by Alexia Chase
“No, we don’t.” She shakes her head. “But we wouldn’t want to impose.”
“It’s no imposition.” Tony hits my upper arm, and I flinch.
“Dude.” I glare at him and rub my arm. “We’ve talked about this. Don’t hit the guns. They’re valuable.”
Dani giggles. “That’s too funny.”
“Right?” Tony rolls his eyes. “He’s such a pussy about his arm.”
“Dick.” My eyes narrow into slits, until I can barely see out of them as I frown.
What’s he trying to pull? It’s almost like he’s trying to set us up. But he knows Dani’s seeing someone. Shit. He’s only being nice, and I’m losing my mind. It’s not that hard to understand why. All my blood is in my crotch.
“I’ll get with Jenna and see when a good time for a group of us to get together would be.”
“Okay. That sounds nice.” She smiles weakly like she’s giving in to avoid further discussion. “I’ll let you know.”
“Guys, I’ve got to get out of here.” I need space and fresh air. “Talk to you later.” I pivot on my heel and move to the exit without glancing back. I don’t need to see her again. She’ll be front and center in my dreams like she has been since the first day of training camp.
Chapter Three
Dani
I flop on the sofa and throw my feet on the coffee table. God, what a day. I close my eyes and rest my head against the cushions.
“What’s up with you?”
“Shit.” I jump and glare at Ashley with one eye. The other one is too tired to open. “God, you’re annoying.” I slump back against the couch.
“Why’re you so late?”
“Trying to make a good impression.” I’m not about to say I was hoping to run into Gunner and give him back his headphones. That makes me sound pathetic.
“That’s ridiculous,” she huffs.
I lull my head to the side and study her. Ashley has been my best friend since seventh grade.
We went through puberty together. First crushes. Asshole boyfriends. College and now first, real jobs. “You’ve got it easy. There’s only one dietician. There are scads of personal trainers, and most of them are men. I can’t afford to work less than everyone else.”
“I understand your reasoning but don’t overwork yourself. You’ll end up sick and having to miss work. That will not help your cause.” She shoves a strand of golden blonde hair behind her ear.
“I hear you.” I shove off the cushions and sit upright. “Did you and Anthony Timmerman’s wife become BFF’s or something?”
“Oh, God, yes.” She smiles and flops into the leather recliner. The furniture arrangement places us opposite of each other. She puts her petite legs onto the seat and rests her ass against her feet. “Jenna’s wonderful. Her best friend, Chloe Anderson, runs a bakery here in town.”
“I didn’t realize you went over to the dark side.” I wiggle my eyebrows.
“Hey, a girl has to have pastries now and then.” She waves her hand in the air like she’s dismissing anyone’s judgment of her.
“I’m teasing.”
She frowns, and the crease between her eyebrows deepens. “How did you hear about that?”
I flush. The cobwebs on the ceiling fan need to be cleaned. How long has it been?
If I don’t make eye contact with her, she won’t suspect anything. God, that’s stupid. Not making eye contact is what’s suspicious. I jerk my head down and meet her gaze. “I was speaking with Tony Timmerman and Gunner Sinclair tonight after practice.”
“Oh, yeah.” She bites her bottom lip and leans forward. “Gunner is one hot piece of ass.” She cocks her head and tips out her chin. “Do I sense a spark?”
“Stop it.” I grab a green throw pillow and toss it at her face, she squeals and bats it away. Ashley is anything but athletic.
She grins wickedly. “I guess that’s my answer. Did he feel a snap, crackle, pop, too?”
I frown and roll my eyes. “No.” Which is too damn bad. Gunner is the first guy that has interested me in months.
Unfortunately, I’m the only one feeling a connection. When Tony mentioned we should get together, Gunner practically gnawed his arm off to get away. And considering how essential his throwing arm is to his career, that’s saying something.
“Oh.” She sags into her seat and rocks back and forth. “That’s too bad. He’s one good looking guy.”
