His Leading Lady Read Free Page A

sunny day in Las Vegas. Penny
took special care dressing. Be pretty, but not too sexy. A
football game, dinner, and bowling. What to wear? She pulled
out a pair of khaki pants and a dark pink cotton sweater. The
sweater had a scoop neck, showing a hint of cleavage. A gold chain
and earrings plus a bracelet helped set off the outfit without
being fussy. Don’t want to have to keep track of a scarf
today.
    Satisfied with her reflection in the mirror,
she gave herself a spray of perfume, grabbed a light jacket, and
headed out the door.
    When she pulled into the parking lot, her
heartbeat quickened as a slight zing of apprehension shot through
her . I hope he’s as nice as he seems, and I don’t run into that
ass, Darvin Sweetwater. If these big guys decide you’re having sex,
it’s impossible to fight them off. Penny shook off her
apprehension, parked her car, and went to the box office. There was
a ticket with her name on it and a note.
     
    Penny,
    Wait for me after the game. I’ll be out
about twenty minutes after the last whistle. Meet me at my car.
    Mark
    P. S. Thanks for coming.
     
    She entered the temperature-controlled
stadium and took her seat. The location was perfect, about ten rows
up from the field and right behind the Gambler’s bench. A quick
glance around told her she was in the wives’ and girlfriends’
section. A feeling of awkwardness combined with a bit of pride at
being there. She shifted in her seat. The players weren’t out
yet.
    Announcements from the loudspeaker echoed
through the cavernous building. A few warm smiles came her way from
other attractive young women sitting in the same area. She returned
the greeting and settled back.
    Within fifteen minutes, the men took the
field. A little thrill shot through her heart. I’m dating one of
those guys. She searched the team, looking for Mark. Damn,
he never told me his number. Her gaze hopped from face to face,
until she found one looking back and smiling. She grinned. Number fifteen. Got it. Everyone stood up when the national
anthem began to play.
    The Gamblers won the toss and elected to
receive the kickoff. Her skin crawled when she noticed Darvin
Sweetwater sitting on the bench near Mark. Pig. It wasn’t
long before the Wyoming Wild Cats lost the ball and Darvin trotted
onto the field. He was a hair shorter than Mark, but wider. He
looked powerful as he went into formation.
    Benches near her filled up, and the cheering
became intense. The Gamblers were ahead by halftime. Penny’s gaze
met Mark’s as the team ran off the field for a break. He gave her a
nod before he left.
    “Which one is your husband?” the woman next
to her asked.
    “Oh, I’m not married. I’m dating Mark
Davis.”
    “Davis? He’s good. Nice guy, too,” the woman
said as she rose up and stretched.
    “Thank you.” Penny smiled at her. Am I
dating him? One date. That’s all. It’s not really dating.
    “Sue Stockton, Mike Stockton’s wife,” the
woman said, with a nod.
    “Penny Thatcher.”
    “As long as Sweetwater stays healthy,
Davis’ll never get to play,” Sue continued. “My husband’s the
kicker. Hasn’t missed a field goal in twenty-six tries.” She
offered her hand to Penny, who took it.
    “I don’t know much about football,” Penny
said.
    Sue sat down and turned to face her. “Say,
don’t I know you from somewhere?”
    “I have that kind of face. Could you tell me
more about the game?” The woman dropped her questioning and
launched into a detailed explanation of how the game was played and
the strengths and weaknesses of the team.
    The Gamblers received the ball in the second
half and began to run away with the game.
    “He might get a chance now. If they get one
more touchdown…” Sue began.
    And sure enough, Darvin threw another
touchdown pass. The score was thirty-five to ten with three minutes
left to play. Penny leaned forward, twisting a tissue.
    “Punter’s out sick today. Mike’ll do the kick
off,” Sue said, a gleam of