by Rose Croft
Troy called the play, and we took off down the field to the end zone. Dmitri sprinted down the sideline while I rushed down the middle of the field. I beat my defender and looked back to see Troy chuck the ball my way. Another defender barreled toward me as I pushed forward with my eye on the ball. I reached out my arms fighting off the guy hanging on me to bring me down and clenched my hands around the football. I stumbled into the end zone as two defenders dragged me to the ground, but the ball was secure in my arms. “Touchdown Falcons! Touchdown Falcons!” the PA echoed across the stadium as a deafening roar rolled over the stadium from the fans.
As players rolled off the pile, Dmitri and Axel both hovered over me each taking an arm and yanking me to my feet. “That’s what I’m talking about. That’s how you do it, son!” Axel crowed and Dmitri patted me on the back of the helmet. “You saved our ass.”
The team rushed the field crowding me since time had expired. I ripped off my helmet shouting out in relief, completely pumped. I pushed through my team fighting through all the congratulatory slaps to my helmet. Some fans had crashed the field cheering like maniacs. It was a crazy scene, but somehow I’d made it to the sideline and chanced a glance up at the student section. My adrenaline kicked up another notch when I saw my girl front and center leaning over the rails with a huge smile on her face.
And I knew as sure as the sun rose in the east that my mantra of patience was evaporating into thin air. Impulsive as hell I was with no apologies. I stalked over to the stands and tugged myself over the railing ignoring the fans who were crowding me in and patting me on the back. I landed right in front of her, and Theodora craned her neck up at me. “What are—?”
I engulfed her in my arms and slammed my mouth on hers consuming her like my life depended on it. Like I’d wanted to do for the past few weeks. Like I would soon be doing again. She was mine and always would be. It obviously didn’t matter where we were. I wanted the whole world to see.
Howls and whistles pierced my ears realizing we were the center of attention. I reluctantly pulled back not before sucking her bottom lip between my teeth releasing it ever-so-slowly. I felt her short breaths she tried to control. She was bothered, and I was enthralled, but I found my voice. “I thought you had to work tonight.”
Her tongue slipped out unconsciously swiping her plump mouth. “I did, but I called in sick.” She glanced down and smoothed her hands over my grass-stained jersey.
“Why, Theodora Daniels did you tell a lie?” I prodded and cupped her rosy cheek. She was flustered, and I couldn’t wait to see her pretty body flushed with heat beneath me as she called out my name. Maybe I was getting ahead of myself. Maybe I wasn’t. Taking it slow was a foreign concept.
“It wasn’t a complete lie. I knew if I’d missed seeing you make that amazing catch it would’ve made me sick with guilt.” My ego inflated at her admitting she wanted to see me play. It took me back to my days in high school when she was my number one cheerleader.
“Is that so?” I asked.
“It is. I’m so proud of you.”
“Roman! Coach wants us back in the locker room,” Axel shouted below. “Save your stalker shit and baby making moves for later, bro.”
Theodora ducked her head in embarrassment as there were a few laughs heard around us, but the crowd had already started drifting away giving us more space. I waved Axel off leaning my brow to hers not wanting to let her go. “Will you wait for me in the parking lot?”
She nodded against me, and I captured her lips in a quick kiss. Relief flowed through me along with all the pent-up passion I’d saved up over the last several weeks. Redemption. She was both my sweet redemption and swan song.
When I pulled back, we stood like someone had pressed pause on a timer in this crazy, fast-paced entity known as life, and she glanced around. “You better go.”
“I don’t want to.”
“But your team. Your coach…”
“Fuck ’em.”
“Roman,” she breathed out and glanced around with her hands on her pink cheeks. She was so damn cute. She was my gorgeous girl who I wanted to hold on to forever. “You’re making a scene.” She peered up at me with worry in her eyes.
“I can’t help it. If you haven’t noticed, I don’t care where we are. Just don’t ever say you don’t want me.”
“Don’t want you?” she croaked. “Is that what you think? I could never not want you. I love you,” she announced taking my face between her palms as though I was thickheaded. I was a stubborn son of a bitch, but my heart soared like the lovesick man I was hearing her truth. “I’ve loved you ever since that day I stepped foot on your parent’s estate.”
