To Win Her Trust

by Mackenzie Crowne

  Exactly one month had passed since that day at training camp when she’d crossed the last item from her fears list and proclaimed her love for Tuck. To her surprise, he’d ignored his teammates’ catcalls by dropping to a knee right there on the high platform to demand she marry him.

  Twenty minutes later, Coach Timmons had regained control of his training camp, and Gracie led a stunned CC back to the SUV with Tuck’s Super Bowl ring hanging by a chain on her neck with his promise to replace it with a proper engagement ring the day he got back.

  She glanced at the sparkling solitaire on her left hand and smiled. If she’d been dreaming of a long, leisurely engagement, she quickly discovered that wasn’t the case. Despite Coach Timmons’s rule, Tuck must have gotten his hands on a phone somehow because hers began ringing off the hook the next morning.

  His mother, Maryanne, woke CC before the sun had finished rising, and after apologizing for the early wake-up call, explained they needed to get to work immediately if they were going to have everything ready for her son and new daughter-in-law’s wedding in thirty days. Considering Timmons’s scowl as he attempted to bring order back to his team, CC dismissed the idea of returning to Syracuse to set Tuck straight on the concept of mutual decision making, but they’d had that conversation before she consented to let him slip his ring on her finger at last.

  Both Gracie and Jake had insisted their home’s sweeping back lawn was the perfect location for a late summer wedding. CC agreed, and though she didn’t share why, suggested the vows should be exchanged at the edge of the magical wooded path. She couldn’t think of a better place to publicly declare their love than where she’d officially lost her heart.

  Kris linked her arm with CC’s as they followed the others downstairs to pause inside the open kitchen doorway. Music swelled, as if on cue, and Jessi stepped out into the sunlight to begin her march. Through the window, CC scanned the wedding guests seated near the edge of the woods for the short ceremony.

  At least a dozen of Tuck’s teammates were peppered throughout the crowd of fifty guests, their superior height and broad shoulders drawing the eye. At the end of the grass aisle, Tuck stood with his back to her, strong and straight in his dark tux, with Jake and Max by his side. Tuck’s parents, his brother, sister, and multiple family members sat several feet away in the front row.

  A joyful sigh eased from her lungs. So much had happened since that day in the coffee shop. Beyond losing her heart to her very own player, she’d been embraced by a large, raucous, and sometimes crazy, extended family. Her heart pulsed with more happiness than she’d ever dreamed was possible.

  Tears pricked CC’s eyes as Gracie bent to give the twins last minute instructions.

  “Stop that right now.” Kris squeezed CC’s arm. “You’ll make me cry, and a bunch of Tuck’s friends are out there. How can I bag my own hunky player if I have raccoon eyes?”

  “I’ll put in a good word for you,” Gracie promised with a wink as she stepped outside to follow Jessi and gave them a clear view of the yard.

  “Oh my God.” Kris released a shivering sigh. “It’s a warrior hunk convention.”

  CC laughed as her mother stepped to her side to take her free arm. There had been tears and smiles when she’d asked both her mother and Kris to walk with her, even before Curt had sent his condolences, saying he wished her happiness and didn’t want to intrude on such a day. They’d been there, loving her and walking beside her, as she fought to find her way back from the darkness. She wanted them at her side as she finally arrived.

  Her mother nodded at the twins. “Now remember, girls, walk slowly and take a pinch between your fingers, like I showed you, then sprinkle the dust to the ground before taking another. All the way to Uncle Tuck, okay?”

  Twin heads of jet black curls nodded as they moved outside together.

  CC arched a brow as a light, powdery substance floated to the grass from the twins’ fingers. “What are they sprinkling?”

  “Sawdust, of course.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “You’ve got to be kidding?” She turned her head to meet her cousin’s laughing gaze.

  Her mother’s smile was smug as she tugged CC and Kris out onto the deck. “Dreams are nothing to trifle with, baby. I’m just making sure yours come true.”

  Kris snickered and rolled her eyes.

