"State, stop." I push up from him. "You have no idea how happy I am that you had amazing loving people in your life, or at least that's what they sound like. It's just..." I pause thinking how to word this the right way.

"Just what?" He urges.

"I'm a jealous asshole. I wanted you in my life."

"I'm a greedy prick then, because it makes me feel good to know that."

A nervous giggle escapes me.

"I finally focused all my energy into football through middle and high school, and now college."

"Shocker." I roll my eyes.

"Haven't had a better friend to practice with than you."

"Whatever, you liked crushing my fingers! Damn, I wouldn't dare catch a ball from you now." I let my vision roam up and down the empire of muscles known as State.

"We'll see about that." His fingers dig into my hips making me want to melt into him. "Anyway, I was raised in Tennessee."

"Tennessee?" I had to have heard him wrong.

"Yeah. Baylor, if I was anywhere near here, it would've been easier to find you."

I find the courage to raise my hands to his face, dragging my finger tip down his harsh jawline. "We were kids."

"We were, but Baylor no matter what happens, from here on out, please know I never forgot you. Hell, I talked to the moon every night knowing you're possibly looking at the same one."

"You're weird." I try to break up the way too intense direction our conversation is flowing.

"You're my home. Always have been." He closes his eyes. "The mansion I grew up in and the money that surrounded me, never even came close. Baylor, you've always been my home, my best friend, and you own me."

I speak with authority for possibly the first time in my life. "That means everything to me, State. I've never forgotten us, made any new real friends, or..."

I think about it for a second before blurting it out.

"Loved anyone like I love you."

Both of his large palms clutch to my cheeks and pull me to his face. I don't close my eyes and just stare into the depths of his brown ones. Our lips brush each other before we kiss. It takes me back to King's when I'd hide my face in his chest, fighting to forget the hell surrounding us.

"I'm going to kiss you, Baylor."

I nod my head, letting my lips brush up and down on his. He doesn't lie when he admits to kissing me. I'm flipped down on the couch with my back pushing into the cushions. State's frame envelopes me, but he keeps most of his weight on his shoulders. My palms dig into his back, urging him to put more of his weight on me.

"You're my home, State." I pull harder on his back and he finally gives in a bit.

His lips are on mine, kissing me hard and rough. We spend a long time exploring each other's mouths before pulling back, and we're both left breathless.

"I'm never leaving you again."

Instead of pushing him away this time, my arms snake around the back of his neck, and tug him down closer to me until our lips are brushing each other again.

"You have a new life."

"You do too," he argues.

"You saw it tonight. I have a feeling you're a star."

He smirks against my lips and I know what's coming. "I've always loved you and football. I took all the pain and hurt in my life, and put it into the game. So yeah, I'm pretty damn good."

"I don't want to bring you down."

"Then don't and let me in, Baylor."

"Time. Give me time."

"Only if you promise not to run away from me."

I smile and feel his lips smile right back on mine. "I hate that word."

"Weird."

"Every time I heard it, it broke my heart because you were gone."

"I want to hate, be bitter, go back to King's and knock some heads, but I know it wouldn't fix a thing. It all happened for a reason."

He never gives me a chance to ask why or even take a blind guess.

"Because of us, Baylor. We're survivors and reunited."

Twelve.

"How are you not fat?" I poke at his abs, thankful he hasn't put his shirt back on.

"Skills, babe, mad ass skills."

He brought me a tub of bubble gum ice cream from a creamery near his dorm. I've only managed a few spoonfuls, while he's licked the inside of the tub clean.

"Do you have to run like two hundred miles to burn that off?"

We're sitting cross-legged on my bed facing each other. We decided the couch wasn't the most appropriate place for us tonight when Miss Tami walked in on us a few hours into our make-out session. His lips are more talented than I remember his catching skills to be, and that's saying a lot.

"I have a question for you, Baylor." The light tone of our conversation has disappeared.

"Eh?"

"I have a team barbecue tomorrow at my coach's house and I want you to go."

"Oh, hell no." I don't even think about my response.

"Why?" He places the container on the floor.

"There's at least one thousand reasons."

"Hit me with the first one."

"I don't belong there."

"Bullshit. The next reason." He covers my kneecaps, stilling the slight shivers taking over.

"I might be doing okay right now, in my home, and it's because of you, but I put the capital A in awkward. It's something I've never overcome."

"Bullshit, I watched you dance in the middle of a bar."

"Miss Tami knows the owner and..."

"Next."

"Homework. I have homework and Rowe, and homework."

"So, you're saying it's a yes."

"State."

"My parents will be there and all my teammates. I want and need you there."

I bite on my fingernails that are already way too short and my teeth border chewing live flesh. "I want to, but..."

"Perfect, I'll pick you up at six."

"State."

"Nope, you just promised."

"I did not!"

"Did not, what?"

"Promise."

"You just did now." State climbs over me, pulling me into his hard chest until we are face to face.

I roll my eyes and feel the ache in my lips that want him so damn bad. "I want to kiss you, but know we won't stop."

He growls in agreement.

"Hey, State, what have all your girlfriends thought of my name on your back."

"Don't know."

"How do you now know?"

"I've never had one."

Those four words hit my gut hard leaving me speechless.

"Never wanted one, was waiting until I found you."

"Holy shit," I whisper.

"Can I be honest, Baylor?"

I nod wrapping my arm around his side. It's addicting.

"When I saw Rowe, I thought she was your daughter and even though she kept calling you sissy, I couldn't get past it. It wasn't until Miss Tami told me all about her when you were bathing her."

"She's kind of like my daughter."

"I can tell."

"I love her so damn much."

"Any of those fuckers who hurt her better never come on my radar."

I smile and kiss him, but quickly pulling away. "Always the protector."

"I'll always protect my girls."

I let those words simmer in my mind. He's in no position to take on a relationship with me, not to mention Rowe, but I'm not one to argue.

"You have no idea how big of a deal it was for Rowe to warm up to you."

"Yeah?"

"She's been so traumatized, but has made so much progress."

"How couldn't she with you and Miss Tami."

I offer him a weak smile. "It's more Miss Tami. I tend to baby and protect her too much."

"No such thing." He kisses me quickly again. "How long have you lived here?"