AS I EMBRACE my girlfriend on the field, the adrenaline high slowly wears off.

We put on a good show and won the scrimmage, fighting tooth and nail to get that winning TD. But somehow, the taste of victory doesn’t feel as sweet as it should. It’s overshadowed by a gritting sense of guilt, an unease that prickles at the back of my mind.

The way that Jade’s gazing up at me now, eyes so full of trust and pride, well . . . it’s gonna hurt like hell when I ruin that.

The crowd gradually disperses, allowing our team to convene for a quick post-game debrief. Jade, understanding as always, waits patiently on the sidelines. Once the huddle breaks, I’m drawn back to her, craving her, crushing her against me like it’s the last time I ever will.

Our moment is interrupted by Cam, his upbeat greeting breaking us apart. “Hey, you two,” he says, giving me a hearty slap on the back.

“Hey, Cam,” Jade says, pulling away from our embrace. Her bright smile returns, a stark contrast to the turmoil twisting inside me. “Congrats on the win.”

“Thanks,” he says. “You guys heading to the Cathouse?” Jade gives him a puzzled look. “Cathouse?”

“Team house. Our QB lives there with a bunch of other guys from the O-line, and they’re hosting an after-party. You guys coming?”

“Oh, uh . . .” I wring my hands together, keeping my gaze locked on my girlfriend. “I was hoping we could head back to our place instead.”

Cam snorts, misinterpreting my meaning. “I think you can wait a few hours, man.”

“Nah, just, uh—just to talk,” I clarify, my voice unsteady, palms clammy, the tension seeping into my bones.

“We can talk later,” Jade says with a cheeky smirk. “We should go celebrate your win.”

“Okay, maybe we’ll check it out for a bit,” I say, a reluctant agreement. “Then you can come stay the night at my place.”

“Do you think I could invite Sophie and Maya, too?”

“Absolutely,” I say, the corners of my mouth lifting in an automatic smile. “Invite whoever you want, baby.”

With that, she leaves me with a soft kiss on my jawline and a promise to meet me after my shower, making her way back to her friends.

“Dude,” Cam drawls out the moment she’s out of earshot. “Were you actually planning on skipping the party?”

I shrug, bending down to gather up my gear from the sidelines. “Yeah, I guess. Just not really feeling up to it tonight.”

“Honestly?” He shakes his head, clearly baffled. “We just busted our asses to beat one of the best teams in the NCAA.”

“Yeah,” I say as I sling my duffel bag over one shoulder. “But it was still just a scrimmage.”

His brows shoot up. “That doesn’t sound like the West I know.”

He’s right. It’s not. Because the West he knows is usually over the moon after every win, no matter how insignificant. But today, I’m a fucking stranger even to myself.

“I dunno.” I sigh, rubbing a hand over my face, feeling the grime and sweat. “I guess I just wanted some alone time with Jade.”

“Nah, I get it. You wanted to celebrate in private.”

Not quite what I meant, but I just nod in response, letting him believe what he wants. “Yeah, sure.”

“Well, I can make myself scarce if you want the place to yourself later on,” he offers, already planning his exit strategy. “I’m sure Danny will be crashing at his girl’s place like usual.”

“That sounds good,” I say, relief washing over me. This way, Jade and I can be alone when the storm inevitably hits. “Thanks, bro.”

With a final salute, Cam heads off, leaving me standing in the echo of the crowd’s cheers, panicking about how I’m going to make it through the next few hours.

 

 

AN HOUR AFTER PARTING WAYS, I meet Jade and her friends outside the Cathouse. Underneath the faint, flickering glow of the streetlight, I can make out their wide-eyed excitement. I take a moment to introduce myself to the two girls, trying to commit their names to memory before we all trudge inside.

The party is pretty fucking packed already, potent with the scent of sweat, alcohol, and loud music blaring from the speakers. Everywhere I look, there are bodies swaying to the beat, bottles being passed around, and people shouting over the loud music.

