Allyson Reed shapes her life to make her parents proud, but whenever she's with Daxson Winters, the star wide receiver with a troubled past, her perfectly-crafted existence crumbles at the seams.
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A low crackle of thunder forced me to open my eyes. My hands stretched across the quilt until I touched another warm body beside me. I jerked upright on the quilt and squinted my eyes through my hair which swirled round me as a breeze whipped across the clearing.
I'd stayed out all night with Daxson.
I glanced over at Daxson's peaceful, sleeping form with a smile. He slept on his right side with his arm tucked beneath his head. A small trail of drool dripped from the corner of his mouth and created a pool on the quilt.
Another boom in the air pulled my eyes away from him. Black clouds sprawled across the sky and billowed in from the west. The air grew heavy as the humidity pressed down on my shoulders, threatening to suffocate. Sweat beaded along my skin as the scent of rain consumed me. We didn't have much time before the storm hit.
"Daxson!" I shook his shoulder hard as I scrambled to my feet.
He rolled over and raised his hands as he stared at me. It took him a moment to register the fact we had stayed out all night.
"Shit. Is it morning?" He asked.
"Yeah, and it's about to rain cats and dogs." I pushed him with my foot. "Get up. We've got to go."
Daxson stumbled to his feet and rubbed his face with a yawn. He stretched his arms above his head before he rolled up the quilt and shoved it into his backpack.
In the distance, a jagged bolt of white lightening split the gray sky before vanishing, followed by another crack of thunder. Daxson secured his backpack with the snap of a buckle across his chest. He stood in front of me and stretched his arms like he didn't even notice the storm brewing over head.
I motioned forward with my hand. "Well, lead the way. Quickly."
Daxson started toward the edge of the trees with another yawn, but it was too late. For a moment, everything stopped. Even the wind held its breath. Then, the rain poured across the clearing with a roar. The cold icy rain pierced my pale skin and drenched my clothing.
Daxson glanced back at me with a loud laugh. "You scared of a little rain, Ally? You going to melt?" He asked as we entered the tree line.
The leaves of the trees provided some relief from the downpour as we walked the old path back toward his truck.
"No, its fine. I'm fine. I just didn't think you'd want me to ruin the jersey you just got me." I followed him along the path.
I stumbled over a slick tree root, but Daxson caught me. "Careful." He released my arm with a smile. "We can get another jersey, but we can't get another you."
The rain against his skin made him glisten. My eyes traveled from his jawline to his lips. The thoughts of kissing him returned to my mind. His lips looked round and soft, his bottom one protruding out just a bit. They were moist from the rain. Stop it, Allyson. A few raindrops hit me in the face and forced me to keep moving forward. I was aware of Daxson right behind me. He was probably waiting for another chance to save me if I fell.
