by Kaylee Ryan
Play by Play
A Riggins Brothers Series Novella #0.5
Kaylee Ryan
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Thank you
More from Kaylee
Acknowledgments
Copyright © 2020 Kaylee Ryan
All Rights Reserved.
This book may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Kaylee Ryan, except for the use of brief quotations in articles and or reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, events, locations, businesses and plot are products of the author’s imagination and meant to be used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events throughout the story are purely coincidental. The author acknowledges trademark owners and trademarked status of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication and use of these trademarks are not authorized, sponsored or associated by or with the trademark owners.
The following story contains sexual situations and strong language. It is intended for adult readers.
Cover Design: Lori Jackson Design
Cover Photography: Reggie Deanching
Model: Quinn Biddle
Editing: Hot Tree Editing
Proofreading: Deaton Author Services
Paperback Formatting: Integrity Formatting
Chapter 1
Jase
Have you ever done something accidentally on purpose? You know, pretend that you “accidentally” forgot to complete a task, when the truth is that you didn’t want to do it or didn’t have time? I guess that’s also called a little white lie. However you want to refer to it, I just committed the crime.
She left me no choice.
For over a year, I’ve been asking Samantha Wilson to go out on a date with me. Every time she turns me down. Although her words say no, I can see it in her eyes, she wants to. She’s stuck on this concept that I’m a player. Sure, I played the game on and off the field. Now that I’m retired, I’m ready for more. I want to settle down, and Samantha claims she doesn’t believe me.
I call bullshit.
She wants me, but she’s fighting it. I’m just a regular guy. I know it’s the fame that scares her. If she could only look past that to see the man, we’d be dating if not married by now. Yes, I know that’s a big assumption, but it’s also a big deal that she’s all I can think about.
I can still remember the day I first laid eyes on her. I had just announced my retirement from the NFL and had moved back home to Nashville. I was born and raised in Ohio, but my sister married a musician, and once she started having babies, Mom and Dad couldn’t stand the distance. They moved here soon after. I love the city and being close to my family. As soon as I announced my retirement, I put my house in Texas up for sale and headed home. Once I was settled in, it was time to connect with some old friends. Royce Riggins and I went to college together and stayed in touch through the years. I called him once I was settled, and we set up a time to have lunch.
That’s when I saw her. My Sam. With her long brown hair and those big brown eyes, she captured my attention immediately. And although she thinks I’m playing, I’m not. Sure, in the beginning, it was me seeing a beautiful woman and wanting the pleasure of her company. Now, it’s more than that. So much more.
That brings us to now. I stopped by Royce’s office earlier and purposely left my cell phone on the chair in his office. I wanted it to look as though it fell out of my pocket. The crime I told you about? That was my phone call to his office from my landline asking if I left my phone. Of course, he found it and insisted his assistant—my Sam—could drop it off. Apparently, she was dropping off some contracts and would be in the neighborhood. I knew all of this. He told me already, hence the reason I left my phone, hoping like hell this was how it would play out.
The buzzer sounds, letting me know that someone is at the gate. Showtime. “Yes?” I say into the intercom. I send up a silent prayer that my sister and brother-in-law Kacen aren’t outside in their yard to hear this go down. I bought a house on their street, along with the rest of the guys in Kacen’s band. It’s like our own little village. Kacen will never cease to give me shit over the beautiful woman who spent time at my place. Not that I really care. He was the same way when it came to my sister, Logan. He loves her fiercely and makes no apologies for it.
“Hey, player.” Sam’s voice cracks over the line. “I’ve got your phone.”
“Thank you,” I tell her, buzzing her through. I don’t waste time as I rush to the door to greet her. “There she is.” I smile as she climbs out of her car. Her long tan legs are in a gray pencil skirt that has me thinking about what it would feel like to have them wrapped around my head while I—
Her voice interrupts my thoughts.
“Earth to Jase.” She laughs, and the sound grips around my heart. “I lost you there for a minute.” She takes three more steps, and she’s standing in front of me. “Here’s your phone. You know, you might want to keep a better eye on this thing, player. Losing it will surely interfere with your hook-up game,” she teases.
“Samantha.” I shake my head. “How many times do I have to tell you, there is no hooking up. I’m waiting for you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” The smile on her face as she shakes her head in disbelief tells me she thinks I’m teasing.
“I can prove it.”
“Yeah? How?”
“Come inside.”
“Oh, no.” She chuckles. “I’m not falling for the ‘come inside so I can seduce you’ play. I thought you had more game than that, Andrews.”
Frustrating woman. “Let me show you.”
Her eyes stray to my cock that’s hard and getting harder by the second with her eyes on me. “I’m…” She swallows hard. “I’m good.”
