Chapter 39
For the Win
Bentley
A month later …
My hair is soaked under my helmet and sweat’s dripping down the bridge of my nose. Adrenaline is pumping through me like crazy. My veins are buzzing with excitement and anticipation.
We’re so close. The score is 24–28. We need to get this touchdown. They’ve been on our asses all game. My team is playing hard, and the defense has really shown up, but so has theirs.
However, I’m playing for something. I’m going to win this game for Zah and Aaron. I want us to grow our family.
I’m not losing that bet. When I walk off this field, I’m leaving with something. Zahirah might as well start picking out baby names.
“Come on, Coswell. We’ve got this. We’re so close. There’s enough time on the clock to take this home,” Coach says.
It’s the fourth quarter. There’re still two minutes on the clock and we have both of our time-outs left. There’re eighty yards to go, but my best receiver has gone down.
However, I still have my tight end and our running back, Jenkins, can catch it out the backfield. We have a real shot at this.
Everyone pats me on the helmet and back as I head back out onto the field into the huddle. I have tunnel vision. We’ve come too far to let this slip through our fingers.
“Blue, eighty-two, set, hut, hut.”
I drop back as I see the blitz heading for me. The pocket is collapsing faster than I’d like. I roll out to the left and go with my legs. My guys block for me and I pick up the first down.
“Let’s go, let’s go,” I call out as I rush to the line of scrimmage.
We need to keep this thing moving. I keep my eye on the play clock as I read the defense. I notice their safety coming in toward the line of scrimmage, which tells me I can throw a seam pass to my tight end.
I call an audible for a go route. The ball is snapped, and I drop back once again. The safety goes for the blitz just as I thought.
I look over the middle, and my tight end is wide open. I throw a bullet pass and hit Miller right in the hands. He takes off and makes it to the other team’s thirty-yard line. We’re ten yards out from the red zone.
“Fuck yeah,” I fist pump the air.
Immediately, I call a time-out with fifty seconds left on the clock. I run to the sideline to get the next call. I can taste this win in the air.
“Okay, we have one time-out left. That means we can take another shot in the middle of the field to get deeper in the red zone,” Coach barks out.
“All right, I noticed their linebackers are gassed. Let’s try a swing pass toward the sideline to Jenkins. Dude, you catch it and get as many yards as you can then get out of bounds, bro.”
“I got you,” Jenkins says.
The time-out ends, and we head back onto the field. This is it. All I can think about is stopping the clock and getting this touchdown.
I drop back and look to my left. Quickly, I turn right and throw the ball to Jenkins. Jenkins catches the ball in space, planting his feet. Then he runs, avoiding one defender with a juke move. He runs and gets tackled by a linebacker in bounds after a twenty-yard gain.
We’re now at the ten-yard line. I immediately call a time-out with ten seconds left. The stadium goes nuts. They’re so loud I can feel it in my chest.
I don’t have time to stop and take it all in. I get back to the sideline with my team. We have one more play. It’s all or nothing.
“This is it. I don’t have to tell y’all what this means. We have one play to get this done. Coswell, they’re expecting you to throw to Miller and they’re going to lock Jenkins down,” Coach says.
“Let’s use a pump fake to Stern. I’ll take it in myself. Lattimore and Corby, you guys cover my ass. Darity, if I need it, you give a little push. We’ve got this.”
“Nice, Coswell. A fake scene bootleg. I like it.” Coach nods.
Me and the guys make our way out to the line of scrimmage. Getting into formation, I then get under center and give the signal call. I put Lattimore in motion toward Stern. Once Lattimore reaches Stern, he sets his feet and looks toward the end zone.
I look over the linebackers in the middle of the field then call a fake audible. This causes them and the safety to shift over to Stern and Lattimore.
I call a hike, drop back, then pump fake toward the scene. I roll out to the left side with no defenders in sight. I run as fast as I can. All I see is the end zone.
As I get closer, I notice a defensive back charging toward me from the middle of the field. Darity comes from my blind side and blocks him at the one-yard line as I hurdle into the end zone.
I lie on my back, staring up at the sky. This one feels different. It’s like I can feel my father looking down on me. I’m finally the man I know he would want me to be.
Overwhelmed with emotions, I allow my teammates to pick me up and lift me into the air. We won. I’ve got a ring with my home team.
