Allyson Reed shapes her life to make her parents proud, but whenever she's with Daxson Winters, the star wide receiver with a troubled past, her perfectly-crafted existence crumbles at the seams.
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When Daxson held my face between his hands, it felt like he was untying all of my knots. They dropped to grasp at my waist as his lips moved with mine in an intoxicating dance. Daxson pinned me between the hard wood of the barn wall and his muscular body, so hard my free hand had to cling to his neck. I've never wanted to be as close to someone as I wanted to be to Daxson. Thread by thread he'd unraveled every piece of me, allowing my emotions to bubble to the surface.
Our ragged breathing mingled in the small space between our lips when he broke the kiss. His nose brushed against mine like he wanted to kiss me again, but he hesitated. My eyes fluttered open in time to see his palm slam against the wood beside my head. While I couldn't even put my happiness into words, Daxson seemed to be going through another one of his mood swings. His shoulders tightened as he stepped away from me.
"Daxson, what's wrong?" My fingers spread across his forearm, wanting to pull him back to me.
He turned to face me, but there was a glint of sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry."
My eyebrows crashed together. "Sorry for what? For kissing me?"
Why couldn't he see my happiness?
"Yes. I allowed myself to get lost in the moment. I didn't even think about the consequences." A heavy sigh escaped him as he glanced off into the darkness.
My hand fell from his forearm and I tightened both hands around the hoodie he gave me. "Consequences?"
He folded his arms across his chest. "We're both still healing, Ally. I didn't think about how this would affect us... It really just complicates things. I was thinking about myself in the moment, and not about my family. It was selfish."
My heart ached at the mention of his family's struggles. It would be hard for them to trust someone like me, and for good reason. I still hadn't been completely honest with Daxson either, but after our kiss the desire to be with him was stronger than ever. It was something I wanted to feel again, over and over.
"I'm selfish too."
"What do you mean?" He questioned as his golden eyes focused on me.
I stepped forward until I was directly in front of him. "I'm selfish because I want you, too. No matter the trials and tribulations we might face, I want you. Since day one, you've been by my side and helped me grow into the person I am today. Daxson, you've helped me finally find myself. If I lost you now, it'd be like losing a piece of me." My fingers trailed along his cheek, enjoying the small sparks of static between our skin.
"I'm scared of how you make me feel." His tone was softer than normal as he lifted his hand to touch my cheek in return.
I smiled and leaned into his hand. "I'm scared too, Dax, but I want to try. I'm ready to try."
Daxson's handsome smile returned to his face and threatened to melt me into a puddle at his feet. I glanced away from him, but he pulled me against his chest. His nose tickled my ear. I let out a tiny gasp and squirmed uncomfortably. I'd never been so intimately handled, but I enjoyed it. His lips softly grazed my neck, forcing a flush to my cheeks. I summoned enough courage to meet his gaze. Daxson's golden eyes sparkled. He's trying to make me feel like this.
