Chapter 7

SEVEN

Jake

The crowd buzzes with anticipation,but my heart"s pounding out a different rhythm. I"m not seeing the diamond, the fans, or the players—there"s only Kaitlyn up in the stands, her blonde hair catching the stadium lights like a halo.

"Play ball!" someone shouts, but I don"t budge. Screw protocol.

"Sorry folks," I say into the mic, my voice echoing around Hawkins Stadium. "There"s something I gotta do."

I toss the mic down and hustle across the field, eyes fixed on Kaitlyn. I can't believe she's finally here. She hasn't been at the last three games, and it's been killing me. I tired to readh her phone, but I kept getting sent straight to voicemail.

I couldn't go over to Nate's. Not only is he still pissed at me, but I didn't know if Kaitlyn would even see me. The way she ran out of the room that night like she was ashamed of what we'd done…

It tore me up inside. I've been a wreck ever since.

All I can think about is her.

And now that she's here, I'm not letting her slip away again.

I glance over at Nate, and he's glaring at me, but I don't give a fuck. He might be my best friend, but his little sister is my eveything, and I can no longer live without her.

Her gaze meets mine, trepidation written all over that beautiful face.

"Kaitlyn Hawkins!" I call out to her.

Her eyes are wide. She looks terrified, but I can't stop now. No matter what her answer is.

"I am so in love with you, and I need you more than I've ever needed anything! You are my world, beautiful. I need you to know that!"

I'm at the edge of the field now, right below her seat. Without another second"s hesitation, I drop to one knee. The crowd gasps, a wave of whispers crescendoing into a roar.

"Kaitlyn Hawkins," I say, loud enough so every last person hears me over their excitement. "Will you marry me?"

Her hands fly to her mouth, those hazel eyes wide with shock.

There's a long moment when she doesn't say anything.

"You want me?" she asks me, and I frown at the surprise in her voice.

"Hell fucking yes, baby. Why would you ever doubt that."

Her bottom lip trembles. "You froze," she whispers, and then it dawns on me.

I want to kick myself in the ass. When Nate asked me if I was going to marry her, I was so shocked and overjoyed at the prospect, I couldn't speak.

"Baby, I was going to tell him yes, but then you ran out of the room, and I thought you regretted us."

Kaitlyn starts crying, and then a smile blooms on her face as she shakes her head and finally says, "Yes!"

I'm damn near sobbing in relief too when she leaps over the railing like she"s done it a hundred times, sprinting onto the field, and into my arms.

She crashes into me, and I catch her, spinning her around. When I finally stop, our lips crash together, hungry and unapologetic. The stadium erupts, but all I hear is the rush of blood in my ears. All I feel are Kaitlyn"s eager kisses.

"Let"s get out of here," I murmur against her lips.

"Lead the way," she breathes, all mischief and fire.

We tear away from the field, leaving cheers and whistles behind us. Once inside the locker room, I pin her against the cold metal lockers. Our breaths mix, ragged and hot as clothes tear away, revealing skin that"s flushed and aching for each other's touch.

"Jake, I need you," she moans, and I answer with actions, not words.

Her back presses against the lockers, her hands tugging at my hair as I trail kisses down her neck. Her pulse thrums under my lips, fast and erratic, matching the rhythm of our breathing.

"Right here, right now," Kaitlyn whispers, her voice a husky melody that drives me wild. I lift her up effortlessly, her legs wrapping around my waist as she clings to me. The cool metal of the locker sends shivers down her spine as I fuck deeper, driven by an insatiable need.

"Mine," I grunt out. "This little pussy is mine. Only mine."

Kaitlyn whimpers in response.

I grab a fistful of her hair and tug. "Don't you ever run from me again," I warn her. "This is where you belong. Right here on my cock. You hear me?"

The room seems to spin around us, the only reality being the heat of Kaitlyn's skin and the desperate sounds filling the air. I'm lost in her, in the feel, taste, and scent of her. Everything else—the game, the crowd, even time itself—melts away until there's nothing left but us.

"God, Jake," she gasps as I move with a fervor fueled by days of pent-up desire and longing. Each movement is more intense than the last, pushing us both towards an edge that seems both terrifying and inevitable.

Our eyes lock, and there"s a silent agreement in their depths—a promise not just of tonight but of something deeper, something permanent. She bites her lip, and that's what does it for me.

"Oh, fuck, baby, here I come," I tell her as I feel my nut climbing up my stalk before it releases in a torrent into her soaking wet pussy that starts fluttering around me.

As we come together, Kaitlyn"s cries echo off the walls, mingling with my own hoarse shout. The world snaps back into brutal clarity as we cling to each other, gasping for air in the aftermath of our storm.

Panting heavily, I rest my forehead against hers. "I meant what I said out there," I manage between breaths. "I can"t lose you again."

Kaitlyn smiles softly, her fingers tracing idle patterns on my back. "You"re not going to lose me," she reassures me. "You"ve got me for life now."

We dress slowly in the new quiet of the locker room. When we emerge into the night air outside Hawkins Stadium, it's like stepping into a new chapter of our lives—one filled with endless possibilities and promises made under stadium lights.