“Samantha.” I reach out, placing my finger under her chin, lifting her gaze to mine. “Please? I promise I’ll be on my best behavior. I have something to show you, and before you spout off something about my cock, that’s not it. Please, let me show you, and if you want to leave after that, I’ll let you go without a complaint.” For tonight that is. I’m not giving up on her that easily. I know without a doubt she’s the one for me.
“Jase,” she says with a sigh.
She’s wavering. Sliding my hand into hers, I hold her gaze. “Come with me.” I stare into her big brown eyes, willing her to trust me.
“Five minutes,” she relents. “I’ll come inside for five minutes.” Her voice is stern and settled, but once she sees what I have in store for her, I’m hoping she’ll change her mind.
“Thank you, beautiful.” I lean in and kiss her cheek. “Follow me.” With her hand still clasped tightly in mine, I lead her into my house. This isn’t the first time she’s been here. I’ve had get-togethers and insisted that Royce get her here, no matter what he had to do. She’s been in my home, but never just the two of us. “Close your eyes,” I say once we’re inside.
“Jase—” She starts, but I stop her with another kiss. This time to the corner of her mouth.
“Please, Sam. Trust me.” I give her hand a soft squeeze, willing her to do just that.
She nods. “Okay.” Her voice is soft, and I know she’s worried, but she doesn’t need to be. Never with me. Her eyes slide closed, and my heart swells. I’m finally making progress with her.
Moving to stand behind her, I push her long locks to one shoulder and place my hands on her hips. “I’m right here,” I whisper in her ear. She shivers at the contact, and my smile grows. “Over a year, Samantha… I’ve wanted you for over a year.” I keep my voice soft as we walk as one into the living room. “You ready for your surprise, baby?” I ask her. This time I place a soft kiss just under her ear.
“Y-Yes,” she murmurs.
“Open your eyes, Samantha.”
She sucks in a breath as she takes in the sight before her. “W-What is this?”
“This is our first date.”
“What?” she breathes.
I tighten my arms around her. “You’re right about me in one aspect. I am a player.” She stiffens in my arms. “Football was my life from the time I was old enough to hold a ball, and it’s still a huge part of who I am, even though I’m retired. I’m playing, beautiful, but I always play to win.”
“What exactly are you planning to win?” she asks, turning her head to look at me from over her shoulder.
“You. Your heart.” I push back a strand of hair that has fallen over her eyes. “This isn’t a game, but this is my hail Mary to win you over. Have dinner with me?” I say, nodding to the picnic I’ve arranged on my living room floor.
“I can’t believe you did all of this. How did you—?” She stops. “You didn’t accidentally leave your phone at the office, did you?”
“Nope.” I wink at her. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get time with you.”
“What are we having?” she asks, turning her gaze back to the living room.
“Chicken salad sandwiches, fresh fruit, and turtle cheesecake for dessert.”
“How did you—?” she starts and stops.
“I know you, Sam. I’ve watched you for months, memorizing every detail. I know you love chicken salad from Sanderson’s market. I know that fresh strawberries and grapes are your favorites, and I know that turtle cheesecake is your indulgence.”
“Jase.” My name is a whisper from her lips.
“Yeah, baby?”
“I—” She shakes her head.
Moving to stand in front of her, I place my hands on either side of her face. Brown eyes meet blue as I hold her gaze—willing her to say yes. “Samantha, will you allow me the honor of your company and have dinner with me?”
“So formal,” she teases, a blinding smile lighting up her face.
“I’m not ashamed to admit I’m pulling out the big guns.”
She nods. “Yes, I’ll have dinner with you.”
“Thank fuck,” I mumble, placing a kiss to her forehead. I lead her to the picnic area I have set up in the middle of my living room floor. She puts her hand on my shoulder for balance as she removes her black heels, and hikes up her skirt to step up on the platform I’ve created. Not wearing shoes, I step up next to her and take her hand helping her sit, then take the spot next to her, and begin to unpack the picnic basket. I notice there is a slight tremble in my hands. I’ve played football in front of millions of people. There are pictures of me in nothing but my tight-as-fuck boxer briefs on billboards across the United States, and none of that made me the least bit nervous. Sitting next to a beautiful woman, one who’s done nothing but consume my mind for the last year, makes me nervous. She’s giving me an opening, and I don’t want to mess this up.
Chapter 2
Samantha
I’ve entered an alternate universe. That’s the only explanation for my current situation. I admit I was excited when Royce asked me to stop by Jase’s house and deliver his phone that he left in Royce’s office. Jase Andrews is every woman’s fantasy. At six foot five, with sexy brown hair that you want to run your fingers through, and those blue eyes, it’s all enough to have panties dropping. Add the fact that he still works out and his body is a masterpiece… he has women falling all over him.
