Page 17

Seventeen

Hailey

Ella: Do you have any plans tonight after the game?

Me: Nope. Not that I know of.

Ella: You wanna go out and party? I think it’s time for our first roomie outing

Me: I’m in.

Ella: Hell yeah * two dancing girls emoji *

Today was an exhibition game against one of the local colleges, but home games were always an experience, no matter the opponent. A lot of the campus went crazy when we played on our home turf, and the parties afterward were legendary — so I’ve been told; I hadn’t been to one yet.

Colt wasn’t the party type, it seemed. I hadn’t heard he’d ever been to one, not even in high school.

We hadn’t seen each other since our impromptu sleepover party, as our schedules were jam-packed, given the start of the season, but we’d texted every day.

He had said nothing about seeing me after the game, so I assumed he wouldn’t mind. I wasn’t even sure if he cared. We were in a weird limbo, an in-between stage where parts of our relationship felt real, but we tiptoed around other parts because we weren’t sure how to handle them.

I briefly considered asking him to come, but I was afraid of rejection.

Colt played like a fucking animal, mowing through the opposing team while simultaneously making sure my fucking panties were a mess. There was just something about watching him take out these other giant dudes like they were nothing more than cardboard cutouts.

He lined up on defense, and the quarterback received the snap. Colt exploded off the line, blitzing like a freight train, easily dodging a block from the left tackle. He plowed straight through the running back trying to chip him, sending the guy flying backward, and then he was on the quarterback, sacking him with bone-crushing force.

The crowd went wild, but I was in awe of him getting up and brushing himself off like it was no big deal. And God, the way he looked at me from across the field after that hit … It was enough to make me forget how to breathe.

I screamed my head off, cheering him on from the sidelines — it felt amazing to be this close to the action again — and catching his eye from time to time. Every time our eyes met, it was as if I was being electrocuted.

His face remained as impassive and emotionless as ever, but his eyes … his eyes were literally smoldering, drilling into me here and there, scorching me with their heat. Even when I wasn’t looking, I could sometimes feel them on me, heavy and intense.

We won the game, and the crowd went crazy. The team strutted past us, the guys who had been with us at the diner — except for Nico — nodded at me, and Colt stopped in front of me.

“Great game! You were amazing.” I gushed.

The corners of his mouth twitched briefly. “Thanks.”

Then he clamped an arm around my waist and planted a fiery kiss on my lips.

“Gotta go. See you later,” he grunted before disappearing down the tunnel.

I touched my lips, slightly dazed. Hope flared in my chest, bright and vibrant. Maybe I would see him at the party after all? Filled with a new sense of excitement, I headed back to our room to get ready for the party.

Ella curled and braided sections of my hair while I slapped on my usual makeup. I had picked out an outfit beforehand, but with the thought in the back of my mind that Colt might make an appearance, I went with another option.

Hello, mini skirt that fits like a second skin and lacy top that accentuates my boobs. Hopefully, I’ll be able to introduce you to someone very special tonight.