“Maybe he’d be interested in you.” My stomach dives to my feet. The last thing I want to see is Gunner and Ashley making out in my living room, but hell she’s prattling on about him. Who am I to pussy block?
“Nope.” She shakes her head. “I’m not interested in him. He’s cute and all, but I’m…”
When her voice drifts off, my attention is drawn to the pronounced silence. “Who?”
“Who, what?” A tinge of pink rises along the length of her neck and over her cheeks.
“You’re being evasive.”
“It’s nothing.” She shrugs, and her eyes fill with sadness. “I can’t see him.”
“Why?” I frown. “He’s not married, is he?”
Her eyes widen, and she gives me a look like I’ve insulted her intelligence. “Bitch, do I look like a homewrecker?”
“No. I’m sorry. You were just being weird about it. If you like a guy, why can’t you see him?”
“It’s complicated.” She cocks her head and studies me. “Does your contract say you can’t date a player?”
“No.”
“I see.” She shoves out of her seat.
I jump up and follow her. “You’re holding out on me.”
When I step into the kitchen, my stomach growls. Shit, I’m starving. On the counter is a tray of spinach and cheese pinwheels, and parmesan-ranch baked zucchini coins. My mouth waters.
God, she’s too good to me. On my own, I’d fucking starve to death. I speed walk to the counter and snatch a pinwheel off the tray.
After I bite down on the cheesy concoction, I moan. “God, this is delicious.”
“Thank you.”
As I swallow, I grab another piece and turn to her. “Don’t think we’re done with this conversation.”
“I’ll tell you about him if things work out.” She stares at the wall behind me.
“Promise?” Ashley has not had much better luck in the relationship department than I have, and I would love to see her happy. Not that I’m pushing her to move out. I don’t want to eat canned ravioli and grilled cheese every night.
“Yes.”
“Good.” I pop zucchini into my mouth and fight the groan that wants to slip from between my lips. I close my eyes as my mouth works over the coated vegetable. I don’t want to sound like I’m having an orgasm in the kitchen. At least if I’m not with someone.
I shiver as the image of Gunner working out invades my memory. Those arms and thighs would be killers in the sex department. But I’ll never find out.
“How did my friendship with Jenna come up?”
“Tony wants us all to get together sometime.” Thankfully, she’s decided to avoid pushing the Gunner questions. I don’t want to be reminded of his lack of interest.
Why would he be attracted? I dress in a way that de-emphasizes my sexuality – spandex. My tits are flat like I’ve taped them down to my chest. Not to mention, I work with a bunch of grunting, sweaty guys all day. Yep, that makes me sexy as fuck.
Her eyes light up, and she claps. “That would be fantastic. We should have a party.”
“I don’t think he meant anything like that.”
“Pft.” She waves her hand dismissively and then snatches a pinwheel off the platter. “The more, the merrier. We could have it at Chloe’s parent’s restaurant.”
“Chloe’s parent’s restaurant?”
“They own a restaurant that’s connected to her bakery. The bakery is pretty small, but her parent’s café can hold around one hundred people.”
My stomach churns. “I’m not sure that’s w
hat he had in mind.” My head pounds like a jackhammer is going off in it.
Ashley’s the party queen, and I’m the homebody. The thought of putting on a dress and prancing around in front of a bunch of people makes me want to break out in hives or join a self-imposed quarantine.
“We’ll keep it small. Friends, family, any of their friends on the team. It’ll be a blast. I can use the time to network and get more clients interested in nutritional planning.”
Yeah. It’ll be epic. So, why am I praying for a restriction on public gatherings?
Chapter Four
Gunner
The gym is dark when I push open the door and step into the silent room. My gaze darts around the gloominess until I reach Dani’s office. Once again, she’s here earlier than I am. It’s the second time this week.
I hate to admit I considered using my home gym and not walking in until the first team meeting, but I’m not a chicken. I can be around a woman who isn’t attracted to me.
When she sees me, she waves and returns to her work. Shit. My teeth grit together. Being dismissed by her grates on my nerves.
