;her eyes have their own vocabulary - what a beautiful language to learn

"I love you, Bella."

The words left me before I could stop them. Or maybe I didn't want too.

Which I'm quickly regretting because she hasn't spoke. Not that I said it so she'd say it back - which I wouldn't hate, by the way - but because it felt right.

Hell, I nearly blurted it out when we first had sex.

But saying it in her favourite city, on a court, the memories of our first date lingering in the back of my mind. It makes me smile at how far we've come in such little time.

I'm just glad she hasn't pushed me away. And she's smiling. That's good, right?

Fuck, why am I so goddamn nervous? My heart has a beat of it's own, my pores are open causing a cool layer of sweat on my forehead and neck. I just want the ground to swallow me up.

"You love me?" She looks amused. Is that bad?

I nod, blowing out a shaky breath. "I do."

Her smile gets bigger, brighter, her white teeth making an appearance.

"I love you, Baller."

My heart dunked.

Bella pushed herself up on her tip toes and pressed her soft lips against mine. I almost groaned at the taste of her coffee and caramel infused mouth - to which the little minx smirks.

I pull back, feeling somewhat revengeful. "You love me?" I throw her words back.

She jilts her body into mine and I can't help but snicker. Gotcha.

I was wholly aware I hadn't been with Tori long - but my mother always told me the day I fell in love, I'd know straight away. With the shit me and her have been through, I had no doubt she was the one.

The beautiful brunette who had the most amazing hazel eyes and a body created for sin was it was me.

I was done for. And I was happy.

Not only did she challenge me, she kept me on my toes. She supported me, cared for me. She wasn't just a warm body to cuddle up to at night, she was my friend. I could be myself with her, and yeah she may bust my ass about it, but at least she did it with a smile on her face and love in her heart.

She was my one.

It didn't take long for the kiss to turn deep. Her petit frame melted into mine as I held her close wrapping my arms around her waist, my fingers digging into her hips with anticipation.

She wouldn't fuck me here, would she?

"Undress." She muttered into my mouth, eyes closed and breathing erratic.

Oh, shit. She would.

"You first."

My lips fell to the sweet skin of her neck, as my fingers reached the hem of her shirt, tugging it up and over her head, she moans as my warm fingers caress her ribcage.

Fuck, she wants me. She's as ready for this as I am. And I couldn't be more fucking thrilled.

I watched as she unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them down her legs, taking her panties with them.

I swear I lost all consciousness for a second.

"Fuck, Bella." I groaned, clenching my jaw.

She's so fucking beautiful.

Her grip was charged when she cupped my face and planted playful kisses at the corner of my mouth, along my jaw before she nibbled against my neck.

In a mad rush, I kicked off my jeans and boots, lunged into her and assaulted her lips.

"Maddox," she gasps.

I sweep her off her feet, legs instinctively wrapping around my bare waist. The heat from her centre has me biting back groan as I cart her sexy ass over towards the bleachers, and sit us down, Tori straddling me.

We waste no time, diving back into each others mouths and devouring every inch of ones mouth.

"You're such a blessing, baby." I whisper into her mouth.

"Just love me, Baller. I'm done with talking." She breathes out, tipping her head back giving me full access to her neck.

I lick, nip and suck without a care in the world.

When I'm with her, the world disappears. She consumes every part of me and together we escape the world.

I can see us going the distance, something I haven't experienced with any other girl in my life. She makes me want to be everything she wants and needs. Being with her and spending every waking minute making her happy seems like a pretty good way to live life to me.

✫✬✫

After Tori rides me to kingdom come, we begin putting our clothes back on, only I halt when she starts sniggering to herself.

"Something you wanna share there, Bella?" I shoot her a quizzed look.

She shakes her head still giggling. "We just had sex on a court."

I raise a brow. "That's funny?"

She just pops a shoulder. "I feel so freaking brave."

I snort, pulling her into my arms and place a kiss on her forehead. "You are brave, baby." Then I land a little slap on her ass. "Now move it, we have a winter wonderland to get to."

She squeals and claps her hands together. "So excited!"

My baby girl was the cutest fucking thing in this world. And nothing can shake us, not even a hurricane.

I order us an Uber and before we know it we're on the way to the NYC winter wonderland.

