Page 16 of Flag On The Play
In the third row, just past the 40-yard line. Hair pulled back, face flushed from yelling, body angled forward like she’s in this with us. Withme.
My brain stutters.
What the hell is she doing here?
She told me to stop showing up at Heaven like I was trespassing in her world, but now she’s in mine.
That hesitation, that half-second pause, is all it takes.
The Settlers’ linebacker barrels through my right side, and I don’t even have time to dodge.
I hit the turf hard, shoulder first, breath knocked straight from my lungs. The crowd gasps, then quiets. My helmet scrapes the ground, and I grit my teeth, not in pain, but embarrassment. That sack was on me.
I let her get in my head.
Jace reaches down and yanks me up. “The hell was that, QB?”
“Nothing,” I mutter, brushing turf off my gloves. “Let’s go again.”
No more distractions. No more stolen glances.
The next drive is textbook. I hit Theo deep for a gain of thirty. Knox bulldozes through two defenders for a first down. Tank takes a screen pass and drags three guys into the red zone.
I finish it off with a perfect pass to Jace in the corner of the end zone.
Touchdown.
The roar is deafening. Empire Stadium explodes. I pump my fist in the air and let the adrenaline wash over me. This is what I live for.
As the clock winds down and victory is sealed, I take a breath. The kind that settles in your chest like satisfaction and sparks.
I look up again.
She’s still there.
And this time, I really see her.
Nova’s on her feet, arms raised, jumping up and down like she actually gives a damn. Her smile is wide, lit with excitement, and for a second, just a split moment, it almost looks like pride in her eyes.
My pulse spikes again, but this time it’s not from the game.
What the hell is she doing to me?
She’s confusing. Complicated. Sharp as hell and twice as dangerous.
She tells me not to come to her club, but shows up to watch me win.
She's tempting in a way that feels like a challenge. And I’ve never been one to back down.
On Friday night, yeah, I’ll be at Heaven’s Edge.
But this time, I’m not showing up for the show.
This time, I’m asking for a VIP.
Because Nova Wilde makes me want to know how far it can go before she throws a flag on the play.
Friday night seems to take forever to get here.