Nice. When did I get such an ego? Stop being a prick. I turn on my heel and march to the weight benches. I’m not going to get my boxers in a bunch over a woman I just met.
I drop my bag with a thud. The sound echoes throughout the room. I glance around to see if she’s paying any attention, but her back is to the gym. Son of a bitch. I’m acting like a pouting five-year-old.
Grabbing my headphones, I jam them into my ears and slide my cellphone into the pocket of my t-shirt. After I lower down into the machine, I close my eyes. The first beat of the classic rock music calms my nerves, and I take a deep breath.
Working out pissed off might motivate the defensive and offensive lines, but my movements must be precise. If I tweak anything, I could be out for weeks. I let the melody push all thoughts away. It’s me and my preparation.
Forty-five minutes later, I’m drenched in sweat, and my muscles are burning from exertion. I let go of the arm weights, and they snap into place with a loud clank. For several seconds, I inhale deeply, trying to regain my bearings.
When my heart rate returns to normal, I open my eyes. The rest of the guys should be showing up any minute. I turn and almost fall off the bench. Dani is propped against the machine next to me.
“Holy shit. You scared the crap out of me.”
“God, I’m so sorry.” Flush settles over her cheeks, and she shoves off the equipment. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I was only waiting until you got done. I know repetition and not being interrupted is essential to an effective workout.”
My heart rate slows as the shock of seeing her wears off. “Thanks. It is.” I frown. I don’t want to be rude and ask why she’s hanging out next to me, but I’m not sure what to say that doesn’t have me sounding like a jerk.
“Um…Do you mind if I tell you something?”
My stomach flops and my mouth dries. If it’s – ‘I broke up with my girlfriend last night because I realized I’m straight and want to jump your bones’ – I’m all for it. “Sure.”
She clears her throat. “When you go back, you need to hold your shoulders tighter to the back of the machine.” She steps forward and places her hand on my chest. “Like this.”
“Okay.” I straighten my back and follow her movements. They should put my face in the dictionary under glutton for punishment.
Her fingers are hot against my shirt, causing my pulse to thunder at the base of my neck. This is what I deserve for being celibate for months. Shit. Almost two years.
Her plump lips are right beside mine. The sweet bow and curve of her mouth has me wanting to yank her into my lap and thrust my tongue deep inside her depths. I suck in a breath and shake my head to jog the stupid thoughts loose in my brain.
I shift my hips and will my cock to think about baseball. Damn, she smells like cookies and some type of flower. Shit. This sucks.
“Then, when you pull inward, keep your elbows a tad bit higher.” Her dainty fingers hold my elbows. “You’re letting them swing a little bit. Too low and you’ll pull a muscle, and too high, and you won’t get the full benefit of the weights.”
“Thanks.” As her fingertips trail along the length of my muscles, I fight the urge to jump up and run to the bathroom.
The tip of her ponytail swings to the side and brushes against my neck as she moves backward. Every nerve in my body zings. God, I’ve got to get laid. “Thanks.” I jump up and put a couple of feet between us.
“And with your legs.” She reaches out like she’s going to grasp my thighs.
Holy fuck. If she touches me or looks too closely, she’s going to get an enormous surprise.
The door swings open and crashes against the wall. “Hey, guys.” Tony grins and marches across the gym in our direction.
Thank fuck. “Hey, Tony.” I wave at him like a deranged lunatic. Saved by my right-hand man.
“Hi.” She flushes and nods in his direction.
“You two go on. Ignore I’m here.” He drops his bag down with a thump.
When he whistles as he sits down on the weight bench, I roll my eyes. “Good night?”
“Yep.” He waggles his eyebrows and grins. “Put the tantra chair to good use last night after Marissa went to sleep.” Then, he lowers back, lays his spine against the bench, and places his hands on the bar.
“Tantra chair?” Dani’s nose wrinkles as she studies Tony.
“Oh, fuck.” His fingers fall from the bar, and he raises up with his hand clutching his chest. “You’ve never heard of a tantra chair?”
