Climb on My Stepfather (Ashley and Alex) novel Chapter 74

6: Gage.

Bringing Stella to practice was a mistake. A huge one.

That much becomes obvious the second we arrive.

I've never had a girlfriend before, so I didn’t recognize the error in judgment I made until now, when it's too late. When every single one of my teammates is gawking at her from the field. All of the groupies that watch from the stands zero in on her like vultures. I have the urge to pick her up again and leave.

Take her home, lock the door and block out the world.

I've put her under a microscope.

Everyone is curious about her now. I’ve barged into her class and declared her my girlfriend. News has probably already traveled about that. And now I've towed her along to the football field, her delicate little hand trembling in mine because of all the staring. I’m such an asshole. I didn’t even stop to consider how terrifying this would be for her. For a hundred men, including players and staff and physical therapists, to be openly speculating about her.

“Stella...” I pivot at the edge of the field, blocking her from everyone's view. “I’

m sorry. I didn’t think this through. I'll bring you home.”

She steels herself. “No, it’s okay. Once you're out on the field, they'll s-stop staring.”

I frown. “Why?”

“Because their attention is for you.”

“No, it’s not, Stella. They're looking at you.”

She blinks. “Why?”

“Why?” I take her face in my hands. Is she serious? “Because you're fucking gorgeous, that’s why. And damn, honey, you're glowing from the head I gave you.”

Her puzzlement shows. “No one ever stared at me before.”

“You were hiding. But now...” Dread churns in my stomach. “Now, I've made them all aware of you. I didn't consider what I was doing.”

Glancing back over my shoulder, I curse myself to hell. In the space of an hour, I've made everyone on this campus aware that Stella is a commodity. I know what they're thinking. She must be something special, something hot, if the NFL-bound quarterback has taken himself off the market—and they want to know more. Fuck that. She’s mine and mine alone.

God, I want to go back in time and...