Off-Limits

by L A Cotton

  “You’re kidding?”

  Poppy shook her head. “Aunt Hailee’s name was in the report.”

  “Oh my God, no wonder Dad was worried about Kaiden joining the team.”

  Dread snaked through me as I remembered what it had felt like kissing him. I’d definitely made the right decision not telling her. Besides, it wasn’t like it was going to happen again.

  Silence settled over us and Poppy slipped her hand down to mine and squeezed. “I’ll always have your back, Lilster. You know that, right?”

  “I know,” I swallowed over the ball of emotion in my throat.

  “You can always always come to me, with anything. The same goes for Peyton and Ashleigh. You’re not alone, Lil. I hope you know that.”

  “I do.”

  I did.

  But I still didn’t tell her the truth about Kaiden because some things were better left unsaid. Poppy meant well, but it was easier to pretend that everything was fine.

  Than admit that maybe it wasn’t.

  Monday morning at school, butterflies fluttered wildly in my stomach as I climbed out of Ashleigh’s car. The second I spotted Kaiden across the parking lot, I knew why.

  I’d tried to forget the kiss, but how did you forget your first kiss?

  The answer was, you didn’t.

  I could still remember the shape of his lips against mine, their firm yet soft touch. Still taste the bitterness of beer on his breath. Feel the wetness of his tongue against mine.

  So much so, that when his eyes found mine across the sea of cars, heat exploded into my cheeks.

  “Lil, what’s wrong?” Ashleigh asked and my head snapped around to hers.

  “Nothing.” I forced a smile, gently tugging on the frayed ends of my scarf. Her eyes dropped to my fingers tangled in the threads.

  “Lil?”

  “I’m good.” My smile was strained as I peeked back over at Kaiden.

  I couldn’t imagine him like the boy Poppy described. He’d been so patient with me Friday night, so kind.

  After we’d returned to the firepit, we hadn’t spoken again, but I’d caught him watching me. Like he was right now.

  He smiled. Kaiden Thatcher smiled at me. And the butterflies in my stomach took flight and soared.

  Without overthinking it, I smiled back.

  I’d half-expected for him to ignore me today and pretend like nothing happened. But he was smiling… at me.

  “Oooh, I see what the problem is now. You, Lily Ford, have a crush.” Ashleigh chuckled.

  “I don’t… that’s not…”

  “Lil, stop.” She gave me a pointed look. “This is a good thing. A great thing. Just don’t get too invested because, well, he’s a football player and he’s an Eagle.”

  “He’s a Raider now,” I said.

  “Is he?” Her brow lifted, and I didn’t like the doubt in her eyes. But she had a point. Kaiden and his friends were still outsiders, the enemy. It would take more than a week and one party to change that.

  “Okay, don’t freak,” she breathed, “but he’s coming over here.”

  My heart lurched into my throat as I watched him approach. His long legs ate up the distance, his dark-wash jeans hugging his muscular thighs. He was wearing a gray t-shirt that highlighted his thick biceps and broad shoulders, but it was his eyes that caught my attention the most. The way they focused right on me. I’d never been in the spotlight before, but the lights blazed down on me now.

  “Hey,” he said, coming to a stop right in front of me.

  “Hi,” I frowned, and Ashleigh shot me a reassuring look.

  “I’ll just be right over there.” She pointed to the rest of our friends. They were all watching with interest.

  “So, I didn’t know if I should come over,” Kaiden said, “but I wanted to see if you were okay, after the party.”

  “I’m fine. Thank you for asking.” My fingers stroked the ends of my scarf, drawing his eye.

  “Do I make you nervous?”

  I found no malice in his eyes, only mild curiosity.

  “A little,” I confessed.

  He ran a hand through his hair and down the back of his neck. “I won’t bite.” His lip curved into a small smirk. “Well, only if you beg.”

  “I…” Oh God.” I gulped. “Was he flirting with me?

  My body tingled with awareness as he stepped closer.

