Page 25 of Interception

I follow my teammates, jogging out onto the playing field as the music blares and the fans go wild. My mind is screaming at me not to look, not to be distracted by disappointment before the game even begins, but I do it anyway. I glance over to my seats, and I’ll be damned—she’s here! A shit-eating grin splits my face as I watch her cheer and clap. She came alone, and I can’t take my eyes off her.

Craning my neck around to keep her in my line of sight, I lose track of myself, slamming into the guy in front of me, knocking both of us on our asses.

“What the fuck, Coop?”

There’s a collective gasp, followed by an eruption of laughter from the crowd. The rest of the team runs around me as they line up for the national anthem.

“Sorry! My girl’s over there, and she looks hot as fuck in my jersey.”

“You have a girlfriend?” As we scramble up and over to take our places, I ponder his question.

“That’s the plan. Now, let’s win this because I just made an ass of myself in front of her, and I have to redeem myself.” Suddenly, I’m fired up for this game, hungry for the win.

Call it macho pride, but I want her to see me at my best—strong, fast, and vital to the team. It matters to me. Falling on my ass wasn’t the best start, but hey, she had a huge grin on her face when it happened, and that smile is worth a million bucks.

Every so often, I take a moment to glance over to where I know Zee is watching, inflating my ego as she jumps and screams for every point. The game goes by in a blur, and we emerge victorious, much to my delight and the stadium packed with Titan fans.

Without thinking, I turn to Zee, letting the rest of the team celebrate. I point straight at her until I know she’s holding my gaze before balling my hands into fists and slamming them down on my thighs, thrusting my hips forward—sharp and hard, just the way she likes it. The crowd goes wild, and I can see Zee laughing, throwing her head back in a truly carefree moment. The fans surrounding her stop and stare as her face appears on the big screen. I’ve drawn some unwanted attention for her. Shit!

I half expect her to make a run for it, but to my surprise, she grabs her breasts and gives them a playful squeeze before blowing me a kiss. Fuck. Me. Dead. I pull off my helmet and head for the crowd. I need to get to her sooner rather than later. If I disappear into the tunnel, I can guarantee that she’s not going to be here when I come back.

The crowd goes wild as I jump the barriers and make my way to where Zee is standing, looking simultaneously horrified and excited. My eyes never leave hers, stalking her like prey. Fans are shouting and clapping, random hands reaching out to touch my sweat-soaked jersey as I weave my way through the sea of people.

The closer I get, the bigger the smile spreading across Zee’s face. I don’t wait. I don’t speak. The second I’m within reach of her, I slide my hands into her hair and pull her in for a kiss. My lips crash down on hers, the crowd losing their minds around us. She hesitates for a fraction of a second before melting against me, her arms wrapping around my waist as we lose ourselves in the moment. Everything else fades into the background, and all I hear and feel are her lips on mine and the thumping beat of her heart galloping in time with mine.

The scent of her perfume intoxicates my senses, but it makes me achingly aware that I smell like a week-old jockstrap right now. I move to pull back, but Zee holds me just a little longer, tugging on my bottom lip with her teeth. Fuck, she’s hot.

“So much for incognito,” she whispers in my ear.

“Sorry. If you wanted to stay under my radar, you shouldn’t have worn my jersey. Do you have any idea how fucking hot you look?”

“Yeah, I do, actually. Your massive boner is digging into my leg.” A lighthearted chuckle escapes her, and it’s music to my ears.

“Well, shit. Give me a few minutes to calm down. I don’t need everyone taking a snapshot of my woody.”

“Why? You could just photoshop Mr. Hankey over it.” She has mischief in her eyes and a super sexy grin. “You’re a different kind of cocktease, Coop.”

“You still sore that you didn’t get the original pic? If you’re nice to me, I might show you the real thing when we get home.”

“Don’t you have a guys night to go to?”

“Fuck that. I’ll throw you over my shoulder right now and take you back to my place. My plans for the evening involve you wearing nothing but this jersey while you ride my face.”

“I like that plan.” God, the way she looks at me when she’s turned on, it’s enough to make a grown man beg.

When I finally manage to get my chubby to subside, I grab Zee’s hand and pull her through the crowd. Phones are snapping pictures left and right as I steer us toward the barriers and back onto the field. I’m going to have to blindfold her and take her into the locker room with me. The paparazzi are going to descend like vultures if I don’t. The guys wouldn’t bat an eyelid at her coming into the locker room with me. I’m more concerned about her staring at a locker room full of cock.

As we head into the tunnel, I catch a glimpse of the big screen. Our kiss is being replayed for all to see in case they missed me wading into the crowd and claiming Zee like a man possessed.

So much for playing it casually.

Chapter Seven

Zee

Our first date never happened, or it did, and it consisted of staying at Coop’s place and not going out in public. We got to avoid the press and enjoy a naked Sunday. I much prefer eating food off his sexy, mouthwatering abs. In my opinion, restaurants and candlelight are way overrated.

We’ve been spending a lot of time with Faith and Hunter, which is great in so many ways—I get to hang with my bestie, and Hunter is a good guy. We have so much fun, but the pressure weighs on me. I feel like it’s fast-tracking Coop and my relationship, and I can’t really deny it any longer. We’re dating. It just comes with so many strings attached.

---