It seems like the whole team turned up tonight, along with their friends, dates, and the majority of the cheer squad. I haven’t seen a party this wild since the end of last season, and honestly, I can’t say I’ve missed it for a second.

“Is it always like this?” Jade asks, her voice a note above a whisper, eyes wide.

“Pretty much,” I say, glancing around at the growing chaos. I spot some of my teammates in the crowd, their laughter ringing loud and clear above the music. Turning back to Jade, I ask, “Can I grab you girls a drink?”

Maya, the more outspoken one of the two, grins. “Actually, we’re just gonna go explore. Which of your teammates are single?”

The question brings a chuckle from me. They’re definitely here to have some fun. “Pretty much all of ’em, except Noah and my housemate, Danny. A couple of our linebackers have girls, but they’ll be here tonight.”

“Ohh, sounds like we’ve got options,” she says, linking her arm with Sophie’s and disappearing into the crowd.

With their departure, Jade and I are left standing on the outskirts of the party. I glance at her, one brow raised. “They seem . . . nice.”

“Yeah, they’re just thirsty. They’re actually really sweet girls.” “That’s good. I was—”

“Hey, West!” Some bouncing brunette cuts me off, nearly stumbling into me as she does. She’s fumbling on her feet, her strappy heels slipping on the slick floor beneath us. Her voice is shrill and unfamiliar, but there’s a telltale glimmer of recognition in her eyes.

“Hey,” I awkwardly greet.

Wobbling, she steadies herself by clutching my shoulder, her fingers digging into the fabric of my T-shirt. “I just wanted to come say hi really quick,” she slurs, pushing her stringy hair out of her face.

Recognition dawns on me. I know she’s a junior on the cheer team, but I still can’t put a name to the face. I decide to play it safe. “How’s it going?” I ask, giving her a quick nod. “This is my girlfriend, Jade.”

She turns, her eyes widening slightly. “Oh,” she chirps, an odd mixture of surprise and disappointment washing over her. “Right, of course. I’ll see you later, West.”

“Who was that?” Jade asks, confusion knitting her brows.

“I think she’s one of Shan’s teammates.” I give her an easy smile, slinging one arm across her shoulders. “Come on, let’s get you a drink.”

We navigate our way through the crowd, our hands clasped tightly together. People I half recognize pat me on the back, their faces blurring in the dim lighting.

“Hey West, amazing run tonight!” another random girl shouts at me, her hand lingering on my chest a second too long. Along the way, we’re stopped a few more times by some other women I fail to recognize. And, unfortunately, each unwelcome interaction seems to leave Jade quieter, her grip on my hand tightening.

When we finally reach the kitchen, it’s so packed that we have to weave our way through, bodies pressing against us from all sides. But by some miracle, I finally manage to snag us a couple of beers.

“This is a little overboard,” Jade murmurs, gaze sweeping over the crowd.

“Yeah, we don’t have to stay long,” I assure her, shouting over the noise. “I was actually hoping we could talk tonight.”

“Sure.” She shrugs, popping open her beer. It’s like she’s parched, downing the contents of the can in almost one go. A droplet of beer trickles down her chin, and she hastily wipes it away.

She looks so out of place here, so unlike the confident, relaxed woman I know. “Jade,” I start, concern tightening my chest. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” she snaps, a bit too hastily.

There’s something off about her behavior. Something about the way she’s avoiding my eyes. “No, it’s clearly not fine.”

Grabbing hold of her hand, I lead her down the hallway, away from the blaring music and prying eyes. After a few seconds of searching, I push

open the first door I see. It’s a bathroom. Not the most ideal place, but it will have to do.

She glances around the small space, tossing her now empty beer into the trash bin. “Why are we in a bathroom, Theo?”

“So you can tell me what’s going on,” I say, placing my unopened can on the counter. “Everything was cool when we got here, and now, you’re pissed off. Tell me what I did wrong so that I can fix it.”

