CHAPTER 9

EMMA

I got ready for the first game in the hallway bathroom, looking nervously in the mirror. Bella said that make-up was a must today, and I nibbled on my lip as I looked down at my small bag. I still had time to go to her place and get ready if I hurried. Willow had done my make-up sometimes back home and I tried to remember her tricks as I fumbled with the cosmetics that were spread out on the counter.

I sighed and pulled my hair into a high ponytail. That was a start. After that I did my eyes with liner and added some mascara, taking a quick look before adding some shimmery powder to my brow area. I watched some videos about make-up and learned a few things, and I tilted my head to see how I looked.

I would have asked Jackson, but he had already left for the game. He got there early to get some practicing in before it started.

My stomach was flipping as I brushed some powder on my pale skin and added more powder to my brows.

I gave up and sent Bella a picture to ask her what she thought. We’d been talking a lot over the last few days and she trained me how to use the cannon yesterday. I knew that Sara was going to help me as much as she could as well, overseeing us. The other girls were nice, and I was optimistic that this would work out.

It might even be fun.

My phone beeped a few moments later.

You look great!

Can we go to Sephora for some make-up later?

We get paid next week, so let’s make a day of it.

Thanx!

Gotta go. Meet me at the stadium!

I’m on my way.

I pulled on some leggings and a long-sleeved Henley before finding my newest Converse. I knew that I could wear them today with the shorts and tank top that I’d be wearing. I grabbed my purse and ran to my car, driving nervously to the stadium’s parking underground.

I was working for the Tennessee Trojans!

I walked to the smaller locker room that was set up for us and the cheerleaders. I greeted Bella with a hug and admired her flawless face. She was going to work by me tonight so I could shadow her for the first few games.

We changed into the fitted outfits and I blushed as I looked in the mirror. This outfit left little to the imagination, and I could picture the reactions of people back home when they came to see a game. It would be awful.

I told myself that I was an adult as I glossed my lips and fixed my hair one more time.

Bella led the way to a small room just off the main stadium where we met Sara. She explained what I was doing today and assured me that nobody would notice if little things happened.

“Yeah, because half of the fans are drunk, anyway. You just have to make sure they don’t try to grab your ass.” Bella laughed softly under her breath.

“We spend most of the time in front of them, right?” I asked.

“Yes, you are. I’d worry less about the fans and more about the players.” She gave us all a long look. “They will hit on you nonstop. Stand your ground and just don’t give in. They are a great team but some of them are total man whores.”

All the girls laughed, and I wondered if Jackson was that bad. I knew that he was back in high school, but he’d been home every night since I got here. There was no sign of him sleeping around. What did I care? I had to stop think of Jackson every time something happened.

Bella and I went to talk to the team outside of their locker room so I could meet the players. There was a handsome one who walked right over, showing me a sexy, crooked smile that probably worked on a lot of women. I said hello and met the rest of them. I felt an arm across my shoulders, looking up to see Jackson. I couldn’t move with his arm being so tight around me and I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Let’s talk for a minute, Em.”

He pulled me outside to where we were before, out of sight of the fans.

“What’s wrong with you? I’m going to be talking to the guys, Jackson. I work here now. You can’t keep me in a bubble,” I felt anger rising as I thought back to all the times that my family sheltered me.

“I’m your surrogate brother. It’s what Greg wants and what I want.” His eyes flared.

What do you want, Jackson?

“I will protect you from whoever I feel is not worthy of you, Em.”

I think you are worthy of me.

But I wasn’t a little girl, especially as I could now feel my body ache with need.

“I’m not a little girl anymore, Jackson. You’re no better than the rest of them!” I said.

He had a sneer that made me want to kiss him and I struggled to find my composure. “I’m a big girl now. A woman. I can sleep with anyone I want. I can sleep with the whole team if I choose to…”

Jackson’s eyebrow rose at the comment, but I was getting annoyed. Anger and lust was a bad combination.

“Hell, I even can sleep with you. Nobody can tell me otherwise,” I started to cross my arms over my chest before he grabbed them and pressed me against the wall in the dark.

“Is that what you want, Emma? Do you want to sleep with me?” he asked in a rough voice. His face was very close to mine. I dropped my head back and stared into his eyes. They were dark with lust as he searched my face.

