My stomach was tight. Maybe she didn’t come. She didn’t come to watch the last couple of games, but she had her own games to play then. I knew for a fact she was free today, and I’d really thought we’d made progress.
Had I been wrong?
Squirting water into my mouth, my gaze still swept over the crowd, and a flash of familiar blonde hair caught my eye. I held my breath, anticipation coiling in my stomach, only to explode into a tidal wave of pleasure as I was able to get a good look at her face.
My girl was here.
She fucking came.
She wasn’t wearing my jersey or my necklace — yet — but we’d get there. For now, she was here, for me andonlyme. She was leaning forward, her elbows braced on her knees, as she surveyed the field.
The grin spreading on my face was wide and filled with genuine delight. The moment our eyes met, it felt like lightning struck me, like the sun had finally risen after a long, dark night.
Amidst all the chaos, the buzzing bleachers, the sounds of helmets crashing, something inside me snapped tighter.
Not softer.Sharper.
My grin turned feral — teeth bared like a savage. This game had just been decided. There was no way we’d lose now.
I formed a heart with my hands and pointed at her, just able to catch a glimpse of her smile before having to head out on the field again.
My opponent lined up across from me, talking shit. “Let’s see what you’ve got, kid.”
I just laughed, low and mean. “You’re fuckingdead.”
I’d never been more serious in my life. Sierra was watching, and that meant I had to dominate — no question. She was here.
Fuck, I could practicallyfeelher eyes on me.
Let them come.I wanted the pain. I wanted the violence. Sierra was not my weakness. She was the fuse. And I was already fucking lit.
The snap came, and I was ready, foaming at the mouth, practically vibrating on the line.
“Tell your QB to start his car. I’m sendin’ him home early.”
But I took a breath too long, and the guy I was supposed to cover got the edge. I recovered fast, but not fast enough.
Fuck!The runner broke loose, and I exploded forward with a burst of speed, but just before I got to him —BOOM.
Hunter was there, saving my ass with a full-body dive, dragging the guy to hell just short of the end zone. Damn. Maybe his crazydidactually match mine.
As we jogged back to huddle, Hunter didn’t even spare me a glance when he muttered, “Keep playing like you’re daydreaming about your girl, and I swear I’ll knock you back to JV.”
I barked out a laugh, not even a little rattled. He could take the fucking stick out of his ass. I was just getting started, mywhole body buzzing with an unhinged energy, my eyes darting around wildly behind my face mask.
“Relax. Needed the guy to think he had hope. Makes it more fun when I break him.”
This was a one-off. I was locked in now. I wasn’t just playing to win — I was playing to impress her. No shame in admitting that.
I was going to show her what it looks like when I was dialed all the way the fuck in. Show her that whoever tries to come for her — I would fucking bury them.
With pleasure.
The next snap, someone would be getting pancaked so hard, their mama would feel it.
***
Sierra
