Copyright © 2013 by Kelly Elliott

All rights reserved.

Cover Designer: Angie Fields, i love it design studio

Editor and Interior Designer: Jovana Shirley, Unforeseen Editing

Photography by Angela King-Belleville

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Visit my website at http://www.authorkellyelliott.blogspot.com

ISBN-13: 978-0-9913096-0-3

This book is dedicated to my husband, Darrin, and my daughter, Lauren.

Thank you both for loving me and letting me live out my dreams.

Prologue: Scott

Chapter 1: Jessie

Chapter 2: Scott

Chapter 3: Jessie

Chapter 4: Scott

Chapter 5: Jessie

Chapter 6: Gunner

Chapter 7: Ellie

Chapter 8: Ari

Chapter 9: Jeff

Chapter 10: Scott

Chapter 11: Jessie

Chapter 12: Scott

Chapter 13: Jessie

Chapter 14: Heather

Chapter 15: Josh

Chapter 16: Scott

Chapter 17: Jessie

Chapter 18: Scott

Chapter 19: Jessie

Chapter 20: Heather

Chapter 21: Scott

Chapter 22: Jessie

Chapter 23: Josh

Chapter 24: Scott

Chapter 25: Jessie

Chapter 26: Lark

Chapter 27: Scott

Chapter 28: Jeff

Chapter 29: Ari

Chapter 30: Ellie

Chapter 31: Scott

Chapter 32: Jessie

Chapter 33: Scott

Chapter 34: Gunner

Chapter 35: Jessie

Chapter 36: Scott

Chapter 37: Jessie

Chapter 38: Jeff

Chapter 39: Ari

Chapter 40: Jessie

Chapter 41: Josh

Chapter 42: Scott

Chapter 43: Jessie

Chapter 44: Scott

Chapter 45: Scott

Chapter 46: Jessie

Epilogue: Jessie

Seven Years Later: Alex

Unconditional Love

Thank You

Playlist

High School

I’d gotten tackled four fucking times during football practice because I couldn’t take my eyes off of Jessie Rhodes sitting in the bleachers.

Damn it. Why does she affect me the way she does? I could have any girl in this school. Why Jess?

Dewey walked up to me and hit me on the shoulder. “Hey, asshole. Stop eye-fucking my sister, or I’m going to kick your ass,” Dew said before he started laughing.

“Fuck off, dickhead.” I put my helmet back on and tried to forget that Jessie was sitting there, watching me.

I looked up a few minutes later to see Michael Smith talking to her on the sideline. I instantly felt anger building inside me. That asshole only wants to get into Jessie’s pants. She is way too good for him. Stupid-ass baseball player doesn’t even deserve a second look from her.

Jessie pulled her beautiful blonde hair back into a ponytail before turning and sitting back down with her friends. Once coach got done talking, I stalled for as long as I could until I saw Dew heading into the locker room. Jessie was standing up to leave, so I ran over toward her, calling out her name.

“Jess! Jessie, hold up. Hey, can I talk to you for a minute before you go?” I flashed her the smile that I knew made all the girls melt—well, all the girls except for Jessie Rhodes. I could never read her—ever.

She turned and nodded her head. As she made her way down the bleachers, I walked under them to meet her on the other side. She walked up to me, and she gave me that sweet smile of hers that made my stomach do all sorts of messed-up shit.

“Hey,” she said.

“Hey, I, um…I wanted to ask…do you have the notes for the history test next week?”

I watched as her expression fell for a second. Shit. Was she expecting something else? Could Jessie actually like me? Shit, just do what you’ve wanted to do for the last three years.

“Um…yeah, I have them. Did you want to borrow them? Or are you gonna try to cheat off my paper again?” she said with a wink.

I watched her lips as she talked, and I instantly felt my dick jumping in my pants. I’ve had a crush on this girl for as long as I can remember. I looked up into her eyes, and I swore they turned gray. I moved my eyes down to watch her chew on her lower lip. She had the most beautiful bee-stung lips, and I had to fight the urge to stare at them every time she talked.

“Scott? Are you okay? If you want the notes, they’re at home, so you’ll have to swing by my house.”

I didn’t even know what she was saying. I couldn’t pull my eyes from her mouth.

“Scott?” She walked up to me and snapped her fingers in my face.

I shook my head and tried to calm my beating heart. What in the hell is this girl doing to me? I can’t even think when I’m around her.

I quickly glanced back to her eyes. They seemed so different, and I couldn’t really pinpoint what her eyes were trying to say.

“Jessie…I…”

She looked at me and tilted her head. “You, what?” She let out a giggle. “Scott, what’s wrong with you? Did you get hit too many times out there today?”

Nothing came out. I couldn’t talk.

“Okay…well, I’m going to take off. You know where the notes are if you need them.”

I watched as she turned to leave. Fuck. It’s now or never. I ran after her and grabbed her by the arm. I turned her around and slowly backed her up against the bleachers. I dropped my helmet and cupped her face with my hands as I leaned down and lightly brushed my lips against hers. She let out a soft, sweet moan, and my whole body shivered.

Oh God…what would she taste like?

I slammed my lips to hers and kissed her with as much passion as I could. When she reached up and ran her hands through my hair, something instantly happened. I wasn’t really sure what it was, but it scared the shit out of me.

I pulled back and looked into her eyes. What is that look in her eyes? It almost seems like…love?

She smiled slightly, and then it hit me full force. I felt things for Jessie that I’d never felt before.

What is happening to me? My hands started shaking, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

I looked up and saw Chelsea Mason walking by. She licked her lips with her tongue, and she smiled. She’d been trying to get me to sleep with her for the last few weeks, but I hadn’t been the least bit interested…until now.

I quickly glanced back down at Jessie, who was just about to say something.

I smiled and said, “Thanks for the kiss, Tiny.” I backed away from her as I reached down and grabbed my helmet before turning and walking toward Chelsea. “Hey, Chels, wait up.”

As I turned away from Jessie, I felt sick to my stomach. I’d seen the look in her eyes after I kissed her. She liked me just as much as I liked her, and she must have felt the same connection I had. She’d smiled that sweet smile, and I’d just walked away, like a prick.

I tried to clear my head. What did I just do? What am I so scared of?

Chelsea skipped up to me and glanced over my shoulder. “You and, um…Jessie Rhodes got something going on?”