He parted his full lips. Oh, God. He moved closer, and I felt his hot breath on my face. It smelled like mint and I slowly blinked.

“Do you want me to kiss you right now?” His voice was softer, and I licked my suddenly dry lips and he watched me closely.

I couldn’t speak because I might say yes, and we could never reverse a kiss, or a touch. We couldn’t take it back.

“I’ll bet your lips taste great, Em. I’m sure you taste great,” he said in a low voice that made my insides throb with want. His words made my eyelids flutter closed as I imagined his lips on my body, his tongue on my skin, his hands on my hips. I sighed a little, saving the moment in my head for the next time that I got myself off.

“Tell me, Emma. I won’t do anything to you until you tell me to.”

His face was even closer, and I felt the heat from his breath.

I couldn’t speak. Once we got started, I knew that it would be too hard to stop, and he ran his nose along my neck.

“Stop,” I said.

He chuckled and pulled away. “You don’t want me to stop, Em,” Jackson said, but he didn’t touch me again. Instead he stared at me for a long moment with a tortured look. “I know you don’t, but you need to say something.”

I didn’t. I stared back, not saying a word as the tension between us continued, both scaring and exciting me. I didn’t know what to do with my conflicted emotions. I swallowed, not wanting to end the moment.

“Goddamn it, Emma. You make me fucking insane,” Jackson said as a roar sounded above us. He looked up and took a deep breath.

“Stay away from the team. Don’t think about any of them, Emma. You’re here to work and I’m going to keep a close eye on you.”

Jackson turned and walked away.

He left me standing there as I gaped at him.

“I don’t want anyone else. I want you,” I whispered. I stood there for a few moments, trying to control my emotions. Once I felt I could walk steadily, I made my way back inside to clean up for the game. I headed to the smaller locker room’s bathroom and Bella poked her head around the wall.

“Are you okay? You look flushed. What happened?” she asked.

I rolled my eyes. “I just told Jackson to stop acting like my brother. I already have one,” I forced a smile, not wanting to admit the truth. “He thinks because he watched me grow up that I shouldn’t flirt.”

“You do have to be careful around them,” Bella said as I looked at her in the mirror. She was gorgeous, and I wondered how many of the guys she been with.

“I know. I’d just rather do it on my own than to be treated like a five-year-old.” I forced a laugh and shook my head, masking the pain that I was in.

“Let’s go get to the stands. We have to work the crowd up!” Bella beamed and grabbed my hand, pulling me to the rest of the group.

We were going to alternate with the cheerleaders in getting the crowd going and I just wanted to go home and cry. I knew that things were different between Jackson and me now. I knew that everything might be ruined.

I heard the cheers of the fans and watched as the cheerleaders did their routine before Bella led me out. We moved in front of the crowd and got them to interact with us.

Screw Jackson for treating me like that. I could flirt with whoever I wanted to, and I smiled brightly as I danced around, following Bella’s lead. We moved back when the game started, and I watched it as much as I could without looking too much at Jackson. I hated our fight, but it was in the past and I had to leave it there.

I was going to love this job and meet people. I was going to live my life.

We took the cannons out halfway through the game and called to everyone, telling them to let us know they wanted a shirt. People yelled and I looked at Bella with a smile before aiming the cannon high and attempting to shoot a shirt to a little girl halfway back. She was so cute with her blonde curls and her dad jumped up to get it as she waved at me. I smiled proudly as Bella shot hers to a guy to the left. We did this a few more times throughout the game and then ran off so the guys could score a touchdown to win.

We jumped up and down as everyone cheered and I genuinely felt happy for Jackson. He didn’t play a lot but when he did, he was good. I wondered why he wasn’t a starter, but we’d never talked about that. He was just happy to be playing with the pros.

We watched everyone leave the field and Bella asked if I wanted to go out with the group to celebrate a great day. I smiled and nodded as we walked to our locker room to shower and change into our street clothes, taking off my heavy make-up gratefully.

We piled into two cars to go to a local restaurant. I sat in the back seat and watched the lights of Nashville pass us by. I had no idea what would happen later with Jackson. I told myself to have fun now and deal with it later.

I still felt his face close to mine as Bella laughed and turned up the radio. I smiled, deciding to live in the moment.