  “You know, you look kind of familiar,” he said, and I frowned.

  But before I could reply, a saccharine voice cut the tension swirling around us.

  “Well, isn’t this cute,” Lindsey said. “The football star and the ghost.”

  “Ghost?” Kaiden asked with a hint of irritation.

  “Yeah, you know, invisible?” She glowered at me, and I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole.

  “What kind of shitty thing is that to say to someone?”

  “Kaiden, it’s okay,” I said.

  “Like fuck it is,” he growled.

  “Relax,” Lindsey laughed, pressing her hand against his arm. “It’s just a joke. Isn’t that right, Lily?”

  A wicked glint flashed in her eye and I braced myself for whatever crappy thing she was going to say next.

  “You know it’s actually quite poetic. The football star and the coach’s daughter. Who would have thought—”

  “What did you just say?” The blood drained from Kaiden’s face. I watched the realization slam into him, and my stomach dropped.

  “You mean, you didn’t know?” Lindsey practically grinned. “Lily is Coach Ford’s daughter. Didn’t she tell you?”

  “No, she didn’t,” he said, coolly.

  “Bummer. Not to worry though. I’m sure there are plenty of other girls who will help you feel right at home at Rixon High.”

  Kaiden glared at me, his smile replaced with a grimace.

  “Oops, I can see you two have some things to discuss. I’ll see you later at practice.” She took off, leaving us in bitter silence.

  “I—”

  “You look like him,” Kaiden said. “That’s where I recognized you from. You have his eyes.”

  “Everyone says I do.” I smiled, but he didn’t return it. “What Lindsey said. It doesn’t matter. I mean, Coach Ford is my dad, but he isn’t some monster. He would never—”

  “It matters.”

  “Sorry, wh-what?” I blinked at him, sure I’d misheard.

  “It matters.”

  “B-but what happened on Friday was…” I struggled to find the words.

  I wanted to tell him it was the first time I’d ever kissed a guy. I wanted to tell him that I hadn’t stopped thinking about his lips on mine. That I felt something shift inside me during those few minutes with him in the boat shed.

  But the words didn’t form and Kaiden didn’t give me a chance to try to get them out.

  “Do me a favor, yeah?” he said.

  “Anything.” I nodded, finally finding my voice.

  “Don’t tell anyone about what happened Friday night.”

  Chapter Six

  Kaiden

  I’d fucked up.

  She was Coach Ford’s daughter.

  His fucking daughter.

  It was obvious now. Same blue eyes, same dark hair. But I hadn’t seen it then. I’d been too busy focused on the girl trying to disappear.

  Well done, asshole.

  Now she was standing there, looking at me like I’d just kicked her puppy.

  Her bottom lip wobbled. “B-but I thought—”

  “You thought wrong,” I swallowed over the lump in my throat. I had to get the fuck out of here before she cried and Coach hauled me into his office for making his daughter sob.

  Fuck.

  How had this happened?

  And why the fuck hadn’t anyone told me?

  Without another word, I spun on my heel and walked away from her. It was an asshole move, but it was a damn sight better than the alternative.

  Coach’s daughter.

>   Lily Ford.

  It was the worst fucking thing that could happen to me.

  Bryan frowned as I rejoined him and the rest of our crew. “Everything okay?”

  “She’s Coach’s daughter.”

  “Oh fuck,” he balked before bursting into laughter.

  “Fuck off,” I grumbled, shouldering past him and heading for the school building.

  “You’ve got to admit,” he caught up with me, “it’s pretty funny.”

  “I’m glad one of us is amused.” Because I sure as fuck wasn’t.

  When I didn’t answer, he added, “Plenty more pussy in the sea. Lindsey is gagging for a taste of the Thatchman, and she looks like she knows how to work that body, if you know what I’m saying.”

  “Yeah,” I murmured, hoping to shut him up. I wasn’t interested in what Lindsey or anyone else was offering. I was too hung up on Lily.

  And now she was one hundred percent off-limits.

  Of all the fucking girls in the school, it had to be her.