“Yeah, Coswell. That’s what the fuck I’m talking about,” Darity croons as I’m placed back on my feet.
None of this feels real. I know I promised Zah I would do it, but standing here with the mission accomplished is surreal. I always get a high from a touchdown, but this one will forever have a special place in my heart.
Zahirah
“How does it feel to be the MVP?” I ask with a smile on my face as we step off the hotel elevator and head to our room.
I’m so proud of Bentley; he earned that MVP trophy. He played his ass off all season, but tonight. Tonight was something special.
That game-winning touchdown was perfection. I held my breath the entire time. I couldn’t breathe until I saw Bentley walking to shake hands with the other team.
“My heart was in my throat while you just lay there after that touchdown. I thought something was wrong,” I say as we enter our suite.
We’re finally here after all the press and celebrating with his team. Mom has Aaron back home in Arizona. I had a feeling my man was going to bring home the chip, and I would have to make good on our bet.
I have a little surprise for him tonight. We’ve come a long way in the last seven months. Our therapist has praised us on our progress repeatedly.
I’m proud of us too. We’re able to communicate so much more effectively. If there’s a challenge, we talk it out.
Bentley shows up for me day in and day out. I couldn’t ask for a better partner. I know if we had to go through everything we went through in college now, we’d come out of it a lot different today.
“I had a moment. This one wasn’t like all the others. I know Dad is always with me, but this time it felt like he was smiling down on me. I can’t explain it, but I felt it,” he says.
“I know he’s proud of you. You played your heart out.”
He tugs me into him and captures my lips in a searing kiss. I moan into his mouth as I wrap my arms around his neck. The amount of passion he kisses me with takes my breath away.
“I had something to play for. I love you so much,” he breathes when he breaks the kiss.
“Is that right? What exactly did you have to play for?”
He growls into my neck and nips at my skin. Goose bumps rise and a chill runs through me. I can feel how hard he is as he pulls my body into his.
“You know what I was playing for. I’m not allowing you to back out of your promise, Zah. It’s all I’ve been thinking about all day.”
I laugh and shake my head. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been thinking about it too. I’m actually excited about trying for another baby.
Things will be so different this time. Bentley will be there with me, and our family will be a part of the entire process. I can never give them all back what they lost with Aaron, but this feels like something I need to do for our family and us.
“Is it okay if I take a shower?” I tease.
“Sure, take all the time you need. However, once I get my hands on you, you’re mine for the rest of the night,” he croons.
“Um, I’m not complaining at all. I love you. I’ll be right back.”
He dips his head and pecks my lips. Knowing if I stand here any longer, I’ll never get to my surprise, I turn and head into the bedroom of the suite. Grabbing my bag, I then retrieve the little outfit I placed inside with tonight in mind.
I won’t tell Bentley this, but I had decided I would let him get me pregnant again, whether he won or not. With a smile on my lips, I glide into the bathroom to freshen up. Game days can be superlong and exhausting.
This entire day was taxing, but I’m not going to allow that to ruin tonight. I make my way through a shower that does wonders to wake me up. Once out of the shower, I dress in the bra, panties, thigh highs, and garter set.
When I look in the mirror to take my scarf back off, I’m feeling myself. The knotless boho braids with the cornrows in the front look good on me. I figured they would be best for the busy weekend.
I flip them over to the left and smile at myself as I take one last once-over. I look sexy and happy. Swiping on some lip gloss to make my lips pop, I then head into the bedroom.
I turn on some music to play softly in the background. I made a little playlist before we flew out here. I’ve had this all planned out for weeks.
I climb onto the bed and settle into the middle of it. Leaning back on my palms, I push my breasts out and tilt my head to the side. I laugh to myself as anticipation buzzes through me.
“Hey, Bent, can you come here for a minute?” I call out.
It doesn’t take long for him to appear in the doorway. His eyes fill with lust as he takes me in. He runs his hand through the front of his hair and licks his lips. My smile grows as he slowly saunters fully into the room.
“You look so fucking amazing, Zah. You drive me crazy. You know that, right?”
I bite my lip and nod as I look at him through my lashes. I was hoping this would be the response I would get. The look in his eyes says it all; he’s going to fuck the shit out of me.
He unbuttons his shirt as he moves, tossing it to the floor as he gets to the foot of the bed. His jeans and socks are the next things to go. I sit watching this beautiful man bare himself to me.