my pulse accelerated. Would Leo try to find me? Or was I making a much bigger deal of our fledgling relationship than I should?
Maybe it wouldn’t even cross his mind to search me out in the crowd.
But, then, I saw a helmet come off and sunlight reflecting streaks of blond. There were only two guys in the world with that exact shade of hair, and one of them was probably hiding on his borrowed boat right now.
Leo turned, and I watched him scan the first section of bleachers. I felt rather than saw Petra’s hand start to raise, and I snatched it mid-air. For some strange reason, I wanted him to find me on his own. Petra huffed, but she let her arm drop back to her lap.
I knew the second he caught sight of me, because his game face fell away, replaced by a smile that everyone could see but I knew was only for me. He mouthed the words “front row,” and I nodded, unable to resist grinning back at him. He lifted his hand to his mouth and blew me a kiss. Right there in front of everyone.
Laughing, I shook my head at his antics. I had no intention of blowing him a return kiss, but I did gesture to the huge “07” directly over my boobs. His smile grew even wider, and he continued looking right at me until one of the coaches approached him, drawing his attention away.
Whispers sounded behind me again, but I didn’t even care. I felt like a silly teenage girl. Which was somewhat ridiculous, since I was a teenager. But I’d so rarely felt like one, this sensation was new. And not at all unwelcome.
Petra released a low whistle. “Damn, girl. That boy is even more smitten than I expected.”
I considered rolling my eyes at her or doing something else to convey my annoyance. But, amazingly, I wasn’t annoyed. And, yes, I was still smiling.
At the end of the first half, the game was tied, and I could see Leo’s frustration every time he removed his helmet. From what I could tell, he’d been playing well, but the Harbor U defense was struggling.
The first play into the second half, he threw what appeared to be an impossibly long pass, and the fans surrounding us went wild. Less than twenty yards to the end zone.
As he moved back into formation, I mentally chanted, come on, Leo, over and over. But, before the snap, he straightened, his attention directed at something—or someone—in front of him. Pushing through guys in maroon jerseys who were attempting to stop him, Leo advanced on a player on the other team. I assumed words were exchanged, but they were too far away for me to hear any of it.
Then, seemingly out of the blue, Leo tackled the player, taking him down. Players from both sides rushed them, and before I could even process what was happening, there was nothing but a heap of maroon, white, and navy on the field.
Whistles blew, coaches and referees shouted, and fans heckled, but I barely heard any of it. Leo had just gotten into a fight.
This wasn’t like when he’d left the field during the scrimmage the first week of school. Then, his actions had made perfect sense to me. He’d been determined to protect Tristin from Bodie and his goons, and the game hadn’t counted, anyway.
But this was different. I knew he took football seriously, and to not just get into a fight in the middle of a game—but to start it? That didn’t make sense.
My stomach twisted as players were yanked apart and I waited to see Leo. He eventually stood from the bottom of the pile of bodies, and I released a ragged breath when he appeared unharmed. He offered a hand to the guy he tackled, but it was rejected.
The head coaches for both teams approached, and after plenty of words and gestures of anger and frustration among the group, Leo strode off the field.
When I could no longer see him, I finally turned my head toward Petra. She looked as dumbstruck as I felt.
“What the fuck just happened?” she asked.
“I have no idea.” Seriously. Not a one.
“You should try to go talk to him.”
“What?” I gave her my best what are you smoking look. “It’s not like I can just waltz into the locker room.”
“Why not?”
“Well, I...”
She pursed her lips. “See? There’s no good reason not to at least try.” Standing, she took my hand and practically