Page 10

K ENDALL

“What a fucking game!” I high five Riley and Rowan then stick my fingers in the corner of my mouth and blow a whistle.

The Revolutions pulled out a twelve-point come-from-behind victory in the fourth quarter thanks to Nash’s sack, which caused a fumble. Darius Johnson picked up the ball and ran it for a touchdown.

Followed by three epic catches by Miles and some killer runs by Walker, which had Riley screaming at the top of her lungs like the proud and totally-in-love wife she is. The crowd has been out of control for the past ten minutes of the game. Thirty-two minutes real time.

My armpits are sweaty, I have spilled beer on my jersey, and I’m buzzing from the noise.

“We’d planned on going home after the game, but I’m sure the guys will want to celebrate.” Riley links her arm through mine and Rowan’s as we follow Jackson and Taylor to the long corridors that lead us to the friends and family waiting area.

It takes a while for the team to start making their way out of the locker room. When Walker emerges and he spots Riley, his entire being lights up like he’s been away from her for months instead of a few hours.

It’s adorable and beautiful and romantic. She jumps into his arms and gives him a hard kiss on the mouth.

“Kids these days. It’s like they’re going off to war.” Rowan giggles next to me. “Get a room, you horny animals.”

The truth is, I love seeing my best friend happy and in love. She’s had a tough life, as has Walker, despite growing up with a silver spoon in his mouth, and they make a perfect pair.

“They’re so cute,” Rowan sighs next to me.

Out of the three of us, we would have pegged Rowan as the one to settle down first. A romantic at heart, and the sweetest soul you’ll ever meet, there’s not a human on the planet who can find fault with her.

Which also makes said humans not good enough for her. Riley and I don’t have to go protective mama bear on her since she’s not a fool. Smart and beautiful, she has her head on straight and has been focused on her schooling and career for the past decade.

As soon as she finishes her residency this fall, she’ll start looking for nursing jobs in pediatric offices, which shouldn’t be too hard for her to find.

A group of tall, well built men come through the double doors and my eyes gravitate toward the sexiest one of them all. His head is tilted down as he taps out a message on his cell phone. I see a quick smile on his lips as he types some more before pocketing his phone.

He lifts his head and spots Walker and Riley, then pauses when our eyes lock.

I see trepidation on his face. Trepidation about what, I haven’t a clue.

He darts his tongue out and swipes it along his bottom lip, seemingly unaware of how damn sexy he is in his black dress pants and dark gray button-down shirt.

It’s open at the collar and I can see a sliver of what I know to be a delicious chest.

Miles bumps into him from behind and squeezes his shoulder, ultimately pushing him to our small circle.

“You ladies coming out with us tonight?”

“We planned on going home,” Walker says, wrapping his arm around Riley’s waist and dragging her into his side.

“Come on, man. You guys can fuck like rabbits later. We gotta celebrate. I already reserved a table at Whiskey Buckle.”

“That sounds fun.” Riley pats Walker’s stomach. “Jackson and Taylor, can you make it?”

“Sorry, dollface. Taylor has court in the AM and I have a video conference call with Hong Kong at the asscrack of dawn.”

“Rowan and I are in.” I elbow her and she nods in agreement.

“I’m off tomorrow.”

“Perfect.” Miles steps behind us and drapes his giant ass arms that have a wingspan broader than a 747 over our shoulders. “Hump. You’re coming too. If you’re lucky, literally and figuratively.”

Nash shakes his head. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Coming as in—”

Nash holds up his hand. “Yeah. I get it. I also get that your IQ is lower than your jersey number.” His gaze drops to my chest. Or rather, the big eight-six on the front of my jersey. Miles’s number.

“So you’re coming...squared?”

The lack of amusement painted on Nash’s face only intensifies my giggles. “Come on, Nash Potato. Live a little.”

“Nash Potato?” Miles kisses the top of my head. “Fuck, that’s genius. I’m a little jelly I didn’t think of that first.”

If looks could kill.

No, Nash’s dark eyes aren’t deadly, unless you count death by orgasm. Not that I’m anywhere near, but if he’d strip down to those delectable boxers I caught him in and let me drool for a few minutes over his body, I no doubt would die by orgasm.

Too bad his personality leaves much to be desired.

“Join us.” Walker punches Nash’s shoulder.

“Fine. Just for dinner, then I’m out.”

We say goodbye to Jackson and Taylor and depart in different directions to various parking lots.

By the time Rowan and I make it to Whiskey Buckle, the guys are already there. One of the perks of parking in the player lot.

