Team Player 2: A Sports Anthology

by Paige, Rochelle

  Once we were all settled, I kicked off the conversation. “Although Brecken was correct in saying there’s no need for me to prove myself, I want to reiterate that I am more than able to handle your security issues. Not only have I served in the military but I've also taken lead on similar cases in the past with positive outcomes. Brecken didn't pick me for your close protection detail purely because it will be easier to explain the presence of a woman at your side. He would never risk one of his client’s safety to help them save face. The fact that I won't stand out like a sore thumb is just a bonus.”

  Rowan’s dark gaze did a quick survey of what he could see of my face and body. My hair was pulled up in a ponytail, I’d only bothered with mascara and a hint of gloss this morning, and I was wearing a green T-shirt with dark jeans. My look was low maintenance, but judging by the masculine approval in Rowan’s eyes, he didn’t mind. “You’re very much mistaken if you think you won't stand out, just not for the reasons you think.”

  “I've noticed that most of our athlete clients like to hit on her,” Whit murmured.

  “I think it must be the challenge she presents,” Devon added.

  “Yeah.” Whit smirked, shaking his head. “Remember that Brazilian General? He sure thought he was up for the challenge.”

  Devon snorted. “Boy, did she prove him wrong when she landed him on his ass after he tried to pat hers.”

  Rowan’s eyes flared with anger. “She shouldn’t have to put up with that kind of bullshit.”

  Whit leaned forward and smiled. “I’m glad to hear you think so. I’d hate to be forced to hurt, maim, or kill my favorite football player, but I would if I had to.”

  “And he wouldn’t be alone when he did it,” Devon added.

  Rowan held his hands up in surrender. “You’ve got nothing to worry about with me. I’m not about to disrespect any woman, let alone one who could kick my ass all by herself.”

  “I’m glad at least one person in this room has faith in my ability to protect myself,” I grumbled, aiming a glare at Whit and then Devon.

  “You know it’s not that, Sera. It’s because we feel like shit after—”

  Rowan and his agent didn’t need to hear Devon’s explanation. What happened on our last case was mine to share when and with whom I wanted. “Now that we’ve gotten all that out of the way, how about we focus on the plan to keep Rowan safe from his stalker?”

  The guys took my hint and got down to business. Whit shoved a pad of paper in Rowan’s direction. “We’ll need a list of anyone who might be out to get you, in case the culprit is someone you know. Ex-girlfriends, teammates, anyone who’s had beef with you in the last five to ten years.”

  Rowan’s dark eyes went wide in surprise, and he shook his head. “I don’t know anyone who would write the shit that’s been in the last few letters.”

  “Yeah, you do.” His agent snagged the notepad and pulled a pen from the inside pocket of his suit jacket. “You just don’t realize it because part of my job is to handle the negative crap so it doesn’t mess with your game.”

  Carl jotted down a dozen names, and a muscle in Rowan’s jaw jumped when his agent handed the pad of paper back to Whit. He did a quick scan of the list and asked, “These are all former and current teammates. There haven’t been issues with exes who weren’t ready for the relationship to end? No jersey chasers who thought they could get knocked up and nab a ring?”

  These were standard questions for our athlete clients who had stalkers. It’d never bothered me before, but I found myself bracing for the endless list of chicks who’d been in and out of Rowan’s bed.

  “I’ve been too focused on my career to have a relationship.”

  “And no jersey chasers for him,” Carl added. “He’s one of the few who took my advice seriously when it came to staying away from them.”

  Some of the tension eased from my body upon hearing this information even though it gave us fewer leads to run down. Whit ran through the rest of the usual questions. “Okay, I think we’ve got enough to go with for now. We’ll pass this information along to our investigative team, and they’ll dig into everyone on the list to rule out whoever they can. If anything pops up in their search, they’ll let us know.”

  “And in the meantime? You’re going to keep Rowan safe until you can figure out who’s doing this, right?” Carl asked.

  “Absolutely,” Devon confirmed. “That’s where Sera comes in.”

  Carl’s gaze shifted to me. “What’s your big plan?”

  “Easy.” I flashed him a grin, enjoying the fact that my answer was going to drive him up a wall. “I move in with Rowan.”

  “You what?” Carl sputtered.

  I let myself enjoy his reaction for about thirty seconds before I got serious. “The girlfriend cover story works so well because it allows me access to all parts of his life. I can be at his side during public appearances, at his games, and in his home at night without anyone thinking twice.”

  “That’s what you think,” Carl muttered with a frown.

  Worried what his response meant, I turned to Rowan. “And there isn’t anyone in your life who will take issue to me staying in your house?”

  He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Just my mom, and it’d be more a case of her wondering why she didn’t meet you sooner.”

  “I’d highly recommend letting her in on the story,” Carl suggested.

  Rowan nodded. “It’d make my life a hell of a lot easier.”

  “If looping her in will help with my cover story, then you can tell your mom what’s going on. Brecken mentioned that he already ruled her and Carl out as possible suspects,” I agreed.

  Carl’s head jerked back at my answer. “You looked into me?”

  “And my mom?”