After being here an for two hours already, you could make a cute ass video montage of our time. Rides, fresh baked cookies, more snowfall, a picture with Santa and hot chocolate with all the trimmings.

Pink Sweat$ - at my worst, filled the air from the DJ speakers set up by the Santa stand.

If this song doesn't make what I wanna say to Tori so easily put, nothing will

"So, are you planning on telling your dad?" She asks, taking a sip from the white foam to go cup as we step in sync past the winter themed booths.

I nod, swallowing my sip. "Mhm. I was going to call him once we got back to campus."

She purses her lips after blowing the steam away from the foam cup. "Do you think he's going to be mad? Y'know, with the whole stay-away-from-her-shit ?"

I chuckle. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were nervous, Bella." I side eye her with a smirk.

She pops a shoulder, her scarf sliding from her neck down her chest. "Not nervous, just doubtful that he's going to be okay with it." She looks up at me, concern washes over her hazel iris', "I don't wanna cause problems between the two of you."

My goddamn heart tightened.

I stretch my arm over her shoulder and pull her into my side as we continue our little walk through the snow. The fairy and christmas lights casting a mixture of colourful waves across her beautiful face.

"Baby, you're not causing any kind of problems - none that wasn't already there, anyway - my mom will love you and my dad will too, eventually. If not, he'll have to get over it because you're stuck with me. And I'm not going anywhere."

Her pouty red lips turn upwards and she gives me the sweetest smile. A smile that tells me she believes me and has that trust in her heart to take my words as I mean them. And I do.

My dad isn't going to ruin this for me. I haven't been this happy in the longest time when it's not on the court.

A rare feeling, and one I'll do anything to keep.

"What about yours?" I ask, dropping my cup as we pass the trash can.

Her hand reaches up and tangles with mine that's hung over her shoulder. "They're cool. Aside from holding back why ever they moved us, they're pretty chilled." She breathes out a laugh, "Just a heads up, I'm a certified daddy's girl. He may be a little taken back at first, but he's a softy when it comes to me so it won't take long for him to warm up to you."

"Daddy's girl, hmm?" I tease.

An animated nod bobs her head up and down, fuck, she's cute.

"Yup. He's like the sweetest man ever. Never missed a cheer competition, basketball game, ballet class. He was a whole soccer mom aesthetic."

I chuckle. "As long as he doesn't mind me stealing away his little girl, I think we'll get along just fine." I kiss her temple. "Do they know you wanna be an author?"

"Hmm, yeah, but only my dad and Eli know I've actually started to write anything though."

I thin my eyes, "how come?"

A defeated sigh leaves between her lips. "Mom said I should draft for NFL cheerleaders, it's always been her plan for me, but when I told her I wanted to be a writer she claimed it wasn't a way to live life sitting in front of a laptop making up stories for other people to lose their selves in because they can't deal with their own reality."

Whoa. Harsh.

Some of the most famous and well respected people are writers. J.K Rowling. Charles Dickens. Bronte Sisters.

"I don't understand." I deadpan.

"She's just sour because I'm not doing what she wants. I honestly don't care. I want to be that person who writes a reality that someone loves so much it helps them escape. People need a release, a hideaway, somewhere they can be calm and quiet, to be able to read something that makes them laugh, cry and feel without it affecting their life in any way shape or form, y'know? I want to be that person."

"Can I read it?"

She snaps her neck up to me, confused. "You wanna read my book? It's smutty y'know." her smile is impish.

"Smutty?" I echo.

She snorts. "Aw, baby. You're so cute. It's a dirty book, explicit sex scenes, y'know.."

I pull her in closer and she giggles. "I'm definitely reading it now."

"When it's finished - which it nearly is." she confides. "I'm actually pretty proud of it."

"As you should be. And when you do complete it, we'll celebrate by sending it out to every publisher we can." I promise.

My girl cocks up a perfectly shaped brow. "You plan on doing that with me?"

I mock offence. "You plan on doing it without me?"

Bella turns sheepish. "I didn't think you'd be all that bothered."

"I want to be apart of everything you do, Bella. The small as well as the big. Can I?"

She stops in her tracks and cups my cheeks as soon as I turn to her. "I'd love for you to be apart of everything, as long as I can be apart of yours too."

"It was always the plan, baby."

She presses her lips against mine and the whole winter wonderland around us disappears.

No one exists except me and my Bella.