Chapter 6
Six
Tyson
Having the woman of my dreams make an extra point in an NFL game to win it was not on my bingo card today. Or maybe ever? But seeing it happen is going to make today impossible to beat.
You never know when your time is up as a professional athlete.
One day, the sport is your main priority, and you sacrifice everything–your mind, body, and time–to perfect it.
Many don’t get to make the call, an injury or team management does it for them.
While I’ve started to honestly think about when this should be for me, or when it could happen, today is the type of game that makes me want to play forever.
The team went wild. Running to her and jumping up and down, all while the crowd was screaming, making the arena feel like it was alive.
I even saw Coach jump in the air and I don’t know if anyone has seen him airborne in the last decade.
When we got to the sidelines, Blair took her helmet off, and you could hear the confusion from the opposing teams’ fans and players.
With Blair's extra point, the Cosmos pulled out the win. Coach brought her into the locker room and made sure everyone kept clothed until she was out. He gave her the game ball and told her not to miss her media appointment, which, that part may have been a joke, but she did all of it like a champ. She shook hands, met people, sat with Zack during his press conference, which is an experience in itself, and would’ve stayed as long as they wanted or needed her.
I could see it coming. Her crash. She’d been overwhelmed and pumped with adrenaline all day and I texted Joey–who was still losing his shit–planning our exit.
Now, we’re at my apartment, eating takeout from four different restaurants—there’s a little bit of everything, just how Blair likes it. Joey couldn’t stay, needing to get back home to his pregnant wife, so the amount of food here is laughable.
“Did today really happen?” she asks while eating a forkful of caprese salad, a fried mozzarella stick in her other hand.
The same thought I’ve had more than once.
“You made history,” I answer, popping a fried pickle in my mouth. Not a big fried food guy during the season, but this is one night where there are no rules. “You were fucking incredible.”
“Stop. I’m going to get all hot again.” She fans her cheeks, the ones that have been perpetually pink all day.
The doorbell buzzes and my doorman says there’s a delivery. I meet him at the door and grab a bag—the one I knew was coming—and then he hands me a bottle of champagne with designer chocolates. I peek at the card and laugh when I see they’re from Zack. That fucking guy.
“Well, these are both for you. Zack and Emilie, his wife, sent you the champagne and chocolates,” I explain as I give her the card.
Blair beams as she reads–bubbly wine is definitely one of her favorite drinks. Maybe I should keep some here for when she’s around?
Handing her the other bag, I say, “This one is from me.”
She peeks in the bag and tips her head back with a groan. “My favorite pajamas. And leggings?” Blair looks down at her jeans and I can see the relief on her face. “How do you think of things like this?”
“When we were coming back, I knew you didn’t have anything to change into. Knew you’d want to be comfortable.”
She smiles at me in a slow way. Her eyes glisten, like she might cry, but even if she did, I know it’s from the combination of the snacks and the idea of changing into stretchy pants.
“Thank you,” Blair says, while peeling herself from the barstool to go change. “Feel free to open that bubbly for me.”
There’s a card with a sweet message from Emilie and Zack—also a jab about me probably not having flutes yet, but they would be right. I remove the foil and pop the top, grinning like an idiot when I think about the last few hours.
What a day.
I’m pouring the champagne into the expensive flutes—Zack does have great taste—as Blair walks out in the pajamas I had in my cart a few hours ago. I’ve probably seen her in every color or pattern imaginable.
Doesn’t make her any less gorgeous.
“Did you know that the Cosmos have a women’s locker room? With like… ridiculously nice products?” Her fingers pat her cheeks.
I tip my head back and laugh, “No, I didn’t. But don’t tell Zack, he’ll ransack it.” Handing her a flute, champagne fizzing to the top, I raise my barely-filled flute and say, “Cheers to you, Blair,” and she clinks her glass to mine in response.
We each take a sip but then Blair doesn’t stop—she downs the entire glass and stares at the table where the now empty flute sits. Her eyes don’t meet mine and she doesn’t move.
“So, there’s a 99% chance I’m about to have a meltdown. I’m talking tears, weird laughing, it’s all coming.” Her voice is soft but twinged with the nervous laugh I’m familiar with.
Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long. Blair is so fucking good at managing things in the moment… she’ll stretch herself thin until she’s almost transparent. But, it eventually catches up.
“What do you need?”
After a bottle of champagne, a few glasses of bourbon, equal amount of tears and nervous laughter, plus all the fancy chocolate she could stand, Blair is exhausted. She giggles into my chest as I reach down to pick her up and take her to bed.
She said I could take her home but that doesn’t make any sense. After she told me she had tomorrow off at Embers and Ashes, I knew she’d stay here.
Her arms loop around my neck and it makes me hurt knowing how bad I want her.
How amazing she is. Still can’t believe no one has realized it yet—I always told myself these feelings would go away once she settled down with someone, but that has yet to happen.
To be honest, we’re trending in the wrong direction if the objective is less feelings.
I lean forward and set her on the bed, the side closest to the bathroom, pulling the covers up and over her.
“There’s water on the table and the bathroom is right through there. I’ll leave the light on,” I say while her eyes roam over my face, a lopsided smirk on her full, pink lips.
Her lashes flutter, jet black, over her dark eyes. “You think of everything,” her words drag. “How do you have so much room in there?” She puts her hands through my hair and I have to hold back from leaning into it. “So much room for thinking. So smart.”
I let out a laugh while I get her situated. “You’re smart, too. Lots of room in that brain.” I jokingly tap her forehead.
“You’re right. I do lots of thinking.” Her voice rises and falls like she’s reading a children’s book.
Sitting back, I press, “Is that so? What do you think about?”
She tilts her head; her eyes are heavy and her lips tug on a corner. Blair takes in a slow breath, like she’s trying to steady herself. “I always think you’re going to kiss me. But you never do.”
Her sleepy words turn me into a statue, sitting on the edge of the bed. She smiles at me for a few lazy seconds before turning on her side and settling into the pillows.
I sit there, frozen, until the sound of her deep breathing tells me she’s asleep. Is my brain playing tricks on me? Did I really hear that?
I always think you’re going to kiss me…but you never do.
Fuck, if she only knew how much I dreamt of it.