Texting Titan: A Second Chance, College Football Romance

by Kaci Rose

  “I promise. Love you, Mom.”

  “Love you too.” She kisses my cheek and closes the door behind us.

  Once in the car, Avery turns to me. “I like your mom.”

  “I can tell she liked you too.”

  “You guys really don’t mind helping me out over Christmas break?”

  “I promise we don’t mind. I’d love to spend the break with you. It’s just me and Mom so being around more people would be fun.”

  Her phone pings, and she starts texting.

  “Everything okay?” I ask.

  “Yeah, it’s just Kelsey checking up on me.”

  We talk a bit about her family and her grandparents on the way home. When we get back to campus I pull up in front of her place and walk her to her door.

  “Sorry again that your date was a dud. I hope I made up for it.”

  “It’s okay I ended up on a much better date.” She smiles and knowing that smile is for me sends my heart racing and makes my hands ache to reach out and touch her.

  I can’t stop the grin that takes over my face. “Well then, let’s make it official.”

  I lean in and place my hand on her waist as she looks up at me and licks her lips. I slowly close the distance between us until my lips land on hers for the first time since that party.

  The first kiss we shared was mind blowing and amazing, but this kiss tops it. My feelings for Avery have only grown the more I’ve gotten to know her. This is soul searing. I gently place my other hand behind her neck and pull her in close as she wraps her arms around my waist.

  She opens her mouth and my tongue slowly explores hers as I take my time memorizing how her body feels pressed to mine, how her lips feel against mine, and how she feels in my arms. I rest my forehead on hers as I catch my breath and hold her in my arms, where she is supposed to be, and where I plan to keep her.

  Chapter 9

  Avery

  My lips are still tingling from Denver’s kiss on Friday night. I was up way later than I should have been every night this weekend thinking about that kiss and the fact that he is Titan. Since finding out, I’ve reread all our text messages, and looking back there are a few hints I missed.

  He hasn’t changed. I still get a good morning text from him every morning which makes me smile. Now it’s Monday and I head out the door to go to class and Denver is there.

  “May I have the honor of walking you to class?”

  I can’t help but laugh. “I’d like that.”

  “So, my mom called me almost as soon as I walked into my room demanding I bring you home again soon, and to make sure I get the plans for Christmas break. She’s excited about it.”

  “Well if I’m honest, I’m excited for the company. I had planned to leave the Friday Christmas break starts. Will your finals be over then?”

  “Yep, we’re good to go.” He gives me that smile of his that the girls all melt over it.

  We walk into class together and I expect him to go to his normal seat upfront, but he follows me and sits next to me.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Sitting next to my girl. Is that okay?”

  “Your girl?”

  He laughs. “Well I’m hoping you will agree to be mine, so I’m going to treat you like you are and that starts with not hanging out with the Jersey Chasers.”

  Like he summoned them out of thin air, Sasha, the queen Jersey Chaser, stops by his seat.

  “Denver, are you coming to sit with us?” she coos, pushing her overexposed chest toward him.

  “Nope, I’m good here.” Denver stares at me, ignoring her, and I don’t think there is a girl on the planet who wouldn’t be affected by having Denver’s attention like this. My lips tingle remembering that kiss and I want to pull him in for another one.

  “Well, when you get bored, you know where to find us.” She gives what I’m sure she thinks is a sexy pout but looks more like she had bad lip fillers.

  “Not going to happen.” He leans into me, dismissing her, and he doesn’t see the nasty look she gives me before heading to her seat with the other girls.

  “Slow, Denver. Very slow,” I whisper.

  “Slow as you need. We can start with dinner on Saturday. You can bring Kelsey and her date, if it makes you feel better.”

  “I can do dinner, no Kelsey necessary, if you take me for tacos.”

  “Done.”

  “Not just any tacos, there’s a food truck that makes the best street tacos, but we have to track them down.”

  “Derick has been talking about those tacos too, but I haven’t tried them yet. Now I really can’t wait for Saturday. What are the chances I can get you to Friday’s game?”

  I just shake my head. He’s working pretty hard for a player.

  “Sweet girl…” the look he gives me has a hint of amusement in it. “Do you not remember me saying that I’ve been waiting for you?”

  Shoot, I said the last part out loud.

  “I’m just having a hard time connecting you and Titan into one in my head.”

  His face softens. “I get that. No lies, remember? Truth is, those girls annoy the shit out of me. Truth is, I haven’t even kissed anyone or slept with anyone since our kiss freshman year. Truth is, I will wait as long as you need, just don’t push me away.”

  I just shake my head. What can I even say to that? Thank you seems wildly inappropriate. I go for a subject change.

  “If Kelsey can come with me, I’ll be at the game on Friday.”

  ✽✽✽

  Kelsey is beyond excited to go to the game with me and has even made posters for us.

  I get home from class on Friday before her, and there is a boy with a box and a card with my name on it. He looks familiar but I don’t remember his name.

  “You’re from the football team, right?” I ask.

  “Um, yes, I’m Cory, I’m a freshman,” he stammers and then shakes his head. “Denver asked me to give this to you. He has a meeting with coach.”