  “Scoff all you want, but Tuck agrees with me.” Her mother patted CC’s hand. “Where do you think I got the sawdust?”

  CC’s head snapped forward, and her gaze locked on her groom’s. His grin stretched, as if he knew exactly what was being said, and love gleamed in his eyes. She answered back silently with a grin of her own and hurried her steps toward him and their future.

  Her mother was right. Dreams were nothing to be ignored, especially when they were about to come true.

  THE END

  Meet the Author

  Wife, mother and really young grandmother, Mackenzie Crowne shares her home with her high school sweetheart husband, a neurotic Pomeranian, and a blind cat. She calls Arizona home because the southwest feeds her soul. Her love of the romance genre has been a lifelong affair, both as a reader and a writer. A bout with breast cancer sharpened her resolve to see her stories shared with others. Today, she’s an eight-year survivor, living the dream. Her friends call her Mac. She hopes you will too. Visit her website at mackenziecrowne.com, find her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/MacCrowne.

  Keep reading for a sneak peek at Book Three in the Players Series

  To Win Her Heart

  In order to protect her, they’ll both have their guards down…

  Country music’s It Girl Jessi Tucker is fed up with her family’s stifling security measures. The threat of a dangerous stalker has gotten the men in her life—including her football star cousin, Tuck Tucker—monitoring her every move. To get the freedom she yearns for, Jessi hatches a plan to recruit Max Grayson, Tuck’s sexy brawler best friend, to play the role of her new boyfriend. But if her scheme works, will she be forced to hide her true romantic feelings for the sake of her independence? Or will she finally steal the heart of her dream man?...

  Max has been pining for Jessi for years and would do anything to protect her, but a professional cage fighter with too many skeletons in his closet has no business being with one of America’s sweethearts. Yet while Max does his best to keep Jessi at arm’s length, the Tucker family persuades him to accept her offer.

  Max believes he can keep Jessi safe from danger, but can he shelter her from his own dark secrets, the media’s unforgiving spotlight—and a mutual desire that’s harder to resist each day…

  Available April 2016

  Learn more about Mackenzie Crowe at

  http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author.aspx/31681

  Chapter 1

  Jessi Tucker needed a man. One with sharp edges. Some bite. Someone who projected the perfect mix of toughness and respectability—with a little bad boy thrown in for good measure.

  Lucky for her, she knew right where to find him.

  Slipping the designer sunglasses from her eyes, she scanned the half dozen occupants of the brightly lit fight center. A pair of men squared off on one of three large mats while several others called out encouragement to the combatants inside the netted octagon ring in the back corner. Bare, well-developed male chests seemed to be part of the dress code, but Max Grayson’s muscled body was nowhere in sight. A hum of feminine disappointment vibrated in her throat.

  “Can I help you?”

  Jessi turned to face the approaching woman. Short, spiky, pink hair covered her head over an angular face. At least a head taller than Jessi’s five-four, her slim build didn’t detract from the buff and toned arms, legs, and bare midriff between her cut off T-shirt and spandex shorts.

  Her big, brown eyes grew wide. “You’re Jessi Tucker! Wow. I mean, wow! My boyfriend and me are huge fans. Your cousin, Tuck, got us tickets when you and Spence were in town last year for your Country Thunder tou
r.” Her teeth flashed in a grin. “Oh, man. Eddie’s gonna be so jealous when I tell him you were here. I’m Tina.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m the junior self-defense instructor. Are you here to take a class?” Pumping Jessi’s hand, excitement increased the volume of her voice with every word. “Oh my God. I can’t believe this. You’d want something private, right? I’m available at the moment. The ring is booked for the next two hours, but there’s a mat open.”

  “Actually”—Jessi tugged free and cut in before Tina could catch her breath—”I came by to speak to Max. I guess I should have called first to see if he’d be here.”

  Tina’s smile cooled, and Jessi eyed the painful looking bar piercing her left brow. The thirty-something instructor didn’t look anything like the string of Barbie Dolls who clung to Max’s arm whenever he appeared at one her family’s frequent gatherings. Then again, according to Tuck, women were Max’s type.

