Beautiful (26 page)

It was down to the last play, and Wyatt looked for someone to throw to. Everyone was covered, so when Wyatt took off running, I started screaming.

“Run! Wyatt, go!” Skip yelled out next to me.

When Wyatt scored, I jumped into Skip’s arms. “He did it! We won!”

Skip laughed and gave me a big bear hug before setting me back down. I watched the entire thing play out. Wyatt found the other coach and shook his hand and then a few other players’ hands before looking for the other team’s quarterback and shaking his hand.

When he walked back to the sideline, he was congratulated by coaches and teammates. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face if I tried. When he looked up, my body was covered in goose bumps. His smile about knocked me off my feet. I lifted my hand and waved.

He mouthed,
I love you
, before looking back at another coach.

I was about to say something to Skip when I saw one of the cheerleaders run over and throw herself into Wyatt, hugging him. He smiled and gave her an awkward hug. She leaned up and said something to him, causing him to laugh.

My smile faded some as I watched him say something else to her. She turned and walked off as Wyatt glanced up at me again. His smile grew bigger, and I forced myself to smile.

“You’d better get used to it now, Sky.”

Snapping my head, I looked at Skip. “Get used to what?”

“The girls. They’re going to be pushing themselves at him. Starting quarterback, good-looking, plays good. He’s going to be a magnet for them.”

Pressing my lips together, I peeked back down and saw him in the middle of the team, but a few girls were trying to work their way in. Security was pulling away anyone who didn’t belong on the field.

“I’m not worried, Skip. I trust Wyatt completely.”

Skip laughed and shook his head.

Glaring at him, I asked, “Why are you laughing?”

“Princess, it’s not Wyatt you have to worry about. It’s all the girls who are going to be flirting with him all the time. I have no doubt that the guy loves you with all his heart. But you’d better be prepared. Your fiancé is about to become a common name on the lips of young women everywhere.”

With a sharp laugh, I looked around. It was then I noticed all the signs that had Wyatt’s name on them. Two girls were screaming as they tried to get Wyatt’s attention.

One girl was holding up a sign that said,
Marry me, Number 17!

Inhaling a deep breath through my nose, I slowly blew it out. “I’m not the least bit worried. They can talk all they want. I’m the one lying down with him at night.”

Skip didn’t say a word.

In everything that had happened in our worlds, I never really stopped to look at the big picture. Wyatt would be traveling out of town to different cities. Girls would most likely throw themselves at him.

How would he handle it? Would he ignore them? Flirt with them to be nice?

Placing my hand over my stomach, I felt like I was going to throw up.

“Your fiancé is about to become a common name on the lips of young women everywhere.”

Skip left right after the game to head to Austin. He was supposed to stay one more night, but he decided to head out early. In a way, I was glad. It wasn’t that I didn’t love having my brother with me because I did. My head was just in a very confused place. I didn’t like being jealous, not one bit. It wasn’t me at all, so why I was freaking out all of a sudden seemed weird to me.

Of course I knew part of it was because Wyatt had told me about the two girls who had approached him in the library and what they had said to him. At first, I had been disgusted by it, and then I was pissed.

My phone buzzed with a text message.

Wyatt: I’ll be there soon.

With a smile, I pulled my knees up to my chest and laughed. “You’re being silly, Skylar. Silly and jealous over nothing.”

Me: Can’t wait to see you and congratulate you.

Wyatt: I like the way you congratulate me, angel.

With a giggle, I jumped up and ran into the bedroom. I’d been saving the lingerie for a special occasion, and there was no better occasion than Wyatt starting and winning his first college game.

After slipping on the white lace teddy, I put a silk robe on and made my way to the bathroom. Pulling my hair up, I wrapped it into a bun, making sure a few long curls hung down to frame my face.

I quickly lit some candles and placed them throughout the apartment, making sure to put extra in the bedroom.

Pacing back and forth, I kept looking at the time. It was after midnight, and I was starting to get tired.

Blowing out a frustrated breath, I hit Wyatt’s number.

When he answered, all I heard was loud music.

“Hello? Wyatt?”

“Hey, angel. I can hardly hear you.”

“Where are you?” I asked as I sank down on the sofa.

“I didn’t want to let the team down, so I quickly stopped by a party one of the sorority girls was throwing for the team.”

My mouth fell open. “You went to a party? Without me?”

I heard Wyatt saying something to someone, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying.

“I was only going to stop by for ten minutes. I’m so sorry, baby. I didn’t realize I’d been here for almost an hour. I’m leaving now.”

“No! Wyatt, don’t leave!” a female voice cried out.

Standing, I instantly got angry. I tried like hell to keep myself in check. This was so unlike Wyatt to go to a party and not at least tell me.

Don’t jump to conclusions. Don’t let the jealousy in, Skylar.

“It’s fine, Wyatt. If you need to be with the team, no worries.”

“Excuse me. Sorry. Yeah, I’m leaving. Sorry. Sky, let me get the hell out of here. Don’t hang up.”

The fact that Wyatt had stopped at the party and hadn’t bothered to tell me made me so angry.

“Call me when you leave. I can’t hear you through the music and girls begging you to stay.”

Hitting End, I tossed my phone onto the sofa and headed into the bedroom to change.

Wyatt

“Sky? Hello? Skylar?” Pulling my phone away from my ear, I cursed, “Shit!”