  “Thank you, Cory.” I take the box and head inside before I open the card.

  Avery,

  I can’t wait to see you at the game cheering for me, knowing it’s me. Even more so I can’t wait to see you at the game wearing my number.

  This is for you, sweet girl. Wait for me after the game?

  Denver

  Inside is his jersey with his number 18 on it. I go get ready in a pair of jeans and his jersey, taking extra time to curl my hair and do my make-up. When I step out of my room Kelsey is already ready to go. I hadn’t even heard her come home. I think she is more excited about the food than the game.

  We get our food and head to the seats Denver got for us—front row, right by the team. As we sit down, Sasha and her other Jersey Chasers walk by.

  “Enjoy him while you can. He’s on a normal girl kick but he’ll be tired of you soon and back in bed with me.” Sasha smiles at me.

  “Dream on,” Kelsey says with a curl of her lip. “We can all see how disgusted he is when you touch him. Move on.” Kelsey rolls her eyes at her and Sasha’s face gets red as she stomps away.

  “Don’t think you should have done that,” I sing song to her with a hint of amusement in my voice.

  “I spoke the truth and we both know it. I’m not worried.”

  We watch the team come out and before everyone takes the field Denver runs up to the fence.

  “I really like my number on you,” he calls out to me.

  “I like wearing it.” I smile.

  “Turn around, sweet girl, I want to see my name on you.”

  I turn slowly and pull my hair to the side for him.

  He groans. “You are going to wait for me after the game, right?”

  “Yeah, Kelsey is going to wait with me.”

  He raises his helmet to me and runs off to join his team. I watch with butterflies stirring in my tummy.

  He scores several touchdowns and after each one he points to me in the crowd, while Kelsey and I yell and scream for him.
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  After the game, which we won, we stop for Kelsey to get a soft pretzel and then head to the door where he will be coming out. Of course, Sasha and the Jersey Chasers are already there and it’s really hard not to tell they are talking about us.

  Denver walks out, freshly showered and in jeans and a T-shirt. His eyes lock with mine, and his smile lights up his face.

  Sasha steps in front of him and his smile falls away instantly.

  “Dammit, leave me alone. I’m taken. I’ve told you before I’m not interested. Get a life,” he growls at her before side stepping around her and heading toward me.

  She looks like she’s just been struck. Her jaw drops, and I try to hold back a laugh, but Kelsey fails and snickers out loud.

  Denver walks right up to me and wraps his arm around my shoulder and kisses the top of my head.

  “Congrats on the game.” I look up at him. Something about his just-showered hair with a few water droplets still clinging to it sends tingles down to my belly.

  “Thanks, it was all you. You’re my good luck charm. Now, any interest in going to the football party tonight?”

  “Not really.” I scrunch up my nose at the thought.

  “Good. Let me feed you two.” He starts walking us toward the parking lot.

  “Or we can go home, order pizza, and watch some TV on the couch. The game was enough peopling for me for today,” I suggest.

  Denver laughs. “Kelsey?”

  “I’m going to meet up with Ollie. You okay to get a ride home with Denver, Avs?

  “Of course, see you tomorrow. Be safe.” I hug her.

  “Always,” she calls behind her as she runs off to her car.

  “You sure you okay with me coming over?” Denver asks. I like that he is wanting to respect my limits. It makes me feel safe around him.

  “Yeah it’s just pizza and TV. Don’t get any bright ideas.”

  “Slow as you want, sweet girl.” He winks as we get in his truck.

  We stop by my favorite take-away pizza place on the way back and in no time, we’re settled on the couch and he picks up the remote.

  “What does Friday night Avery normally watch?” he asks, placing the remote on his chin like he’s thinking about what to put on.

  “This is usually my catch-up night, so it’s normally The Bachelor or Dancing with the Stars. But I’ve also started watching Big Bang theory over from the beginning, so we could watch that.”

  “Sheldon, Penny, and Leonard it is.” He smiles and flips through my DVR.

  Once we are done with the pizza, he puts the rest in the fridge for me. I pull the blanket off the back of the couch and snuggle in. He pulls me up to his side and I rest my head on his shoulder.

  I am strangely calm and relaxed in his arms. We have only been out a few times since dinner at his mom’s place but knowing he’s my Titan makes me comfortable around him. He kisses the top of my head and I look up at him.

  “You are so beautiful, Avery, but seeing you out there tonight in my jersey was something I’ve been dreaming of for a while now. I hope you’ll come to more games and wear it.”

  “I’ll try my best,” I tell him, which earns me that crooked half smile again and stirs up flutters in my belly.

  At some point, I guess I drifted off to sleep, and I wake in his arms as he lifts me up.

  “Denver?” I murmur.

  “Shh go back to sleep, sweet girl, I got you. Which room is yours?”

  “Right side,” I sigh.

  He lays me down on the bed and my eyes get heavy again.

  “These jeans won’t be comfortable for you to sleep in, can I take them off you?”

  I nod but don’t open my eyes. A minute later they are slowly being pulled down my legs and then hear them land on the floor. He pulls the covers over me and kisses my forehead.

  “Get some sleep, sweet girl, we have a date tomorrow.”

