SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL, J.HUGHES

FORTY NINE

JACK'S POV

I'm finally reunited with her. God, I've been counting down the seconds, the minutes, every moment until I could feel her lips on mine again. It's like nothing else mattered—like the whole damn world could just wait its turn.

I gave everything I had at the game, pushed through every check, every play, but I couldn't shake this weird feeling gnawing at the back of my mind. It's like I'm here, but I'm also somewhere else, stuck in this fog that I can't shake off. I mean, I've been looking forward to this for what feels like forever.

First thing I did when I stepped off the plane was shoot a quick look at Luke, and all I could manage was, "Uber home, man." He just gave me this lazy look, grunted like he was already halfway to sleep, and gave me a little shove with his bag. I just shrugged it off, didn't even think twice—I had somewhere way more important to be.

I didn't even bother with the rest of the guys, just waved at them and took off. They could do their thing; I had mine. And my thing? That was her. I needed to see her, like, right now. Cuddle, talk, shower, make out, eat, sleep, fuck—the whole list of things running through my head, and every single one of them involved her. It's like the second I knew I was getting home, everything else just faded out. She's all I can think about, all I want right now. The rest of the world? It can wait.

I barely made it through the door before she pulled me in for a kiss, and damn, I've missed this. It's like the world just stops spinning when I'm with her. We're tangled up on the couch now, and everything just feels right. All that other bullshit— the flights, the games, the locker room noise—it's all a blur. Right now, it's just us.

We're talking about everything and nothing, and I'm just soaking it all in. The way she laughs, the way she looks at me, like I'm the only thing that matters. It's got me feeling like I'm home for real, like all the crap I go through out there doesn't mean shit as long as I've got her here.

We're so wrapped up in each other, I don't even care about the time. Food's on the table, but I'm more into her than any meal right now. And I know she feels the same way, the way she's looking at me, like she's just as hungry for this as I am. Everything else? Fuck it. We've got all night to figure it out.

It's just us now, and honestly? That's all I need. We'll probably pass out in a mess of blankets, wake up at some stupid hour, and do it all over again. And that's exactly how I want it. Because when I'm with her, nothing else fucking matters.

"You missed me, didn't you?" she teases, her voice soft but with that little edge that drives me wild.

"You have no idea," I breathe out, pulling her closer. "The whole time, all I could think about was getting back to you."

"You must be starving," she says, gesturing towards the food on the table.

I shrug, eyes locked on her. "Yeah, but I'm more into you than anything on that plate."

She laughs, rolling her eyes. "Shut up," 

"I mean it," I say, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Everything else? Fuck it. We've got all night."

She leans into me, her lips brushing mine as she whispers, "Good, because I'm not letting you go anytime soon."

We're whispering to each other like there's no tomorrow, exchanging those soft, quiet words that are almost too sweet to believe. She murmurs, her breath warm against my neck. And I can't help but smile, pulling her even closer.

And honestly? If you'd told me a year ago that I'd be like this, whispering love words, being all soft and shit, I probably would've thrown up. Seriously. The idea of being a lover boy was so far off my radar, I wouldn't have even recognized myself. But now? Now I'm all in, and I wouldn't change a damn thing.

Next thing I know, it's morning, and I'm blinking against the sunlight streaming through the curtains. I grunt, half-awake, and peek under the blanket. That's when I see it—my bare-ass naked self. Shit, I guess we really did go at it all night, huh?

"You fell asleep in my arms yesterday," she says from the corner of the room, her voice all soft and warm like she's still soaking in the glow from last night. I glance over, and damn, she's gorgeous. Her golden blonde hair is catching the light just right, making her look like some kind of angel. She's brushing through her wavy hair—probably still all wavy from the braid she had in yesterday.

"Really?" I mumble, still piecing it all together. My mind's a mess, but I remember how good it felt to just be with her, to forget everything else and lose ourselves in each other.

She hums in that way she does, with a little smirk that tells me she knows exactly what she's doing to me. She finishes with her hair and jumps back into bed, curling up close to me. I can feel the warmth of her body next to mine, and it's like everything clicks back into place.

"Yeah, you passed out on me, you big sleeper," she teases, playfully nudging me with her elbow. "But it's okay, I kind of like seeing this side of you."

"Shit," I laugh, running a hand through my messy hair, trying to shake off the last bits of sleep. I look down and see her tracing lazy patterns on my chest, her fingers light and soft. We're just soaking up the quiet, that comfortable silence between us, until she finally breaks it.

"Isn't it like Nico's birthday on January 4th?" she asks, her voice casual, like she's just thinking out loud.

I breathe heavily, reaching for my phone on the nightstand. As I scroll through Nico's personal Facebook page, I can't help but smirk at myself. Yeah, I don't know my friends' birthdays by heart—too many damn dates to remember. Seriously, who expects me to keep track of all that?

"Yeah, it is," I say, looking at her with a mix of surprise and admiration. 

She raises an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "You had to check Facebook for the answer?" I chuckle, caught red-handed.

She's always got these little details locked down, even when I'm half out of it. "Why?"

She shrugs, her fingers still moving across my skin, and I can tell she's just enjoying being close.

"Because when I'm with you, I can't think of anything else," I say, trying to sound romantic and sexy, but I bet I failed miserably judging by the sound of her laugh. She pulls me closer, her soft vanilla perfume drifting into my nose.

"I'll love you forever," she whispers.

"Can't wait to make you mine forever," I say, looking at her hands.

...

Just because...I'm almost back. 

Much love, xxx