Page 51 of Steeling Her
She’s come to watch me play today, just like she promised. I feel like such a kid waiting for her to sit with Danielle and Haley in the stands. I want to show her what I’ve got, how good I am, and to impress the shit out of her. Not to get to her dad, I just want to get to her.
I want her.
I’ve made it my mission to get her. It clicked when she looked up at me with her doe-like blue eyes while she was sitting on the floor after she slipped. I rushed to her side immediately to help her up. When those eyes met mine, I couldn’t help the feeling I got. I started to sweat. My veins started to pump the adrenaline around my body. The excitement; the heart palpitations; the feeling of wanting to touch her soft skin; the need to wrap my arms around her. I want her. I really,reallywant her.
“Jackson! Keep focused! Come on, put your dick back inside! I know you’re waiting on a certain lady to take her seat. So if it becomes a problem, I may ask her to leave!” A flash of panic races across my face because I know he would. He’s done it to other players before. He’s asked the person who has distracted the player to leave the stadium. No doubt he’ll do it for me too.
I throw the ball over to him with a little more force that necessary to show him I’m not happy. He smirks at me, he read me like a book. “I would rather a fireball in the form of a shot, not a football, Jackson. Don’t get pissy with me! Focus. Now,” he says lowly and points the tip of the ball in my direction.
He’s right. I need to keep these feelings to myself. I can’t let them dictate my play. That’s when distractions come in. I can’t afford that if I want to go pro. I throw him one again and see the grin take form again.
“Better; much, much better. Remember that feeling; remember that throw. Stay focused. You’ll be pro in no time, kid!” He’s always been so supportive of me. He reminds me of my dad. That’s why I take to him so much. He’s an honest man and a straight shooter. “Come on, we’ve gone over time. You need to get inside the locker room and change.” I nod and turn on my heel, lifting my drenched top over my head. It’s fucking hot today. As soon as it’s off, I automatically scan the stands and see her.
I stand there frozen while I watch her laugh with my sister. She’s setting her bag down and sits in her seat between the two girls. The stadium is filled to the brim with people, but my eyes are only on her. As if she felt my stare, her eyes meet mine, and I gulp down at the sight of her. I see her eyes scan my chest, stopping at my abs and then immediately back up to my eyes.
“Ahem . . . Are you two going to stop gawking at each other so we can start this game?” I hear my best friend’s laugh erupt and I slap him on his own bare chest. He always catches me these days. I’m not really discreet but it’s fucking hard to look away when I see her. The sight of her just does something to me. It’s like she slaps me in the face and grabs hold of it with both hands, restricting my eyes from looking elsewhere. This girl has got me by the balls and doesn’t even realize it.
The three of them wave at us and we wave back. TJ pushes me towards the locker room. I wish I could have her with me on the field and teach her a few things, even though she probably already knows how to throw a ball or hike it back to me.Damn, I would love to see that cute butt in the air when she bends over to snap the ball back to me.
The stadium is huge and the crowd fills it easily. We attract a lot of support. We are at the top of the league. I have a lot of pressure on my shoulders with each game, no thanks to Austin Steel. He set the bar high, so high that I have to live up to it. To meet him was unbelievable. Chris as well.
But their sister, Miss Carter Steel, something else.
We walk through the tunnel to get to the refurbished locker room and I hear our studs clicking on the hard surface. The sound I’ve heard so many times on a daily basis.
Pushing the door open, I’m greeted with half naked bodies that I’m used to seeing. I trudge over to my bench and see my jersey hanging nicely under the small arch. I spray some deodorant on before I have my padding sorted.
This is when the nerves set in.
My leg bounces up and down. MS state is gracing our field today. They’re on our turf—my turf. We need to win this. We need to keep our title. I need scouts eyeing me up at every game, but the girl sitting in the front row sandwiched between two of her roommates is not helping my focus or nerves right now.
A hand on my back drags me out of my thoughts and back to the present. Bulldog is hovering over me with a worried look in his eyes.
“Jackson, if you don’t focus, I will have to ask her to leave. Get it together.” I nod and sigh.
“I’m just nervous, that’s all. I’ll be good once I get going,” I reassure him, but he’s not buying it.
“Nerves will help, just stay focused . . . Piece of advice: stay in the moment and trust yourself. Play your own game. Then, when it’s over and you’ve won, go and kiss the shit out of her!” He chuckles, making me smile. Easing into the moment, we all leave out the tunnel to be greeted with loud roars. With my team behind me, I try not to look out into the stands to search for Carter.
“Stay focused, Nick,” I whisper to myself as I see the opposing team walking around on my field with their captain psyching them up. The bowl-shaped stadium all brings the attention down to the two teams, mine and his.
Game on.
The game starts with a thunder around us. This game is different compared to the last. It feels different, more intense. TJ is on fire tonight. He’s everywhere. Running around freely like he’s being chased by a hungry dog. Ryan too. Ryan is open most of the game, and I use that to my advantage. We’re annihilating this team. My arm is behaving today.
Touchdown after touchdown, we then begin to slip a little, leaving ourselves open for them to get a touchdown of their own.Dammit.I wanted a perfect score without them getting a chance.
Although we were ahead, the game was very intense. They couldn’t keep up with us, but their defense was on point. They made it very hard for me to get the play to my guys, but I still managed to get touchdowns. The game is called, and we won by a mountain. Surprised by the gap, I stand there and think how the fuck that happened. MS state were on their game tonight, but we were something else. We walked all over them with no mercy. TJ runs towards me taking his helmet off, revealing his sweaty head.
“Holy fuck, Nick, you were on fire today!” He slaps my helmet. I laugh at him.
“I could say the same to you, TJ. Every time I looked up, you were running.” I pull my helmet off and drop it down on the ground.
“Carter wouldn't have anything to do with it, right?” He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. I roll my eyes, trying to hide my smile but I can’t. She had everything to do with it. “Holy shit! Bro, you need to just accept that you like her. I can see it all over your damn face, Jackson.” He pokes my cheek and I swat his hand away while laughing at him.
“Shut up, TJ.” I start laughing again. I’m not telling him. He’ll let it slip and tell everyone. That stays between me, myself, and I. And maybe Carter. Someday.
We all gather around, congratulating each other and the staff for such a great game. We all just clicked today. A few messy passes here and there, but overall we played like we’ve been playing together all our lives. Smiles were worn all around the stadium, but there was only one smile I wanted to see.
