Page 172 of Just for the Cameras
“I’m not dumb enough to mess with the likes of you.”
That puts a stunning smile on her face as her chest puffs with pride. “Glad you see it that way.”
With that, she heads off to her position behind the quarterback, and I shake my head in mirth as I line up as well.
The ball is hiked, and the team barely moves as the ball is pitched to Maple and she catches it.
Rather than cradling the ball like any other running back, though, she holds it out in front of her as if it’s a bomb ready to explode, and she high-knees it toward the right-hand side of the field, screaming bloody murder.
Jesus Christ.
This coming from the woman who was annoyed by my protective instincts just seconds ago.
The field stops, besides one rookie who looks like he wants to prove himself as he chases after her, tucking his shoulder, looking for a hit.
That motherfucker.
I run in his direction, ready to bury his head in the grass, when Maple looks to her side, spotting him.
She lets out a feral scream, a scream so loud I am surprised I heard it because it felt like a pitch only dogs could hear, and she starts running at the guy who is running at her.
What the hell is she doing?
Everyone on the field stops while we all watch in horror as Maple lifts her foot in the air and presses the bottom of her sneaker right into the rookie’s junk.
“Hi-ya!” she yells, connecting her foot solidly to his dick, crumpling the rookie over in an instant. When he’s on the ground, writhing, she says, “That’s what I call Maple’s stiff leg, but to you, it’s just Daddy.” Then she jogs toward the end zone, where she spikes the ball and starts turning and jumping with her nonbraced hand above her head.
Jesus.
Christ.
My teammates pick her up and place her on their shoulders as they parade her around while I just stand in my spot, glancing at the rookie and then back at her. Gretchen takes pictures like crazy. Maple removesher helmet and lifts it above her head like she’s fucking Rudy while they all cheer for her.
Even the people on the sidelines.
The media.
The onlookers.
The staff.
When they put her back on the ground, she jogs over to me, a huge smile on her face.
Tapping my chest, she says, “I match your stiff arm with my stiff leg.” She winks. “Told you I could take care of myself.”
Yeah, apparently.
I spare the rookie one more look as he continues to lie curled up on the ground. Serves the fuck right.
I drape my arm over Maple and pull her in close, kissing her on top of her head. “Proud of you, beautiful.”
“Are you?”
I nod. “Yeah, really proud because if you didn’t stiff-leg that rookie, my foot would have found his ass if he even touched a finger to you.”
“Good thing I can take care of myself.”
“Yeah, good thing.”
