“Congratulations, Cash,” she said breathlessly after I tore my lips from hers.“You were a beast out there today.”
I shot her a naughty grin.“All due to your excellent relaxation techniques.”I couldn’t be completely sure in the brisk November air, but at my reference to our early-morning activities, I thought her cheeks turned a brighter shade of pink.
She opened her mouth—probably to call me out—but we were interrupted by a reporter sticking a mic in way too close to our conversation.Unwilling to let her go without a promise, I whispered in her ear, “I’ll meet you at the SCR tailgate.”
Nodding, she stuck her fist out for me to bump before disappearing into the crowd.
I gave the usual post-game interview except I didn’t answer the personal question the reporter asked about Saylor.When I merely stared at the woman holding the microphone, she figured out I wasn’t going to give her anything and moved on.After a couple of game-related questions, she turned her attention to Callahan, who’d had another monster day, and I headed toward the locker room.
Out of nowhere, Tarvi jumped on my back, his infectious laughter filling my ears.“That’s what I’m talking about, Cash Money!”
He stepped in front of me, and we made a show of the complicated handshake we’d devised over the course of the season.The guy was a clown who was always up for a good time—which, apparently, was the secret to his success.His stats didn’t lie, and the hundred-yard game he’d padded them with today only added to the legend he was building at MSC.
“That big arm of yours makes running the ball easy.”He shot me his stadium-filling smile as he fell into step beside me.
The trick play that broke the first-half stalemate had sucked all the wind out of the Chanticleers.Over the rest of the game, Tarvi and Callahan showed off, Tarvi keeping the opposing defense honest with consistent four-yard runs before he snaked through a hole Callahan opened for him for a forty-yard scamper into the end zone.Then Callahan got in on the scoring action when I zipped a pass at him from about ten yards off the line of scrimmage, which he turned into a thirty-five-yard touchdown.
Our final touchdown came courtesy of a short crossing route Danny Chambers turned into a sixty-yard track meet after he juked the safety out of his cleats and turned on the afterburners.The play should have only gained us a first down.Instead, Danny’s courage and skill gave us the touchdown that put the game away.Even though this was only a quarterfinal win, the party at Tarvi’s place tonight was going to be epic.
Coach Ellis let us celebrate for a few minutes in the locker room before he reminded us to be on time for film in the morning and not to do anything stupid that could jeopardize the team.In other words, keep a lid on the partying.While this win was big, we still had to win a semifinal game on the tail end of finals week before we could even think about a National Championship.
I showered in record time and dropped my garment bag in my Jeep as I crossed the parking lot to the SCR tailgate.As I strolled over to Saylor’s frat’s hangout, other tailgaters called me over to congratulate me on the win.More than anything I wanted to keep walking, but giving the fans a few minutes of my time was necessary.After all, the Wildcats fed off their energy, and as a transfer who’d replaced their beloved starter, I truly appreciated their support.
At last I sauntered up to a canopied area behind a behemoth duly pickup, where Kendrick Lamar called Drake out through a set of speakers mounted in the bed.I heard Saylor’s rich alto laughter, and I swear, that sound alone gave me a semi.A scrap of Astroturf served as a rug for the area around a portable firepit.Flaps hanging down from the canopy kept out the crisp November breeze and held in the heat from the fire.Scanning the surprisingly large group of frat rats and Little Rhos gathered around the firepit, I finally caught sight of her holding court from her perch on the tailgate of the truck.Several SCRs stood around her as she laughed at something one of them said.A second later Dalton slid his ass up on the metal seat, crowding in so close to her she had to shift her arm to make room for him.
Right then Saylor glanced up and caught my eye.In a flash she jumped off the truck and pushed her way through the crowd to me.
“About time, Mr.Superstar.”She wrapped her arms around my neck and smacked a kiss on my mouth.“If I don’t eat something soon, you’re going to have to pour me into bed before any of the real parties start.”
Over her shoulder I gave our kicker a narrow-eyed glare.Dalton smirked and saluted me with his beer.Slinging my arm across her shoulders, I said, “Dinner.Now.Got it.”
This time when we met my parents, we walked into The Divide hand in hand.Mom and Dad signaled their approval with cheesy grins when we met them at their table, both of them hugging Saylor as though we’d been together forever.Now that she was finally on board with the program: (read, she’d finally acknowledged we were a thing—and had been for a while), she let loose with her fun, animated side, making my parents fall in love with her.Before dinner was over, I could almost hear the wedding bells chiming in Mom’s head.
The team festivities at Tarvi’s were over-the-top, so we had to get an Uber to take us back to Saylor’s when we decided to call it a night.Yet after she keyed us into her apartment, I was ready for our own private party.
Pressing her against the back of her front door, I gazed deep into her amber eyes as I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.“Today’s game was the most fun I’ve ever had on a football field.You know why?”
“Because you were the best quarterback on the field today.Probably the best quarterback in any game played today,” Saylor said, those gorgeous eyes shining with the sincerity of her words.
“Nope.”I stroked the silky skin of her cheek with my knuckles.“Because every time I glanced up into the stands, I saw you.Cheering for me.”
Her face fell, and I didn’t have to be a mind reader to know why.
“Don’t take that the wrong way.”I palmed her cheek, soaking her silky warmth into my skin.“My point is, I’ll always play for you, whether you can be physically in the stadium cheering me on or not.Knowing you’re mine is the biggest motivator I’ve ever had for playing as hard as I can.”Rubbing the pad of my thumb over her high cheekbone, I said, “I want to be there for you too.When will you have your film showing this week?”
“Monday afternoon, but—”
“No buts.I can make it work.”Capturing her eyes with mine, I willed her to hear everything I needed to say.“We’re a team, Saylor, and teammates stay together.”
With a puff of a sigh and the barest of smiles, she went up on her toes and brushed a kiss over my lips.“Let’s go to bed,” she said against my mouth.
She didn’t have to ask me twice.
When I lifted her high in my arms, her surprised squeal cracked me up.A few minutes later the laughter faded into sweet moans and low groans as I buried myself in the slick, heavenly heat of her body, her arms and legs wrapped tightly around me as I set a leisurely pace for our lovemaking.
As I moved inside her, I held her eyes with mine, letting her see all my feelings.
Cupping the side of my face with her hand, she whispered, “I knew you were dangerous the first time I saw you standing between Taco and Dalton at the Mardi Gras party.Yet I followed you upstairs anyway.”