  “Of course we did,” Devon confirmed. “It would’ve been irresponsible of us to assume that it wasn’t one of the people you’re closest to. For all we knew”—he jerked his thumb in Carl’s direction—“this was something your agent cooked up to get you to change your mind about retiring.”

  “Huh.” Carl tapped his chin with his pen. “I guess I’m not nearly as devious as my reputation might lead people to believe since I didn’t come up with that plan on my own.”

  Okay, maybe the agent wasn’t as bad as I’d originally thought.

  Rowan

  My reaction to Sera’s declaration that she was moving in with me was the opposite of what it should have been. I'd never lived with a woman before. Not even close. The small amount of dating I’d done since getting drafted never reached the relationship stage. My focus had been on my career and my mom.

  I should've felt the need to protest the idea of having Sera in my home, but instead, I felt the same rush as I got when I threw for a game-winning touchdown. The adrenaline coursing through my veins made me feel like I could conquer the world. Even the end of my career and what’d led me to make the decision to get out of football after this season. And a stalker.

  “Don’t believe him, not even for a second,” I warned with a chuckle. “He can be calculating enough to come up with a devious plot like that, but he’s also a loyal motherfucker, so it’d never be aimed my way.”

  Carl clapped me on the shoulder. “I might not always agree with your decisions, but I’ll still have your back. No matter what.”

  I nodded in agreement. “The same is true for my mom. There isn’t a chance in hell she’d ever do anything to put me at risk. If anything, my stalker should watch their back because she’ll want to go apeshit on them once they’re caught.”

  “She sounds like my kind of woman.” Sera grinned. “Go ahead and give her the sitrep. It’ll probably help maintain my cover as your girlfriend, too.”

  “Thanks. It’s a relief to know I won’t have to lie to her since it wouldn’t work anyway. My mom has always been able to see through me.” A stray thought popped into my head, and there was no way in hell I could wait for an answer. Not when just the possibility of what I was thinking had my h
ands clenching into fists. “What about you? Is there a man in your life who’s going to be pissed when he finds out you’re living with me?”

  “Nope. No worries there.” Sera shook her head, and a lock of her dark hair slipped free from her ponytail and came to rest just above one of her tits. “I’ll only be missed by my plants.”

  Devon cocked his head to the side. “Do cacti actually count as plants?”

  “I don’t think so,” Whit answered.

  “They do if they’re in my condo, and that’s what I want to call them,” Sera huffed.

  Carl looked as though he was about to jump in on their banter. I didn’t want him to put his foot in his mouth with this crew again, so I asked, “Is today good for you?”

  Their conversation stopped, and Carl shot me a dubious look. Sera's lips curled up in the slightest grin before she pressed them together. “Yeah, the sooner, the better is our motto where your safety is concerned.”

  “Good. My schedule is jam-packed for the rest of the week. They only give us one off day when we’re in season, and today’s it.”

  “Then we better shift this into high gear if we’re going to get me moved in tonight.” Sera stood and rounded the table. “Devon and Whit will fill you in on the particulars, and I’ll meet you at your place in about an hour.”

  I tore my gaze from the sway of her ass as she departed to focus on what Whit was saying. “While Sera is getting settled in, Devon and I will scope out the security situation at your house. If there are any tweaks that need to be made, you can always explain it away as wanting to make sure your home is as safe as possible for your new live-in girlfriend.”

  “Basically, your job is to act like the perfect boyfriend while Sera takes care of any up close threats. Whit and I will handle everything else. Do you think you’re up for that?” Devon asked.

  “I am.”

  Carl snorted in disbelief and mumbled, “Sure, you are.”

  Whit leaned toward Carl. “Go ahead and get all your shit talking out of your system now because we need you to get fully on board with this plan. You're close to Rowan. If people sense animosity or doubt from you about Sera being in his life, then they’re going to start asking questions. Once we walk out of this office, you can’t make any offhand comments about Sera or her relationship with your client. Will you be able to manage that?”

  I answered for Carl. “If he can't, he's the one who's going to be out of a job. Not you two, and definitely not Sera.”

  Devon and Whit’s eyes filled with respect as they nodded, but Carl hissed, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

  “Nope. Not even a tiny bit. Unless you think you can back up my decision without being a whiny ass?”

  “Fuck,” Carl groaned. “You know I can.”

  That was what I thought he’d say.

  * * *

  The guys were in the middle of their security system audit when Sera pulled up in a red Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 with white racing stripes. The muscle car was sexy as fuck, and it was a perfect match for the woman driving it. I almost had to wipe the drool from my chin.

  “I’m glad you found the place okay,” I greeted as she climbed out of the driver’s seat. “The guy at the gate didn’t give you any trouble, did he?”

  “Nah,” she chuckled. “Even if he had, I would’ve handled it. I need to talk to Whit and Devon about how easy it was for me to drive right into your super-exclusive gated community.”

  “They were expecting you because I gave them your name,” I explained, pulling a suitcase out of her trunk while she grabbed a duffel.

  “Yeah, but they didn’t ask for my ID so I could prove who I was.” She made a tsk-ing sound and shook her head as she followed me into the house. “It’s a major oversight and needs to be addressed.”

