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“That’s between me and Aaron,” he said. “I don’t want you to worry about any of that. All I’ll ever want is for you to be happy, sweetheart. To find someone who makes you smile and makes your heart soar. Someone who supports your dreams and pushes you to be the best version of yourself.“Am I upset you didn’t feel like you could talk to me about this? Of course I am. But I’ll never be upset at you for following your heart, Poppy. Even if I wish I could keep you my little girl forever.”I went to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. The first man I’d ever loved. The man who had taught me all about love and the kind of relationship I wanted one day.“I love you, Dad.”“I love you too, sweetheart. So much. Now go read the letter and put the boy out of his misery.”I took a deep breath as I sat down on the end of my bed and gently opened the envelope. It was a single note folded in half, covered in Aaron’s familiar scrawl.Smoothing it out on my lap, I started to read it.Poppy Star,N
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“No problem, now quit stalling and go get the girl, Bennet.” A smile played on my lips. “That’s the plan.”My heart was in my fucking throat as I stepped up to the Fords’ door and rang the bell.Coach knew—he knew where my head was at regarding his daughter. I’d stood in this very spot less than five hours ago and laid it out for him. And he hadn’t throttled me on the spot, so I was taking that as his blessing to date Poppy. But even so, I really liked my balls and wanted to keep them firmly attached to my body.A shadow appeared beyond the frosted pane in the door.Please be Poppy, please be— “Aaron,” Coach said flatly.“Coach, I mean… sir. Mr. Ford.” I stuttered, and he smirked.“Nervous, son?” he asked.“I…”“Because you should be.” Fuck.I ran a hand through my hair and down the back of my neck, hoping like hell that either Poppy or Mrs. Ford would appear and put me out of my misery.“I need to make something clear to you, son. Just because I’m entertaining this doesn’t for one se
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“Oh.”“You’re cute when you blush.” I stole another kiss because she was looking at me like I hung the fucking moon. And it was so much more than I deserved.“I didn’t sleep with Zara,” I blurted out. “The guys, they thought it would be funny to leave me out there and have her help me out.”“Help you out?”“Yeah, you know… since I’m a virgin and all.”“You were half-naked and covered in her lipstick.” Poppy pulled away and a cold blast of air filled the space between us.“I was. When I told her it wasn’t going to happen, she tried… well, I guess she tried to seduce me.”“You didn’t kiss her?”“I didn’t kiss her back, no. I swear. She got pissed at me, untied me, and left. I didn’t know she’d used my cell to text you, Poppy, I swear.”I should have listened all the times Cole and Ezra told me to watch my back with a girl like Zara, but I didn’t think she was manipulative enough to do something like that.“She said she, ‘Gave you the ride of your life.’”“Fuck.” I winced at the hurt in
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God, kissing him was everything.I climbed over his legs and seated myself in his lap. His hand slid around my waist and down over the curve of my ass. “Fuck, Poppy. You’re killing me here.” He pulled me onto him and I felt him, right there. Hard and thick through his jeans.A bolt of pure lust went through me.“Do you know the single best moment of my life?” he breathed the words onto my lips. “It isn’t winning state last season or being named captain. It was watching you fall apart, hearing you cry my name. I’ll never forget that as long as I live. And when you—if—you ever gift me with that chance again, I’ll be Aaron the Luckiest.”“You did not just say that.” I chuckled, toying with the hair at the back of his neck.“Too much?” He grinned.“Way too much. But I kind of loved it.”The air crackled around us, thick with lust and full of anticipation. I wanted him.I’d always wanted him.But were we moving too fast?I’d waited years for this moment… years. And now—“Poppy?”“Yeah, Aar
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“You like?”“Like? I fucking love.” Lowering his mouth over the shell of my bra, he gently grazed his teeth against my pebbled skin.“Aaron, that’s… God…” I gasped, sliding my fingers into his hair. He trailed his mouth up my throat, nipping along my jaw and finally capturing my mouth in a slow, bruising kiss.“If we do this, Poppy, and we are doing this, I just need you to know that you’re mine. Now, forever, always. Because the idea of not having you in my life, by my side… I can’t do it.”“I’m yours.”We kissed… and kissed some more. Until our chests heaved between us and our breaths turned ragged.I helped Aaron unbutton his shirt, pushing it off his body, reveling in the sight of his abs, all that tanned skin.“Fuck, Poppy, I like the way you look at me.”“I like the way you look too.” I chuckled, and he dropped his lips to my forehead, pressing a kiss there.“You’re sure?” he asked, and I nodded, my throat turning dry.He rocked back on his haunches and pulled out his wallet. “I
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“Poppy Star, you’re doing it again.” He smirked at me.“W-what?”“Looking at me like you want to eat me up.”“And I’m done. See you in class, assholes.” Sofia shouldered the door and climbed out, not bothering to say goodbye.“Are we really that bad?” I asked, smothering a chuckle.“She’ll get used to it. She has no choice because I plan on lots and lots of PDA.” Aaron slid his hand into the back of my hair and kissed me. Soft, lazy licks that made my body stir to life.“Class,” I breathed, heat pooling low in my stomach. “We need to get to class.”“Or we could sneak under the bleachers and make out.”“Class, Aaron. Besides, don’t you have a meeting with my dad?” “Ugh, don’t remind me.” His expression dropped.“Hey.” I laid my hand on his cheek. “It’ll be okay. You’ll figure something out. He cares too much to let you quit.”“You’re right, girlfriend.” His mouth quirked. “Ready to do this?” I inhaled a deep breath and nodded.“That’s my girl.” He dropped a kiss on my head and ducked o
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Because my concentration levels were shot and my focus was all over the place.Poppy consumed me and I couldn’t think of a better way to drown.But we still had a season left to finish. A season everyone wanted to win.I still wanted it. I still wanted the team to win state, I just didn’t need it the same way I had before.“About time.” Dad smirked. “I almost came up there to get you.” “Ash,” Mom warned, hiding a smile of her own.Jesus.This was unbearable. But I’d survive it for Poppy. She looked so radiant as she went over to help her mom with the dishes.“Something smells good, Mrs. Ford,” I said.“Oh, sweetheart, call me Felicity.”“Sure thing, Mrs. F.”“Do not call my wife that,” Coach gritted out.“Sorry, Jase.”Poppy shot me a warning look, but Mom and Dad only snickered.“It’s Coach or Mr. Ford to you, son.”“You know, Jase, one day you might be saying that for real.”“Seriously, Ash, I love you like a brother, but if you want to come into my house and eat my food then you’re
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“It’s fine. Isn’t it, Sofia?”“Yeah, I guess.”“Aaron is at the bar if you want to get drinks.”“Great.” Eli grinned. “We’ll do that.”“So what’s the deal with the two of them?” Ezra asked, watching the two of them walk off.“What do you mean?” I asked.“What? No one else picked up on it. They’re—”“Not ready to be outed by the likes of you, E.”“Fair enough. But they don’t need to hide it on my account.”“Hide what— oh. Oh. That’s why he was such an ass that night.” Realization dawned in Sofia’s eyes. “Wow, it makes so much sense now.”“I didn’t tell you because it’s not my story to tell.”“I can respect that,” she said, glancing around the bar. “Where’s Cole?” “Oh, he isn’t coming.” Ezra shrugged.“Why not?”“Something about a family dinner.”“Oh.” Disappointment washed over her.“You know if you two get together we could all group date,” I whispered.“Shh,” she hissed. “Don’t let anyone hear you say that crap. Aaron will freak.”“I’m sure he’d come around to the—”“Poppy, stop. I a
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