CHAPTER 22

JACKSON

I was fine with Joe messing with just me to a point, but going after Emma was going to end my fucking career. I loved our nights together and holding her in my arms afterward. I longed to ask her to move into my apartment again.

I waited. We had time and things would move along. For now, I just clung to the happiness that she brought me and tried to ignore the jabs and looks Joe gave me.

He started out with low remarks only I would hear. It made me want to punch the hell out of him, but I held back with Nick’s help. I just kept to myself and didn’t say anything when Coach kept me out of the games more and more. I hoped that he would get over it and get me back on the field, but I didn’t play at any of the away games.

It was one night after practice that I went home that I found Emma making me dinner. I walked in carefully to kiss her, remembering the last time and how badly it went.

“Hey, what are you up to?” I asked, taking in her red dress.

“I wanted to cook you dinner. We’ve been so busy, and a full night together is rare. I want to make the best of it.” Emma kissed me back, long and slow as I wrapped my arms around her waist. “I made something different.”

“I didn’t eat the chicken that night. I had no appetite,” I confessed as she smiled ruefully. “It’s in the past, Em. We’re better now.”

“We are.” She pulled back and turned to walk to the kitchen. I watched her, enjoying the sway of her curvy hips. I followed, leaning down to kiss her neck as I pressed her against the counter. “Jackson, aren’t you hungry?”

“For you,” I admitted as I drew her skin between my teeth. I reached down and pulled her skirt up, sliding my hand into her panties as Emma moaned. I sucked on her ear as she whispered my name.

I found her clit and fingered her slowly as she clutched the edge of the counter. I knew Emma’s body well and what got to her, and I used all my skills as I stroked her slick pussy.

“I want you so badly,” I said as she turned to face me, kissing me hungrily. I pulled her against me and kept her dress up before I slid her onto the counter. I kissed down her neck, cupping her breasts as she cried out. I loved how Emma responded to me and kept moving my mouth down her body, sliding her now-wet panties aside to stroke her again. Emma rocked on the counter, moaning as I slipped a finger inside her and licked her clit with my tongue. She was ready to come, and I pumped my finger inside her as I sucked her swollen nub into my mouth, needing her sweetness. I needed her to break apart for me and pushed harder as she found her mouth with mine.

Emma cried out my name as she came on my hand. She slumped against me, breathing heavily. I rocked her in my arms as she recovered.

After a few minutes, we sat down at the table with some wine. We talked about the week in general though I didn’t discuss Joe. I didn’t want to make her feel worse about things. We were having a good night. She mentioned that Greg and her family called her often and looked at me as she said that they were going to visit eventually.

“What will happen?” Emma asked.

I took a bite of food and chewed slowly.

“I don’t know. I’d like to tell them over dinner. Just seeing us together. They deserve that. If they or Greg shows up, then we need to play it down until we can all talk about it.”

She nodded slowly, sipping her wine.

“I agree. They deserve that, and it’s not like they’re going to be here tomorrow.”

We finished dinner, and I found a slower song on my phone, turning it up as I reached out my hand to Emma.

“Care to dance?” I asked, and she smiled and nodded. Emma moved into my arms in the dimly lit room and I held her close, stroking her hair and closing my eyes. She felt incredible in my arms.

Why were we still holding back? I knew that we were serious about each other even though we weren’t open about it. It was only Nick and some of her friends who knew about us since I didn’t want Joe to have any reason to go after her any more than he already had. He knew that I hit him trying to get him away from her and it hadn’t been discussed at all, apart from what was said in the office to Coach. I already knew that Joe made something up that made him look good to stay on the team. He would do anything to stay and have me sent away, knowing that he had the good reputation.

I spun her around and she laughed before looking into my eyes, her smile softening. I leaned down to kiss her, brushing my lips against hers as she moaned softly against me.

“I want you to move back in,” I said as she wrapped her arms around my neck. “I want your stuff in that room and you in my bed every night. You sleep on a couch over there.”

“I know. I just want to try to move slow but it’s hard when we’re like this. I just want everything with you.”

Emma kissed me again, and I slipped my tongue against her lips.

We stilled as the kisses grew deeper and hungrier and Emma gripped my hair. I lifted her body against mine and carried her to my room as she wrapped her body around mine. Once so innocent, Emma was now a vixen who owned my soul. She had every part of me and I dropped back on the bed and pulled her over me.

Emma pushed me back and worked my T-shirt up my body as she gazed hungrily at me. I slipped it off and threw it onto the floor as she kissed me again. I rolled her over, pinning her to the bed as I slipped her dress up. I just made her come and I needed her to do it again, this time wrapped around my cock. I was addicted to this woman and I would do anything for her. I moved back to remove her clothing, finding a matching black bra and panties underneath. I kissed her again and teased her mouth until she was breathless for me before moving down her body.

I kissed her neck and chest before freeing her from the bra. I cupped her breast gently in my hand, stroking her nipples with my thumbs as she panted below me. I moved down her stomach with my mouth, nipping at her skin as she spread her legs for me.

I moved to grab some condoms. We still needed to deal with that and I moved away from her to take off my pants hurriedly. I sheathed the condom over myself and moved between her legs, taking her hard with one thrust. Emma cried out as she dropped her head back to the mattress, rocking with me as I moved faster.

We moved together perfectly, her pussy wet for me as she wrapped her legs around me. I thrust harder, needing all of her as she jerked and came for me.

“Jackson! Oh, God.” Her voice echoed in my room as I filled the latex, wishing that I was bare. I wanted her heat wrapped around me and to come deep inside her. I dropped my face into her neck and breathed her in as she moaned my name.

We relaxed in bed, naked and damp with sweat as I held her close to me. I watched her fall asleep and thought ahead to the future that I dreamed of. I wanted everything with this girl and I needed her brother to get that. I didn’t want to lose Greg’s friendship. I didn’t want to lose anything.

I finally fell asleep beside her, getting up early for a run. I was jogging through the street with my music on loud, losing myself in the feeling of my legs pounding against the sidewalk. I was planning to meet the guys at the gym later but wanted to make Emma some breakfast first, so I made it a short run.

I came back to find her wearing one of my shirts and sipping coffee. Emma was beautiful, and she smiled at me, her hair pulled in a messy bun.

“Hi, want some breakfast?” I asked.

She smiled and nodded. I went in and pulled out a pan to make some omelets and toast, pouring myself some coffee. We enjoyed eating as we caught up on the news and then Emma left to go back to the apartment so I could get to the gym.

I walked in and looked for Nick as Joe glanced over. He smirked and I walked over to Nick to do some lifting, trying to ignore him. Sometimes when I spent the night with Emma, it reminded me of that night and I would get angry all over again.

I needed to keep my cool. For myself and the team, and for Emma.