“What?” he asked. Then his eyes widened, and he smiled, something I wasn’t used to from him. “I promise not to pull the ball away. I’m sorry for being a jerk. But honestly, I’d never want you to land on your back. Not only could you get hurt, but it could cost us the game. My ego was a bit smashed when you joined the team.”
I nervously nodded as the cheerleaders took the field to warm up the crowd. There was a different vibe in the stands. The fans had been hyped for preseason, or so I thought. Because compared to today, those games hadn’t been half as loud, and the air hadn’t had the same pulsing energy. Today, music blared, videos and pictures of players flashed on the large digital screen, and from what I’d been told, the stadium had sold out.
Then my focus went to the end zones. “There are a lot of reporters here,” I said, blandly stating the obvious.
“It’s our first game and a rivalry one at that. Plus, and I don’t mean to make matters more stressful, but if I had to venture a guess, you’re another reason.”
My heart slammed in my chest. I suddenly felt as though I was about to have an out-of-body experience. From the pom-poms hoisted in the air to the players and cheering fans, everything began to feel hazy. Almost as though I were looking through foggy glasses.
Glancing to my left, I saw Collin hustling toward me with Mack following behind. “Hey, are you okay?”
Collin’s warm touch on my arm calmed me down a bit, but not enough. “Yeah. I’m just nervous.”
“I once puked on the fifteen-yard line before a big game,” Mack announced as though that would placate me. My nose crinkled at the thought. “Played great after that.”
“Well, I prefer not to vomit in front of fifty-thousand people.”
Mack corrected me. “Seventy-two thousand.” Collin shot him a look that had Mack putting his helmet back on. “See you out there, rookie. You’ll do great.”
When my eyes landed on Collin, he placed his hands on my shoulders. “Watch out for Lincoln and Sinclair. They’re notorious for putting pressure on the kicker.”
“I remember from the film you had me watch.”
“They don’t care that you’re not a guy. You’re suited up and one of us.”
Nodding, I forced down the lump in my throat. “I’ll be fine. Remember what I said: don’t treat me differently. If I get hit, I get hit. I have padding on.”
Saying those words to him was probably futile. He’d gotten in the face of one of the Arizona defensemen after he’d pushed me. But there was a flag on the play, which helped us in the end. I knew there would be animosity and many people who thought a girl couldn’t take it. Having my teammates stand up for me, although sweet, made matters worse.
“Yes, I know.”
“Then you promise?”
He bent down and whispered in my ear. “I’ll promise you this… when we get home, I plan on making love to you all night. I’m going to make your body feel things it’s never felt before.”
A shiver ran down my spine, and my lady parts decided to spark to life. “You can’t say things like that to me when I’m in this uniform. Thanks to my nerves, I’m sweating as it is.”
“Sweetheart, that uniform has never looked better. You good?”
“Yeah. There are so many reporters here.”
“You’ll get used to that. Just remember, less is best when asked about anything personal.”
“Right. Got it.” That was the least of my worries. He winked, put on his helmet, and jogged back onto the field to finish his warm-up.
After thirty minutes and a few more practice kicks, we all gathered in the tunnel. I’d been in there before, of course, but you could feel the electricity in the air. The sound of cannons shooting off fireworks, along with heart-pounding music, had the team pumped up. I actually think a few of our defensemen growled when Trent asked if we were ready.
Then, through a plume of smoke, we ran out onto the field. The crowd went wild, the stadium vibrated, and suddenly throwing up seemed like a good choice. Thankfully, I didn’t, but I could see where it could have helped untie the knot in my stomach.
We lost the coin toss, and the players took the field.
Okay, Charlie. It’s game time.
Chapter 21
Collin
Tied game, fourth quarter, and we were at the two-minute warning. We were also on DC’s thirty-three-yard line. If we gained yards, it would benefit Charlie. As of right now, she’d have a forty-three-yard kick to contend with. Completely in her wheelhouse, but if we couldn’t get the first down, then we needed to get some yardage.