey over his head, his bronze torso glistening in the glow of the streetlamp flooding in through the window.

  My attention immediately zeroed in on two large, beautifully intricate tattooed white angel wings standing proudly on the centre of his chest. I tentatively feathered over them with my fingertips, leaning in and brushing my trembling lips against each one, worshipping their meaning.

  When I lifted my head, Romeo was licking his lips, chocolate eyes unguarded. “I know our angel isn’t here on Earth with us anymore, but even from Heaven, I wanted them to see how much they were loved… and that even though unplanned… they were wanted… so fuckin’ much.”

  I cast a watery smile and he brought me to his lips.

  “I love them. It’s perfect,” I whispered against his mouth.

  Pushing me back a step, he said, “I’m not the most spiritual of guys, Mol. Don’t go to church and Christ knows I’ve sinned, but I truly believe our angel is being cared for somewhere better than here… by your folks. I believe it with all my heart.”

  A sob burst free from my mouth and he hooked his hand around my neck and just held me to his chest. After several minutes, I laid a kiss over his heart and withdrew. “I love you, Romeo.”

  “And I, you, baby.”

  Romeo held me close for several minutes, just the two of us alone, breathing, healing together.

  Romeo’s rough hands ghosted down my arms and he pushed me back from his embrace. “Now…” His face hardened. “Take them off.” He pointed down at the laces of his trousers.

  My heart picked up speed at his command, and I untied the knot, gently pulling on the strings, my knuckles brushing against his erection.

  He watched my every move, his chiselled jaw tensing with every butterfly touch. I threw the discarded string to the floor, waiting for the next order.

  “Pull them down and get on your knees.”

  I gripped the waist and yanked them over his muscled legs. He sprung loose against my cheek and I nuzzled against his flesh. I continued rolling the trousers over his feet and discarded them on the carpet. I lifted my head and met his gaze as he towered over me.

  “Suck me until I tell you to stop.”

  Saliva pooled in my mouth and I shuffled forward, licking slowly up his stem. Romeo hissed in response. My lips devoured him and I lurched forward, swallowing him down my throat.

  “Fuck!” he shouted, gripping my hair as he pushed back and forth, his flesh swelling in my mouth.

  I lifted my eyes and groaned as his head tossed back and his tongue licked his bottom lip. Encouraged, I picked up the pace, swirling my tongue around the tip, his hips rocking harder as I held on to his thighs to help give me traction.

  “Fuck, Mol, your mouth.” He snarled and ripped me away from his groin. “Get on the bed.”

  I stood and crawled to the centre of the bed and was urgently flipped on my back. Romeo’s hands spread my legs apart, bending them at the knees, and his mouth latched onto me.

  “Ahh! Romeo…”

  He worked his mouth furiously, his tongue filling and sucking. I wasn’t going to last, and my fingers clawed at his hair.

  Snapping his head up, he ordered, “Grip your hands around the bed post.”

  I did as he instructed.

  “Don’t take them off.”

  Romeo dived back in and I dug my nails into the thick wood, breathless and screaming mutely with every lick and bite.

  “Romeo… Romeo… I’m coming!” I fell apart, invisible restraints binding me to the bedpost as Romeo drank me down. He released my legs and they flopped to the mattress, but he grabbed them once more and I opened my eyes just as he rammed into me in one hard drill.

  “Ahh!” I shrieked, unable to take anymore. It was all too much.

  I moved to release my hands when he bit out, “I said NO!”

  My arms froze and he used his tight grip on my thighs to anchor his thrusts. “Will you ever leave again?”

  “No! No, no, no…”

  “And why’s that?”

  “Because I love you.”

  Rome’s excited eyes darkened and he pumped into me aggressively. “Wrong answer.”

  My toes curled into a cramp and I shouted. “Because I’m yours. Because I belong to you. Because you’re mine!”

  His eyes rolled back and he fell forward, balancing on his arms, and ravaged me with his mouth whispering, “Because you’re mine. You belong to me.”

  I could feel my orgasm approaching and my stomach tightened in anticipation.

  “Fuck, you’re so tight! I’m gonna come with you. You’re squeezin’ me so hard, baby.”

  I tipped my head back and with a final thrust, we both roared and I wrapped my arms around his back as he worked out the last of his release.

  We were drenched in sweat, holding each other close. I was glowing in the aftermath, when Romeo lifted his head. “I love you,” he said and feathered caresses softly across my face.

  “I love you too. I will never forgive myself for leaving.”

  Romeo cracked a relieved smile. “I believe you. But it’s done. I have you back and you’re not gettin’ away again, even if I have to tie you to the fuckin’ bed. We won’t talk of it anymore. I can’t keep thinkin’ of all the bad. I need good. I need things t
o be good.” He smoothed the damp strands of hair from my forehead. “When we go back to Bama, you’re movin’ in with me.”

  “Okay.”

  Romeo’s eyebrows arched high. “Okay? I was expectin’ to have to convince you. You’re not gonna tell me we’re too young, it’s too soon, or any of that kinda shit?”

  “Nope, my home is with you. I know that now. I finally get it.”

  “At long fuckin’ last!” He sighed.

  He entwined our fingers. “My momma’s been released. Some connection at the courthouse got her off. My daddy’s out on bail, but he’ll be doin’ some serious time. I spoke to him and his lawyer and we agreed to just walk away from one another. We have no relationship anymore. Can’t save somethin’ that never was.”

  “Rome, I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t be. I needed assurance that they wouldn’t come near you again. They won’t. They only wanted the marriage to Shelly to get her daddy’s money. That’s officially done with.”

  I ran my thumb over his palm. He watched the action with a contented smile. “It’s funny, but I finally feel free.” He rolled to the side and we faced each other, sharing the same pillow. “We’re finally free to be together, no obstacles.”

  “No Shelly?”

  “She won’t come near us again. Cass made sure of that,” he added, chuckling.

  I pulled a frown. “What do you mean?”

  “She knocked her the fuck out for what she did to you. Broke her fuckin’ nose. I only wish I’d been there to see it!”

  “No! I can’t believe it.” I needed to hug the living daylights out of that girl when I saw her next.

  I couldn’t help but giggle and kiss his hands. He lost his smile and placed his flat palm to my stomach. “Was I too rough with you? You still hurtin’, baby?”

  I shook my head sadly. “Not anymore. At least not physically.”

  Romeo’s beautiful dark brown eyes regarded me sympathetically. He understood. “Are you wantin’ more babies?”

  I swallowed back my wrought emotions. It was time to put my troubles in the past. It was time to move forward. “One day I’d like to be a mother. But not right now. We both have dreams; we’re young and want to accomplish so much. We will have children, Romeo, but when we decide it’s right.”