Page 31 of After the Snap

That kiss last night changed things. Changed me. And I’m scared shitless what this means going forward.

The crowd is going wild, but all I can hear is the sound of my harsh breath as I get in position and focus on the next play. The score is 7-7 in the fourth quarter, and there’s no way in hell I’m letting these guys get past me and score another touchdown.

Not today. Not for this game.

The Big Game.

The one all professional football players aspire to get to. Today, the ultimate champions are going to be the Wolves. I don’t care what the scoreboard says right now. I know our offense can get it done, but it’s time for the Fierce Four to shut down the opposing offense so they can get that chance.

Gabe shoots me a look before I slide my gaze over to Romel and Tyler, the other members of the Fierce Four. Combined, we’re a powerhouse like the NFL hasn’t seen in years.

The ball snaps, and every player breaks into motion. This is the only kind of chaos I love. Where everyone is scrambling and running to get where they need to go. Adrenaline spikes through my bloodstream and brings with it a strange, buzzing sort of calm. My gaze focuses on my target, trusting my teammates to do their job and close any gaps.

The receiver I’m watching darts toward me before changing course and heading toward the middle. Ty sees him and rushes forward to stop his progress. He tackles the player, ending the opposing team’s play on the fourth down. Ty jumps back up, and the rest of the Fierce Four rush at him, slapping his back and cheering him on.

That’s how we do this.

We rush off to the sidelines as our offense runs onto the field. A glance at the clock tells me this is our last chance. If they get that ball back again, they’ll either win or force us into overtime. We need to finish this now.

Jack calls the play and then gets in position. After the snap, he steps back, bouncing back and forth, his gaze focused on two options—Will Edmonson or Matt Fischer. Will gets open and Jack lets the ball loose. It spirals through the air, and we hold our breath as it soars straight to its intended target. Will catches the ball, spins, dodging a tackle, and then bursts forth racing toward the end zone. Our entire sideline is standing, jumping, yelling for him to keep going. He’s thirty yards away, then twenty, then ten. The opposing defense finally catches up to him and he jumps, extending his arms straight out as the defense takes him down to the ground. We stand with bated breath, waiting for the ref’s call.

I swear time slows until the ref shoots his hands straight up into the air.

Touchdown!

“Let’s fucking go!” I shout as we all lose our shit on the sidelines, hugging each other and smiling wide.

Our kicker finishes it off, giving us the extra point, and now we’re ahead by seven. There’s two minutes left on the clock, which isn’t much time, but it’s possible they could throw a Hail Mary and catch up with us. We just need to hold them off.

Our defense runs back out onto the field, ready to secure our impending win with our lives. There’s no way we’re letting them through us now. Not when we’re so close to victory, we can taste it.

These two minutes are the longest of my life, but we successfully hold them off, and when that clock hits zero, silver confetti falls onto the field, and the rest of the team rushes out onto the green turf. All of us hug each other, screaming our heads off. There’s always a crazy rush of adrenaline after a win, but this is some next-level shit.

I hug each of my best friends, Gabe, Romel, and Ty, and then I go on the hunt for the only other person I want to see after such a huge win. My gaze scans the faces of the growing crowd surrounding us. I see Danae, Gabe’s woman, jump into his arms and kiss him hard.

An ache grows in my chest, followed by an unfamiliar desperation.

I need to find my girl.

Frantically searching the crowd now, I search every face for the one I want to see most. I know she’s here; she texted me before the game.

A hand wraps around my arm and tugs me back. I spin, about to brush off the person when my gaze connects with the familiar deep-blue of Laney’s eyes.

She’s smiling up at me with such pure joy and excitement—no sign of any of the tension that’s been present since my scandal. This is the woman who has always supported me, always shown up as my biggest cheerleader, whether it was a college game or a professional one. She’s always been there.

And how have I treated her for her loyalty?

A rock tumbles in my gut, but I brush it away. It’s not too late for me to do better. For me to prove to her that I won’t take her for granted ever again.

That I’m no longer the blind idiot I’ve been for the last decade.

I pull her into my arms, hugging her tight against my sweaty body, and instead of being grossed out like women of my past, she hugs me tighter and laughs loudly in my ear.

“I’m so proud of you, Dom.”

She pulls back slightly and our gazes connect. That tightness in my chest that’s been growing whenever she’s near seems to get even worse. I glance down at her lips and fight against the longing to lean down and kiss her.

But I can’t quite fight my body’s response, and I lean my head down to rest on hers. “Thanks for being here.”

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