Series Starter Firsts in Series Collection - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,372

be with you today, baby.”

I nod in agreement because words fail me. If there were ever any doubts that I love him, his last little speech washed them all away. Liam holds my heart, and I’m scared as hell to tell him.

Chapter 24

Liam

Time is flying by. Allison and I have spent every spare minute together. We’ve adjusted to our life as a couple rather seamlessly. We’ve received several questioning stares around campus, but I couldn’t care less, they’ll get used to us and move on to someone else soon enough. Tonight is the first football game of the season, and I’m stoked to have my girl in the stands. Last night she stayed over, since she doesn’t have class on Fridays. We’ve spent the entire morning together. It was the perfect way to spend the day before my first game of my final season of college football.

I just finished zipping up my equipment bag when Allison comes walking out of my bathroom. She smiles at me, which makes my heart kick into overdrive, just like always. She begins to get dressed and starts looking around, like she’s lost something. Which she has, I hid the shirt she’d picked out to wear, because I want her to wear my jersey. I want everyone there to know she’s mine.

“Babe, have you seen my shirt?” I smile at her calling me babe. We’ve settled quite well into our relationship.

“Yep, I hung it back up in the closet.” I smile sweetly at her.

“Why would you do that?” she questions as she heads toward the closet. I reach out and grab her hand.

I take a deep breath, why I was nervous I have no idea. “I was actually hoping you would wear this.” I hold up my away jersey.

She smiles at me, her emerald eyes sparkling. “You want me to wear your jersey?” She drapes her arms around my neck and kisses me deeply. “Can I tell you a secret?” She waits for me to respond. I nod. “I really wanted to wear it, but I wanted you to ask me. I didn’t want to be that girl. You know the one who parades around wearing her boyfriend’s jersey, staking her claim.”

I tuck a loose hair behind her ear. “Baby, you are not that girl, you’re my girl, and you staking your claim would make me very happy.” Then I kiss her, trying to convey to her that she means everything to me. The past few months have been the best of my life, even before she was mine. I can’t picture my life, my future, without her in it. I still have yet to tell her I’m in love with her. Several times it’s almost slipped, but I want the moment to be right. I want her to always remember it. I’m hoping all goes well for our trip to my parents’ beach house tomorrow, and I can tell her then. I need her to know what she means to me.

Allison has slept in my jersey several times, and that, too, is a vision I’ll always remember. Today she’s just as beautiful wearing it with her jeans and tennis shoes. She has her hair pulled into a side ponytail, my name and number clearly visible on her back. She also has a small number seventeen on her cheek. I kiss my number. “You’re beautiful,” I tell her as I lead her out of our room and down the hall. Aiden and Hailey are ready and waiting.

When we arrive at the stadium, we have to part ways, so they can get to their seats while Aiden and I hit the locker room. Their seats are prime real estate, right behind the team on the fifty yard line; I want her as close as I can get her. I kiss her soundly before leaving her. It’ll be several hours before I can taste those lips again. Cat calls and whistles come from my teammates walking by. I raise my hand to wave at them before kissing Allie on the forehead and leaving her there with her face flushed with embarrassment, and Hales laughing her ass off. She’s going to have to get used to being in the spotlight. I’m talked about to be a first-round draft pick for the NFL, and she’s a permanent part of my life as far as I’m concerned. She’ll have to ignore the attention.

The season opener is kick-ass. We beat Ohio State University thirty-four to twenty-two, and I couldn’t be happier.