She crosses her arms over her chest, gaze falling to the floor. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Her sudden change in demeanor throws me off-balance. “Okay,” I say slowly, unsure of where this is going. “What is it, then?”

“I’m just . . . how many girls have you slept with in this house?” she finally blurts out, cheeks flushing a deep shade of crimson.

I freeze. “Sorry? What?”

“Like, at least half of the girls here are acting like they know you. You know, in the biblical sense.”

“Probably because half the girls here are on the cheer team.”

The look she gives me is somewhere between frustration and confusion.

She pulls away from me, her back pressed against the cold bathroom tiles. “Right, that doesn’t help.” I grab her hand again, thumb tapping against

her palm. “No, of course I haven’t slept with anywhere near half the girls here. I barely even know most of them. They’re just friendly with all the football players.”

“Friendly, right.”

I furrow my brows, studying her flushed expression. “Where is this coming from?”

“I overheard some girls talking about you at the stadium,” she admits after a long pause. “And even Sophie made a comment about how hot you are. I wasn’t expecting all these girls to be . . . doting over you tonight.”

“What did they say?”

“Not much, honestly. But Cassidy was there talking about how good you are in bed.”

And that’s when it all clicks. Jade isn’t used to dating athletes, and especially not a Dayton football player. We’re treated like commodities here

—good for one thing and one thing only.

“Ah, I see.” I thread our fingers together. “So, this is about you being jealous.”

“I’m not jealous,” she counters hastily. I cock a brow at her, working to suppress my smirk. “Okay, I’m fucking jealous. I mean . . . it’s so annoying. Why can’t you just be ugly?”

I can’t help but chuckle. “You want me to be ugly?”

“No, I just, I want you to be unappealing to the rest of the female population.”

I release her hand, trailing my fingertips along the side of her arm. “You know there’s no reason to be jealous.”

“I know.”

“I’m so fucking into you,” I murmur, moving to her hips, pulling her closer. “Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t doubt that?”

“We did.”

“Do you need me to remind you?” I boost her up so that she’s sitting on the bathroom counter. “Because I’m more than willing to do so.”

“Here?” she whispers, dragging her bottom lip between her teeth.

“No time like the present,” I tell her, my hands moving up her thighs, stopping just at the hemline of her skirt. My voice is rougher than I’d intended, my own desire mirroring hers.

My focus narrows in on my girlfriend, her flushed face, her wide eyes, the way she’s looking at me like I’m the only thing that matters. The loud thumping of the music fades into the background, replaced by the quickening of my heartbeat.

She tenses under my touch. “Someone will hear us.”

“Not if you stay quiet.” I slip my hand under her skirt, rubbing my thumb in circles on the bare skin of her inner thigh.

“Oh,” she murmurs in response, eyes drifting shut. The sight is intoxicating, the pure vulnerability in that one sound, in the way she trusts me.

“I like this skirt on you,” I say, bunching up the thin material.

She laughs, and it’s a musical sound that sends a jolt of desire straight to my dick. “I’m sure you do.”

My hand slides up higher on her thigh, resting right at the edge of her damp panties. “Do you want this?”

As soon as I hear her whispered “yes,” I dip my fingers inside the lacy scrap of fabric. She’s already wet, and warm, and waiting for me. So, I plunge one finger inside her tight core, stroking in and out at a lazy speed.

She leans forward on the counter, whimpering as I pump into her. Her palm gently cups my erection through my jeans, and my cock swells, a jolt of pleasure clenching in my gut.

“Hop off the counter,” I say, voice husky and demanding.

I slip my finger out of her, grabbing her hips as she touches down onto the tile. My grasp on her body is rough as I flip her around to face the bathroom mirror, the front of her thighs pressing into the countertop.

“Bend over,” I rasp.

As she gets into the position I want, I hastily undo the button on my jeans and yank them down over my hips. I bunch up her skirt the rest of the way, sliding her panties aside. After slipping a condom out of my pocket, I free my straining erection from my boxers and slowly push inside her.

