Page 72 of Off Limits
I flash her a grin. ‘No, and I’m hoping neither are you.’
I lean forward, kiss her mouth, use my tongue. I linger, because I want her to know that I’m being serious. ‘I’m crazy about you, Serenity. I know the rules. I know what you’re risking for me. But you’re my girl, okay? I mean, if you… if you wanted to be.’
‘I want to be your girl,’ she says. ‘I guess I’m just scared of what happens if we get found out.’
I lean up on my elbow, support my head on one hand. ‘Then we just keep things between us, like we have been, just us two. Nobody else needs to know. We meet here. ’Til we can figure all this out.’
She reaches up and strokes my face. I think I might be obsessed with her. Or maybe I’m falling in love.
She’s everything I want.
‘What do you say?’ I ask, and I can’t shake the trepidation in my voice. Not for the first time today, I’m nervous.
She sucks on her bottom lip, as if she’s thinking on it.
When she nods her head, it’s slow, as though maybe she’s unsure, because she’s the one taking all the chances.
I’ll take it. I know I can protect her from anything. So long as she’s mine, we’ll be unstoppable.
When I lean down and kiss Serenity Harper’s lips again, I know that nothing can stand in our way.
Contract or no contract.
Chapter Seventeen
Serenity
Monday Night Football. A half hour before we’re due on the field to begin our routine and we’re two cheerleaders down: Mona and Persia. I’m in my uniform and my hair and makeup are done. In the locker room, everyone is mostly ready. While the mood not so long ago was upbeat, Harmony’s been summoned upstairs, along with Ashlyn, her deputy. I’ve heard whispers, but I’m keeping my head down.
‘She’s toast,’ Shawny comments as she tugs on her boots. ‘There’s no way they’ll let her stay.’
She’s talking about Persia. Next to me, Jewel looks surprised. ‘You really think that’s true?’
‘In that hoochie outfit, in a club, at three in the morning, drunk and still downing liquor? There’s no chance they’ll let her keep her place on the squad.’
Jewel lowers her tone. ‘You don’t think they’ll just give her a slap on the wrist and let bygones be bygones?’
Angel takes a seat next to Shawny. She’s crossed her arms over her chest. ‘She might have gotten away with it had she not been photographed.’
A cry goes up from Imara, a fourth-year veteran with the second longest legs you ever saw, after Angel’s. ‘Don’t forget putting it out on her ’gram!’
Jewel leans over in my direction and lowers her voice. ‘Some of the girls are saying Persia wanted out of her contract, like she was tryna get fired. That’s why she decided to party hard on Saturday. Like she’s had enough.’
My stomach is churning. ‘Why would you actively go do that though? After everything it took to get on the squad? Why throw it away like that? All careless?’
I realize I could be talking about my own situation. Yesterday, Jake and I had sex one more time at the cabin before he had to leave. He keeps telling me how crazy he is about me, which makes me feel warm inside. And I can’t wait to get a glimpse of him on the field tonight. Careless is one thing Jake and I can’t afford to be.
There’s a commotion when Harmony enters the locker room, flanked by Ashlyn. Harmony hasn’t changed yet, and wears skinny jeans, a dark green T-shirt and a leather jacket. Ashlyn is in her uniform already.
Harmony addresses us all, concern etched into her features. ‘Alright, CMC, gather round, listen up.’
We all gather. There are worried faces.
‘Okay, I’ll start with Mona,’ Harmony says with a sigh. ‘Kathleen and Ms Conway have put her on temporary suspension. If she can lose the weight she’s gained and fast, then they’ll allow her back on the squad.’
‘Oh, come on,’ Angel blurts. ‘Her fiancé ran off with her sister. If that happened to me, I wouldn’t just console myself gorging on a box of Snickers ice cream.’
‘I’d eat the whole goddamned Snickers ice cream bar factory,’ Shawny chips in.
