Amber chuckled amusedly, smiling up at William before turning back to the camera. These guys… She'd missed them. Not as much as she'd missed William, of course, but still missed them.
"What? No 'Welcome back' for your favorite formerly-blue-haired girl?" she teased with a grin, leaning back further into her boyfriend. "You know, I kinda missed you guys. And as for what you said to Will, I'll be asking him about that, later. If you mean the part about him getting me back, that is. Did you really think I'd leave you guys forever?"
William nuzzled her cheek, closing his eyes as he breathed her in.
“You know you’ll always be my favorite formerly-blue-haired-girl,” Parker said with a grin, causing a growl to rumble out of William’s throat. The older man let out a laugh. “Chill out, boyfriend. Your girl and I are just good ol’ pals.”
“I missed you so much, Amber!” Jude exclaimed. “Without you there, these guys bullied me so much. I’m so glad you came back.”
Amber chuckled softly, her grin twisting into a smirk at Will’s growl. He was jealous of his old teammate? Like she’d ever go for anyone besides him.
“I’m only yours, hun,” she promised softly, murmuring in his ear before pressing a kiss to his cheek. If it made the guys uncomfortable, too bad. She was reunited with her boyfriend, and she was going to make the most of it.
Her gaze traveled back to the screen, and she played with the fingers of William’s free hand as she talked to the others. “Sorry to hear that, Jude. You still haven’t learned how to stick up for yourself?” she teased, a glimmer in her eye as she raised her eyebrows.
William pulled his hand from her grasp to wrap his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his chest. He pressed a kiss on top of her head after he did so.
“I mean, I try, but whatever I say, the pick on it,” Jude pouted. “They still call me Tweedle Dum. I actually got into a relationship and they still make fun of me. Especially your boyfriend. He’s a huge jerk.”
Amber laughed softly, leaning further into her love’s embrace. “Sorry, Jude. I guess you’ll just have to put up with it forever. Anyone else have news I haven’t heard, yet?”
“There’s plenty of things you have to hear, unless William told you,” Drew cut in with a grin. “William, Parker and I got offered a position in the national team.”
“William refused,” Holden continued, running a hand through his now black hair. “Unfortunately.”
“It was a dumb decision,” Jude piped up. “Also, Jace and Savannah got engaged last month. I thought you’d want to know. He’s changing his game, learning how to put his priorities straight.”
“What? Will, why would you refuse that?” Amber questioned, twisting her torso to face him. And then the next words hit her ears, and she blinked, turning back around. She wasn’t hurt anymore, time had healed that, but it still came as a shock to her. And a flash of phantom pain might have made her wince a little. “Wow. That’s… Wow. Good for them.”
“I like basketball, but it wasn’t something I wanted to pursue,” William answered, tightening his hold on her when he felt her wince. It wasn’t like she still liked him, William knew that. She had old wounds reopened by his former teammate. It was only natural it would still hurt.
“Well, my favorite girl, I have to go,” Parker gave an apologetic look. “My break’s almost over, but we’ll talk again.”
“Definitely,” Drew smiled at Amber. “The weekend, maybe? We should meet up. It’s been a while since that happened.”
Amber smiled softly at the guys, lifting a hand to wiggle her fingers. “Bye, guys. I’ll see you later,” she said, a faint laugh in her voice.
After bidding them goodbye, William hung up, set his phone away and properly tucked Amber under him. He rubbed soft circles on her waist.
“Jude’s like a hyperactive puppy,” he snorted. “It was always tiring being around him.”
Amber laughed softly, burying her face in his chest. She nuzzled him as her arms circled around him, holding tight. The circling motion he was making on her waist was about to put her to sleep with how comfortable it was making her… But she couldn’t sleep. Not until she told him what she need to tell him.
“Yeah… But he’s cute that way,” she murmured. “You’re cuter, though. And much hotter.”
“Of course I am hotter than him,” William snorted, running his fingers through her hair, massaging her scalp softly while the other hand continued to rub circles on her waist. “He’s like a child. Actually, he was the one who started calling Drew and Holden the parents of the team, because they scold the others too much.”
“Will, you’re going to put me to sleep,” Amber mumbled, pulling her head up to look at him. “I can’t wait to get together with all of them again. It’s going to be interesting.”
“That just means I’m doing a good job, no?” He pecked her on the mouth. “It’s going to be tiring, for sure.”
Amber crinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out at him. “I’m trying to spend time with you, not just sleep.”
William kissed her on the mouth again. “But you’re tired, and I don’t want to keep you up.”
“I’m always tired. You should sleep, too, if you’re makng me sleep,” Amber insisted, nudging his cheek with her nose.
“I’ll sleep once you’ve fallen asleep,” William murmured to her, kissing her nose. “I want to watch you a little while longer.”
Amber sighed and relaxed in his hold. “All right, fine. If you insist,” she mumbled, pressing a kiss to his cheek again.
William held her close, massaging her scalp lightly again. He kept his eyes on her face, taking her in. She’d grown far more beautiful if that was even possible. He loved it, just like he loved her.
“Goodnight, Blue…”
“Night, William,” Amber sighed, shifting slightly in his arms. A few minutes later, she blinked her eyes open. “Will… Will, I need to tell you something…”
William blinked at her, kissing her between her brows.
“What is it, love?” He murmured, nudging her with his nose.
Amber clicked her tongue softly before chewing on her lip and setting her head back down with a sigh. “I… Iloveyou,” she mumbled out, her words barely discernible through William’s shirt as she buried her face in his shoulder, smiling.
William froze as if he didn’t hear that right. No, he couldn’t have.
“… what?” William blinked, pushing himself up look at her properly. “Did you just—? Could you repeat that?”
Amber let out a small giggle and said again, slower but still into his shoulder, “I love you.”
William pulled her away from his chest and immediately pressed their lips together, an intense wave of joy flooding through him. She said she loved him. Love. She returned his feelings. God, that felt so good to hear.
“I… love… you… too…” he muttered with each tender kiss.
Amber grinned and lifted her hands to cup his face, pulling him down into a longer kiss. “I love you, I love you, I love you,” she mumbled against his lips.
William rested his hands on either side of her head to prop himself above her, tilting his head to kiss her better. His mind was racing. She said she loved him. He couldn’t believe this. He didn’t realize just how much he wanted to hear those words until she actually said them.
“I love you, too,” he said, voice muffled because of her mouth. “Goddamn it, I love you, too.”
“I’ve wanted to tell you all day, but I wanted to find the perfect moment. And then we were talking, and then it was the guys, and then we were about to go to sleep but I had to tell you,” Amber breathed, the words coming out fast so she could kiss him again. “I love you, William Jones.”
William rolled over to his back and pulled Amber on top of him, all the while kissing her. He caressed her cheek lovingly, rubbing circles into her cheek with his thumb.
“God, the best moment of my life,” he muttered against her mouth. “I love you. I love you for loving me. I love you for being you. You’re perfect.”