I scooped her up in my arms gripping her tight like she was my most cherished possession because she was. I nosed against her cheek, my pulse hammering insanely. “You’ve always had my heart too, Theodora, even when I thought I hated you. Now I know the hate was only an outlet for the love I had. Even though it sounds absurd, or insane, maybe unstable on my part to think like that, it’s the truth. But in the end, it was always love because whatever happened you were always engraved in my soul, in my blood, and you were always meant to be mine.”
Theodora
The sunlight warmed my face as I blinked my eyes open greeted by yellow rays and felt myself cocooned in delicious warmth and security. My knight. My protector. My eternal love. My Roman.
I drew my finger over his tan skin, tracing the dip and slope of carved muscle in his bicep. Soon, I heard a deep groan and felt nibbles on my lobe. “Theodora,” he whispered like a prayer against my ear.
I stroked his well-stubbled cheek. “Good morning.”
He lifted his head while his teeth glistened bathed in light with a rakish grin. “It is isn’t it? A good morning. A fantastic morning. Soon to get even better.” He tucked his head in my neck again.
“I’m hungry.”
“Me too.” His lips traveled over my skin as he nipped a trail down to my collarbone.
I curled my fingers in his thick hair. “You have a fetish with my neck.”
“I can’t help that it tempts me all the time. Besides, that’s not the only body part I have a fetish with.” He slid over me like a muscular blanket. His arms strained beside me to keep him from crushing me. “You’re my favorite meal and like I said, I’m hungry.” His lips roved over the slope of my breast. Then, his finger touched the raised skin of the newly healed scar over my heart from the jagged stem of the broken champagne glass. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t prevent this from happening.” He trailed soft, feather-light kisses over my skin. “I only wanted to keep you safe.”
My heart ached hearing the anguish in his voice. I lifted his chin, drawing his attention. “You did everything you could. Don’t ever apologize for the sins of your brother.”
He nuzzled my palm closing his eyes as though feeling a mixture of relief and absolution. His throat bobbed before he spoke. “It’s just.” His eyes met mine. “Your pain is my pain. Seeing you suffer nearly killed me. I used to think your pain would be my salvation. But it wasn’t. It never was. I would rather die than see you ever come to harm again.”
“I know.” I smiled softly. “I know, but I’m here. I’m alive, and I’m not going anywhere.” The strain on his face lightened as his eyes flashed with the love I knew he felt for me.
“You better not go anywhere because I’ll always find you,” he quipped. “You’re stuck with me forever.”
“Forever,” I agreed. “Now, where were we?”
“I think I was right here.” He lowered his head down. His erection was already sliding down my clit.
“Roman.” I sighed relishing his sweet torture as he twirled his tongue around my nipple. Would he always make me crave him? It was only a few hours ago that it seemed we’d taken the gold medal in the bedroom Olympics. Last night, the guys had thrown their usual after game party celebrating another victory. Roman and I had spent some time amongst the guys too, watching Axel and Nick do their us
ual back-and-forth banter until cash was being thrown down and the challenge of Xbox was too much for them to ignore. Not a surprise. Dmitri was over at the bar charming two brunettes with a chilled bottle of vodka in his hand pouring the liquid in three shot glasses giving a spiel about Russian vodkas and why they were the best.
Roman never left my side, and soon he tugged me against him and growled in my ear, “It’s time we celebrate, alone. Finally, I want to relish in this victory and collect my spoils.”
I giggled and told him he sounded like a pirate from an old-school romance novel.
He didn’t disagree and may have thrown in an argghhh before he tossed me over his shoulder in front of a crowd of drunk college kids catcalling raucously to my embarrassment and slapped my butt when I protested before carrying me off to his room.
Anyway, back to the present, he thrust into me in one fell swoop, filling me to the brink. I gasped as he threw my legs over his broad shoulders. Pulling back and pushing in deeper with each pass. The muscles in his abs constricted with each motion. His eyes darkened as short breaths expelled from his lips. Soon, my legs were close to my ears as he leaned closer; his mouth hovered over mine. “Say it, Corazón.”