  I internally groaned as I moved down the hall toward first period. Part of me was pissed at Lindsey for dropping the bomb like that. But the other part knew she’d done me a favor before I said or did something I couldn’t take back. So we’d kissed Friday night? It was one measly kiss. It didn’t mean anything. It was a dare. Seven minutes of heaven in a boat shed. It wasn’t like I’d fucked her. Even if her dad found out, it was just one kiss.

  Except it wasn’t.

  And I hoped he didn’t. Because I was here to play football. My future was in his hands. He already had enough ammunition to make my life difficult for the fact my name was Thatcher.

  I didn’t need to give him any more reasons to hate me.

  By the time practice rolled around, I was irritable as hell. Thankfully, I didn’t share any classes with Lily. I didn’t want to see the dejected look in her eyes again.

  “Okay, bring it in,” Coach yelled. “This Friday it’s the pep rally and then the week after we have our first game against Marshall Prep. That’s two weeks to prove to me you deserve a spot on the team.”

  “That’s some bullshit,” someone muttered behind me.

  “What the hell was that?” Coach barked. “If you’ve got something to say, spit it out. No?” He waited another minute, the silence painful. “Good. Because let’s get one thing straight. This is my team. My fucking team. And everyone who steps out on that field a week Friday will have earned their spot. You hear me?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you.”

  “Yes, sir.” Our voices echoed around the field.

  “Better,” he grunted. “Now get out there and show me what you’re made of.”

  Monroe shouldered past me as the huddle split into offense and defense for drills. “That spot is mine,” he mumbled.

  “Say that again, Monroe. Because I’m sure it sounded like you crying to your mom when I’m the one calling the shots against Marshall.”

  “Thatch,” Gav warned but I was too wound up to see sense. Monroe had pushed and pushed and pushed last week and I hadn’t pushed back. But maybe it was time to. Maybe it was time to fight fire with fire.

  “You think my guys are going to fall into line for an Eagle. No. Fucking. Way.” He got all up in my face.

  “Thatcher. Monroe. Do we have a problem?” The offensive coach yelled.

  “No problem, sir,” Monroe replied, glaring at me. “Just getting Thatcher up to speed on some plays.”

  “Thatch, man,” Bryan slid his arm around my chest. “He isn’t worth it.”

  “Yeah.” I shrugged him off and jogged into position.

  I put all my frustration into my game, pushing myself hard. My passes were sharp, sailing down the field with precision and speed, and my runs were fast and unbeatable. I absorbed the coaches’ direction, switching up my throwing technique and losing myself in repetitive drills until Lily Ford became a distant memory.

  Exactly where she needed to stay.

  “Okay, good work out there QBs. Take a drink break then go work on those passes. Offense with me. Defense with Coach Macintosh.”

  Monroe muttered something under his breath as we each made our way over to the water bottles. When we were done, he thrust a ball at me and said, “Ladies first.”

  Asshole.

  I got into position on my knees and waited for him to move back about ten yards. He bounced on the balls of his feet moving to the right and left and then lunged to the right, stretching his arm high.

  Hiking the ball over my shoulder I pushed forward with my hips and let it sail out of my hands. He caught it easily.

  “Not bad,” he smirked. He threw it back at me. Hard. It caught me off balance and I stumbled a little to stay upright. He sneered and I cut him with an icy glare.

  We worked like that for ten minutes and then switched. Then we went up on one knee and did another round. It was a strengthening exercise, forcing you to throw from the upper body rather than your legs. And by the time Coach called us in, my muscles ached, and I wanted nothing more than to hit the showers and let the hot jets work out the kinks.

  Monroe offered me his hand and I took it, letting him pull me up. But at the last second, before I’d gotten my balance, he let go and I stumbled back.

  “What the fuck, man?” I leaped to my feet and got right up in his face. “What the fuck is your problem?”

  “My problem?” He smashed his helmet into mine, “This is my team. My fucking team, Thatcher. You think you can just waltz in here and take over?”

