Page 76 of Scoring the Player
Felix puts my clubs in the back of his car and then leans against it and pulls me to him.
“I can’t believe you did that. They are going to give me so much shit tomorrow.”
“I guess I better make it worth it then.” He slides a hand around the back of my neck and uses it to guide my lips to his.
He makes this sexy, little noise every time we kiss. It’s a sort of gruff hum that comes from deep in his throat, but somehow, I can tell he’s smiling when he does it.
His grasp around my neck is gentle, but his mouth crushes mine. I lean against his chest and drape my arms over his shoulders. His tongue tangles with mine as he circles my waist with his free hand. Long fingers splay out over my lower back and graze my ass. Two inches lower and he’d be under my skirt.
I have enough wherewithal to know that standing in the middle of a parking lot with half my teammates watching isn’t a super idea. I’m winded when he pulls back. He winks. “Ready, babe?”
Ready to make out in his car? Ready to scrap my evening plans and go home with him? Yes, to all of the above. But apparently, I’m too dazed to answer.
He shoots me a half smile and steps away from the passenger door so I can get in. “Come on,” he says. “I’ll drop you at home.”
I chance a glance in Harper’s direction as I move to climb inside. She gives me two thumbs up and flashes me the biggest smile.
Felix gets behind the wheel, starts the car, and then leans over to brush his lips against mine again before he puts it in reverse.
And I think, maybe I am the luckiest girl alive.
27
FELIX
Thursday after practice,I stay to get in some more conditioning. It’s the only way I’m going to sleep tonight. We don’t play until Saturday, but we leave early tomorrow morning to travel to Flagstaff. One bad night of sleep and I’d probably have enough adrenaline to get me through. Two nights of shitty sleep, though, and I won’t be sharp enough to get it done. So tonight, I need total exhaustion on my side.
Teddy stays with me, going through the motions more to keep me company and make sure I don’t overdo it than because he needs it.
When I stop for water, he collapses on the field. “How are you still standing?”
“Obviously I’m in better shape than you.”
His mouth falls into a straight line, but my ribbing gets him back on his feet. The sun set some time ago, and without the lights on the field, it’s getting hard to see.
“Are you stressing NAU this much?” He ducks his head and wipes his forehead on the sleeve of his T-shirt.
“It’s not just NAU,” I say. “It’s every team from here on out. I want to finish strong. No regrets, no looking back and wondering what could have been, ya know?”
“Yeah.” He nods. “I get that. And we will. No one works harder than you. Not in all the years we’ve been playing together. We’re ready.Youare ready.”
I try to let his words ease the nerves pinging around my ribs. Since I was eight years old, all I’ve wanted is to be a football player. My mom would make my sisters and me answer that question on the first day of each new school year. She had one of those chalkboard signs where she wrote our names, which teacher we had that year, how old we were, how tall, and a bunch of other details I can’t remember. Even when we got to junior high, she’d bribe us with chocolate chip cookies or something until we’d agree to stand in front of the sign and have our picture taken.
Every single one of those photographs I’m standing in front of the same black chalkboard sign, proudly stating that I was going to be a football player when I grew up. Through buzzed hair, a mohawk, a scraggly attempt at growing facial hair, popped collars, there’s even one where I’m rocking an eyebrow piercing. My appearance shifted over the years, but my identity never has. I’m a football player. It’s all I’ve ever dreamed of being.
I shake out my legs. I don’t know how much more I have in me tonight, so I finally relent. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Ready to get out of here?”
“Of course, I’m right,” he says and claps me on the shoulder. “Do you want to grab dinner? I’m starving.”
“Yeah.” I blow out a long breath. I’m dog tired, which is exactly where I wanted to be.
We gather our things and head for the parking lot. I’m dragging, which is the only reason Teddy spots her before me.
His elbow to my side nearly knocks me over. Fuck, I might have overdone it. But when I glance up and see Dahlia waiting next to my car, I perk right up.
“Hey,” I say, smiling wider than I thought possible twenty seconds ago.
“Hi.” Her timidness around me still surprises me. It fades the more time we spend together, but she always approaches me like she’s not sure if I’m going to be pleased to see her or not. Spoiler alert, I’m always fucking pleased to see her.