  Jessi wouldn’t know, since he mostly ignored her.

  “No problem. He’s upstairs in his condo.”

  “Oh.” Jessi’s gaze flicked to the staircase climbing along the back wall to the second floor. “Is he alone? I wouldn’t want to disturb him if he’s…ah, busy.”

  Wry laughter danced in Tina’s eyes. “The coast is clear, honey. Max has a way with the ladies, but he keeps things strictly professional during business hours.”

  She wanted to ask about after hours but thought better of it. If Max agreed to her proposition, she’d be doing her best to find out for herself. After thanking the woman, and promising to send along a signed copy of her latest CD, Jessi crossed to the stairs. The echoing thuds from below quieted as she reached the second floor landing and rounded the corner. A set of double doors beckoned from the end of a short hallway.

  She stalked forward, stopped before the doors, and frowned at Spence’s voice echoing in her head. When are you going to stop acting like a scared little girl, afraid to do anything unless Daddy says it’s okay? Irritation simmered, but while her partner’s sneering insult pissed her off, the underlying truth in his words rankled. A derisive sniff fluttered her nostrils. Her father would have a conniption if he knew what she was up to, but damn it, Spence was right. It was time she took a stand.

  Breathing deeply, she refused to consider what she’d do if Max laughed and slammed the door in her face. Positive thinking was in order. She sucked air through her nose and closed her eyes to visualize the next few seconds, the way she did whenever she was about to step on stage.

  Excitement raced through her as the giddy scenario played in her head. Max would open the door. Surprise would light up his long-lashed, gray eyes and one side of his mouth would lift in that sexy, crooked smile that made her toes curl. He’d take her hand and tug her inside, and he wouldn’t be able to wait until the door was closed before he kissed her. He’d wrap his muscled arms around her, tuck her close, and…

  Her eyes flashed open, and she slapped a hand to her belly. Anticipation and panic tumbled together in a hot mess, wrestling for the upper hand. She was going to throw up.

  No, I’m not!

  She swiped her damp palms over the thighs of her jeans, and rolling her shoulders, she knocked briskly. No sound came from within. She knocked again. Nothing. The silence taunted her, but she couldn’t chicken out now. This was too important. Pressing her ear to the door, she listened intently—and choked on a strangled squeak when the door suddenly swung inward.

  Off balance, she stumbled forward and shot out her hand to keep from tumbling over the threshold. Heavy muscle covered by taut skin arrested her fall and scorched her palm with delicious heat. Her fingers tingled with the desire to investigate further, and she might have done just that but for the deep clearing of a throat.

  She snatched back her hand, and focusing on the sight in front of her, nearly swallowed her tongue.

  Shirtless, Max’s broad shoulders and chest filled the doorway. Her heartbeat took off in a racing gallop, and the breath stalled in her throat. She blinked at the black tribal tattoo riding one well-developed pectoral. The bold design swirled over his left shoulder and ended in a half-sleeve.

  Her gaze flew up, past his face, to the water gleaming in the cropped, ebony hair covering his skull. Helpless, her eyes followed as a droplet trickled down the side of his cheek and jaw to hang from his stubbled, square-cut chin. The translucent bead plopped onto the center of his chest and slid through the thin line of short, black curls stepping down the ridges of rock hard abs until it disappeared beneath the towel wrapped around his trim waist.

  Her throat clicked on an audible swallow and kick-started her breathing. She dropped her gaze to his bare feet before making the return trip to his face. If the surprise she’d been expecting had been in his eyes, she missed it. By the time her gaze locked with his, wary disbelief darkened the slate gray orbs.

  Arching black brows slammed together. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  She stifled a wince. Not exactly the greeting she was hoping for. So much for her fantasy. She shrugged inwardly. Knowing Max, that wasn’t going to happen anyway, at least not today, but if she pulled this off, she’d live her fantasies soon enough.

  Cocking her head, she offered him a friendly smile. “Hello, Max.”

