Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 121095 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121095 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
“Now that I know you’re a quarterback,” Luca says, “it’s a good thing your math coach didn’t let you play me today. As an outside linebacker, one of my biggest jobs is taking down the opposing quarterback without mercy.”
I bat my eyelashes the same way Daisy did a few minutes ago. “But you wouldn’t do that to me, would you?”
I can’t believe what a flirt I’m being. It’s totally out of character for me to partake in this sort of silly communication style, especially when I’ve got an important math competition to prepare for, but Luca’s drawing me in and giving me tingles like nobody’s ever done before.
Luca nods slowly with mock solemnity. “Sorry to inform you, Chelsea, but I’d most definitely do it to you. I’m an edge rusher. That means I show exactly zero mercy to everyone, including you.”
I gasp. “No.”
Once again, Luca’s expression conveys the utmost seriousness. “I’ll show you mercy anywhere and everywhere else, but football is war, baby.” Luca drags his teeth over his lower lip as his dark, sparkling eyes remain locked with mine. “But, hey, if it makes you feel any better, I promise if I’d had to take you down like a clown, it would have hurt my very soul to do it.”
Football is war. Hell yeah, it is. Goddamn, those are the hottest words anyone’s ever spoken to me. In fact, hearing Luca say them while looking at me like he wants to lean in and kiss my lips is sending heat flashing over every inch of my skin.
“Well, at least you’d have a conscience about your war crimes,” I tease.
Luca laughs. “See? Funny. Like I said.” His cheeks flush. “Funny and pretty.”
Holy crap. Flustered, I shift in my seat and blurt, “So, in all seriousness, tell me more about what you do on your team. I don’t really understand what you meant when you said you ‘take down the opposing quarterback.’”
Luca lights up. Clearly, he’s excited to explain this to me. “Okay, so you know teams have offensive and defensive players, right? The offense, led by the quarterback, tries to score points, while the opposing team’s defense tries to stop them. Well, I’m on the defensive side of the ball, and one of my jobs is to try to stop the opposing quarterback from successfully throwing the ball to another one of his offensive players. To do that, I have to get past all the offensive players trying to protect their quarterback. Which is super hard to do. But if I do it, then I literally tackle their quarterback to ground. But only if he’s still holding the football, of course.”
“So you only tackle him before he’s gotten the chance to throw the ball to another player?”
“Exactly right! You’re getting it now. When I tackle the QB to the ground while he’s still got the ball, then that’s what’s called a sack.”
“A sack. Got it.”
“It’s a really big deal when I get one. Like, the holy grail for my position. There’s other important stuff I do, too, but that’s the biggest thing for me.”
“How often do you do this sack thing? Every game?”
He chuckles at my intentionally clunky word choice. “If I’m lucky, I’ll get one sack per game. Two, if I’m really on fire. Three or more sacks in a single game would be considered a truly amazing performance. My best game ever in high school I got four of ’em, and that was seriously the best day of my life.”
He’s so cute. Man, I’d love to find out everything there is to know about his best game in high school. I’m sure the play-byplay would thrill me. But I can’t push my luck.
“What’s it called when you take down the quarterback after he throws the ball?” I’ve been asked this ridiculous, clueless question several times myself, so I know it’s a realistic one for a non-football fan to ask.
“A huge penalty,” Luca replies with a laugh. “That’s a massive no-no.” He leans forward, his passion evident. “Sometimes, a quarterback doesn’t even try to throw the ball. Sometimes, he just quickly hands it off to someone to run with it, which means there’s not even a chance for me to try for a sack.”
“Oh no.”
“In that case, I try to take down whoever’s running with the ball, instead of the quarterback.”
“Interesting. So, you’re busy during the game pretty much no matter what, then?”
“Yep. It’s nonstop action for me when it’s my turn to be out on the field. I mean, sometimes the guy with the ball doesn’t come anywhere near me on the field—outside linebackers line up on the outside, which is toward the sideline, rather than in the middle of the field.”
“Ah.”
“But even then, I’m gonna be blocking someone to help my teammate or running around like a madman to try to get to the play.”