Hometown Love

Colton

Even after three years, I wasn't prepared to see her. Looking at her had always made me feel like I was home, and by the time I left town that thought scared me more than anything.

I couldn't spend another second in this dead-end town. Football was my passion, I was good at it, and so when I got the chance to leave, I took it.

I spent three years trying to get her out of my head-- drinking, working out, fucking... none of it helped. Every time I made a big play, I thought about how much sweeter it would be if she was there cheering me on, like she used to all our lives. Every time I got lonely traveling city to city, I thought about how much more fun it would be to see the world with her by my side. Every time I went home with a woman, it was her name I was screaming in my release— that one got me in trouble a lot.

I hadn't reached out to Callie since I left town to play in the NFL, I couldn't. Not after the night everything almost changed between us. I would've given up everything I'd ever dreamed of for her. And that scared the living shit out of me. So I ran.

But after three agonizing years away from her, I was back. Ready to tell her how I felt. Ready to make her mine.

I spotted her immediately, as I always did. But the sight in front of my eyes was not a welcome one.

A man, one I didn't recognize from this town, had his hands all over her. This must be the boyfriend my sister told me about. Yes, I've kept tabs on Callie, it's always the first thing I ask my sister about on our weekly calls. it looked like she wasn't into him kissing her, or maybe that's just what I was hoping for. Not on my fucking watch, buddy.

God damnit, did she look delectable in that little suit. I moved to walk toward her, to pull that leech off of her sweet body, but as my eyes connected with hers, I stopped dead in my tracks.

There was pure, unadulterated hate burning in her eyes. Fuck.

I knew she'd be mad. I hadn't even spoken to her since I left, not to apologize or catch up, nothing. My life hadn't been the same without her, and even though I had achieved my lifelong goal of playing in the NFL, something was missing and I knew that was her. I had to find a way to get close to her again.

When I saw her grab that guy and kiss him, I saw red. It killed me to see another man touching her, kissing her. And so when that race started, I saw my opportunity. While loverboy waited for Callie to climb up the boat before taking off, I scooped her right out of the water and into my arms. I knew the exact moment when she realized it was me, because her body went rigid and she tried her damndest to get free. I wasn't about to let that happen.

When I grabbed the flag and set her down, I couldn't take my hands off of her. I wanted them to roam further, but I kept them planted around her tiny waist.

"Hey, Cal," I resisted the urge to kiss her and instead went for a teasing smirk.

Her soft hands climbed up my chest, and it felt like liquid fire was coursing through my veins. Her touch was otherworldly. It was all I could focus on until I felt the shove, and fell right into the cold water below.

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I tried my best to get back to Callie on the boat, but being back in town for the first time in three years and famous made it difficult to cut through the crowd around me. I still watched her, not caring to focus on anyone else or the conversations going on around me.

"I hate to do this, Ellison, but that was an illegal substitution back there, and I'm going to have to take this," Bobby Lawson snagged the little race flag from my pocket. I chuckled along, I didn't give a shit about the race, I just wanted to get my hands on Callie again.

By the time the sun started going down, I hadn't had a single opening to go talk to her. C'mon Colton, you came back here to see her. Figure it out. When the crowd started thinning out and some of the boats detached and drove away, I started off in her direction. Only, she wasn't there anymore. I looked up and saw her pontoon floating away, Callie sitting in that jockstrap's lap as they drove off. Fuck!

I ran my hand through my hair in frustration, yanking a little.

"Hey, Bobby, any idea where I can find Callie tonight?"

"I heard her talking with Beau about their date tonight, I think maybe the Ugly Duckling? Why, man?"

"Just haven't had a chance to talk to her yet," I kept my answer vague.

"Didn't look like she wanted to do much talkin' earlier," Bobby chuckled. I guess they all knew that Callie no longer wanted anything to do with me. I was going to do whatever it took to change her mind.

And I guess that started with crashing her date.