“Yeah, it was Rome. I met him earlier today—he’s in my Ethics and Philosophy class.”
Cass snorted. “Hell yeah, it’s Rome, but he’s more than just a student, Molls.”
“Okay?” I replied, confused.
Lexi leaned in. “Molly, he’s a senior and, just so you know, completely unattainable. He’s standoffish, all moody and dark, but more importantly, he’s the friggin’ starting QB for the Tide!”
“Official statistics—six foot three, two-hundred and thirty-five pounds of solid muscle!” Cass added excitedly.
“He’s a what? For who?”
Cass recoiled and placed her hands on her bulging chest like I’d just cursed out the pope. “He’s the star quarterback for the Crimson Tide.”
“Oh, I noticed that was written on his shirt. It’s an American football team, right?”
“Right? RIGHT? Ain’t they got football in England?”
“Yeah, but it’s the kind we play with a round ball. Soccer, you guys call it. That and rugby, cricket, tennis. We don’t play American football, at least not professionally.”
“Sweet baby Jesus… I can’t imagine life without football. No tailgates, BBQs, or hot dog stands. Life would be unbearable.”
“I was brought up by my grandma in a small mining town in the north of England. Her idea of fun was knitting scarves and playing chess. Then I went to Oxford where I studied twenty-four-seven for my bachelor’s degree. Excuse me if football didn’t play a huge part of my life!” I tried to joke but felt the familiar anxiety start to rise in me at just the mention of my old life. I choked it down before it overwhelmed me.
Lexi waved her hand dismissively. “Fine, we’ll clue you in. Romeo Prince is the starting QB for the Tide—the football team here at UA—and he’s definitely heading to the NFL at the end of the year. He was expected to go for the draft twice already, but for some reason decided to stay on and finish college before hitting the big time. You, Molly Shakespeare, have just publicly made out with the most desirable guy on campus. A guy that never commits to anyone. A guy that other guys are shit scared of and girls would gladly give up a lung for.”
“Yeah, you lucky bitch!” added Cass, with a gentle punch to my arm.
My blank face must have hinted that I still didn’t understand the true impact of what’d just happened.
Cass dramatically rolled her eyes. “Let me put this in a way that you can understand. You, Kate Middleton, have just kissed the Prince William of The University of Alabama and possibly all of American collegiate football.”
The penny finally dropped.
“So Rome is kind of a big deal around these parts?” Their huge grins showed me that sentence was massively understated.
“Romeo Prince. He’s a bit intense, isn’t he?” I stated quietly, remembering his uniquely addictive taste, his possessive hands on my face, and his deep growls of satisfaction.
“Intensely f**kable! You wanna see him on the football field… Christ, it’s something! He loses his cool, a lot, kicks the shit outta folk when they get in his way, but girls kinda dig that moody thing and he’s f**kin’ sex on legs—cut, gorgeous, tan. Shit, I almost came just thinking ‘bout him!” I grimaced at Cass’s crudeness. She simply shook her head at me in dismissal. “But he couldn’t get enough a’you, girl! I thought he was gonna rip off your clothes right there on the spot! He nearly decapitated Mac when he went to kiss you. When he shoved him to the floor, the murderous look on his face was scary as shit. I got chills!” She held out her arm and rubbed it to demonstrate.
My brows creased as I absorbed what she said. “Romeo Prince,” I murmured in reverie. He’d kissed me with such desperation, such raw need, stirred something unknown from deep within me.
“Yep, and Molly Shakespeare—hey! Romeo and Shakespeare! How hilarious is that?” Cass said, getting excited, causing her toga to nearly drop and flash more than I was eager to see.
“Good Lord! It’s meant to be!” Lexi laughed, putting her small hand over her mouth.
Shelly chose that moment to get in my face, her tight blue eyes boring into mine. “Leave this house immediately, you… you… slut!” she snapped, spraying my face with her spit as she did so.
I removed my glasses and wiped away the offending liquid with the bottom of my toga. “With pleasure. I don’t need this anyway. Coming here was one huge mistake. Cass, Lexi, I’m sorry, but this let’s all be sisters love-fest is so not for me. I’ll see you guys at home.”