by L A Cotton
It was the end of an era. No more Raiders, no more high school, but a new adventure.
I flicked my eyes to Jason who was sat in a chair, elbows propped on his thighs, chin resting on his fists. “They’ll be okay, you know.” I chuckled, sliding my gaze to where the girls were currently dipping their toes at the water’s edge.
“It’s not them I’m worried about,” he grunted. “It’s them.” Jason tipped his head to where a group of guys were checking out our girlfriends, clearly unaware that we were sitting in wait.
“You need to lighten up.” I gave him a pointed look. “Soon we’ll be at college and you know there’s going to be plenty more where that came from.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Jason Ford, prodigal son of football and Rixon’s golden boy pouted.
“For real, you’re worried about college dick?” Asher asked. “Felicity has your tattoo on her skin. She’s not going anywhere.”
Jase reared back. “Of course she’s not fucking going anywhere. But it’s college. Coach Hasson ran a tight ship, but it’ll be a whole other level at college. I can’t expect her to sit around and wait for me.”
“Well, no, she’ll probably do that thing called make friends. I’ve heard all the kids are doing it.” Laughter rumbled in Asher’s chest.
“Fuck you.” Jase kicked his lounger and Asher almost went flying.
“You’re really going to have to learn to rein in Mr. Possessive Asshat, you know?” I said.
“Just put a ring on it, then every fucker will know she’s taken.”
“Don’t be stupid, he’s not going to—” My brows pinched. “Jase, man, please tell me you’re not actually considering it. We’re eighteen.”
“Like you wouldn’t put a ring on Hailee’s finger in a heartbeat.”
He had a point.
But we had time. I wanted us to both enjoy each other first. Fuck knows we’d earned it.
Jase shot up out of his seat. “He’s dead.”
“Whoa.” I leaped up after him, blocking his way forward. “They’re talking.” Glancing back, I watched the group of guys laugh with the girls. It seemed harmless enough... until one of them made a beeline for Hailee.
“Let’s go,” I growled, possessiveness streaking through me.
“I guess I’d better come make sure the two of you don’t do something stu—Oh, hell no.” Asher whipped off his sunglasses and gawked in their direction, watching as one of the guys offered to put lotion on Mya’s shoulders.
“I’ll take the two on the left.” He barged past us. “You two take the others.”
Hailee
“Come on, don’t be like that. Just because you got guys waiting for you doesn’t mean we can’t hang out.”
“Is this asshole for real?” Mya arched a brow.
“Bitch please, you should—”
“Oh, hell no, you did not just call her a bitch.” Flick stepped up to the douchebag and glared at him. “My boyfriend would kick your ass all over this beach.”
“I’d like to see him try.” The guy laughed, glancing at his friends who chuckled.
“That can be arranged,” Jason, Cam, and Asher closed in around them.
“Oh, hey, babe.” Flick grinned. “This is Tom. He was just telling us how he thinks we should ditch you guys and hang out with them instead.”
Mya shot me a knowing look. Flick was a bit of a loose cannon where Jason was concerned. It was crazy, but she loved his possessive alpha side. She said it got her all hot for him, so I was hardly surprised she was enjoying this.
“Flick,” I warned, because while she might have enjoyed seeing her guy get pissed, it usually didn’t end well for everyone else.
Cameron moved around us, pulling me into his side. “Hi.” He smiled down at me as if we were the only two people on the overcrowded beach.
“Hi.” My fingers splayed over his hard abs, loving how warm his skin felt. “We should probably intervene,” I whispered, “before he does something stupid.”
Jason was all up in the guy’s face, eyes narrowed dangerously. “I suggest you take a walk, now.”
The air crackled around them and I silently willed the guy to walk off. This was supposed to be a relaxing weekend before we all went our separate ways. I didn’t want to have to call Kent to bail his son out of county jail for assault.
Thankfully, the douche must have recognized the emergence of Jason’s dark side because his hands went up. “Shit, yeah, man, my bad.” They started backing up.
“Yeah, you’d better run,” Flick yelled.
“Seriously,” I said. “Do you have to provoke him?”
She shrugged, launching herself into Jason’s arms. “It’s all the testosterone. It gets me hot.”
“Gets you wet more like.” Jase nipped her bottom lip before capturing her lips with his.
“I love you guys, but that was too much information,” Mya grumbled.
“Jealous, babe?” Asher prowled toward her. “Because I’m pretty sure I can help you out with that.”
“Asher, don’t you dare.” She backed further into the water’s edge.
“You should know not to dare me by now. I never lose.” He winked before diving at her. One minute Mya was standing there, the next she was over Asher’s shoulder, shrieking like a banshee as he ran straight toward the ocean.
“He’s so gonna get it,” I said around a smile, watching as Asher dropped her into the water.
“He’s gonna get something all right.” Jason barked out a laugh.
“Why is everything about sex to guys?”
“And girl.” Flick snickered, holding up a finger.
I rolled my eyes, unable to smother the laughter building in my chest as Jase dipped my best friend and smothered her with wet, sloppy kisses.
