Page 2 of Game On

“Nice to finally meet you.” Luca’s dad breaks the pull and brings my attention back to reality.

Obviously, I have a professional soccer game to play,andwin, in a foreign country where soccer is at the upmost seriousness. This is what they pay me to do, keep my head in the game.

“Yes, sir, it’s great to meet all of you. I must go. Enjoy the game.” I clap my buddy on the shoulder, turn to the field, and jog off to regain my focus and concentrate on the reason I am here.

Despite my best efforts, my attention keeps being drawn back to the brunette in the stands.

Get your head in the game, Blaze. You know dating is out of the question until you retire.

Who said anything about dating? A quick fuck is all I need. After the game, I’ll just find some pretty little thing at the after-party to scratch that itch. Until then, focus on winning this game so the after-party will be even more enjoyable.

The next hours of the day are the most interesting and intense I have ever lived. During the game the atmosphere in the stadium is purely electric, and it confirms the Italian’s love and dedication for the sport. It is simply awe-inspiring. The excitement of a Texas Tornados football game at home is meager in comparison to the liveliness of this crowd. As expected, the game is back and forth, proving to be a title match of the ages. Honestly, it’s the hardest game I have ever played, but we end up pulling out the win, with a magic combination play, placing the ball just out of reach of the goalie’s fingertips in the top right corner of the net. When the final goal is called, the audience goes absolutely ballistic. I may have thought they had energy before, but now it’s completely insane. Standing on the sidelines with my team, I glance around to take it all in, but my eyes drift to the dark brown-haired beauty jumping up and down in the stands. She’s clapping and truly lost in the moment of celebration. She is magnificent.

While we hang around for the trophy presentation, Luca invites me to eat with his family at a small, discrete restaurant. My internal, very short, debate with myself ceases when I look over to his family in the stands and see his sister looking back at me. There goes my after-party quick fuck.

“Yeah, I’m in. Let’s get this shit done and get out of here.”

We hurry to wrap up the festivities and rush to shower before we head to the restaurant.

As everyone else is there already, there are only two chairs left sitting around a crowded table. The pizzeria has a few customers, but they are all courteous to give Luca and me our own privacy. A few heads turn, but everyone turns back to carry on with their own conversations. Luca sits at the empty seat next to his mom, leaving me to sit next to his sister. I scoot the chair back with an audible squeak, and the sound causes her to look up in my direction. Damn, she has the prettiest eyes - ones I could get lost in for days.

“Hey,” I say.

In response, her plump pink lips turn up in a smile, and her cheeks turn a slight pink. She ducks her head to look at the table, tucking wayward hairs that have fallen from her ponytail behind her ear. Shyly, she replies, “Hi.”

She is adorably cute. If I kissed her on the neck, right below that little ear that just came into view, I bet she would flush even more. As my name is called from the other side of the table, I am brought out of my thoughts of kissing her on that gorgeous, naturally tan skin.

“Everyone, I brought Blaze, so he wouldn’t get lost late at night in the Milan streets,” says Luca.

Luca’s mom responds in kind towards me, “Of course, dear. You are always welcome, Blaze. Any friend of Luca’s is family.”

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Giovati,” I reply and scoot my chair in closer to the table. My outer thigh glides softly along Gaia’s. The contact feels comforting, and I leave my leg there against hers, acting as if I’m too big for the space. Really, it’s just an excuse to touch her.

She finally glances my way, and I take the opportunity to start up a conversation. “Did you enjoy yourself tonight?”

“Surprisingly, yes. You and Luca were amazing.”

“Oh, so you watchedmethen?”

“Well, there are twenty-one other players on the field. I watched them also, and they all played great, as well.”

The waiter interrupts us to ask what we want to eat. There were already glasses filled with wine and others with water sitting at each place around the table when we first sat down, but right now, after the long game, I am starving.

I lean back to see the waiter, but rather than break my neck to meet his eye, I lift my arm up and rest it on the back of Gaia’s chair. This way, I can shift back and give my pizza order to the waiter without having to shout from our end of the table, but again, it lets me get a little closer to Gaia. After the waiter’s long gone, I still continue to invade her personal space. She doesn’t seem to mind it. Everyone around us is talking, laughing, and carrying on with their own discussions. It sure seems like Gaia and me are the quiet ones at the table, so I lean in close to her ear and whisper, “Are you okay?”

Her head swiftly turns my direction, and we are a hair’s breath from touching noses.

“Why would you ask me that? Do I not look like I’m okay?” she says curiously.

“No offense, but you just are not as talkative as the rest of your family. I was making sure you are fine; that’s all.” At my words, her flush is back, and she ducks her head again.

“Yes, I am the quiet one of the bunch,” she confirms laughingly.

“Well, that’s quite all right. I’m actually the same way in my family.” I can’t seem to break myself from looking at her, and the fact that her family is all around us doesn’t even bother me.

“Blaze, how are you liking living in Italy?” Mr. Giovati pulls my attention away from Gaia, and I turn toward him but leave my arm to rest on Gaia’s chair.

“It’s good, sir, for what I have been able to see of it so far. As you know, as soon as Luca and I moved here, we jumped right into the season, and there’s not really time for anything else. I am sure glad we got picked up by the same team in this league; it made the move a lot easier since he’s from this area.”

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