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My mouth parts but I recover quickly, pulling my bottomlip between my teeth.Good thing a little flirting never killed anyone because this man could be the death of me.

I place the palm of my hand on his chest and my fingers spark when I graze his collar. The collar of his thick T-shirt is ripped off but it somehow looks intentional. The palm of my hand rubs across his hard peck and our eyes never break contact. If I’m making him nervous at all, he’s doing a damn good job of not letting on. When I get to the torn collar, I lightly pluck out the gold link chain from under his shirt. It’s warm where my finger hooks it. His tongue slips out, wetting his lower lip, and I briefly wonder what it would feel like to have that tongue on me. On my neck, in my mouth, in my?—

“What are you thinking, Nova?” His gravelly voice pulls me from my thoughts.

“I was?—”

An exhaust pipe puffs nearby and I turn to see another truck—this one much older—roll up and stop ten feet. in front of us. I tuck the necklace back into his shirt before giving him a little pat and stepping back. He moves to step towards me again but stops when an aged voice calls out. “KB, you’re a difficult man to get a hold of.”

Knox scratches the back of his head, looking between me and the man approaching us.

“I’ll see you later,” I say with a little wink before turning and starting up the hill.

“Wait! Where are you going?” he calls after me.

I smile to myself before turning to look over my shoulder. “Don’t worry Browning. I know where to find you if I need a late-night snack.”

His mouth parts, and I laugh the rest of the way back up the hill.

Knox

Taylor’s bodycontinues to get smaller and smaller in the distance, but I couldn’t peel my eyes away if I wanted. My view is unfortunately interrupted by a much uglier face of a man who is twice my age and then some.

“Careful buddy, you stare any harder, she’s gonna know you like her.”

“Just enjoying the view,” I quip.

“Mhmm,” Coach Campbell extends his hand to me, and I look down at it, slightly offended. “I know it’s a little pale and freckly, but goddamn, it’s not that bad.”

I bypass his handshake and pull him into me. He returns my hug with a pacifying back slap that makes me grin.

“Alright, there, there.”

I smile at his lack of affection and pull back.

“It’s good to see you, Coach. How’ve you been?”

“Same as I ever was,” he says, putting his hands on his hips.

“Good. So, what’s up? I heard you were looking for me.”

“Well, I need a little help downat the pitch, and I was hoping if you’re going to be around a while, you might be interested.”

I don’t know what I expected him to say, but if I had to have made a guess, that wouldn’t have even cracked the top ten reasons why he was seeking me out.

“What kind of help?”

“Gardening,” he deadpans. “Coachin’, of course.”

“Coach, I’m—” I move my hand in front of me, searching for the words, but revealing nothing. “I’m flattered, but just because I know how to play doesn’t mean I know anything about coaching a team. Or… kids, for that matter.” I think I just physically recoiled.

“First of all, don’t flatter yourself. I need help, and I was going to ask Sophie, but she’s got that wedding of hers coming up.” I hide my laugh. I’m not trying to give him any false encouragement. “And second, don’t say ‘kids’ like that. They’re teenagers. They aren’t running around with peanut butter on their faces.”

He’s serious.

I rub my hand across my mouth, trying to make sense of what he’s asking of me. Coaching was never on my radar, but the more I think about it, that’s likely what I’d be doing if I get the chance to go back to my old team in London.

“I can see you’re hesitant,” he says.