His lip hooked into a cocky smirk.

“What?”

“I love you.”

“That won’t get you out of my bad books! Look at the state of this place, of you!” I said with a firm prod of my finger on his washboard stomach, my insides instantly griping as I slowly trailed it down to his thin line of hair leading south.

Romeo loomed closer, pressing his thick thighs against mine. “I want to f**k you right now, so bad.”

I lifted my heavy golden gaze. “Not here. And not until you promise me that you’ll never act like this again.”

His pupils dilated to almost cover his bright-brown irises. “I’m all riled up and need a release, the kind that only you can give me.”

I dropped all playfulness. “I mean it, don’t ignore me. My child won’t grow up with a daddy who can’t control himself when things go wrong.”

He nodded curtly and I knew that sentiment resonated with him.

“You get that, don’t you?” I affirmed.

“I get it. It stops now. I won’t be anythin’ like my daddy with our angel. I promise you that.”

Romeo regained his lust-laden expression and leaned in towards me, kissing up my neck and around the outer shell of my ear. “We’re goin’ to the cabin. I’m gonna strip you down and you’re gonna do everythin’ I say, until neither of us can stand. You get me?”

My head fell on his shoulder. “Ugh! Fine! I get you!” It was easier to do as he said, especially when he was going full-blown Romeo-alpha on me. His need for control was palpable and my traitorous body responded to every strict word from his plush and skilful mouth.

He drew back with a smug grin and knew he had me where he wanted me. He lost his smile. “I’m gonna make sure you’re protected at the party, baby.”

“I know you will.” I held out my hand. He took it and sat next to me on the bench, pulling me to his lap, calmly breathing in my scent as I wrapped his long dirty-blond locks around my fingers. “It’s déjà vu, you, cut up and bleeding and me, cleaning you up. But let’s not make this our ‘thing,’ okay?”

Romeo managed a weak a laugh. “Last time, I promise. I’m gonna change. No more cleanin’ up my messes. Scouts’ honour.”

“You were never a scout, Romeo.” I giggled.

“I joined…”

My head snapped up in shock. “Really, you did?”

“Mm-hmm… but I was kicked out for fightin’.”

I rolled my eyes. “Why am I not surprised?” He bit my earlobe and mock growled when the door cracked open.

I lifted my head and Ally was there, peeking through a small gap. I waved her through. Cass, Lexi, Austin, and Jimmy-Don followed after, shutting the door, and moved to sit before us on the wooden gym floor.

Romeo heard their heavy feet and saw that we had company. I laid my head on his shoulder, entwining his hand in mine, the touch relaxing us both.

“You okay, Rome?” Ally asked softly, her hand touching his foot.

He shook his head. “My momma and daddy have manipulated the university into hosting the dinner at their plantation a couple of days after the SEC Championship.”

“Shit!” Ally hissed, and the others sighed. They all knew what his parents were like.

Romeo brushed a kiss to the centre of my forehead and looked to Austin and Jimmy-Don. “I need you guys to help me keep them from Mol.”

“You got it, Bullet.”

“Don’t need to ask. It’s as good as done.”

Romeo met my eyes, asking for permission to tell them about the baby. I relented. They were his friends; they should know why he took the news today so badly.

Romeo placed his hand on my stomach. “Guys, I freaked out… ‘cause we’re pregnant.”

I glanced nervously at Austin and Jimmy-Don and watched the shock register on their faces.

“No one knows apart from us. She’s only a few months in, but my parents don’t know and I won’t have them anywhere near, causin’ her or the baby stress.”

Austin stood, somewhat stunned, and slapped Romeo’s hand. “Congratulations, Bullet. And you know we got her back. You’re both important to us.”

Jimmy-Don did the same and laughed. “Hot damn, Bullet! You go from not dating at all, gals throwing themselves in heaps at your feet, to making your first real girlfriend the envy of the entire female student body and you knocked her up too? You’re killin’ me, man! Killin’ me!” He then scooped me up in his arms and twirled me around.

I held my stomach. “Jimmy-Don, I’m going to puke if you keep going! I’m still struggling with morning sickness—which just so happens to last all bloody day!”

Grimacing, he set me on my feet. “Sorry, darlin’!”

Bending, Jimmy-Don kissed my hand. “Congratulations on your lil’ baby. You’ll make one helluva sexy MILF!”

“Thank you… I think…?”

Romeo’s arms wrapped around me from behind. “She’s not only my first real girlfriend, man; she’s the reason I f**kin’ breathe.”

Lexi and Ally aww-ed, watching Rome hold me close, as Cass pretended to stick her fingers down her throat.

Jimmy-Don took off his Stetson and fanned himself, shouting, “You’re killin’ me, man! Killin’ me!”

Rome slapped him on his back, laughing at his antics. “We’re headin’ out for the night. I need to get away from all this shit. We’ll catch y’all tomorrow.”

Romeo clasped my hand and headed for the door.

“Romeo, you’re shirtless,” I complained, almost tripping over as I stared at his lean figure.

He simply shrugged. “I plan to be naked in about forty minutes for a minimum of twelve hours, so what does it matter?”

“Great. Do you realise how many people are out there? How many girls are out there?”

“So f**k. I’m yours. Let’s go.”

22

SEC Championship, Georgia Dome, Georgia

“I can’t go out there into that!” I screeched as Cass and Ally tried to push me to our seats. The seventy thousand-seat stadium was packed to the rafters and the noise was ear splitting under the closed roof.

Cass put her hands on my shoulders and gave me her reprimanding expression. “If you don’t kiss Bullet when he runs out, it’s not only his parents who’ll be gunnin’ for your blood. We wanna beat the Gators! You owe it to the fans!”