A few of the other players sit around the long tables the waitstaff pushed together. Declan Anderson, the cutie quarterback who is the wet dream of every teenage girl and every woman from their twenties to a hundred and two, sits at the end telling a dirty joke.

True story. Last year, the nightly news interviewed residents at a local nursing home and all the old bitties were ass over tea kettle about the new recruit, Declan Anderson.

Derek Tibbets, the injured quarterback who Declan has semi-permanently replaced, and Brock Cannon, the sex-on-a-stick wide receiver, sit on either side of him, enthralled in his joke.

There are two open seats left on either side of Miles, no doubt planned for us.

“Ladies.” Miles pats the seats next to him when he spots us, then stands. “Set your fine asses right here.”

“Thanks Miles,” Rowan says as she drapes her purse over the back of the chair to his right and is immediately the center of Declan and Brock’s attention.

That leaves only one seat open, with Miles on one side and Nash on the other. Nash stands and pulls out the chair for me. Pretending like his presence doesn’t affect me at all—lies. Total lies—I slide into my seat.

“Thanks.”

“Mhm.”

Unlike Rowan’s side of the table, who all seem to be appreciative of the sweet angel’s presence, my side is sullen. Granted, Nash is at the very end and Walker and Riley sit across from us, all gooey eyed with each other.

With Miles’s attention on Rowan, I have the option of talking to his back, interrupting Walker and Riley, or making conversation with Nash. I decide on the least damaging to my ego. Ironic. I know. Especially after what an ass he’d been to me earlier this week.

“How are your parents?” I fiddle with the hem of my jersey. Since when am I nervous talking to a guy?

It’s not that Nash is intimidating in an...intimidating way. It’s just that I have no idea where I stand with him. I thought we made headway the other morning in the conference room when he apologized for being a douche.

And Thursday evening was kind of nice as well. Since he hadn’t called or left a message at the school on Friday, I figured he didn’t need my services, which was confirmed when Beth and Joe came to pick up Paisley.

“Good.”

“Are they with Paisley tonight?”

“Of course.”

Geesh. He doesn’t need to sound so pompous about it. It wasn’t a stupid question. Or maybe it was. Nash had mentioned not trusting his daughter with anyone who doesn’t make her the center of their universe.

I twist in my seat and tilt my head to get a better look at him. He stares back at me, not intimidated by me either.

“You make fun of Miles for having a low IQ yet you aren’t able to speak in complete sentences?”

Again, his gaze drops to my chest. My nipples pucker and I’m thankful for the thick material to hide how pointy they are right now, begging to be rubbed, licked, and bitten by Nash.

Wait. Woah. Not by Nash. Just rubbed, licked, and bitten. Period. Not by the sullen single dad who has been anything but nice to me.

Nash lets out a deep sigh as if losing his patience with me—and I have to admit, it is fun to make him lose his patience. “My parents are feeling better, thank you. Paisley is sleeping at their house tonight, hence why I’m able to come out for a few minutes with the guys.”

I try to hide my laughter by making an incredibly serious face. “A few minutes. Hmm. Time is almost up.” I nod over my shoulder. “Sorry you’re stuck at the end hanging out with a chick instead of the guys. Never knew myself to be a cockblock.”

He blinks at me slowly, again with the lack of amusement. This only makes my smile grow wider.

“Aw, come on.” I chuck his shoulder. “Lighten up a little.”

The waiter finally returns with our drinks, and as soon as my vodka soda is placed in front of me, I pick it up and suck it down.

“You gonna be a cheap drunk tonight, babe?” Miles taps his beer bottle against the rim of my glass.

“As if. Just thirsty.” I pick up my water glass and chug it down almost as quickly as my vodka.

The place is packed, and our dinner is no doubt going to take a while to be delivered. Sitting so close our thighs rub against each other gets me hot and bothered, I can only stand so long of this tantalizing conversation. I lean across Miles and reach for Rowan’s hand.

“Let’s dance.”

“Thought you’d never ask.” Miles takes my hand and Rowan’s and leads us to the dance floor.

Not what I was going for, but he’s fun to dance with. He’s more like a dancing monkey. A six-foot-five-inch and who-knows-how-many-pounds dancing monkey, but he has no problem making a fool of himself on the dance floor.

Miles is the life of the party and you can’t help but love him for it.

“Come on, Riles.” I beckon her with my arms as I sway to Shania Twain’s Man! I Feel Like a Woman!