Holding You (Love Wanted in Texas 3)

Laughing, I looked back at the email I had received from one of my football coaches. “Yeah, but just think, one more year of school and you’re done. Then it’s work.”

Will sat up and smiled. “Damn, I can’t wait to marry Alex.”

“She’s really happy, Will. Thank you for loving her the way you do.”

Will glanced at me. “She’s my entire world, Colt. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her.”

Nodding my head, I turned back to the computer and started my reply email to my coach.

“What about you and Lauren? How are things going?”

The moment her name was mentioned, I felt the crazy dip thing in my stomach. Looking at Will, I flashed him a grin. “Amazing. Fun. Exciting, yet scary as hell.”

Will pulled his head back and wore a surprised expression. “Scary? What’s scary about it?”

Leaning back, I pushed my hand over my head and scratched the back of my head a few times. “The emotions I feel for her, Will. It’s like I need to be near her all the time. I need her smile, her laugh, the silly little snore she does at night. Her perfume on my clothes drives me mad. I swear, sometimes I’ll be sitting in class and I can’t think straight because I smell her on my clothes. She’s like a drug and I can’t get enough of her.”

Will put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. “Dude, I know exactly how you feel.”

Nodding my head, I looked down. “I don’t want to suffocate her though. You know?” Giving me a look that said he totally understood, I asked. “Will it always be like this?”

His grin widened and nodded his head. “Yes. It changes though. Sometimes Alex looks at me and I feel like I have to hit myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. Every morning I wake up and she looks at me, I fall more in love with her.”

Glancing up, I watched as Lauren came running down the stairs, her cell phone pushed to her ear. “Maegan! You have to come home for spring break. Libby is planning a girls’ night at her place! It won’t be the same without you.” She skipped into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, grabbed a Diet Coke and skipped back to the stairs. Before she bolted up them she stopped and flashed me that beautiful smile of hers. “Hey! I’m almost packed.” Blowing me a kiss, she took off.

Raising my hand, I gestured to where Lauren had been standing. “See. She enters the room and my whole body comes to attention. All I want to do is follow her upstairs and watch her pack.”

Laughing, he stood up. “Damn dude, you’ve got it bad.”

Letting out a small chuckle, I replied, “I know. My coach told me my focus is not a hundred percent.”

Will tilted his head and narrowed his

eyes at me. “What do you mean?”

Shrugging my shoulders, I leaned back. “I don’t know. We were in a team meeting yesterday and I couldn’t focus. For once in my life, football isn’t my number-one love. I’m not sure how I feel about it right now. I’m confused.”

“Balance, Colt. That’s all it is. You can love football and Lauren at the same time.”

The windows were open and a breeze blew through. Inhaling a deep breath, I let the smell of the bluebonnets root inside me. Blowing out a deep breath, I closed my eyes quickly before opening them again. Looking back at the email I thought about how Coach had told me the NFL was looking to draft me early, they were that interested. That meant leaving Lauren. Frowning, I said, “I’m starting to feel like some things are just more important. I just need a few days at home I think.”

Looking back at Will, he gave me a weak smile. “Probably. You need a night with the guys. I’ll make plans with Luke.”

Smiling from ear to ear, I said, “That sounds like a damn good plan.”

Will dropped his shoulders and shook his head. “I guess I’ll take these out to my truck.”

Quickly finishing up my email to the coach, I hit Send and closed my laptop. The next nine days I wasn’t thinking about anything but Lauren.

Sprinting up the stairs, I stood outside my bedroom and I watched Lauren move about the room as she sang a song from Brother Bear. She must have felt my stare because she stopped packing. Her blue eyes embraced mine as we stood there and took each other in.

Biting down on her lip, her eyes narrowed and I recognized the expression in those beautiful eyes. Walking into my room, I shut the door behind me as Lauren laughed and pulled her shirt over her head. “I’ve been waiting for you, Mr. Mathews.”

Lauren and I were quickly lost in each other. Nothing was more magical than the two of us making love. Running my finger along her arm, I felt completely relaxed. A part me didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay right here in my bed for the next week doing nothing but making love to Lauren and giving her orgasm after orgasm.

“I’m done packing,” Lauren said, barely above a whisper.

Chuckling, I leaned into her hair and took in a deep breath and slowly released it. “Did you pack your whole closet?”