CHAPTER 19

EMMA

Jackson was everywhere the moment that he pushed his way into the apartment. His lips were claiming mine and his hands were on my body as I lost myself to him. I didn’t know what provoked this, but he felt so good and I gave into him. I wanted to push him away and tell him no, but instead I reached my arms around his neck and pulled myself closer.

Logic set in as he brought me to the couch, pulling me over his lap. This was Bella’s place and we couldn’t do it here. There was no way that I was going to her room, and I tried to speak as Jackson kept kissing me, his hands cupping my ass as he moved against me.

Oh, God. I’d been so lonely since leaving the apartment and I pressed down for more of him. His fingers dug painfully into me as he rocked up while I pressed down. His tongue moved easily into my mouth, teasing me, and making me want him more than I wanted to do the right thing. His hand slipped into my jeans and I breathed in to give him more room. I tried to think when Bella was going to be home and he pressed right against my clit.

“Jackson,” I moaned as he did it again, bringing me closer to a release.

I relaxed against him, trying to calm myself, inhaling his scent as I recognized I was in love with him. I couldn’t say it, but I was.

“I love watching you,” he said as he pulled away and continued to thrust against me. I came as he gripped me, feeling myself soaring as it pulsed through me. “Beautiful.”

“Bella is going to be home. Soon. This is her place and I can’t have sex with you here. It’s a small apartment,” I said weakly as I closed my eyes.

“When is the two-bedroom happening?” he asked.

“Where did you hear that?” I sighed, realizing that Bella wanted to have a party more than I did.

He pulled me against him and started to stroke my hair. “The guys. You’re having a party here?”

“Bella is. This place is clearly tiny, and it won’t be a big thing. She just wants to have some friends over is all,” I said as he kissed my hair.

“I don’t want you around the guys,” Jackson said.

I jerked my head up.

“You sound just like Greg. It’s just a few people over, Jackson. That’s something people do every day.”

I stared at him and he frowned.

We both looked away to the door opening. Bella walked in and raised an eyebrow, closing the door and setting her backpack on the small bistro table.

“This is interesting,” she said as she looked at us for a moment. I pushed myself up and stretched as he watched me, feeling my nipples through the shirt.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I wanted to talk to Em,” Jackson said. “You’re having a party after the game?”

“Yeah. I thought it would be fun to have some people over. It’s going to be small. Were you planning to show up?” Bella asked while she gave me a curious look.

“Hell, yes. Someone needs to keep an eye on you girls with that kind of crowd.” Jackson narrowed his eyes. “The guys aren’t all good, Bella. I know that you think they are, but you have to be careful.”

“Okay. We will,” she said as Jackson looked around the small place. There was so much more than I wanted to say and do, but the moment was gone. He stood up and headed to the door.

“What time does the party get started?”

“Ten,” I said.

He nodded and stared at me. I knew that he would be here.

“I’ll see you at the stadium.”

Jackson knew from Nick that I was still working and probably vowed to get me alone here at the party. I needed to talk to him. He left, and I thought about the upcoming party. I would talk to him then, maybe even go back to his place where we could be alone. My body was still throbbing from the intimate moment on the couch.

“What was that all about?” Bella asked as she plopped down on the couch after looking around. “You didn’t do it right here, did you?”

“No,” I assured her.

She laughed and looked curiously at me.

“He came over to talk, I guess. I don’t know. He was all over me as soon as he walked through the door.” I ran a hand through my messy hair and sighed. “I guess he’s flipping out about the party. Do you know why?”

“No. It’s just some of the team who’s coming over. He works with them, right? He should be fine with it.” Bella shrugged.

I looked at the door, longing for him to walk back in.

Jackson left me alone for the remainder of the week, but I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

I got myself off every night since coming for him on the couch and dreamed about him at night. I prayed that Bella didn’t wake up and come out to the front room. I was a hot mess.

Saturday came, and Bella got us both ready for the game in the tiny bathroom. She smiled as she powdered my face and complimented me on my tolerance for make-up now. I let Bella do whatever she wanted, enjoying the looks that she managed to come up with.

“So, are you nervous about tonight?” Bella asked, and I shrugged.

“I just don’t know why Jackson is so stressed about it. I wonder if someone said something about the party. I don’t know how to party. I was the one who never did that stuff in high school or college. Willow was the social one and put up with my being a hermit.”

“It will be fine. There will be enough people here who you’ll have meet, and I am sure that Jackson will keep a close eye on you. He was acting like a crazy man the other night.” She frowned. “Are you getting back together with him?”

“We haven’t talked yet. I have no idea. I miss him, Bella. I just don’t know if I should go running right back. There’s a lot to think about.”

“Yeah, but you guys clearly have a thing. It’s pretty hot,” she said and I smiled at her. “I think that if you think it’s worth a shot, go for it. It might work out.”

We left for the game in the usual sweats and shirts, hoping for enough time to change before everyone came over. We’d cleaned the place this week top to bottom, and Bella got the alcohol and food after school one day.

I was still nervous, anxious about the crowd because I wasn’t used to this kind of group. I wasn’t scared of anyone, just nervous about the old shyness kicking in at the worst time. I had my friends back home and knew them well enough that there was no discomfort. They knew me and allowed me the alone time that I needed. It worked out great, but I was a little concerned with these people thinking I was always the bubbly girl who was entertaining the crowd.

