“I’m going to be on fire out there tonight,” he says, finally stepping back towards the door and opening it. “I want you watching me.”
“Get over yourself.”
“Watch the game tonight, Tessa.”
She gives him an eyeroll as her answer, and watches as he winks at her and closes the door behind him, leaving her alone in the suffocating silence of her office, her skin still buzzing from where his nose had grazed her neck only moments before.
As Tristan had promised Tessa, he was on fire tonight.
There’s three minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Titans are down by one touchdown, and the crowd in Arrowhead is pulsing and chanting aggressively. At just under one hundred yards, Tristan has successfully caught 5 different throws, and he is determined to make this last play a touchdown as well.
The team is huddled, Phil looking at his wrist coach, determining which play he is going to call. Tristan leans in, sweat dripping inside of his helmet, breath coming out in labored spurts. He’s tired, aching, stressed, pumped full of adrenaline, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Play 14,” Phil shouts. “Trips Right 62 Z-Post.”
The huddle claps and Tristan immediately goes to his position.
That’s what he was hoping Phil was going to call. This play required Tristan to get past the block, blitz around his defenseman, and make a Z formation towards the end zone. They’ve done it a million times in practice, and everyone knows that Tristan excels under pressure. And it doesn’t get more stressful than this. The game is literally down to the wire. This play will make or break their game.
The roar of the crowd is deafening as Tristan keeps his eye on the ball, body completely still, until the center snaps the ball back to Phillip, and Tristan takes off running.
The linebacker across from Tristan blocks him, but Tristan is able to throw his hands out, effectively faking the player of the direction he is going to go, and he pushes right past him, making a flawless Z formation past the safety and remainder of the D line, until he finds the perfect pocket in the end zone. He already knows that Phil has thrown the ball; he doesn’t need to look. He can feel the energy and the tension from the crowd and he already knows the ball is in the air, coming straight for him, so he quickly whips around, body and hands already positioned to catch the ball, and with a movement that seems like it moves quicker than the speed of light, Tristan has the ball secured in his hands, feet planted firmly on the turf.
Fucking touchdown.
The crowd erupts and Tristan is pummeled by his teammates on the field.
“Let’s go!”
“Atta boy, Kelly!”
“Makin’ plays, baby!”
Tristan knocks his helmet against his teammates and takes Phillip into an aggressive embrace.
“My fucking guy!” Phillip says, pounding on Tristan’ chest.
Tristan’s head whips around towards the tunnel, where some of the more behind the scenes staff like to hang out during the game, and his heart swells when he sees her. She’s standing leaning against the wall, arms crossed, with the brightest smile on her face. Their eyes lock and he has to stop himself from running to her, so instead he gives her a wink, causing her to giggle and shake her head in disbelief.
“Bro,” Phillip says, grabbing Tristin’s shoulders and steering him back in the direction of the side line. “They just showed that whole thing on the screens. Kiana’s going to have a fit seeing you wink at someone that isn’t her.”
“Whatever,” he says, still looking directly at Tessa.
He’s unbothered, because he knows two great things will be happening tonight.
Even though the other team still has about a minute and a half to score, he knows they won’t, and
He will break things off with Kiana tonight, whether she threatens to off herself or not.
“You look fucking hot!”
“Oh, this old thing?”
Tessa and Brinley are in a tight embrace as they stand in the private room in one of the most popular high-end restaurants in Kansas City. The team is on cloud nine after the win, and everyone has changed into something a bit nicer thansweat stained football pads in order to celebrate their beloved teammate’s birthday.
Tessa is in a stunning red dress that fits tight at the top and flows out at her waist. She has a pair of high strappy heels on, and her blonde hair pulled up into an effortless looking bun with a few strands falling around her face.
The way Tristan’s touchdown wink made her feel was enough to get her into such an outfit, and she was suddenly feeling very bold.
