Free Winning Pass - A Football Romance by Kerrigan Grant Page A

that I have now become, who is demanding that I touch this incredible, sexy body. Most importantly, the emptiness inside me that seeks to heal from the wounds that even time couldn’t fix. I’m not about to let him slip through my fingers again.
    There was a small moment of hesitation where I thought that maybe Elijah wouldn’t want this, that I may be overstepping some invisible boundary between us. When I saw the way he was looking at me, I could tell there was something more hidden behind his eyes than just friendship.
    So I kiss him full on the lips, braving everything I’ve ever had inside me and all the self-doubt I’ve ever had. And I’ve got to say, I’ve really fucking done it now.
    Elijah is shocked, and he rocks back on his heels without pulling away from my mouth. The shock doesn’t last very long, and his hands immediately go to my thick waist, bunching his fingers in the fabric of my light green dress. It’s such an intimate touch, and I don’t expect it. I gasp.
    This noise of mine drives something deep inside Elijah, and his tongue sweeps past mine, making me tilt my head to the other side to give him better access to me. I cling tightly to him, my hands almost clawing at him to get closer. I can’t stand to be any farther away from him than I am right now.
    He breaks the kiss only to take a few breaths, giving me some time to look into his eyes. They’re the same eyes that struck me down dead as a child, whether because he was mischievously looking at me as he snuck some cookies for us, or when he kissed me for the very last time before he moved away.
    Elijah brushes his soft, full lips against mine, slowly kissing from one corner to the next. I melt instantly. I’m almost embarrassed at how wet I am.
    Elijah’s warm hands emanate heat everywhere he touches me, even through the fabric of my dress. His hands move from my waist around to the small of my back, gliding upward as my exposed skin blazes from his fingertip-light touch. It’s as though my nerves are being drowned in his body heat.
    I unfreeze my own limbs, reminding myself that I’m very much allowed to touch him too. I tentatively run my fingers through his messy hair, grabbing ahold and slightly tugging to bring him even closer, tighter against me. He responds enthusiastically by crushing me between him and the door behind us, his mouth moving down my neck, zig-zagging across my throat and back. Elijah nips and sucks at the soft skin under my earlobe.
    His mouth is everywhere, exploring and encompassing everything from my shoulders up. He slips his fingers under the dip in the back of my dress, skirting over the dimples I have right above my ass cheeks.
    “Are those . . . dimples?” he breathes into my ear. “No fucking way.”
    I raise my brow, pulled out of the lustful moment for a minute to look at him. “Is there a problem with that?”
    Elijah quickly shakes his head no. “I find it pretty funny, that’s all. I think you’ll find out why here shortly.” He covers my mouth with his own as soon as I open it to reply, effectively drowning out my words. It’s a good way to shut me up, that’s for sure.
    I send a little prayer up each time Elijah drags his teeth across my skin and each time his fingers trail down my spine. Please let this be real. Please let this be real.
    I have become putty in his capable hands, unable to move except to wobble when he fumbles with the top clasp of my dress. At this very moment, as our eyes lock together, I sense he is overwhelmed with the same emotions as I am. I’ve always dreamed it but never imagined that I would be back in the arms of the boy who stole my heart and then vanished from my life so many years ago.
    “Are you sure you want to do this?” My voice is soft, hesitant. It’s not that I don’t want to do this, because clearly, I do . . . but to give up everything that I’ve known about him to explore everything I don’t . . . how does that even work?
    In the most