CHAPTER THIRTY
Luke
I just got back home from talking to coach and getting my ass chewed out for what could’ve happened. I couldn’t really hide what happened. The whole goddam university knows the story by now. Doesn’t help matters that my throwing arm is shit, and my knuckles still feel like they’re permanently bruised. Fuck it. It was worth it.
I’m just about to call my dad and let him know that everything is fine when suddenly, there’s knocking on the front door. With a pent-up sigh, I stalk toward the door, yanking it open, not even bothering to look through the peephole. My stomach bottoms out, and I stop breathing.
“Hey,” Natalia says, shifting back and forth on her feet. My grip tightens on the door, and I summon all my strength to breathe normally and not reach out and touch her.
Fuck me. What the hell is she doing here?
“Hey,” I rasp.
“Can I come in?” she asks hesitantly, which makes me smile. I open the door and move out of her way so she can enter. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a white fitted t-shirt—she looks casual, yet gorgeous. She can make the simplest things look beautiful. That’s just Natalia.
“Sam told me everything,” she blurts once the door closes. “About what you did for me.”
I turn around to face her and shrug, playing off the seriousness of my decision that day. I could’ve thrown away everything for her, and I wouldn’t even mind. That’s really saying something. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, and if I’m being honest, Natalia means so much more than football. She comes in first place. She always has. It just took me a while to realize it.
“You punched my dad in the face for me.”
I wince, tamping down the urge to scrub a frustrated hand down my face. Fuck, I knew that one would bite me in the ass sooner or later.
“Yeah, I…I…fuck, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
She stares up at me, unblinking, with an odd expression on her face. I can’t place it. My brows knit together as I try to gauge her next reaction. Fuck, I hope she doesn’t try to punch me or something. Although, I’m sure I’d deserve it. That would really throw my winning her over plans out the window.
I’ve just about set everything up. I have this elaborate plan to get her to forgive me, but seeing her here, in my place? It’s throwing me for a fucking loop.
“Why?”
Her question catches me off guard and I frown in confusion.
“Why did you do it? You could’ve lost everything. So, I want to know why?” She places firm hands on her hips and I stifle a chuckle. Still the same Natalia.
“Because it was the right thing to do.”
“Bullshit.”
She narrows those brown eyes at me, and it feels like she’s looking right through me.
“Tell me the truth for once, Luke,” she pleads with those big brown doe eyes encased among long, thick lashes—and I cave.
“Because it was the right fucking thing to do! That’s what you do when you love someone. You give up everything for them. I needed to know you were okay. Nothing else mattered but you in that moment,” I grind out in frustration. There go my elaborate plans, out the goddam window. Her eyes begin to water, and I sigh.
Fuck me.
“You love me?”
I stare down at her, my jaw clenching. She takes a tentative step toward me, then another, slowly closing the distance between us. The air rushes out of my lungs when she cautiously lays her hand against my chest.
“Please say it,” she whispers, looking up at me with tears dropping down from her lashes. I swallow thickly and close my eyes.
“I….” I blow out a deep breath and clear my throat. “I love you.”
When I open my eyes, I find her staring up at me, more tears rolling onto her cheeks. Then, suddenly, she does the unexpected and smiles, throwing herself into my arms. Feeling her body flush against mine, I almost choke on a sob like a little bitch. Wrapping my arms around her tightly, I dig my fingers into her back and I inhale her fruity scent, loving everything about her.
“I love you, Luke Alexander Caldwell. Even if you are fucking idiot.”
I chuckle, dropping my chin down and resting it on her head. She burrows her face into my chest, and I never want to let go. Nor do I ever plan on it.
Pulling away, Natalia grips the back of my neck, bringing my lips down to hers. The second her lips touch mine, I feel whole, like suddenly, everything is right in the world again. The warmth of her mouth makes me groan. I’ve thought about these lips ever since the last time we kissed. She’s all I’ve been able to think about. She tastes like honey and feels like a fucking dream beneath my hands.
Fuck, I’ve missed her.
Gripping her face in my hands, I kiss her roughly, like a man starved. I tangle my tongue with hers and relish in her soft mewls of approval. Resting our foreheads together, we both take a second and try to catch our breaths.
“God, I’ve missed you,” I whisper hoarsely. Her hands tighten around my midsection.
“I missed you too. So much.”
She pulls away, looking up at me, and says the last thing I was expecting.
“Take me to your room, Luke. I…I want to feel you.”
I freeze, staring down at her with wide eyes. “Natalia…I don’t think—”
“I want to be with you, Luke,” she says, cutting me off. I blow out frustrated sigh, hating myself for what I’m going to say next.
“Let me just hold you first. We can get to that later, if you want. I just want to feel you next to me for a while.”
She smiles up at me. Like really smiles up at me, with eyes shining and lips spread wide into a beautiful, bright grin.
“Okay,” she whispers, with a slight nod, never once taking her eyes off mine.