Page 15 of Anywhere with You (With You #1)

Liam

T his week has been crazy. This is my last year of college, football season is in full swing, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Allison.

I haven’t so much as looked at another girl these past two months.

The memory of her pressed tight against me and the taste of her lips on mine is on constant replay in my mind.

This moment is a perfect example, I should be focusing on the mound of homework sitting in front of me, but I can’t concentrate.

All I see is Allison. My phone vibrates alerting me I have a new message.

Hailey: Hey, big bro! How are your classes?

Me: Good, buried in a mound of homework. Yours?

Hailey: Good. Diff from high school.

Me: Yea. Also, a hell of a lot more fun.

Hailey: True. What are you guys up to this weekend?

Me: Blitzen is having a party. You?

I am curious as to what she and Allison have planned for this weekend. However, I’m not sure that tidbit of knowledge is going to help my obsession. What am I now, a fucking stalker?

Hailey: Not sure. Need to check with roomie .

Me: You can come with us Saturday.

Why the fuck did I just do that? I need to stay away from Allison to get her out of my head.

We’ve all been spending so much time together it’s like my brain is set on the Allison show and it’s a twenty-four hour, seven days a week marathon.

I’m still struggling with this attraction I have for her.

I thought maybe being around her would lessen the appeal, but it’s had the opposite effect.

I only want her more. I need to hook-up with someone.

Yes, that would get me back on track. The only problem with that is, all I see is Allison.

I haven’t got laid since several weeks before I met her, not for the lack of available women.

It seems everywhere I go there are beautiful women flirting with me or passing me their numbers, even when we are out with Hales and Allison.

Hell, for all they know we’re two couples, but that doesn’t stop them.

The only problem is I find myself comparing each and every damn one of them to Allison.

They don’t measure up.

Hailey: Thanks, but I want to go dancing.

Me: You both be safe call if you need me. Don’t go home with any losers.

Hailey: LOL! You guys too. Love you!

Me: Love you too.

Aiden walks in. “Hey, man, Blitzen just called and said the pipes burst in his apartment. The party tomorrow night is off. I told him he could crash here for a few days, you okay with that?”

“Damn, that sucks for him. Yeah, that’s cool; the couch is his.”

“So, any ideas for tomorrow night?” he asks me

“No, but I need to go out.”

Aiden raises his eyebrow at me in question. “Any particular reason?” He plops down beside me on the couch.

I point to the stack of books on my lap and the coffee table. I don’t need to tell him Allison is also embedded in my brain, and I need to focus on someone else to stop it. He knows how wound up she has me .

Aiden laughs. “No shit, I feel your pain.” Choosing to ignore the fact we both know Allison is the real reason.

“Let’s just go to The Warehouse,” I suggest.

Aiden nods. “Old faithful. Sounds like a plan.”

As soon as I walk into The Warehouse the next night, thoughts of that first night here with Allison and holding her close are front and center within my mind.

I try to fight them off, but I’m losing the battle, slowly, painfully, as I relive every moment of that night.

We push through the crowd to the bar and order a beer.

Aiden spots Blitzen, so we head toward the two tables he and several of our teammates have pushed together.

Aiden and I sit at the end of the table and easily slip into the conversation about Friday’s practice.

We’re all chatting, drinking and having a good time when Mike, a defensive lineman, speaks up.

“Fuck, Mac, who is that hot ass chick with your sister?” he says as he tilts his head toward the dance floor.

I glance at Aiden as we both whip our heads around to see who he is looking at, even though we both know who the ‘hot ass chick’ is.

My eyes instantly lock onto Allison and right beside her is my sister.

I also notice that both of them are dancing very provocatively with two guys I can’t stand.

My temper flares as I stand up, and Aiden quickly follows.

We don’t even speak. We know what we need to do to protect the girls.

We’re both fiercely protective of both of them.

Aiden knows I hate Todd and Jason. I’d told him the story freshman year after we played them. We won, of course.

We approach the girls, and Hailey immediately sees us. She stops dancing and flashes a worried glance toward Todd, the dickwad she’s dancing with. Allison stops dancing as soon as her eyes find mine.

I’m so angry I want to smash both of their faces in.

Todd and Jason went to my rival high school and are total assholes.

They’re notorious for getting girls drunk out of their mind, using them, and then leaving them alone wherever they happened to be.

Rumor has it they raped a girl after their final game senior year, but the girl was so scared, she refused to press charges.

Needless to say, they’re scum in my book, and now I have to watch my baby sister, who knows how I feel about them, and my girl grinding up on them.

Furious isn’t a strong enough word to describe the rage running through my veins.

Allison steps away from Jason toward me, and I quickly grab her around the waist and pull her close.

Hailey steps forward, like she’s going to stop me, and Aiden grabs her and pins her to his side.

She’s pissed, I can tell, but she has nothing on me.

Jason, fuckstick that he is, reaches for Allison, grabbing her arm and pulling.

“What the fuck, MacCoy? Get your hands off my date!” he yells as he tugs on Allison’s arm.

“Date?” I look down at Allison with a questioning gaze as she stares wide eyed at Jason and then looks at her arm. I feel her tremble next to me.

“Get your fucking hands off of her, you’re hurting her!” I yell at him.

Hailey speaks up, “What the hell, Liam? Why are you going all caveman?”

I grab Jason’s wrist and squeeze as tight as I can, so he’ll release Allison. Once he drops her hand, I bring it to my chest and cover it with my own to comfort her. I then turn to Hailey. “What are you doing here with them?”

Hailey squares her shoulders and looks me straight in the eye. “Todd and I have been out on a couple of dates.”

I pull Allison closer, feeling her start to relax. “What do you mean dates? You’re better than this loser.”

“Really, Hales?” Aiden asks, his jaw is tense. You can hear the anger in his voice.

Todd has been pretty quiet up to this point; he goes to grab Hailey, but Aiden produces a noise that could only be described as a growl and tucks her in tighter.

“Touch her and die, asshole,” Aiden seethes.

“What is wrong with the two of you? We were just dancing!” Hailey shouts .

“Hales, you’re dating him?” Aiden asks her, barely able to control his rage.

“No, yes. No. We’ve been on two dates, this being the second one. GAH!”

“Well, sorry to tell you this one is ending early,” I growl.

“Liam! You aren’t my ruler. I can date whomever I damn well please,” Hailey hisses.

I feel Allison grow tense. I lean down and whisper in her ear, “What about you, sweetheart? Do you want to finish your date?”

Allison meets my gaze, but she doesn’t speak, just bites her lip as she turns to look at Jason. “You’re coming with me,” Jason growls as he reaches for her again. This time he grabs her arm and jerks her toward him.

Allison yells out in pain, or maybe it’s fear.

Blitzen and the rest of our teammates are at our sides now.

I hand Allison off to him. “Watch her!” With that I turn toward Jason and begin to unleash a fury I’ve never known.

I’m faintly aware of Aiden doing the same thing with Todd.

I can hear Hailey and Allison yelling for us to stop.

I feel a tug on my shoulder, and I look up to see Mike pulling me back.

I glance over at Aiden and Scott has his arms behind his back, holding him, as well.

I glance down to see Todd and Jason both out cold on the floor.

Serves them right for touching my sister and my girl.

“I’m good, man,” I say, flexing my fist. I can feel my knuckles already starting to swell.

Mike releases me, and I make quick work of getting to Allison and wrapping her in my arms. Scott has also released Aiden.

Hailey’s currently tucked tight against his chest, and he’s rubbing her back soothingly. They’re both safe.