I wasn’t. I was shy and awkward at times. It was Bella who was the fun one.

I dressed in the locker room and fixed my hair in the mirror. It was loose today and done in wavy curls, and I looked closely at my face for a moment. I never thought too much about my appearance in the past. Now, I just wondered if I was enough for Jackson.

We took our place in our spot as the cheerleaders started to chant. The team rushed out on the field and everyone screamed. I smiled at Bella. I loved this feeling when everything started to happen, and I turned to look at Jackson as he ran by, laughing with Nick.

We each shot two shirts into the crowd at the beginning of the game, and I laughed as a girl caught it and waved. We kept running around until the start of the game, returning to watch it just under the rest of the crowd. We took the lead early on despite the other team’s best efforts and I watched as Jackson ran out to play for a bit. He was playing more and more, and I licked my lips as I watched him. He was sexy when he was out there playing football. I could see that he was meant to do this and wondered what would happen if we did work out and he ended up moving. Depending on how long we’d been together, he might want me to go with him, but I was finishing school. I loved my campus and my life here. I blinked as I pushed the thought away.

We won, and Bella and I rushed through the showers. We hurried home to change into skirts and T-shirts before guests started arriving. I put a little make-up on as Bella called my name. I might not survive this.

I walked out into the living room as some of the girls from the team walked in, hugging them as they passed me by. We all got the snacks out and had the guy with the keg set it up in the corner of the kitchen. This place was small, and I missed Jackson’s apartment for a moment.

Others started arriving, and the music came on. I knew that Bella talked to the neighbors and since it was a weekend, most of them were fine with a small party. We just needed to pull the plug before it got to be too late. Some of the players came in and I looked for Jackson, not seeing him yet.

Joe walked in with some of the other guys, looking around the small room with a glint in his eyes. He found me and sneered, locking gazes with me as he began to stride across the room. Bella walked up to me and looked over as he came up to both of us.

“Hello ladies,” Joe greeted us as he let his eyes flick over my body, slowly taking it all in. I resisted the urge to shiver as I stepped away, searching the room for Jackson. Joe asked where the keg was, and Bella told him, watching as the guy walked away.

“He’s a bit of an asshole. I’m glad that I never hooked up with him, as pretty as he is,” Bella said with a laugh. I tried to relax as the music got louder and voices filled the room.

I went to the kitchen for one of the drinks and felt someone close the fridge and press me against it. I looked behind, not able to move as I pressed against the steel to push myself back. The person turned me around, and I found myself pressed against the counter, staring at Joe.

There were people around us, but nobody seemed to notice as he pressed harder into me.

“I’ve been waiting for this,” Joe said.

I tried to push him away.

My back was digging into the counter. “Let me go, Joe.”

Joe grinned and didn’t move an inch.

“You’re hurting me.”

“Let’s go somewhere more private, Emma. What’s in the backyard?”

I knew there was a lot of people out there. I didn’t know what he wanted, but my instinct was to get away. Joe took my hand and pulled me from the kitchen and outside as I stumbled behind him, trying to pull away.

It was too crowded, and I was having trouble breathing as I looked around. Joe tugged me to a spot where there was a bench under a tree and some bushes. There were people just a few feet away, but I felt so alone as he pulled me to him.

I cried out just as someone burst through the bushes, shoving Joe away from me.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Jackson yelled. “Are you okay, Em?”

I nodded before Joe pushed himself up and hit Jackson in the jaw. I screamed as the guys started to fight, clearly harboring more resentment than just this incident. They moved into the main part of the yard and got into it as I cried out for Bella.

She came running and gasped. Jackson was getting a few more punches in than Joe. The quarterback was bloody as some of the other guys separated them.

I didn’t know what this could mean for Jackson and his career. He let the guys pull him back, calling something else out to Joe before he turned to me. Jackson wrapped his hands over my shoulders and moved me under the tree as everyone started talking behind him, asking what happened.

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

I shook my head, staring at him.

“I got here just in time to see him pulling you back here and barely remember anything past that. I don’t trust him with you.”

“I’m okay. He got a bit pushy is all. I’m fine. Are you?” I asked, reaching out to touch his bloodied face. “We should clean you up.”

“I got more in than he did,” Jackson assured me, making my heart melt as I gazed at him. “I want to take you the fuck outta here, Emma. Can we leave?”

I surveyed the bruises that were starting to show and smiled a little.

“Considering how hot what you just did for me is, yes. I’m so scared for you right now, but I do want to leave with you.”

Jackson ducked further behind the tree and I glanced over to see Joe being carried through the glass doors by some of his friends. Bella was yelling at him and I followed Jackson to the exit from the courtyard, pausing as we watched Joe get tossed onto the front lawn.

Jackson walked me out as soon as things were quiet, leading me between cars to his. He unlocked the door. I slid inside as he opened it and smiled as he walked around to his side.

I wasn’t sure about my reaction to what happened just now. On one hand, he protected me and that was amazing but on the other, he was hurt and the team could let him go. I just looked across the car to watch him for a moment. Jackson reached over for my hand, stroking my hand with his thumb as I felt confusion filling my mind but love fill my heart.