AllFreeNovel
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“I shouldn’t.” I let go of the necklace and stare at the way it hangs from his neck. It’s shorter on him, almost a choker, and I didn’t know I had an attraction toward men in gold chains until now. “How long have you had this?”
“Since the day after the paint room. You left it on the kitchen counter. I meant to give it back to you—I put it on as a joke, but then I forgot about it and…”
“And you’ve been wearing it since.”
“All day, every day.” He lowers his chin, and his mouth is mere inches from my ear. His breath is warm on my skin, and I shiver. “I like having something that reminds me of you. Can I keep it?”
I’m tempted to throw my arms around his neck and kiss him right here, in front of the entire team. It’s like he’s staked a claim on me. Marked me as his and marked himself as mine, too.
“Yes,” I say. “Because you look hot as hell wearing it.”
“She finally admits I’m hot,” he murmurs, a teasing lilt to his words. “Only took three fucking months. I should’ve shown it to you sooner.”
I laugh and he grins, a beautiful flash of teeth and crinkles around his eyes. “Don’t let it go to your head, Lansfield.”
“It already has, sunshine. Admit it, you’re obsessed with me.”
Someone hollers behind me, and it breaks the spell Dallas has me under.
It doesn’t look like we’rejust talkinganymore. We’re standing far too close. We’re touching, and I know how our positions could be interpreted. I take a step to my left, and I can breathe a little easier when I’m out of his orbit even though I miss his proximity.
“Something like that.” I clear my throat and fix the strap of my camera around my neck. Dallas stares at my throat before he glances away. “I’m, uh, going to get some final shots of the team then grab June from the nursery. Want to text me when you’re ready to meet at the car?”
“Sounds good. They don’t need me in media tonight, so it shouldn’t take too long.” He smiles and rubs his jaw. “I can’t wait to get home.”
“Me too,” I whisper.
My heart twists in my chest, an obnoxious whir as he tucks the jewelry safely away and taps my shoulder, a secret only we know.
TWENTY-SIX
MAVEN
I’ve beenfidgety all day.
It’s like I’m brimming with the anticipation of something I can’t quite shake.
My social media exploded after my photo of Jett’s game winning touchdown went viral. It’s been impossible to keep up with the notifications and influx of comments, and I’m so glad I set up a designated account for my photography before the game.
The traffic has been spurred on by Dallas, too.
I’ve scrolled through two dozen news outlets, and under each photo of mine that gets posted, there’s a comment from his official account asking them to give me credit.
This picture was taken by @mavenwoodphotography
Photo by @mavenwoodphotography, member of the Titans
Hey, @espn—can you tag the photographer, please?
By Monday night, I had twenty thousand followers. A week later, and I’m closing in on fifty thousand. It’s a whirlwind, an absurd response all because I was in the right place at the right time while doing my job.
I can’t sit still, and I’m restless. I lounge on the couch and try to flip through a romance novel even though my attentionis pulled elsewhere. The apartment is too quiet. My mind is too muddled with thinking about Dallas and June and the necklace he’s still wearing. Now that his secret has been discovered, he lets it hang freely against his shirt.
I don’t know how I missed seeing it before.
The chain is like a beacon, and my stomach somersaults every time the jewelry catches in the light and flashes across the room.
The two of them are out shopping because June is outgrowing everything in her closet. It’s sending Dallas into a tailspin. He paced around the kitchen last night, talking about curfews and driver’s licenses. I’m pretty sure I heard him mumble something about a 401k under his breath, and I lost it, laughing hysterically until he pulled the sink nozzle out and sprayed me from across the counter.