“Brace yourself on the counter, baby,” I demand, tangling my fingers into the hair at the nape of her neck.

She scrambles to grasp at the cold countertop, one hand gripping the edge while the other loops around the faucet. Once she’s stable, I pound into her. The movement of my hips is wild and uncontrolled, a barely restrained force of lust and desire for the girl who completely owns me— body, mind, and soul.

A muffled moan escapes from her lips. “Good girl,” I rasp. “Stay quiet.” Her pussy is pulsing around me, sucking me tightly inside of her with each forceful thrust. There’s just something so fucking hot about the way she’s struggling to keep quiet, those tiny little whimpers escaping her as we

fuck.

“Theo,” she squeaks out. “I’m going to—”

“Come for me, Jade,” I urge, sliding in and out of her at a frantic pace. She’s gasping now, her fingers slipping as she struggles to brace herself. It’s not long before she collapses onto the counter, her core fluttering and pulsing around my cock as she comes.

My own release follows closely behind. And God, it feels so fucking good to spill inside of her. Once I pull out, I pinch off the condom and toss it in the trash. Then I tuck myself back into my jeans and yank Jade’s skirt into place.

As soon as the haze of desire clears from my brain, I realize that I fucked up again. I was supposed to talk to her, confess to her, clear the air

. . . but instead, I fucked her in the bathroom at a party.

What the hell is wrong with me?

She’s staring into the mirror, breathing heavily as she runs her fingers through her hair. “That was . . . really good.”

“It was,” I say, but the words feel awkward, stiff, a stark contrast to the raw intimacy we just shared. “Uh, maybe we should just head back to my place now.”

“Round two already?” she jokes, flipping around to face me. Her fingers curl around my shoulders, face flushed as she steadies herself against me.

“Actually, I wanted to talk to you. I have something I’ve been wanting to tell you.”

“Oh! I actually have something I want to tell you, too.” “Okay, we can sort it out when we get to my place.”

“Can I just tell you my news now? I’m really excited about it, and all I’ve been thinking about is sharing it with you.”

“Of course.”

“Garrett is letting me write a piece on the banquet,” she reveals, the pride evident in her voice.

My mouth runs dry, heart clenching. “Our banquet?”

“Yeah, I called him after you left my apartment earlier. Told him I was going to write about the scrimmage anyway.”

“Oh?”

“He ended up offering me this article instead—said if I did a good enough job, then he’d let me work sports next season.”

My palms are sweating. “That’s, uh, wow.”

She gives me an odd look, brows furrowing. “I mean, I know it’s just another boring puff piece . . . but maybe I could spice it up a little. You know, now that I have the inside scoop.”

I swallow back a giant lump in my throat. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Yeah, she’s got the inside scoop alright. If I tell her about the Trade, she’ll have the fucking scoop of the year.

But I can’t keep this shit inside me any longer. She thinks I’m straightforward, honest even. She thinks I’m worthy of being with her. How do I reconcile that with what I’ve been hiding?

So, I gather up my courage, but all that comes out is this: “That’s great, Jade.”

“Do you think you could get me an interview with Elliot?” she asks eagerly. “Everyone loves to hear from the QB. Oh, and maybe Cam would

be a good option, too. You said he was part of the planning committee, right?”

With every excited word, my resolve crumbles a little more.

“Sure, of course,” I say, but my voice betrays the anxiety I’m feeling. “Wait, what’s wrong?”

I shake my head, wiping my palms down the front of my jeans. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“I mean . . . I know that when you first invited me, it was more of a friendly group hangout. But now things have changed between us, so if you don’t want me to be, like, working during the event or—”

“That’s not it. I’m happy for you, baby. This is what you wanted.”

“Yeah, it is,” she says, her smile radiant as she wraps her arms around me. “Honestly, it works out so great. I was already planning on going with you, so it’s, like, oddly perfect.”

“Yeah,” I mutter, the affirmation tasting bitter on my tongue. “Just perfect.”