Page 32 of The Wiener Across the Way

“Try being a quarterback when he’s on defense.” Chris stretched his neck from side to side as if he was actually sore from having recently been sacked. “Who do you think he practiced on to earn that most sacks in the league title?”

Kelsey got all wide-eyed and looked at me like I was a lesser-known god she hadn’t heard of. Then she tipped her head to the side and got a sly look. “Do sacks have anything to do with balls?”

Hayes snorted the sip of beer he’d just taken out his nose.

I gave a little suck on my teeth and waggled my eyebrows at her. “Yes. Big balls need big sacks.”

“I like her,” Everett said.

I’d punch him in the face right now, because I knew he was thinking impure thoughts about my girl, but I was too busy staring into her twinkling eyes. “I like her too.”

Pooh gave a little bark and wriggled around panting. She crawled right up my leg and tried to crawl her way up my shirt too. Her tongue was already trying to lick me.

Kelsey gasped and grabbed Pooh off me. “Don’t you be a Gretchen Weiner and try to horn in, naughty little poop.”

Pooh looked contrite and tucked her head into Kelsey’s chest, but I swear to god, she peeked an eye out, looked at me, andlicked her lips. “I think she might be hungry. The bar has a doggie meal with rice, carrots, and chicken.”

“She’s hungry for something alright.” Kelsey scooted off to the end of the bench and set the dog on the floor next to her. “Let’s see if she’ll eat some food.”

We went up to the end of bar and I ordered the doggie meal. It only took a minute for the bartender to grab it and a bowl of water. Pooh dug right in and forgot about the rest of the world.

Kelsey tilted her head, her eyes twinkling. “Is this where you teach me your secret tactics?”

“I don’t keep secrets, Kels.”

Something flashed through her eyes, but I wasn’t sure what. In a second, she gave me a small slap on the arm. “I meant your football tactics. How you play the game.”

Were we playing a game right now?

“Ah, I see. Then, yes.” I stood up straighter, towering over her and the room. I swept my arm across the space. “Picture this, the field is a chessboard, and I’m the knight, ready to make my move.”

Kelsey laughed, playing along. “A knight in shining armor?”

“Yep.” I always wanted to be her knight in shining armor. “And my mission is to protect our realm from invaders.”

She mimed holding a football and danced from foot to foot like she was going to run around me. “And I’m the invader, right? Trying to break through your defenses.”

I had no defense against her. But I was going to catch her. “That’s right. But here’s the thing about a good defender, we anticipate every move. It’s not just about brute strength, it’s about outsmarting the offense, getting in their heads, and knowing what they’re gonna do.”

Stepping into her space, I backed her up against the wall at the end of the bar. “So if you, as the runner, decide to go left,” I moved slightly to my right, “I’m already there.”

Kelsey moved to the right, her eyes locking with mine. “And if I switch directions?”

Without missing a beat, I matched her movement. “Then I adapt, always one step ahead.”

The air between us was charged with a playful tension. I put one arm up against the wall and leaned in closer. Her lips parted and her tongue peeked out before she pulled her lower lip between her teeth. My eyes locked on that lip, then flicked up to her eyes.

“What if I’m unpredictable?” she asked, her voice laced with a challenge.

I closed the gap between us, my voice low. “Then I have to use all my skills to keep up. But I’m always up for a challenge.”

For a moment, everything else faded away. There was a spark there and I wanted nothing more than to let it set me on fire.

Kelsey whispered up to me, “I think I’m starting to like this game.”

“I play to win, Kelsey.”

She raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on her lips. “Is that so? Well, I might just let you catch me to see if you’re as good as you say.”

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