Ally’s hand rubbed at my back. “Don’t beat yourself up, darlin’. You’re back now and you were hurtin’ real bad too. No one blames you.”

Cass took the top of my arm and launched me to stand, sympathy in her blue gaze. “No tears, girl. We just won the shittin’ National Championship!”

I nodded, took a deep breath, and clapped with the crowd until my hands grew numb. I watched proudly as the team took to the stage and were crowned the BCS National Champions.

A male presenter moved to the stage and introduced the coach and the BCS commissioner, who presented the coach with the crystal trophy, and then moved next to Romeo. My boyfriend’s beautiful face quickly graced the screen of the Jumbotron. He’d been awarded MVP.

The presenter lifted his microphone. “Bullet, how does it feel to be MVP at the BCS National Championship?”

The crowd roared and Romeo pulled his devastatingly stunning smirk in response. “It’s a dream come true. As a kid, I always dreamed of playin’ for the Tide and I can’t believe we’ve just won the National Championship again.”

Romeo bowed his head, seeming shy at all the attention.

The presenter’s expression turned serious and he laid his hand on Rome’s shoulder. Romeo’s face hardened in reaction to the gesture.

“Now, Bullet, we all love you here.” The presenter gestured to the stadium and the crowd began banging their feet in the stands in support. “And it’s no secret that you’ve had a real rough time in your personal life over recent weeks.”

Cass and Ally held my hands in each of theirs and several supporters around me tapped my back. I had to breathe slowly, in and out, through the unwanted attention.

Romeo crossed his arms over his chest, staring down at the stage floor. I smiled when Reece, Jimmy-Don, and Austin moved to stand beside him in support.

The presenter signalled to hush the crowd. “We just wanted to ask how you’re doing?”

Romeo cleared his throat. “Better, thank you.” He didn’t elaborate further.

“The support by the fans for you and your girlfriend has been overwhelming. Is there anything you would like to say in response?”

I quickly looked to Ally and questioned, “The support has been overwhelming?”

She squeezed my hand. “Unbelievable, darlin’.”

I nodded, trying to fight back my emotions.

“I… I…” Romeo ran a hand down his face, unable to speak, and Jimmy-Don hooked an arm around his shoulders, whispering something into his ear.

“Bullet?” The presenter pushed for an answer, sympathy in his voice.

Romeo took a deep breath, raising his head. “I don’t know how to possibly thank everyone for the support. It’s truly blown me away. Alabama has the best damn fans in the world.”

The crowd erupted once more.

“Just one more thing, Bullet,” the presenter announced. Romeo nodded his head curtly. I could see how uncomfortable he was at being questioned so publically.

“Do you really think your luck changed this year after that—now famous—kiss from your girlfriend and the subsequent ones at every home game?”

Cass nudged my arm and made kissing noises at me. I just blushed and laughed.

Romeo smiled, a full, beautiful smile, and stared right at me over the distance of the field. “Hell, yeah. My whole damn life changed with that kiss, man. My whole life changed the minute I met her.”

Austin, Reece, and Jimmy-Don dived on Romeo, laughing, and the presenter turned to the camera, shaking his head in amusement. “Ladies and gentleman, give it up for your winners, the Alabbammmaaaa Crriiimmmssooonnnn Tiiiidddddddeeeeeeee!!!!”

Streams of confetti burst from the roof and the opening chords of “Sweet Home Alabama” blasted through the stadium, the fans dancing and celebrating in the stands. The team moved from one another, hugging and laughing, and I watched as hordes of journalists beelined for Romeo.

I felt completely overwhelmed by the entire day and Cass, seeing me sit down, handed me her flask of moonshine. “Take a swig, you know you want to girl!”

I grabbed the flask with a roll of my eyes and took a tiny sip.

Yeah. It didn’t taste any better second time around.

Lexi came sprinting over to our seats, pompoms in hand. “Molly! You came!” she screamed and, handing the flask back to Cass, I bent down over the advertising boards to give her a hug.

“How are you, sweetie?” she asked tentatively.

“Better, thank you. Glad I’m back home.”

The fans suddenly increased in volume and when I looked up, Romeo was jogging my way, and as always, the camera followed him the entire way.

When Romeo reached the boards, he picked me up and held me in his arms. “We won, baby!”

“I’m so proud of you,” I said and kissed him softly.

“I need to be alone with you. Now,” he announced sternly, for my ears only.

“Don’t you have to be with the team?” I asked as he quickly headed to the players’ exit tunnel, ignoring anyone who got in our path.

Leaning in close, Romeo whispered, “You wanna give ‘em all an after show? ‘Cause right now all I can think of is bein’ inside you and no matter where we are in thirty minutes, it’s happenin’.”

“We need to go… like now,” I agreed.

“Glad we’re finally on the same f**kin’ page.”

27

Romeo never spoke once as we travelled to the hotel, and I was desperate for him to say something… anything. I wanted him to scream at me, be angry, be sad, but the silence he made me endure was a slow and painful torture.

After an incredibly tense elevator ride, we entered the large, plush double room dominated by a huge four-poster bed covered in crisp white sheets.

My scalp pricked. I could feel Romeo hovering at my back, the sweat from the game still clinging to his skin as his finger traced a line from the top curve of my spine to the bottom. We’d left so quickly that he hadn’t even bothered to change from his uniform and him being so rugged and rough was making the tension between us even worse.

Brushing my long hair off my shoulder, Romeo licked along the slope of exposed skin.

I almost combusted.

Rome’s hand tugged the halter tie loose, causing my white dress to drop to the floor, my br**sts exposed, leaving only my lace boy shorts on my body.