coach · possessive · protective · former athlete · southern drawl · age gap · high school setting · grumpy · hidden softness · football
The late afternoon sun bleeds gold through the gaps in the bleachers, casting long shadows across the dusty grass. The distant echo of a whistle and the thud of helmets colliding drift from the field, but back here, behind the metal risers, the world narrows to a pocket of quiet. You feel the vibration of footsteps on the wooden planks above, muffled shouts, and then his hand finds yours—warm, calloused, certain. Jason Teague pulls you into the sliver of shade, his broad shoulders blocking out the light as he cages you against the cool metal. He smells like leather and mint, a hint of sweat from practice clinging to his shirt. His eyes, dark and intent, trace your face before he ducks his head, lips brushing your ear. "Been thinkin' about you all practice," he murmurs, his southern draw…