Despite all his alpha ways, they were so freaking cute. Even if she had completely lost her mind and let someone tattoo ‘Property of a Raider’ on her skin. But that was Felicity Giles, a girl who loved with her whole heart and lived every second like it was her last. I was excited for them to go off to UPenn and chase their dreams. Even if Cameron and I would be a nine-hour ride away in Michigan.
“You okay?” Cam looped his arm around my neck and gazed down at me.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
I had great friends.
The most perfect boyfriend.
And our whole lives ahead of us.
Cameron
“We’re lucky bastards, you know that, right?” Asher tipped his beer toward where the girls were laughing and talking, sipping the sugary sweet cocktails Felicity had insisted on making.
After a day at the beach, we’d headed back to the house. The place had a grill too mammoth not to put to good use. A cloud of smoke currently drifted into the sky as Jase flipped burgers and steaks.
“Yeah, I know.” Hailee caught my eye and smiled; and fuck, if it wasn’t like a bolt of lightning to my heart.
I loved that girl. I loved her more than I had ever loved another person, and the thought of starting my life with her should have been the happiest moment of my life. Except I had a gnawing guilt over leaving Rixon, of leaving my mom and dad and my kid brother, Xander. Mom was better, she was, but it didn’t stop the trickle of fear I felt every time I imagined being a nine-hour ride away and getting a call that she was sick again, or that Xander was having bad nightmares still.
I wanted to be there for them, always. But Hailee wanted Art School, especially STAMPS at the University of Michigan, and she deserved it.
She deserved it so fucking much.
“You all set to be a Wolverine?” Asher asked.
“I guess.”
“Don’t sound too excited about it.”
“It just won’t be the same, ya know?” I took a long pull on my beer.
“Yeah, being a Raider was something special, a once in a lifetime experience. But college will be good, you’ll see.”
I wished I could be as laidback as Asher. Even after everything he and M
ya had been through with her ex, and with his mom getting shot, he still managed to paste on a trademark Bennet smile.
I envied him. His ability to dust himself off and embrace everything life had to offer.
I wanted it; I did. But fear held me back. Fear about the future... about everything changing.
Rixon was my home.
But Hailee was my heart and I knew I’d follow her anywhere.
“Yo,” Jase yelled over his shoulder. “Steaks are almost done.”
“And that’s our cue to get the salad,” Felicity mumbled.
“And the sauce. Don’t forget the hot sauce.” Asher smirked. “Oh and bring some pickles and some of those—”
“Babe,” Mya clipped out. “You have legs.”
“Yeah, but I’m supervising Jase.”
I snorted at that.
“It’s a good thing I love you.” She rolled her eyes playfully before taking off after the girls.
“I love her so fucking much,” he said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.
But I got it.
We all did.
We were young. Three guys chasing their dreams of football, fame, and fortune. But we’d already found our forever girls.
And that was worth everything.
Every fucking thing.
Hailee
“I am stuffed.” Felicity sat back rubbing her swollen stomach.
“You’ll be stuffed later,” Jason smirked.
“Is that a promise?” Desire glittered in her eyes.
“Guys, really?” I groaned, and Cameron squeezed my hand, fighting a smile.
“What?” She shrugged. “We’re all friends.”
“Damn right, we are.”
Jason reached for his beer and thrust it in the air. “No matter what the next four years bring, you’ll always be my best friends.”
“Aww, love you too.” I poked out my tongue at him and everyone laughed.
“You’re not so bad, Raine.”
“Likewise, Ford.”
It was hard to believe there had been a time when Jason and I couldn’t stand one another. He still drove me crazy sometimes, but I loved him like a brother. He was fiercely protective of those he cared about, and that now included me.
“But seriously, guys, we might not be Raiders anymore, but we will always be friends. Distance won’t change that.”
“Easy for you to say,” Cam said, glancing between Jase and Asher, “you’ll be a stone’s throw away from each other.”
He chuckled, but I heard the strain there. Cameron was coming to Michigan for me, for my dream, and I couldn’t help the tiny pang of guilt I felt. He reassured me all the time it was the right move, but I didn’t ever want him to regret it.
Or resent me.
My shoulders sank.
“Hey.” He squeezed my hand and I lifted my eyes to his. “I’m joking… it was a joke.”
“I know.”
“You think he’d really go anywhere you’re not?” My stepbrother asked me.
“Jase,” Flick warned.
“It’s okay,” I said, forcing a weak smile. “Nine hours is nothing. We can still see each other at the weekend and at holidays.”
“Damn right we can.” Asher tipped his beer at us. “Nothing, not college, distance or time, is going to ruin this.”
His words settled over the six of us, turning the air thick with anticipation.
College was a big step. Things would change. We would change.
But was Asher right?
Were the bonds between us strong enough to survive?
Part I
Sophomore Year
Jason
“Okay, gather round,” Coach Faulkner called us in, and we fell into position around him. Shoulder to shoulder, teammate to teammate. The anticipation of a new season was thick in the air. Last season, as a freshman, I’d been so close to tasting victory, but in the end it had been Cornell who took the title.