  “You think I want to be here? Trust me, I don’t. But I am here, so you’d better get used to it.” I shouldered past him just as Coach boomed our names.

  “What?” Monroe called after me. “You think you’re too good to play with us, but good enough for our girls?”

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I ground to a halt and spun around.

  “You know exactly what it means. We all saw you disappear into the boat shed with Coach’s daughter.”

  Everything fell silent as his words pierced the air.

  “Oh shit,” someone hissed. But I ignored them, my attention focused solely on the asshole in front of me.

  “You need to stop talking,” I ground out, fists clenched at my sides. “Before I make you.” Anger rippled up my spine.

  “Thatcher, my office, NOW!”

  Blood swam in my ears as I glanced back to find Coach storming toward the doors to the locker room.

  “Nice knowing you, Thatcher.” Monroe snorted. My eyes narrowed, as my body shook with rage. But then an assistant coach shouted, “Get walking, son.”

  I tore off my helmet and took off after him. My cleats clattered against the floor as I reached Coach Ford’s office.

  “Take a seat,” he said, coolly.

  No ‘kid’.

  No ‘son’.

  No ‘Thatcher’.

  “Do you know why you’re here?”

  “Yes, sir.” My leg bounced with a restlessness I couldn’t contain.

  “Is it true?”

  “I…” My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth and I swallowed hard. “We were playing a stupid game.”

  “What game?”

  “Seven minutes in heaven.”

  “Fuck,” he hissed under his breath, dragging a hand down his face. “Did you touch her?”

  “What? No! We talked… that’s all.”

  His brow went up, studying me. “I don’t want my daughter anywhere near the team, you hear me?”

  “The team… or just me?”

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Coach’s expression darkened, his brows drawing together. This was the Coach Ford I’d heard all about. Cold and deadly.

  “There isn’t exactly any love lost between you and my old man.”

  “That’s ancient history,” he scoffed.

  “Is it?”

  Coach was a professional. Firm but fair after being forced into this impossibl
e situation. But he didn’t want me here anymore than I wanted to be here.

  He regarded me for a second, then let out a long, steady breath. “Just stay away from Lily, Kaiden. She’s been through enough without some jock breaking her heart.”

  “It won’t be a problem, sir,” I said, devoid of emotion. Because he was right. Anything that had been ignited at the party had been tamped out the second I learned who she really was.

  “Good. Because I would hate you to sacrifice your senior year playing football for a girl who’s too good for you.”

  Ouch.

  His words stung. But I swallowed his judgment down. I didn’t need him to like me. I didn’t even need him to respect me. I just needed him to give me a chance on the field.

  I stood up and looked him dead in the eye. “Like father, like son, right?” That’s what he thought of me. That I was a chip off Lewis Thatcher’s block.

  I wasn’t.

  But he didn’t want to hear it, and I wasn’t about to give him a sob story in hopes of getting a free pass.

  There was only one way I was going to make the team, and that was to prove to him and everyone else that I deserved a spot on the starting lineup.

  Coach didn’t reply, his hard glare watching me all the way out of his office. The second I stepped in the locker room, I let out a thin breath. As if I didn’t already have a mark on my back, I’d just gone and drawn the target and handed him the arrow.

  Fuck my life.

  “Mom, I’m home,” I called out, throwing my keys on the sideboard.

  “In here, sweetie.”

  I followed the scent of freshly baked cookies into the kitchen. “Something smells good, Mom.” Snagging one off the cooling rack, I blew on it before taking a bite.

  “Kaiden, they’re still cooling,” she smacked me with the towel, moving the rack to the other counter. “How was your day?”

  “Okay, I guess.” My shoulders lifted in a small shrug.

  “And practice?”

  I flinched. “It was fine.”

  “Oh no. I don’t like the sound of that. Is Coach Ford giving you a hard time? Because you know your father won’t tolerate any mistreatment—”

  “It’s nothing like that, Mom. Their quarterback is an ass.”