Sidelined: A Sports Romance Read Free Page A

other side of the bar. A red neon sign hung over the entrance that read Warriors . It was another reminder that I needed to be reading our playbook, not taking shots and buying pretty girls drinks. I could do that in February.
    Our hotel was only a few blocks from the bar. I’d walk back, clear my head, then hit the book again. The way the guys were drinking I might be the only one who could hold my head up tomorrow.
    I looked over my shoulder. Stubbs had his arm around one of the girl’s waists. Shit. He had two girlfriends back home, but that didn’t stop him. I shook my head and took a step toward the door. I wasn’t paying attention to what or who was in front of me.
    “Ow!”
    “Oh shit.” I looked down. I grabbed her arm before she hit the floor. “Sorry.”
    I had plowed her over with one step.
    “Watch where you’re going, maybe?” Her voice told me everything I needed to know about her before I even saw her face. She was strong-willed, opinionated, and not afraid to stand up for herself.
    I helped her to balance on both feet. She smoothed the strands of hair that had fallen over her cheeks and tilted her chin. Her eyes lifted to mine and I swallowed hard.
    Fuck. She was gorgeous. And not like the other girls. Every part of her was natural and flawless. I stared at her high cheekbones, arched eyebrows, and long eyelashes. There was grace in her movements. Even her scowl.
    She brushed her blond hair from her face. The rest was pulled back high off her neck.
    “I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking.” But I was now. I was checking out every inch of her. She wasn’t dressed like the others. It looked like she had run here from a yoga class.
    She shrugged off my apology. “Sorry, I was a little rude. It’s fine.”
    “Let me buy you a drink.” It popped out of my mouth before I could think about what I was saying.
    She looked at me quizzically. “I’m fine, really. No damage done.”
    “But I want to apologize. What do you like? It’s on me.”
    She pinched her lips together and I noticed how lush and full they were. God, she was perfect.
    She shook her head. “Really. It’s not that big a deal.”
    “I insist.” I pressed my fingers to her wrist and heard a sigh escape those damn sinful lips of hers.
    Her eyes flashed to mine. “All right. But only one. That’s all.”
    “That’s all I’m offering.” I grinned. “Wait here.” I led her to the table where I had been sitting with Wes only a few seconds ago. “What’s your poison of choice?”
    “Vodka tonic.”
    “Got it.” I maneuvered toward the bar and threw a fifty in front of the bartender.
    He poured a bourbon for me and a vodka tonic with a lime wedge for the girl. I walked back to the table. She shifted in her seat, and her loose shirt slid from her collarbone down her arm. Seeing a woman’s shoulder had never made my mouth water like that before.
    She pinched the collar and repositioned it. “Thank you.”
    I noticed how long and delicate her fingers were when she picked up the glass.
    “It’s the least I could do. Are you sure you aren’t hurt?”
    I’d knocked bigger men than me to their asses at the line of scrimmage. It couldn’t have felt good when I rammed into her.
    “I don’t think I’ll have any bruises.” She brought the edge of the glass to her mouth.
    I didn’t know what in the hell I was doing. I was getting ready to take my third shot and I was sitting with the most gorgeous girl in the place. I couldn’t blame Wes for any of it. He may have planted an idea in my head, but I was doing this all on my own.
    I had already started a countdown of how long I had until the team meeting, or if I pushed it back farther—kickoff.
    After all, the season didn’t start until tomorrow.

Four

Natalia
    T his was unbelievable . I waited at the table while Mr. Sex on a Stick bought a vodka drink for me. What was I doing? I could handle flirting. I was used to it. As a Warrior Goddess, I had more numbers crammed in my