“Say what?” I moaned fighting to keep my eyes from rolling back from the pleasure, never wanted to break away from his steady gaze. I was close to setting off like confetti.
“Say you love me.”
“I love you.” My thighs shook with intensity, and pleasure mounted at my core. Building and building, higher and higher. “I love you, Roman!”
As I began to burst into a billion pieces and stars flittered in my vision, he buried his lips in mine growling, “Forever.”
After our hearts slowed down and our breathing settled, I could feel my stomach was about to grumble in protest. “Roman, I’m really hungry…for food.”
“Well, whatever my baby wants, she gets.” He crawled over the edge of the bed and stepped over to his dresser. I got up too and bent over finding my clothing on the floor. As I pulled on my shorts, Roman pulled a T-shirt out of his drawer tossing it to me. “Here. Wear this.”
I held it up eying the Falcon’s logo on the front with his last name and number on the back. I shrugged the ginormous tee on as it almost hung to my knees. I bunched up the hem tying it in a knot at my waist.
“That’s the best look of the day,” Roman stated giving a nod of approval.
“Me wearing your number?”
“Yeah.” He threw on some shorts and strolled up to me with that possessive gleam in his eye. “It makes me want to see you naked again.” He pressed his forehead to mine and clasped me in his arms. I knew that look well enough, he was about to strip me down and toss me on the bed again. Roman had an unquenchable appetite and had no qualms feeding it.
“Babe,” I plead while my stomach threatened to sucker punch me. “Food.”
“I know.” He kissed me and grinned against my lips. “I love you, you know?”
“I do know.”
“Good, so get ready to hear it every fucking day until those are the only words ingrained in your head. In your heart.”
“It’s already there.” I covered his left pec with my hand like I’d done all those years ago in his backyard. “You’re my heart, Roman, always.”
Cue another deep kiss and an almost tumble in the bed before my stomach growled loudly.
“Damn girl, let’s get you fed.” He dragged me across the room like two people trying to escape a burning building.
“Roman?” I rushed out trying to keep up with his long legs as we flew out the door. My voice echoed across the spacious, silent hall. It was still early morning, and the party had gone on well into the night.
“The quicker we eat, the more time I have with you in bed. Now what do you want? We could pick up kolaches, breakfast tacos?” Just before we cleared the hall, I heard the click of a handle a few feet away and saw Kenzie tiptoeing out of Nick’s room wearing a skintight dress. What? She was here last night? I didn’t see her, but then again, I spent most of the evening with Roman. And Nick? She and Nick?
Roman yanked me in the kitchen before I could say anything. “What would you like?” He gripped his keys, guiding me to the door out to the garage. I heard another door close in the distance. My mind was still reeling over seeing my friend come from Nick’s room.
Over the groan of the garage door opening, I said, “Either. I love both.” I stepped into his Jeep.
“Both it is.” He dipped his chin in decision and the Jeep revved to life.
When Roman backed out of the driveway, he pointed over at a red convertible BMW on the cul-de-sac where my roomie was fumbling with the door swiping a finger under her eye. “Isn’t that Kenzie?”
“Yep.” I nodded as she soon sped off like a bat out of hell running away from demons. “I saw her leaving Nick’s room.”
“Huh.” Roman turned the steering wheel under his palm, pulling out onto the street. “Nick. That fucker has never had a girl stay the night. I mean, he loves to fu—” He paused as if thinking better of what he was about to say. “He swore off relationships and even though he’s not a saint, he’s not one to encourage girls to spend the night. To him, even having a girl sleep in his bed was getting too personal. Trust me, I know him.”
“Really?” My eyes widened like saucers. “But Nick is so personable. He’s always sweet to me.”
“He is friendly,” Roman said gruffly as his eyes narrowed, obviously still a little jealous where his friend is concerned. “Nick’s got the boy-next-door, good guy down pat. For the most part he is. And he’s charming and whatever the fuck else you want to say about him. But he’s not looking for a girlfriend. I just hope your friend is careful since she was already burned by Justin.”
