"You're lucky I didn't slip her the tongue," he fires back.

His dad clears his throat and gently guides the conversation in another direction. "Are you going to the game tomorrow, Baylor?"

"Yes, I am!" My voice booms out with a little more excitement than I meant. "I wouldn't miss a home game for anything."

"Good to hear. You're always welcome up in the sky box with us."

"Thank you, but I'm sitting with Shayne again. I need to show off all my new football knowledge."

"You picked a girl with no football knowledge?" His mom arches a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

"Mother," State grits out.

Game on, bitch. I wave off her statement like it's a punch line to a damn funny joke. "Oh no, trust me, I had plenty of knowledge before the last home game. See, State use to forrrccce me to play football when we were little. So, I know it hurts like hell when he threw me the ball and all the x's and o's he'd sketch out on a piece of trash, were just damn boring.

State and his dad share a hearty chuckle with my take on football.

"Mmmmm." His mom strokes a napkin near her. "He's never shared stuff from his childhood."

"Good. It's mine." I stare her down and flash her a genuine smile.

Our food arrives as the words evaporate between us. State has a death grip on my thigh, which I can't tell if that's a good sign or bad one. My phone chirps in my purse and without thinking to excuse myself to check it, I just pull it out. State's name flashes on the screen. I slide open the green button to read his text.

State: I've never been so in love with you. Fuck, you're hot when you're all defensive and shit.

I feel the red flush creep up into my face from his words. I turn and smile at him and then enjoy the rest of my meal. The rest of the dinner goes by quietly, with only his dad making conversation. His mom excuses herself early from the meal to take a so-called phone call. Just like he greeted me, State's dad tells me good-bye with a warm and welcoming hug.

"Are you going to drop me off at Shayne's?"

"Nope."

"What?" I turn to study his profile while he drives. I'm finding it's my favorite pastime.

"I'm staying at the hotel with you? I'm staying in the dorm by myself?"

He roars in laughter.

"Knock it off." I slap his forearm. "Spill."

"I made a deal with the defensive coach. If I got three sacks in my last game I could stay in my dorm room."

"And why would you make a deal like that?" I ask biting my bottom lip.

"Because I want to sleep with you."

"State, you need to be with your team."

"I'm with those stinky fuckers enough. I need you in my bed tonight."

"I don't want you to get into trouble."

"I'll go fucking mad if I'm not with you tonight and then I'll be in trouble."

"Thank you," I whisper.

The dorm tower is unusually quiet as we make our way to the elevator. I never think like a college student, but since it's a Friday night then I assume they're all out doing keg stands or playing beer pong. I welcome the silence. No prying eyes on us or obnoxious twats.

The book nerds huddled on the couches and over-stuffed chairs couldn't care less about us. I tug on State's arm as we wait for the elevator.

"That would be me."

He grunts. "Yes, it would be."

Then he shocks me with a question. "Do you think you'd ever live in the dorms?"

"Nope."

It comes out fast, requiring no thought at all.

"Do you ever imagine yourself here as a student?"

"Nope. But I've imagined other stuff here."

"Like?"

I blush a bit, but then spill covering my eyes. "You know late at night when I'm missing you. I picture you sprawled out in your bed, thinking of me."

"Then?" He urges me to go on. The ding of the elevator sounds off in the far distance.

"I touch myself."

The door glides open. I breathe out relief when no one is on it. He tugs me into the elevator and I nearly lose my footing as my back is pressed up against the wall. State's palms slap down on either side of my head. He presses his want into my center. I feel every single inch of him.

He bites down on my bottom lip until it hurts, then sweeps his tongue over it making the pain fade away. His hands slide down the elevator wall until he's clutching my ass.

"I'm going to take you in so many different ways tonight."

"You have to rest before the game. I will not be held responsible for you being slow tomorrow."

"I won't blame you. I'll blame your magical vagina."

"State," I squeal and burry my head in his neck.

"What? Just being honest."

"Stop, it's embarrassing."

"Okay, Queen."

He chuckles the rest of the way to his room with me in his arms.

Twenty-Six.

I'm straddling him, moving up and down finding the perfect pace. It's all so overwhelming. State insisted I be on top this time. I finally relented, but only in the pitch dark.

"Don't quit touching me," I whimper out.

State rolls my clit around with his thumb while keeping a tight grip on my hip. He helps guide me up and down him. It's all too much. My nerves are tattered and ready to explode any minute.

State sits up until we are face to face. He continues to coax my hips to move. It's a new angle, deeper, and even more delicious. My lips brush his and then I lick my own.

"State, I can't hold it off any longer."

He thrusts up into me. "Go, God, Go. Queeeeeen."

We both fall into our cyclone of pleasure. State shivers, pulling me closer to him until nothing is between us.

"I made a wish," he says.

"Eh?"

"I made a wish and then found you."

I cup his face. "Ahhh, baby, I love you so damn much."

State falls back into the bed with me on his chest. We don't bother to clean up before sleep takes over. It's the best night's sleep ever. My body is completely relaxed, my thoughts light, and my heart full for the very first damn time in my life.

When a sliver of sunlight drips into the room I feel light kisses up my arm.

"Baby."

I open one eye, refusing to fully wake up from the best night of my life.

"I'm heading to the field. I have coffee on for you."

I make a show of sniffing the air with one eye open. "Ahhh, you're a keeper, number seven."

"Shayne will pick you up in two hours. I'm also having breakfast delivered here for you."

I groan and finally roll over on my back. "Ahhh, a double keeper. How did I get so lucky?"

"God made me for you."

I slap his bicep. "Aren't you supposed to be in tear em' up destroy them mode, and not sappy man mode?"

He lets out a hearty chuckle and kisses my lips.

"Eeeeewww. I probably have morning breath."

"It's worse than anything I could imagine."

"Asshole." I throw a pillow at him and then push him away.

He dips lower and kisses me harder. "But I love it."

"State, I can't wait to see you play again."

"You have no idea how much adrenaline it gives me when I know your ass is in those stands wearing my number."

"Go!" I push his chest. "Before I drag you back into bed."

"Okay, only answer the door for breakfast and Shayne."

"Yes, daddy." I bat my eyelashes at him.

"I'll give you daddy tonight."

"God, you're gross, but I love you."

State sends me a wink before he shuts the door. I hear the lock turn on the outside and then his heavy footsteps trail down the hall. I sigh loudly and melt back into the bed. I inhale his scent and then cover my face with his pillow. It doesn't take long before I'm fast asleep in the comfort of forever.

Shayne may as well be a damn NASCAR driver. You'd never know she was a champion gymnast with her lead foot. I've lost count of the number of yellow lights she's blown through. My knuckles are white, gripped around my seatbelt.

"You can slow down. We have plenty of time," I offer.

"Uh?"

"Slow the hell down," I finally scream when she blows through another yellow light.

"Nobody can stand riding with me."

"I can see why."

"Did you know that all the stop signs with a white border around them are optional to stop at?"

I give her a sideways look and let it process. "So, you just chose whether you want to stop or not?"

"Yeah, but only the ones with a white border around them."

Four blocks later, and I call her out on her bullshit. "They all have white borders, jerk."