First Meet Foul

by Jaqueline Snowe

My throat tightened with all the words I didn’t say. Who broke her heart? Where did he live? What idiot of a human had hurt her?

“I don’t care at all.” Ollie shrugged. “Girls smell nice.” “Okay, you’re not smelling my sister.”

“Define the word fine. Am I alive? Yes. Am I single? Also, yes. I want to go on the old lady bus trip, but you and Val won’t let me.”

“Eric looks like someone who doesn’t know how to please a woman, and if I ever were to punch anyone in the face, it’d be him. He has my top spot.”

If she learned the power her smile had on me, she could get me to do anything in the world.

Football would always come first, I knew that. But I didn’t have to leave behind a trail of asshole behavior.

“I’d be lucky to sleep with you. The luckiest.

“You’re gorgeous. I think, possibly, when I said what I did this morning in front of Callum, you thought that I didn’t think you were the most beautiful thing on this green earth. You are, by the way. Like, perfection. Stunning. Like, if I didn’t have to worry about my grandma or football or Dean, I’d be doing whatever I could to score a date with you. You’re a goddess, Lorelei, and it bothered me all damn day to know you probably thought the opposite.”

“You’re driving, but no, now I have to listen. Where did he go? What happened? Like, I need answers now. That’s one of my flaws. Like some people can stop reading a book at some point because, hey, don’t like it. I can’t do that. I’m a finisher. I finish things all the way through, regardless of if it’s a good use of time.

My skin tinged for a different reason this time. The heightened emotions from the almost-accident, the way he’d protected me. In the middle of a potential accident, he’d reached over to me, ensuring I was safe.

Forgive me for having questions, but I’m a bored old woman stuck in this prison, so I need drama.

“Should you be gambling?” “Should you be questioning the elderly? Death is on my door, and I do as a please.”

“You annoy me with how much you take care of me, Luca, so yeah, I trust her because you trust her.”

“We’ll beat him. I’ll do whatever you need. I dated a guy once, back in the eighties, who told me the only thing I was good for was opening my legs.”

When men say stupid things, you don’t get even, you take the lead.”

My damn heart pounded in my chest with a continuous break your rule, break your rule, break your rule.

It was getting harder and harder to not say to hell with it. Lorelei Romano would be my undoing.

Luca, my boy, you need to help set me up with social medias. If it’s this easy to be connected, I can see if my high school crush is single. Maybe he’s widowed.” “Grandma,” I blurted out, my face reddening. “That’s not polite.” “Hush. I stopped giving a shit about being polite three decades ago.

I’m going to kill him.” “I’d suggest refraining from murder,”

Lorelei on a normal boring day was incredible, but seeing her on the field sparked a new longing for her.

I followed because where else would I go? I wanted to orbit around her. I’d worship her like the sun if I had a different life, one where I could be a normal person.

“Don’t rush me, Lorelei. It’s not every day I get to live out my fantasy of fucking you. I’m going slow, and you’re going to let me.”

bit into Luca’s shoulder. He stilled, then stared down at me. “What was that for?” “You’re not the only one who likes to use their teeth.”

“I want your ass in the air, your hair wrapped around my hand, and my cock so far inside you, you’ll feel me tomorrow.”

Why did the world’s prettiest, made-for-me woman have to meet me right now? Two years from now? I could do this. But now… it was impossible.

She legit tucked me into my bed. I was charmed as fuck.

“Why the fuck did you not tell me immediately? What’s the point of our friendship then, ma’am? This is top-tier shit.”

“I want to renegotiate our deal.” “Wait…what?” “You heard me. One night with you wasn’t enough. When I get back, you and I are having another conversation.”

It made me want to bite her thighs so she knew I was there every time she took a step. Suck her neck so when she put her ponytail up, she’d see me there. Fuck her again, so any man in the future would have to work twice as hard to replace the memory of me.

I detoured from my plan for one second, dropping my bags off in my room and rummaging through my bottom drawer for one of my old football shirts. If she wanted to support our team, she’d be wearing mine.

“I don’t need to be walked in. I saw how you looked at her, Luca. Take her home and use your bodies while you’re still young.”

I swear, Luca James Monroe, if you’re using me as an excuse, I will kill you. I’ll make it look like an accident too. I’ve been watching some shows.”

“When you hurt her—” “Then I’ll apologize, learn from it, and never do it again.”

I want Lorelei as long as she’ll have me, in any capacity.

“Every time you make her cry, I punch you in the face.” “How long does this stipulation last?” “Forever. I don’t care if you’re fucking sixty. You hurt her, I punch you.” My lips twitched. “You’re assuming she won’t hand me my ass first.” “I expect her to. Romano twins are tough.” I

“For not being what you needed before. No secrets, no hiding. We do this thing for real. A relationship. I show you every day how much I love you, and you continue being the light in my world. Football is important, and so is my grandma, but you…I need you to be mine. To be my person.”

“You want me to be your goddess?” I snorted. “Yes, be my goddess. Love me back.”

“Four days.” She pinched my side. “You can wait to hear me say I love you back for four days, Monroe.” “Is there any reason why you’re being sassy right now?” “You and Dean talked outside my door Monday, and I heard you. You told him you loved me, and I had to wait four fucking days for you to tell me. So yes, Luca, there is a reason I’m being sassy.”