“Me too.” I chewed on my bottom lip concerned about my friend.
“Hey,” he said. “Let’s enjoy this day and start making up for all the lost time.” Roman laced his hand in mine giving it a squeeze. I squeezed his back and gazed at the dreamlike, brightest blue sky and the forever-green leaves on the trees lined up along the county road. It was fall, but you wouldn’t know it. Beyond the trees were rolling hills that looked like mini mountains encircling the cozy college town. My hair whipped in the breeze, my longtime love held my hand, and we were about to have the best breakfast tacos and kolaches this side of the Hill country. Seemed like the perfect day. The first of many to come.
Roman—Two Months Later
“God, you’re so domesticated, bro.” Axel scoffed and took a pull from his beer. We were sitting outside waiting for the grill to get nice and hot before I put the steaks on. It was early December and warm as usual. Our regular season was over, but we went undefeated and were one of four teams playing in the playoffs for the national championship at the end of the month.
“And? What’s your point?” I loved spending every moment I could with my girl and didn’t give it a thought.
“Nothing, man. Better you than me.”
“Once you find the one, you’ll understand.”
“Not trying to.” He stretched out on the lounger with a shit-eating grin. “I like my freedom. Having someone keeping tabs on me all the time? Uh, no thanks.” He chuckled. “But you were like a bloodhound tracker with Theo from the beginning so…”
“Shut up.” I took a sip of my beer fighting a smile. He was right. Sort of. Who was I kidding? It was a spot-on observation. Nonetheless, it was good to sit around and banter with my friends although they did get on my nerves.
Dmitri stepped up to us with a drink in one hand and a sour face. “Is anyone going to help me make the salad? Why am I doing all the prep work?”
What the hell? Was he on his period or something? “I just asked you to slice an onion. An onion. That’s it. I already have the steaks seasoned. The potatoes are in the oven, and the salad is pre-made and only needs to be mixed together.”
“And the idiotic onion made my eyes water. I looked like I was crying. Crying. You do
know that I never cry.”
Axel broke out in a cackle behind me. “Gah, D, I didn’t know you were such a pussy.”
“Fuck off,” he growled stalking toward him. “I’ll make you my pussy.”
Axel guffawed even louder, and I tempered the laughter threatening to erupt. I don’t think Dmitri realized what he said didn’t come out right. Perhaps he needed to work on his comebacks.
“Hey. It’s all good.” I moved between them before Axel busted a vein in his temple from laughter and Dmitri just plain busted my friend’s nose. “Let’s check on the potatoes.” I guided him with me. “And get you another drink.”
My phone pinged, and I pulled it out of my pocket.
Theodora: On my way.
Me: Okay. Drive safely.
Yeah. I sounded like a parent. However, considering what’d happened to her in the past, I was overly cautious. If anything ever happened to her again…I shook it off. Everything in her world seemed to be trending up. Her mother was now back at home and improving. She even found a job at a physical therapy facility. Theodora broke the news to her that Antoni was the person responsible for her living hell. I still felt shame over the situation, but Rhonda was starting to come around on me. She even told me how remorseful she was that she fell in love with my father, which was an awkward situation, but I tried my best not to think about it. She spoke about my father in the past tense, and just like other uncomfortable events in our history that’s where I was leaving it—in the past.
My father moved out of the house and had already agreed to give my mother anything she wanted if they could settle the divorce without dragging it out in court because he knew he didn’t have a leg to stand on. He’d fucked up their marriage. Now mom was an equal partner in his business. Good for her.
Anyway, Theodora worked the day shift at Duffey’s earlier and stopped by her dorm to shower and change. She rarely stayed at her place anymore because I insisted she stay with me most nights. I was going to convince her to move in with me next semester. Were things moving too fast? No fucking way. Too slow if you asked me. I knew she was mine, and I wanted to be with her. I’d even decided to stay an extra year and play for Hillside my senior year and forego the draft until the following year. I was going to marry this girl as soon as she gave me the green light. Hell, I’d marry her tomorrow if that was what she wished.
