That he’d protect me no matter what.
I could’ve played it off like he was just being a friend, my best friend, but the way he said those words, the way he looked at me as he spoke them, told me something very different.
The crowd cheered and I blinked a few times to focus, watching as the guys showed their enthusiasm, the scoreboard showing the home team had won.
Cannon had won.
Everyone was going crazy, the girls chanting the players’ names, the players patting each other on the back, the marching band playing a victory song. And here I was, still sitting down, my mind a whirl of confusion, realization, and this feeling settling in the pit of my stomach that told me I knew what I had to do.
I had to tell Cannon how I felt. I had to be honest with him, but also with myself. I didn’t know how things would turn out, but they couldn’t possibly be any worse than this tug-of-war I was having inside myself over my feelings.
Resolve settled within me and I stood and made my way down the bleachers. Rachel and her friends were already down there, a group of players standing around them. I kept my distance.
I searched for Cannon, not able to see him among the sea of bodies, the air congested with this excited energy that was so thick I felt it cover me like a blanket.
I pushed through some of the people until I found myself on the track, still unable to find Cannon.
And then I felt hands on my waist, strong fingers curling gently around my hips, pulling me backwards into a hard, very masculine chest. I knew it was Cannon instantly, the scent of the cologne he wore mixing with the clear aroma of sweat filling my head. I felt drunk from my arousal.
I swore time seemed to stand still as he just held me. All I could imagine was the feeling of him holding me in a more intimate way, his fingers on my bare skin, his breath moving along the shell of my ear as he moved in and of my body slowly.
God, I could’ve moaned in that very moment.
But this whole interaction was only a few seconds, whereas it felt like a lifetime for me.
I turned around and tipped my head back to look into his face. He was already smiling, just the corner of his mouth lifting up, his gaze boring into mine. And I swore he lowered his eyes to my mouth. I licked my lips involuntarily, feeling that maybe he felt something a little bit more for me than just friends.
Or maybe that was wishful thinking.
“Hey,” I said softly and quickly cleared my throat. He still had his hands on my waist, and I wanted them there, wanted everyone to see that he was mine and I was his.
I was insane.
I hadn’t even told him how I felt. But surely the way he looked at me, the things I felt when he was near … surely it just wasn’t in my mind, my imagination?
“Hey,” he said and that half smile turned into a full-on grin. “What’d you think of the game?”
I cleared my throat and took a step back, his hands falling from my waist. I ran my palms up and down my thighs. “It was incredible,” I lied, not wanting to admit that I’d been so caught up in my own thoughts, I hadn’t paid attention to the game.
He lifted his eyebrow and I knew he could tell I was lying, but that smile on his face still held true.
“Stella …” he said in that voice that told me I didn’t have to pretend.
“I’m sorry. I missed quite a bit of it because I was lost in my thoughts.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close, not giving me a hard time because I didn’t watch the game.
A few of the players came up and started talking with him, all of them oblivious to my presence.
“Dude, you coming to the party?”
“Yeah, it’s supposed to be fucking off the charts.”
“Lots of ass and beer,” the last guy said and I held in my groan and stopped myself from rolling my eyes.
That seemed to be what these guys were all about … pussy and alcohol.
“Nah, I don’t really think I’m up for partying tonight.”
I felt Cannon’s fingers tighten gently around my shoulders.
“Dude, seriously?” one of them said.
“You have to come,” the second guy said.
“Yeah, you can’t fucking bitch out. It’s to celebrate the big win.”
I looked up at Cannon, his profile stoic as if he didn’t give two shits about the party.
“You should go,” I finally said and he looked over at me. For a moment I didn’t say anything, but I could feel the other guys watching us. “I’ll go with you, if you want.” Although I wasn’t really the partying type, if it meant I got to spend time with Cannon, I was all for it.