  He leaned forward and turned his head to look down the empty hallway. His lips were flattened in an unhappy line when he straightened and faced her again. “Where is he?”

  Confused, she blinked. “He who?”

  “Your idiot cousin.” He raised his voice as he double checked the hall. “Tuck. If you’ve got a camera running, I’m gonna kick your ass.” He straightened once again and pinned her to the spot with a steely-eyed stare. “Look, Squirt, whatever punk he’s got going, don’t let him suck you into it.”

  She ground her teeth at the annoying nickname, but was nonetheless relieved. Preoccupied with Tuck’s supposed prank, Max was less likely to realize how crazy her plan was. All she had to do was get him to agree before he did. She crossed her arms. “Are you going to invite me in?”

  His brows shot up comically. “Hell, no, I’m not inviting you in.” Suspicion narrowed his eyes as he shot a quick glance over his shoulder. His head whipped back around, and he fisted his fingers around the knot of the towel. “Did he sneak a camera into my condo?” He dipped his head around the doorjamb once more to shout, “Forget kicking your ass. I’ll kill you, Tuck.”

  She grinned. Talk about paranoid. “There are no cameras. In fact, Tuck has no idea I’m here. There are, however, several people downstairs who are bound to come running if you keep shouting, so I suggest we move this inside.”

  “Forget it.” He gripped the towel tighter and flicked his other hand toward her in a shooing motion. “Go away. Whatever you Tuckers are up to, I don’t want any part of it.”

  “Fine. We’ll have this conversation right here in the hallway, but don’t blame me if—”

  “Max! Is everything okay?” Feet thudded as one of the men from downstairs took the steps at a run.

  She smirked and didn’t bother to finish her warning. Ha! As if this six-foot, two hundred pound bruiser needed protection from her.

  “Shit.” She bit back a smug smile as at least part of her fantasy came true. Max grabbed her arm and yanked her inside.

  After gripping her elbow, he shoved her behind him and held her there as he spoke to the unknown man. “I’m good. I’m expecting an equipment delivery at two. Make sure Tina goes through everything before she signs. They stiffed us a half dozen sets of gloves last time.”

  “Sure thing, boss.”

  Max shut the door on the unseen man and immediately released her arm. He moved several steps away and pierced her with a narrow-eyed glare. “Don’t move an inch.”

  As he stalked across the room in a long legged stride, her greedy gaze catalogued the muscled expanse of his back. She swallowed, her attention snagging on the adorable set of dimples peeking just above the low-slung towel. Heat simmered in her belly, and she bit
down on her lip to prevent an appreciative sigh.

  He disappeared through a doorway and slammed the door shut behind him. Her cheeks puffed out on a blowing breath, and she tugged the scarf from her neck. Yeah, that hadn’t exactly gone as planned, but at least he hadn’t sent her packing. Her shaking fingers fumbled to slip open the buttons of her coat as she glanced around Max’s inner sanctum. Having never been invited to his home, she’d been curious at how he lived. She planned to take full advantage of the opportunity to poke into his private space.

  After shrugging out of her hip-length, woolen, houndstooth coat, she draped it and the scarf over the back of an oversized leather couch. For a bachelor, he had a good eye. A long, black granite island separated the modern kitchen from a comfortable living area. Floors of old-wood planks, aged brick walls, and exposed ceiling beams gave the open floor plan of the converted warehouse a warm, yet masculine, air.

  The creamy, smooth, mahogany hide of the couch was luxurious under her skimming fingertips as she meandered deeper into his lair. Opposite the couch, orange flames licked at several logs in an inviting brick hearth below a huge, flat screen TV. Beneath the far wall of high windows, a built-in bookshelf caught her attention. Tossing a glance at the closed door where Max had disappeared, she crossed the room and bent to study the titles.

  Considering his career, the many health and fitness books made sense, but there was also a wide selection of novels. She plucked one hard-bound title from the shelf and scanned the back blurb. A smile tugged at her lips. How about that? Max had a taste for fantasy fiction. Replacing the book, her gaze fell on the heavy bag hanging from a beam in the far corner.