  “Mmmm, night.”

  Chapter 10

  Avery

  The last few weeks since going to Denver’s football game following the date at his mom’s house have been busy with studying, finals, dates, cuddles, and planning our trip to Nashville.

  Denver has gone out of his way to make time for me and I’ve seen him every day, even if it’s just him stopping by for a few minutes before he heads home or when he brings me coffee between classes. We text every night and have fallen asleep on the phone together a few times.

  We haven’t done anything more than kissing and a couple of light make-out sessions, but that’s been enough to set my body on fire when he is near.

  Today I am on the road to Nashville, with Denver driving and his mom chatting with me from the back seat where she insisted on sitting.

  Football season is now over so that has freed up a lot of Denver’s time, but these next two weeks will give us plenty of time together. It’s four days before Christmas Eve so we have a few days to ourselves before my parents fly in.

  “So, tell us about this house, Avery, I can’t wait to see how you want to decorate it!” Denver’s mom, Gina, asks.

  “Well it was built in the 1920’s and my grandparents bought it when they got married. It’s four bedrooms and four baths and in a good part of town, so even though it needs a bit of work, it still appraised higher than I expected. I know I don’t want to sell it. Not yet, anyway. When my grandpa died, my grandma started working on the house and said finally she could do it the way she wanted. I think she just needed a distraction from missing him.”

  I smile thinking of the times they would fight over wallpaper or paint colors.

  “If you plan to keep it, are you going to rent it out?” Gina asks. I can see her eyes sparkle when I talk about what I’d like to do to the house.

  “Yeah, I don’t need the money, but I hate the thought of it sitting empty for the next two years. I hired the neighbor’s boy next door to do the landscaping and keep an eye on the place. Since the yard is pretty big it keeps him busy and the hours are flexible since he is in high school so he can work it around his schoolwork and football. He is always sending photos of the place; he loves doing the work because I insisted on paying him what I’d pay a company. He’s making more than most kids his age do.”

  “That so sweet, he sounds like a good kid,” Gina says.

  “Oh, he is. When I told him, I was coming up for Christmas break, he got his parents to help put up all my grandma’s Christmas lights. She did the house up every year. He even sent me a picture of a Christmas tree in the living room they set up, saying it wasn’t Christmas unless the place was decorated and there was a tree up in the front window.”

  Denver smiles and takes my hand as his mom talks about design and how she hopes some of the original 1920’s features are still in the house. Denver smiles at me and whispers so only I can hear him.

  “Our first Christmas.”

  I can’t help but smile back. “The first of many, I hope.”

  “Me too, sweet girl, me too.”

  As we enter Nashville city limits, I give him directions on which highway to take. We drive past downtown and get some amazing views of the buildings and even Titan stadium on our right. Gina takes it all in. I love watching her eyes light up over it and I know it means a lot to Denver that she gets to see it.

  As we enter the Belle Meade neighborhood, Denver’s eyes go wide. He remains quiet even as we park in front of the 1920’s Tudor home that was a second home to me growing up.

  “This is your grandparent’s house?” he finally asks.

  “Yeah, it wasn’t the fancy part of town when they first moved in.” I shrug.

  He turns to his mom who doesn’t know the area as well. “This is the best part of town.”

  “He means the most expensive,” I say with a smile. It needs some work done to it, but I still remember the day the appraisal came back at just over one million dollars. I cursed and thanked my grandparent’s multiple times that night.

  I watch Gina’s eyes dance over the front of the house.
I know she is going to love helping with it.

  Just then, Eric comes running out of the house next door.

  “Miss Avery! Do you like it?”

  “I love it, Eric. It looks just like it did when my grandma lived here.”

  “I’m so glad you came back for Christmas. It isn’t Christmas without this house all lit up.”

  My eyes water a bit. “Yeah this is my first Christmas without her. I was going to miss the lights too. To come home and you having it all done for me means more than you know.”

  He blushes.

  “Can I ask a favor?”

  “Anything, Miss Avery!”

  “When the snowfall comes and coats the yard and the house, will you send me a few pictures before the snow gets disturbed? I’d like to get a picture of the house in each season to frame inside.”

  “I love that idea!”

  “Thanks. Oh, I have been rude, this is Denver and his mom Gina.”

  Eric’s eyes go wide, but he recovers in record time. “Hey, good game against Alabama. We’re huge MGU fans and have been rooting for you!”

  “Thanks,” Denver says, and I can tell the praise makes him a bit uncomfortable.

  “Before I forget, Mom wants you to come over for dinner one day while you are here,” Eric says.

  “Would Sunday work? My parents don’t get in until Monday.”

  “I’ll let her know, we normally eat at six.”

  “Perfect we will be there at five to catch up. I know your mom likes to have drinks before dinner.”

  Eric smiles. “See you then, let me know if you need anything. I need to go tell my dad the Lightning Bolt is next door. He won’t believe me!”

  He runs off back to his house, making me laugh.

  I turn to Denver. “How did you get the nickname the Lighting Bolt?”

  Denver shakes his head. “Between my last name and someone making a joke that I run as fast as a bolt of lightning, it just stuck.”