Her mouth parted slightly.
“And you looked like a fucking goddess doing it.”
Her lips twitched.
I eased my grip just slightly, not releasing her, just loosening enough that my thumb dragged over the curve of her jaw instead.
Her hands came up to my collar and hauled me down the last inch, her mouth crashing onto mine like the entire game was still burning through her. It was deep and breathless, teeth catching, tongues swiping, messy and fucking perfect.
My hand slid from her braid to the back of her neck, whimpering into her mouth and pulling her closer until there was nothing but clothes between us. I wished there wasn’t even those. She tasted like sweat, victory, and sweet sunshine.
When we finally broke apart, it was only because breathing became necessity. Our foreheads remained together, ragged air dragging between us.
“I love you,” I whispered. “Don’t think I didn’t miss how you showed up for me today too. I know that was a dealbreaker for you before.”
Her nose grazed mine. “That was before. Before you, before us, before the way you made me fall head over heels for you. I love you, Connor. You are what I want.”
“Pretty sure I love you more.”
She snuffed a laugh. “Always gotta be the winner still, huh?”
I caught a smear of mud on my thumb and smiled. “I’m always gonna be the winner with you, sunshine.”
My hand drifted to her neck, and I wrapped my fingers around her throat, feeling her pulse ricocheting underneath my skin. Her eyes danced as she pushed into my hand, giving me control, trusting me in a way that always made fierce protectiveness rise up. Among other things stirring to life.
I guided her back until her shoulders met the wall, leaning my hips “Now, baby,” I murmured, my thumb rubbed under her jaw, flexing, “just so you know…” Her fingers curled into the front of my shirt, hips rolling into my hard-on.
“Tonight, when you’re cleaned up and dressed up, I’ll remember exactly how you looked right now.”
Her eyebrow lifted again, but this time, there was heat behind it.
“And how do I look right now?”
A slow grin pulled at my mouth. “Like you could ask for anything, and I’d give it to you.”
She pulled me the last fraction closer, her mouth hovering over mine.
“I don’t need anything,” she says, lips brushing against mine. “I already took what I wanted.”
Stars burst behind my eyes when our lips collided again, and I realized I was never built to try and resist her.
Epilogue - Connor
I didn’t know how I’d feel today, coming back here for real. Last time was different; it was operational. Maybe it was because Teddy had been beside me the first time I’d walked back in after the quake, her fingers threaded through mine.
Maybe it was because, by then, the blueprints were already spread across boardroom tables, and we weren’t standing in ruins—we were standing in plans.
Even now, as I take it in properly, I can still see it the way it was.
The sinkhole that swallowed half the east stand, yawning and ugly.
The windows along the upper levels all blown out, glass scattered across concrete like frost. The gym at the far end split open along one wall, weight racks twisted, ceiling tiles sagging under water damage.
It’d looked final.
But today was different, the start of something new.
Within six months, the first intake of players would arrive. Twenty girls had already enrolled in our weekend program. Then we would escalate to fully funded scholarships within two years. We’d be opening doors wider than they’d ever been.
