AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That you’ve been expelled, that you punched Westscott, that you quit the football team. Those are the worst of the rumors spreading.”
He slowly shakes his head, scrubbing the back of his neck. “I didn’t punch him, though I wanted to. And I definitely wasn’t expelled.”
“Did you quit the team?” My whisper is raspy, my throat closing up with fear. I noticed how he didn’t acknowledge that particular rumor.
Blowing out a harsh breath, Rhett grips the back of his neck with both hands, his elbow bumping into a bottle of cleaner and almost knocking it over. “Sometimes I’m too impulsive.”
“You quit?” Shock courses through me and my head goes fuzzy. “Oh my God, Rhett! Why would you do that?”
“I told Westscott I quit. Then I called my dad and he told me to go straight to Coach, which I did. I let him know what was going on.”
“What exactly is going on?”
“I don’t want to tell you.” He shakes his head. “Makes me too fucking mad still when I think about it.”
“Rhett.” I take a step closer to him, resting my hands on his chest as I stare into his eyes. “What did Westscott tell you?”
His mouth thins into a straight line, his lips almost disappearing, he looks so angry. “He didn’t have to tell me anything. I figured it out myself. He went to you, huh? Told you to stay away from me? Called you a distraction?”
I nod, swallowing hard. “Yes. He did.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know you that well,” I start, but he cuts me off.
“You know me pretty damn well, princess. We’ve gone way past the point of casual friends.”
“I know, I know.” I take a step back, my butt hitting the shelves again, making everything rattle. “I tried to stay away from you like Westscott told me to do, but I didn’t know how to tell you to leave me alone. Well, I tried but you were persistent.”
His smile returns, and it’s such a relief to see it. “When I want something, I go after it.”
“I know,” I whisper, smiling at him. The tension between us seems to dissipate, slowly but surely. “You can’t quit the team, Rhett. They need you and you need them.”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen with the team. Or with me.” He winces. “I might get suspended.”
“Why?”
“I cursed at Westscott. Said I fucking quit before I stormed out of his office, and man, he didn’t like that. Plus, I talked back to him. I shouldn’t have done that, but the questions he asked me …” His voice drifts and he shakes his head. “He had no right to dig for that information. He’s crossed lines.”
“Will he get in trouble?” I think of what I told my parents and how I didn’t want Westscott to get fired.
“Maybe. I don’t know. The whole situation is a mess. My dad wants to meet with him. My parents are coming this afternoon and we’re all going to talk. I’m not sure what’s going to happen.” He grabs my hands, clasping them in his, interlocking our fingers. “You’re not a distraction, Willow. Not even close. If I stopped seeing you right now, I don’t think I’d be able to concentrate on anything else but you and how I could get you back.”
“You haven’t lost me.” I rise up on tiptoe, pressing my mouth to his in a soft kiss. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I need you in my life.” His voice is hoarse, as if it took a lot for him to say that. “I’ve never felt like this about a girl before. You’re the first.”
I throw myself at him, curling my arms around his neck, clinging to him. His arms come around my waist, pulling me even closer, and I kiss him with everything I’ve got. He returns the kiss with the same enthusiasm and we get a little carried away …
Until we practically fall into the shelves behind us, knocking a few cleaning supplies over.
“You need to get back to class,” he murmurs against my neck.
“I don’t want to.”
“You have to.” He pulls away slightly, slipping his fingers under my chin to tilt my face up, our gazes locking. “Gotta keep up that good girl image.”
I roll my eyes. “I should’ve never said anything like that.”
