Page 27 of Fair Catch
The morning had rushed by in a blur, and now that I was on the field, my brain kicked into defense mode, blocking out all the noise and commotion. All of its focus seemed to be narrowed on ensuring I was still sipping oxygen.
I blacked out.
That’s the only way to describe how I moved through the motions, my body on autopilot as Holden — our newly appointed captain — and the captain from the other team jogged out to center field for the coin toss.
Their team won, they elected to defer, and the next thing I knew, the Vikings’ kicker was pulling on his helmet and running out onto the field for kick-off.
That will be me soon, I realized distantly.
Eventually, I’ll be on that field for an extra point or a field goal.
The bubbles fizzed in my chest again, and I inhaled a stiff, hot breath that stung my ribs. Panic threatened to seize all motor control as my eyes scanned the roaring crowd, the kaleidoscope of our school’s colors mashing with those of our opponent. I looked for Gavin, realizing too late that it would be impossible to find him in the craziness.
But then, I found Zeke.
He was lined up and waiting at the five-yard line, bouncing back and forth as he cracked his neck to one side. He paused, jumping straight up into the air and tucking his knees to his chest in a feat that stunned me no matter how many times I watched him do it. He could easily land on top of a five-foot box with that tuck jump, which was a testament to how explosive he was.
His biceps bulged where his jersey cut into the flesh, the crisp white contrasted against his black skin. Pants of the same color embraced him like a glove, and I had to work harder than I cared to admit not to notice how well they hugged his ass. He looked good in our university colors, the white, brick red, and gold.
Then again, the asshole looked good no matter what he wore.
As if he could sense my eyes on him, Zeke’s gaze snapped to mine.
It was only a split second, but he caught me staring at him, and as he bent low into a running position, his legs split in a lunge and his hands splayed at his sides, he winked at me.
My cheeks flamed.
The ball was kicked.
And just like that, the game had begun.
Zeke
With three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Riley pulled on her helmet and jogged out onto the field for a twenty-two-yard field goal.
If she made it, we’d go up by ten, virtually ensuring our win.
If she missed, the Vikings would only need a touchdown to tie us and send the game into overtime.
I couldn’t focus on anything else when she lined up for the kick, drawing a line with her arm up to the middle of the posts, her feet in place where Blake Russo waited for the snap before she backed up and angled herself for the run.
I couldn’t think about how she’d successfully kicked two extra points and a field goal already. I couldn’t think about my own stats, though I knew without doing the math that they were impressive for my first game. I’d ran nearly sixty yards on one return alone in the second quarter, leading our offense to our first touchdown of the game. I couldn’t even remember why she’d pissed me off the night before with her comment about me studying being a joke.
None of it mattered in this moment.
All I could do was watch her fingers wiggle, her chest heave, her eyes focus on Blake’s hands that would hold a football in three… two… snap.
Blake caught the ball, turned the laces toward the goal post, and held it upright with one sturdy, well-placed hand as Riley wound back and kicked it perfectly.
The ball sailed right down the middle, referees on both sides holding up their arms to indicate the kick was good, and we erupted on the sideline.
Riley jogged back all calm and collected, but I saw the grin splitting her face. She was met with hard claps on the helmet and her shoulders as she rejoined us, and she took off her helmet with a waterfall of damp hair meeting her shoulders. Even with pads on and her cheeks red from exertion, she was sexy — and maybe the fact that she didn’t realize it was what made it all the clearer to me and every guy on that field.
And there were plenty of them with their eyes on her, just like me.
I watched her down a cup of water and hastily tie her hair up in a loose ponytail before I finally tore my gaze away and back to the field where the Vikings were receiving.
