Page 37 of Quake
He crouches down beside Tiny, giving him scratches behind the ears and pressing a kiss between his eyes.
"The fridge wasn't plugged all the way in, apparently, so my insulin got warm." His eyes flash up to meet mine, worry etched into his thick brows. "Don't worry. I stopped by the clinic and injected what I had left. I've already called the pharmacy, too, so it should be ready for me to pick up on the way home from here."
"You worry your old man, you know that?" he asks, groaning.
I shake my head, giving him a sly smile. "You are definitely not old." I roll my eyes, steering the conversation away from my lack of insulin.
"Maybe not, but some days, I think you age me." He chuckles, mussing my hair as if nothing's changed since I was a child.
"Oh, hush. Focus on the game," I tell him. Tiny and I arrived about twenty minutes into it, so the Divine Flyers are up by one goal.
Tiny stands by my side, hiseyes tracking the men rushing behind the ball across the field. The sun is high in the sky, but the light breeze makes this the perfect weather for game day.
It’s been a long time since I’ve had the chance to attend one, but I’m glad to be here, and not just because of my new neighbor.
My eyes zero in on the man I've been thinking about a lot lately.Too much,in fact.
Gianni De Laurentiis rushes the field; his particular style of play as a striker has always been of interest to me. He doesn't play the position as a center-forward like most opt to. Instead, he acts as a target, allowing the sheer strength of his muscular legs to carry him across the field with ease, luring the other players away from their goal, and when the moment comes, hestrikes. Literally.
His lithe body dashes back and forth as if he isn't using any energy at all. He's so fast that I almost find it hard to track him, but my body feels honed into him. Gianni has the speed of a jaguar and the stealth of one too. He's mesmerizing, strategic, and everything it takes to be an incredible player on the field.
His sinewy muscles drip with sweat, and just as soon as he gives Angel a silent instruction, the ball is being passed to him and driven right into the net. His teammates cheer, rushing to him on the field, slapping him on the shoulder, and dancing with excitement. Gianni pants with his hands on his hips, regaining control of his breathing as he returns their excitement with a guarded smile.
Dad watches me out of the corner of his eye, a brow quirked in question. "He gets better every day, doesn't he?" Dad asks from beside me, curious eyes still assessing me.
"Uh, yeah, I guess," I grunt, flushing with embarrassment, and thankfully, he lets it go.
***
The game isnearing the end, with the Divine Flyers in the lead.
My attention is still focused on Gianni as I'm seemingly unable to take my eyes off that gorgeous man, but Tiny stands abruptly at my side, staring me down, and what I’d thought was just a response to heat suddenly feels like so much more.
A heaviness settles in my chest, and my pulse begins to race.
Dad's eyes grow with worry as he takes this in. "Lark, did you eat anything after you took your insulin at the clinic this morning?"
"No." I groan, fully aware of why he's so concerned. I start to feel lightheaded, the edges of my periphery blurring.
Tiny places a paw steadily on my thigh, continuing to stare at me expectantly. "I'll be right back. I'll grab an electrolyte drink, just please, sit the hell down," Dad pleads with me, turning to run up the sideline.
Nodding my head, I move to take a seat on the turf, knowing that if I sit on the bench, I could pass out and hurt myself or someone around me, but as I do, my legs feel weak, and my vision goes black.
Chapter twenty-two
Gianni
From the first moment Lark arrived at the stadium—running along the side of the field to meet up with the owner of our team, who I assume is her father given their last names—I haven’t been able to keep my eyes off her.
I’ve been stealing glances at her the entire game, and each time I look in her direction, her eyes are already on me, and a strange feeling tugs in my gut. She seemingly never looks away, a permanent smile spread across her bowed lips as she watches my every move.
That’s why, when I spare a glance in her direction and I don’t see her, my eyes automatically search the area, finding her limp body being gently lowered to the ground by her Great Dane, Tiny.
My breaths come out in short pants as panic sears through me. My legs move of their own accord, taking off in a sprint toward her, her father also running in from the other direction.
We both reach her at the same time, falling to our knees beside her. I pull her across my lap as if on instinct.Dereck gives me a curious look but says nothing as he ditches the sports drink beside him, grabbing something from Lark’s fanny pack.
A small crowd has gathered around us, the on-site medics hurrying toward us.