hard, his dark hair wet and tousled, his eyes sparking with triumph at the team’s win.
“Nice shirt.” His eyes raked over me, heating my body. “Enjoy the match?” His voice was raspy, probably from shouting instructions to his teammates all game.
I nodded, momentarily unable to speak.
“Good.”
We stood, staring at one another, and I started to feel uncomfortable, aware of people’s attention turning towards us as their team captain stood in front of me. What was this?
“Fuck it,” he muttered, then reached out and lifted me up, over the barrier, and into his arms. My arms and legs automatically went around him, but he held me effortlessly.
“Carter? What—”
His lips were suddenly on mine, and I was gone. I wound my arms more tightly around his neck, kissing him back with everything I had.
“I’m sorry. So sorry. I want you. I want to be with you. Only you.” His words were quiet but spoken with so much intensity that I had no doubt he meant them.
“You want me?”
“So fucking much. If you can forgive me. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I’m shamelessly hoping you feel the same way about me and want to give me another chance.”
“You’re not ashamed to be seen with me?” I probed, just to make sure.
“I’ve never been ashamed of you. I want you to get any of those thoughts out of your head.” He looked at me intently, the kaleidoscope of browns and golds in his eyes holding me captive. “My… Fuck, Rai. My head was a mess. It took a while for us to be on the same page. That’s if we are still on the same page?”
I let out a shaky breath. “Is this real? Are-are you serious?”
“Baby, look at where we are right now. I just claimed you in the most public way I could think of. If that doesn’t tell you that I’m serious about this, I don’t know what will.”
Good point. “Oh no. Everyone’s watching us, aren’t they?” I buried my face in his shoulder.
He laughed. “Yeah. Watching their team captain kiss the fuck out of his girlfriend.”
Girlfriend? I raised my head, and his expression turned hesitant. He bit his lip. “That’s if you want to be?”
There was no hesitation on my part. Not anymore. “Yes. Yes, I want to be. So much.” Glancing behind me…yep, everyone was staring, I huffed in mock-annoyance. “I guess I’d better get used to the attention, huh? Since my boyfriend is kind of an attention whore.”
“Attention whore?” He lowered me to my feet, grinning. “I can’t even deny it.” Leaning down, his lips skimmed over my ear. “I’m your boyfriend. You’re mine now, little trickster.” Drawing back slightly, he smiled, then slayed me with another kiss.
“I need to get back to the team. Wait for me?” He suddenly looked unsure again, and something about his open vulnerability made my stomach flip.
“I’ll wait.” This time I kissed him.
He gave me another blinding grin, then placed a kiss on the top of my head, before jogging back to his teammates.
I stumbled back across the barrier, almost going flying, but was steadied by Imogen at the last minute. “When Carter wants something, he goes all out.” She grinned at me as I collapsed back into my seat.
“I wish everyone would stop looking at me.” I slumped downwards, but I couldn’t stop my smile. Happiness filled me, as my mind replayed what had just happened between me and Carter.
“Stop hiding. You have to get used to it, now. Don’t worry, everyone will get used to it, and soon enough, something else will become the new gossip,” Anastasia told me.
“Did you know about this? Is this why you brought me here?” I looked between her and Imogen, and Imogen nodded.
“Yes. I knew…not the details, but he asked me to make sure you made it to this game and stayed until the end.”
“Our boy’s got it bad.” Xavier leaned around Imogen with a grin, and my cheeks heated even as my smile widened. I didn’t miss the way his arm was casually leaning on the back of Imogen’s seat, and I made a note to ask her about it at some point. If we were going to be friends, I had to know these things.
Anastasia leaned over to me, catching my attention. “So… Now you and Carter are together, you’re officially invited to my birthday party. If you want to come, that is.”
The words were falling out of my mouth before I had a chance to censor them. “Are