I quickly pushed my way through the crowd. When Stephen Drake, the other quarterback, had told me I needed to stop by this party, I couldn’t say no. The last thing I wanted to do was cut myself off from the team, especially after our first big win. His girlfriend was throwing it and was a member of one of the sororities. I should have known I was making a mistake by not picking up Skylar first. I honestly was only going to stay for ten fucking minutes.

As I jogged to my truck, there must have been at least a dozen girls saying hi to me. All I wanted to do was get to Skylar’s place and wrap her up in my arms.

The lights were still on in her apartment, so I knew she hadn’t left. Thank God. I knew she was pissed. Skylar never hung up on me, and each time I’d tried to call her back, it had gone to voice mail.

Please don’t let her be pissed.

I pulled out my key and unlocked the door. Skylar was sitting on the sofa, dressed in a pair of my old sweats that I used to wear during football practice in high school and one of my T-shirts. Her dark blonde hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and she was shoving popcorn into her mouth.

Holy shit
.

She looked hot as hell.

My dick jumped in my pants as I shut the door behind me.

“You didn’t have to leave,” she mumbled before turning back to the TV.

Glancing around, I looked at all the candles. The smell of burning candles lingered in the air. She must have just blown them all out.

Son of a bitch. I fucked up bad.

“One of the guys on the team mentioned I should stop by the party. I should have called you to see if you wanted to come, but I honestly wasn’t planning on staying but for a few minutes. I got to talking to Rich, the kicker, and I lost track of time. Angel, I’m so sorry.”

She stared straight ahead. I could see her chin trembling. Sitting down on the couch, I grabbed a handful of popcorn and pushed it into my mouth.

“Today, after the game, I saw a cheerleader come up to you and hug you. I don’t know why, but it bothered me to see it. Then, you smiled at her, and I felt exactly like I did that day when I stood outside the coffee shop and watched Jenny kiss you.”

She turned to look at me. “I was so overcome with jealousy that it actually stunned me. Then, Skip made some stupid comment, and it was then I looked around and saw all the girls trying to get your attention. It literally made me feel sick to my stomach. But then you looked directly at me, and everything was okay again.”

With a smile, I placed my hand on the side of her face. “Skylar, you have nothing to worry about, I swear to you.”

She pulled her lower lip into her mouth and chewed on it. “I know that, but there is this part of me that still feels unworthy of you. Broken and damaged. Like, at any moment, someone else is going to come along and take you from me. I can’t help the way I feel. I’m trying so hard, Wyatt. I know girls are going to be throwing themselves at you, but…”

A tear slipped from her eye and made a path down her cheek. Reaching up, I wiped it away. It killed me to see her upset.

“Skylar,” I whispered as I pulled her onto my lap.

“I wasn’t prepared for this. I don’t know why, but I wasn’t ready for women to scream out your name or for girls to hit on you in the library. I wasn’t expecting you to go to parties without me and for me to pace back and forth, waiting for you, in some stupid lingerie I bought.”

“What? Why did you change?” I asked, wiping the wetness off her face.

“The girl’s voice, asking you not to leave…it sucked every bit of excitement I had out of me. I know that makes me sound weak and pathetic.” She let out a soft chuckle. “I mean, if I heard Michelle acting like this, I would tell her to grow up and stop being a stupid fool.”

Sucking in a shaky breath, she shook her head. “I don’t want to be one of those jealous girls who gets bent out of shape over every single little thing. I trust you…I swear I do. But until I know how to get rid of that side of me who is stuck in the past, wondering why you are even the least bit interested in me, I have a feeling I’m going to struggle with this.”

“Angel, look at me.”

She peered into my eyes, and I was suddenly left breathless. Those beautiful gray eyes looked so sad yet so full of life.

God, how I love this girl.

“This is all new to me, too. At times, it feels like I’m still in high school, and I’m not sure how to react to things. It doesn’t matter how many women come up to me or try to get my attention or beg me to sleep with them, you are the woman I love, the only woman in my heart and in my bed. Skylar, you’re the only reason I breathe.”

“I’m so sorry I ruined your night.”

My heart slammed against my chest. Standing, I carried her into the bedroom and slowly put her down. “You’re the best part of my night, angel. When will you learn that?” My eyes swept over her body. “God, you look so beautiful.”

She glanced down and then back up, giving me a confused look. “I’m dressed in your clothes.”

“And it’s the sexiest damn thing ever.” My lips moved across her neck and up to her ear. “I’m so turned on right now that I have to force myself to go slow.”

Her breathing picked up as she gripped my arms and moaned out my name, “Wyatt.”

Running my tongue along her neck and up to her lips, I captured her mouth with mine, claiming what was mine.

The way my heart was pounding in my chest, I was sure Skylar could hear it.

I took the bottom of the T-shirt and pulled it up, breaking our kiss only long enough to get the shirt off. My dick throbbed when I saw she didn’t have a bra on.

“Jesus, Skylar,” I mumbled.

Dropping my head, I took a nipple into my mouth. Moving my lips down, I placed soft kisses on her stomach. Falling to my knees, I slowly pulled the sweats down, praying like hell she hadn’t put panties on either.

A low growl came from the back of my throat when I saw her naked under the sweats.

“I can’t get enough of you,” I whispered.

Standing, I quickly got undressed while her eyes stay glued on me.

“I want you so bad, Sky,” I said, kicking my jeans off and to the side.