The End Zone: SPORTS ROMANCE (Contemporary Sport Bad Boy Alpha Male American Football Romance) (New Adult Second Chance Women’s Fiction Romance Short Stories) Read Free Page A

friend was supposed to pick me up but her kid got sick so she had to stay home with her.”
    “So how’re you getting home?” Chris asked.
    “I figured I’d just call Uber,” she answered pulling out her phone again. “There’s bound to be one out here.”
    “Aw, come on,” he said. “You don’t have to do that. My car’s in the covered garage, let me drive you.”
    Her heart began to pound in her chest once again, and looking into those blue eyes, remembering how bright his smile was, she was very tempted to take him up on the offer.
    Then she remembered why she couldn’t. So, she shook her head no.
    “Thanks, but I couldn’t ask you to do that,” she said.
    “It’s no trouble,” he said. “You live in the city right?”
    Reluctantly, she nodded yes.
    “Then you’re already on my way!”
    She knew she should protest again. She searched her brain and tried to think of a reason to refuse. At least, one that would not make her sound both presumptuous and paranoid. She opened her mouth to put in another argument when he beat her to it.
    “Look,” he said, “you shouldn’t have to pay to get back home. Besides, I had a good time with those kids today. So, let me take you home. Call it my way of saying thank you.”
    He smiled again and, even though she knew she shouldn’t, Michelle found herself smiling back once more.
    “Ok,” she answered.
    “Great,” he said. “This way.” He led her to the covered garage where a bright red and clearly brand new Ferrari waited for them.
    “Brand new,” Chris said proudly. “It’s got Wi-Fi, leather seats, backup assist. Anything you could want.”
    He stepped back admiring it and looked up at her. Clearly, he expected her to be impressed. Michelle smiled to herself when she realized she had an opportunity to shoot him down.
    “I’ve never been into cars,” she said. “They were always just things to get me from point A to point B.”
    She felt both proud and a bit guilty when she saw his face fall at that. He looked from her then back to the car, clearly at a loss for what to say next.
    “Ok then,” was what he settled for before moving around to the passenger side of the car.
    He opened the door for her and Michelle felt her heart flutter just a bit. Most men she knew didn’t bother opening doors as they thought that she wouldn’t want them to. They figured that she was one of the guys and wouldn’t appreciate such basic chivalry. When she looked up at Chris she found that she liked it very much.
    “Thanks,” she said quietly. She moved to get in and felt a thrill when he gently took her arm.
    “Watch your step getting in,” he said. “There’s a little bit of a dip.” He gently guided her in, his warm hand still wrapped around her arm.
    “Again, thanks,” she managed to mutter as she took a seat in the car.
    He smiled again and this one went all the way up to his blue eyes making them dance.
    Soon, too soon for Michelle, he let go of her arm and moved to the driver’s side of the car. Michelle noticed that the place where he’d touched her arm still burned with the warmth of his hand.
    The car ride home was surprisingly pleasant. Chris, it turned out, was interested in more than just how a girl got to be a coach. He also asked how she became an elementary school teacher, whether she’d always known that teaching was what she wanted to do, and what the kids she taught were like.
    She answered him with anecdotes from her fourth-grade classroom and their little league football team. She told him about funny things the kids said or the ridiculous expectations some parents had.
    In turn, she found herself asking him about playing football for UCLA. Was it hard balancing sports and classes? Did he want to get drafted to play for the 49ers or was he secretly hoping for another team.
    He answered her with plenty of amusing anecdotes of his own about coaches, players, agents and managers. She found herself learning more about the NFL from