I can still remember the first time I ever saw him shirtless. Royce’s parents had a Fourth of July party. I brought my best friend, Carrie. Royce’s younger brother Marshall met us at the house and drove us to the lake in his truck. As soon as I stepped out of the truck, Jase was there, shirtless and in nothing but a pair of board shorts. If it hadn’t been for Carrie, I would have fallen ass over heels making a fool of myself. My bestie had my back as she steered me over toward Lena Riggins, Royce’s mom. We helped her get the food together, which gave my body time to cool down and for me to get myself in check.
He’s a huge flirt, and a player on and off the field, something he rightfully admitted. He claims he’s different now, that I’m different for him. I’ve heard him tell me that hundreds of times in the last year, but this… this moment is different from all the times before. He’s not acting like the flirty teasing player I’ve known him to be. Today he’s something… more.
“Is this turf?” I ask, taking a seat on the blanket spread out on his living room floor.
“Yep. We can’t have a picnic without grass, and it’s too cold outside for a picnic, so I improvised.”
“Improvised? Jase, there is a huge platform in the middle of your living room covered in turf. There are clouds hanging from your ceiling that I’m pretty sure wasn’t blue the last time I was here.” I take in the room and am in awe at the effort he’s put into this. The wooden platform is covered in turf. There is a small tree in a huge flowerpot, and smaller pots of flowers sitting off to the side. In the center is a quilt and a picnic basket. The clouds hanging overhead are incredible. “Are those lights?” I ask, tilting my head back to take them in.
“Yes.”
“You painted your ceiling?”
“Yes.”
“I can’t believe you did all this.” I shake my head as I try to comprehend his efforts.
“This is our first date, Sam. That means something. I wanted it to be a moment that neither of us would ever forget.”
“The player makes a play,” I mumble.
“First things first,” he says, reaching behind him and grabbing a small cooler. He flips the top and pulls out a bottle of root beer. Not the plastic bottles. No, these are the old-time glass bottles that are hard to find. “This is your favorite, right?” he asks, using a bottle opener to flip off the cap.
“H-How did you know that?” I ask, taking the bottle from his hand.
“You said it once. I don’t know where we were, but I remember you saying that you loved them as a kid, and it was your favorite, but you didn’t see them in stores often,” he explains.
“I don’t know what to say to that,” I confess.
“Say thank you, Jase.” He grins. “Now, for the main course.” He reaches back into the coolers and pulls out two sandwich bags containing what I assume are chicken salad sandwiches. “Now, take it easy on me. This is my first time making this. I tasted it, but a chef I am not. I made sure to add almonds and red grapes. That’s how you like it, right?”
“Are you stalking me?” I ask, my voice rising an octave. I have no idea how in the hell he knows all of this about me.
I expect him to laugh or crack a joke, but neither happens. “No, baby, I’m not stalking you. Do I pay attention where you’re concerned? You’re damn right, I do.”
I have no words. Anyone who knows me knows that’s not me. Jase Andrews has effectively rendered me speechless.
“And this—” He reaches back into the cooler, producing a glass container with a plastic lid. “Fresh fruit. I made sure to get extra strawberries and grapes,” he says, pulling the lid off the container and placing it on the blanket in front of us. “I have dip too,” he says, and his dimples wink at me.
“This is a lot of work for sex,” I blurt. It’s cruel, and I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth.
“Samantha,” he sighs. “This isn’t about that. I want to date you. I want to spend time with you. Does that count time in my bed? Sure. But that’s not all that this is. Surely, you can see that?”
“I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. I just can’t
seem to wrap my head around what you see in me. You can have any woman you want, yet you’re chasing me.”
“You’re the only one I want,” he says, his blue eyes boring into mine. His cell phone rings, and he ignores it.
“You gonna get that?” I ask.
He sighs, pulls his phone out of his pocket, and hits Ignore before tossing it across the room where it lands on the couch. “There is nothing more important than spending time with you.”
“You make it hard to resist you when you say things like that.” His words melt me, and I want to believe him, but it’s hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that Jase Andrews wants me. I’m just me.
“Good.” He leans in close. “I don’t want you to resist me.”
I don’t want to resist him either, but I also need to feel as though he’s giving me his attention for the right reasons. “Why me, Jase? I don’t understand.”
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. You’re funny as hell, and I know without a doubt you’ll be a partner. I want someone not afraid to call me on my shit. I also know that if I ever get this”—he places his hand over my heart—“it will be because of love, not the number of zeros in my bank account.”
I close the distance and press my lips to his. Acting fully on instinct and the way the man makes my heart hammer in my chest. Our lips touch and goose bumps break out across my skin, just like every other time he’s near.
Jase breaks the kiss, resting his forehead against mine. “Does this mean you’re going to stop fighting me?” he asks softly.
“I’m not sure.”
Jase chuckles, his hot breath fanning against my face. “I’m not giving up, Sam.”