It had been a bitter pill to swallow. I wanted to be the best, to win, to prove myself.
But this year… this year it was ours. We were thirsty for it: training harder, pushing harder. I might have only been with the Quakers for a year, but I felt at home here. We had strong leadership, a strong defense, and one of the best offenses in the whole damn country.
It was our year to bring that trophy home.
So the grim line on Coach’s face had a pit carving through my stomach. Something was about to happen. Something that affected the team.
Fuck.
“I’ve got some news, ladies, and you’re not going to like it.” He yanked off his Quaker ball cap and rubbed a hand over his jaw. “Manella is out.”
A collective grumble filled the air.
Lincoln Manella was our running back, our fucking captain. It was his senior year; he was supposed to be entering the draft next spring. He couldn’t be out.
“Just got word from his old man. He tore his ACL and needs surgery.”
“Fuck,” I breathed, flicking my eyes to my friend Gio. His lips pulled into a thin line.
This was bad.
Very fucking bad.
“So, what’s the plan, Coach?” Jared Galloway, our starting fullback and one of the senior players, asked.
“We need a new captain.”
All eyes slid to me.
“Whoa.” I held up my hands and stepped back, bumping into the player behind me. “It should be an upperclassman.”
There were guys on the team who had more seniority than me, more experience. Just because I’d arrived last year a true freshman, taking the QB position from the senior player before me, didn’t mean I’d wanted or been qualified enough to be the captain.
“It should be you, son.” Coach tipped his chin in firm reassurance. He believed in me, he trusted me... and it floored me.
I’d led my high school team, carried that responsibility with pride and tenacity. But this was different.
This was college.
“I agree,” Jared said. “You more than proved yourself last year, Jase. You might only be a sophomore, but this is the right call.”
“Anyone got a problem with this?” Coach scanned the fifty young men surrounding him and not a single one of them stepped forward to disagree.
“Decision made. Congratulations, son.” A small smirk graced Coach’s rugged face. “You just became our fearless leader.”
The team broke out into a chorus of hoots and hollers as everyone congratulated me on the promotion. But I stood there blindsided, completely in shock, with only one thing on my mind.
I did not see that coming.
Felicity
Hot wet lips trailed up my neck, kissing and biting, teasing. A soft moan spilled from my mouth, lulling me from my nap, as I tilted my head, welcoming the delicious sensations.
“I missed you,” Jason whispered against my throat.
“It’s only been a few hours.”
Even if it felt like more.
“It’s too many.” He let out an exhausted sigh, tucking my body into the hard curves of his.
“What time is it?”
“Six thirty.”
“Crap.” My eyes flickered open. “I was only supposed to have a twenty-minute power nap.”
“Long day?” he asked, nuzzling my neck again. I loved it, the feel of Jase’s five o’clock shadow rough against my soft skin, his arms wrapped possessively around my body as if he might never let me go.
And I didn’t want him to.
This guy owned my heart and soul and I didn’t ever want it back.
“Yeah,” I admitted. It was only two weeks into the semester and classes were already kicking my ass. I shuddered to think how intense things would get in junior year once clinical practice started.
“You’ve got this, babe.” Jason nibbled my earlobe sending volts of electricity shooting through me. “You just need to believe in yourself.”
“I actually signed up for some extra tutoring.”
&n
bsp; “You did?” I felt him tense behind me.
“I almost failed last year, Jason.” My brows furrowed, disappointment sitting heavy in my chest.
“But you didn’t,” he reminded me.
“No, but this year is only going to get harder.”
I thought my love of animals, dedication to animal welfare, and determination to succeed was enough. Turns out, it wasn’t.
“Hey.” Jason shuffled us so that I was on my back and he was leaning over me. “You’ve got this.” He slid his fingers into my unruly curls and kissed me, his tongue curling around mine, stirring my body to life.
“I have some news too,” he breathed the words against my lips.
“Tell me.” I cupped his face, pushing his away gently so I could look into his eyes.
“Linc had an accident. He’s out for the season.”
“Oh God, Jason, that’s awful.” Lincoln had really taken Jase under his wing last year, so I knew how hard this would hit him.
“That’s not all...” He hesitated, a flash of fear streaking across his eyes. “Coach wants me to be captain. He thinks I’m ready.”
“Jason...” I smiled so wide my cheeks hurt. “That’s amazing. I’m so freakin’ proud of you.” I slung my arms around his neck and crushed him to me, peppering his face in sloppy kisses. “My boyfriend, QB One and captain of the Penn Quakers.”
But he didn’t revel in my excitement. He was still and quiet.
Too quiet.
“Jase?” I held him at arm’s length. “What is it?”
“What if I’m not ready? What if I screw it up? Fuck, you should have seen the way they were all looking at me. As if I had the answers, the power to make things happen.”
“Babe, listen to me and listen good. You, Jason Ford, are one of the best quarterbacks in the country right now. You came into a well-established team and proved yourself in your freshman year. You ranked third for the most passing yards in a single season.” Pride flooded me. “Third, babe. That’s huge. Not to mention the fact you blew the Quakers passing yards record out of the water.”