“No. Should I have?” Her brows are arched as if she’s trying to figure out what he could possibly be talking about.
“Tony, stop.” I glare at him. I don’t want to talk about Dani’s sex life or his great ideas for Dani and Ashley’s sex life. I’m the only one not getting any here. I bite the inside of my bottom lip and taste the copper flavor of blood as I split the sensitive flesh of my mouth.
“Shut it.” He waves his hand in my direction like he’s brushing me off and turns to Dani. “His panties are in a bunch because he takes a celibacy pact every football season.”
“What?” Her head jerks back, and she stares like I’m an alien creature with three heads.
“God, you’re a prick.” I groan and stare at the white light fixture on the ceiling. Anything is better than witnessing the shock in Dani’s eyes. She leans forward, and I sense her gaze raking over me.
“You take a celibacy pledge?”
“No. Not exactly. It’s not exactly a pledge. I’m focused on the team,” I bite out between gritted teeth. My brain feels like it’s pounding against my skull. Bang. Bang. Thump. It’s like it beats on one side and then reverberates until it slams against the opposite temple.
Tony leans forward and places his elbows on his knees. “And guess what.”
“What?” Her eyes are enormous against her face.
“When we lost last year, he kept the pledge all throughout the off-season.”
She cocks her head to the side, and her mouth drops open. “You’ve got to be shitting me.”
“No, I’m not.”
For fuck’s sake, he’s an asshole. The muscles in my neck and back are screaming from tension.
“But…” Her mouth moves as if she’s counting in her head. “That’s…” She raises her hands and flicks her fingers.
“That’s more fingers than you’ve got.” I glare at my ex-right-hand man. I’m going to junk punch him in the locker room.
“Obviously, he’s wound tight.” Tony’s mouth twitches and then curves into a wicked grin. “He needs someone to put him out of his misery.”
She worries her bottom lip and glances between the two of us.
“Enough. Dani doesn’t want to hear this shit.” I’ve got to get out of here before I snap.
Dani jumps and turns away from me. “I need to go.”
Tony grabs her hand. “Don’
t rush off on his account. He’s being a jackass.” He glares at me like I’m the biggest asshole on the planet.
My hands ball into fists. I want to pry his damn fingers off her and break each one of them. One by one.
“Let’s ignore him and get back to the tantra chair.” He smiles at her reassuringly, like he needs to soothe her after how I’ve been acting. He’s the one being a dick.
“Sure.” She tilts her head and twists away from me.
My teeth grind together, and I snatch up my gear. Shit. What’s wrong with me? She has a girlfriend.
I stomp across the rubber-coated floor. It’s lax under the soles of my tennis shoes. As I grasp the door, I turn and watch them.
Dani’s face is bright red, and she’s clutching her chest. Tony laughs and shoves his elbow into her upper arm. When they break out into a fit of giggles, I fight the urge to flip them the bird. Kiss my ass.
Chapter Five
Dani
I brace my shoulders and walk up to the group of men – Gunner, Tony, Jerimiah Edwards, and Devin Grant. From what I’ve gathered over the last couple of weeks, they’re the tightest bunch on the team. They work out together, talk tape together, and give each other crap.
While I’m not a part of their crowd, each one of them has tried to make me feel welcome.
“Hey, Dani,” Jeremiah says when he sees me approach.
“Hi.” I stumble when Gunner’s gaze catches mine. His fucking blue eyes drive me nuts. No one should have eyes that look like they’re seeing into your soul and reading your mind. I shudder.
At least he shouldn’t be able to read my mind, because it’s filled with dirty thoughts of him.
“Hey, Dani,” all of them say in unison.
Tony grins and puts his arm around my shoulders. “How’s my favorite trainer?”
“I’m good.” I punch him in the ribs, and he doubles over in mock pain.
Everyone laughs, except Gunner, he steps back from us and pulls out his cellphone.
Like I could hurt a pro player with my muscles. These guys are used to men weighing two hundred fifty-pound men running at them like Mack Trucks.