  I skimmed my gaze down her body and thought about how hot she’d looked behind the wheel. “I can see your point, but I also can’t blame the guy in the gatehouse for forgetting his job when he saw you roll up in your Shelby.”

  Her lips curved up in a smug grin. “She is a beaut.”

  I meant the woman driving more than the car itself, but I didn’t correct her. Instead, I gave her a quick tour of the first floor of my house. “I have four guest rooms you can pick from.” Standing next to the kitchen island, I pointed to the hallway on the right. “There's a suite down here and four more upstairs, including the master suite. They all have their own bathrooms so you don't have to worry about sharing with me.”

  “The one down here won’t do,” she answered with a quick glance toward the hallway. “Let me see the ones closest to your room.”

  I led her up the stairs and turned to the right, pushing open the first door. “The master suite is on the other side of the stairs, and the rest of the rooms are down here. This one's the closest.”

  She shook her head. “This isn't going to work either. Show me yours.”

  I doubled back and walked her to my bedroom. “When I bought the house, I had a crew come in to knock down the wall between two of the bedrooms to create this suite. It's more than double the size of the rest of the rooms, which is good because I don’t like feeling cooped up.”

  “Being cooped up is definitely not a concern. You’ve got plenty of space to spread out.” She wandered through the room, taking in the oversized, custom bed before turning her attention to the sitting area off to the side. There were two large leather club chairs with a round table between them. The seats were turned toward the eighty-inch flat screen hanging on the wall.

  “I know the screen is a touch overkill, but it's necessary.”

  “It’s not the size that matters; it’s how you use it. Right?” Her plump lips curled up in a teasing grin. “But seriously, I'm not going to judge anyone based on how big their television is.”

  “I put it to good use watching game video,” I promised.

  She winked at me. “Good because I was lying. If your screen was tiny, I probably would've judged you.”

  “No worries there,” I chuckled.

  “Yeah, the guys are going to be jealous when they get a load of my view each night.”

  Her view each night? “Are you planning to kick me out of my room?”

  “Nope, but the other rooms are too far away for me to be able to protect you at night. It’ll be better for me to bunk in here with you.” She dropped her duffel on the floor and crouched down to unzip it. Then she pulled out a sleeping bag and started to unroll it.

  Not a chance in hell. “No way are you sleeping on my floor.”

  “It's no big deal. I've slept in worse places in this,” she reassured me.

  That was something I could've done without hearing. But Brecken had said all of his employees had proven themselves on the battlefield, so it was safe to assume some of the places she had served had been beyond uncomfortable. “It doesn't matter. If you're in my home, you're going to sleep in a bed. On that I refuse to budge.”

  She tilted her head to the side and searched my expression. “It bothers you that much?”

  “Yes, I won't be able to sleep well knowing I’m comfortable in my bed while you're on the floor. Sleep is vital to me getting my job done.” I pointed at the left side of my mattress. “If you need to be closer to me, do me a favor and sleep over there.”

  “As gentlemanly as your offer is, I have to say no.”

  “Come on, Sera. The bed is more than big enough for the two of us. You don't have to worry about me making something out of nothing if you sleep with me.”

  “It's not that,” she reassured me. “I need to be closer to the door. If you really want me in your bed, then I'm going to have to take the other side.”

  Fuck yeah, I really wanted her in my bed. I knew I’d just told her I wasn't going to make anything of her sleeping there, but hearing those words come out of her mouth made my dick hard. It was too easy to picture her laid out on my mattress with her dark hair spread over my pillows. Even though having her so close and not being able to touch
would wreak havoc with my sleep patterns, I wasn't about to change my mind. I’d never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth. “Sure, wherever you think is best.”

  Sera

  My first night in Rowan’s home went more smoothly than any other case where I’d served as the close protection detail. It wasn’t only because his bed was incredible. I was already comfortable around him, which was unusual for me because it usually took me a while to warm up to people. I’d slept better than I expected, but my eyes popped open when I heard a sound.

  We weren’t in the house alone.

  After shaking Rowan’s shoulder to wake him up, I slid off the mattress and yanked open the top drawer in the bedside table to grab my gun.

  Rowan’s eyes went wide when he spotted the Glock in my hand. “What’s wrong?”

  “Quiet,” I hissed softly. “Someone’s downstairs.” I ran over the house’s floorplan in my head and came up with a plan. “Follow behind me and head into the guest room at the end of the hall. Bring your phone with and call Whit’s cell to let him know what’s going on after you make it into the closet in there. I’ll send a text to Devon.”

  Rowan rolled off the mattress and picked up his phone from the bedside table closest to him. He glanced at the screen and flashed me a reassuring smile. “You’re not going to need that.” He gestured at my gun. “It’s just my mom.”

  His words stopped me in my tracks. “Your mom?”

  “Yeah, shit. This is going to make me sound like a momma’s boy.” He ran his hand through his hair, tousling it even more than it already was. “Ever since I bought her the place next door last month, she’s started coming over to make me breakfast in the mornings.”