Unfortunately, no matter how aggressive the game was, the Dolphins were just marginally better than we were. We were near the end of the fourth quarter, and after an impressive deep ball on a fourth down from Liam to Jonesy, we were only down by one. Coach Cal called for a two-point conversion, but the Dolphins defense shut it down. Special teams and our kicker ran out onto the field to kick the ball and start the next possession.
As much as I wanted to watch them, I couldn’t. Coach Cal waved the defense over to him. “Shut them down before the two-minute warning,” he barked. “We get them three-and-out, and it gives our offense time to make a move. We’re not out of this game yet, understood?”
“Right, Coach!” a few of my teammates shouted out.
We exploded out of the huddle just as our kicker sent the ball flying. One of our gunners tackled the Dolphins’ kick returner at the five-yard line, and the crowd exploded. It would take a lot of effort from the Dolphins to travel the ball down the field, and if we kept them pinned and prevented them from getting a first down, then maybe their punter wouldn’t be able to start us so far down the field.
Coach was right.
We had a chance.
I felt sharp as I ran back onto the field and lined up with my team. Their offense lined up near the end zone. I heard their quarterback shout out plays, and my brain locked in. Everything was sharper and in better focus. The center’s snap looked like it was in slow motion. I was aware of every move in front of me.Their offensive line collided with our defensive linemen. One of their wide receivers took off down the field. Their quarterback fell back deeper into the pocket.
And I saw it.
A clear path to the quarterback.
I didn’t think. I just took off, dodging one of their offensive linemen when he tried to stop me. I wasn’t sure I’d ever moved so fast in my life. One moment, I was crouched at the line of scrimmage, and the next, I was colliding with the quarterback. It wasn’t until I hit him that I realized we were in the end zone.
I’d just scored a safety.
We were up by one, and our team had possession.
I offered a hand down to the Dolphins’ quarterback to help him up before I ran back to the sidelines. My teammates all clapped me on the back as I got there. Milo gave me the most beautiful smile when he passed me as offense took the field.
Our team still had possession when the game ended. We’d won by one point.
I’d won the team the game with that safety. In all the years I’d played in the ALF, I’d never earned the final points. In fact, I’d barely ever earned any points. I’d had a pick six my rookie year and another two years ago. I had this safety today. That was it.
I was glowing as we went back to the locker room. I barely heard Coach Cal’s end of game speech, except for the part where he tossed me the Defensive game ball. I didn’t mind when I was thrust into the spotlight for press, though I didn’t remember a single thing I’d said under the bright lights. I joined the team for a celebratory drink in the hotel bar when we made it back.
I might have had more than one, except Milo caught my eye from down the bar. He raised an eyebrow and offered the most suggestive smile I’d ever seen, and I decided that celebrating with him sounded a lot more fun than celebrating with the rest of the team. I finished my beer and left the bar. Milo followed afew steps behind me. We didn’t acknowledge each other until the elevator door slid shut, and then, our acknowledgment was non-verbal. It was him pressing me against the mirrored elevator wall and kissing me so hard it knocked the wind out of my lungs.
“My room or yours?” he panted against my lips as the elevator made its way to the top floor.
“Mine.” I gave him a quick kiss and pulled back. “It’s closer.”
“Like the way you think,” he declared as his lips collided back with mine.
The ding of the elevator hitting our floor made us spring apart. We were still straightening our pregame suits when the doors slid open. Our laughter followed us down the hall to my room, and we were lucky that none of our teammates who had already come back upstairs ducked their heads out to investigate the noise.
I was so giddy that I almost dropped my room key as I pulled it from my pocket, but I managed to get the door open. The moment the door shut, we were kissing again. Like our first time, Milo seemed to be the one in charge. He pushed me back to the king-sized bed we’d taken each other apart in the night before and shoved me down on it. We made quick work of our suits, letting them fall abandoned onto the hotel room floor.
Normally, I wouldn’t treat my pregame suit like that. I’d hang it carefully in the closet, tucked back into its garment bag, but I couldn’t find it in myself to care right then. All I wanted was Milo’s bare body pressed against mine, and it wasn’t long before I had that.
When we were spent, I pulled Milo close to my chest and we fell asleep together.
Milo called in the bet the moment we got back to Tucson. He followed me into my condo so I could unpack and grab an overnight bag, and then we went back to his place. We stayed there until our next practice, even when his aunt came to talk about the game. She looked pleased as punch to find me on his couch, and her smile only grew as he snuggled up against me while we talked.
It wasn’t like she didn’t know that there was something going on between us. I’d been at her brunches choking down her terrible attempts at breakfast food every time that she had them since that first one. She’d seen the casual touches as we passed each other in her living room. She’d seen him give me a kiss in exchange for some of my bacon. She’d seen him going into my apartment when she was leaving for bridge or bingo or whatever old ladies did. (She had mentioned both in the time I’d known her, but I didn’t know if she actuallyplayedeither or was just mentioning them.)
Once practice started, we found our way back to the comfortable habits we’d formed since that night in his kitchen. We spent a few nights at my place, a few nights at his, and at least one night a week without each other. Those were my least favorite nights. I slept better with him in my arms.
I was also learning that I slept better at his place. There was something comforting about the colorful warmth created by his personal belongings, something the cold short-term rental I lived in didn’t offer. It hadn’t bothered me at first, but the more time I spent with Milo, the more my temporary accommodation bothered me.
I didn’t want temporary anymore. I wanted to stay in Tucson, to build something there, and I knew a lot of it had to do with Milo. I liked what we had. I liked being with him. I liked the relationship we were building, and I liked the way he made mefeel. I also liked the team I played for. I liked Tucson’s weather, and I liked the little bakery down the road from our condo.
I had to make a move. I had to try to lock this in, try to keep the life I was building for myself.
