Double Score

“I’m sorry," she whispered. “I should have just held a team meeting and let everyone stone me.”

“What?” My body took up the entire seat.

She shook her head, letting her loose blond curls fall around her face. “I’m sorry. That was overly dramatic. I know everyone’s frustrated.”

“Yeah, they’re frustrated and scared as shit their contracts are going to be torn up.”

Her eyes widened. “I wouldn’t do that.”

“No one around here knows that.”

“I don’t know what else to say except I’m so sorry. I really am. I don't know what you make. I don't know what's in your contract. I really don't know what money there is. I haven’t met with payroll or accounting yet.”

Her blue eyes drifted upward and my cock was suddenly as hard as a rock. It strained against my shorts. There was no way I was standing up any time soon. One look from this beautiful girl and I was hard as shit. What in the hell was happening? She was beautiful. Sexy. Soft and graceful.

“When will you know?” I asked. “All the guys have been here. They need answers. My best friend was here.”

“Your best friend?” I saw her blink back a tear.

I nodded. “Yes. Isaac Price. He told me you two met. Thought I should come up here myself. I need my own answers.”

“You two are the team’s best wide receivers and you are best friends?”

I laughed. “At least you know what positions we play. That’s something. But, yeah, we go way back. We played on a Pee Wee together. Then in high school. Isaac left for the Navy half-way through college, but I got him into open practice here after he left the Seals. You could say we are practically brothers.”

“Seals?”

I nodded. “Yeah. He was a Navy Seal.”

“Brothers,” she mouthed.

“Something wrong with that?”

She shook her head. “No. Nothing at all.”

6

Vanessa

This couldn’t be happening again. I stared at the shirtless football player in front of me, hoping my mouth didn't drop open in disbelief. He was gorgeous. His muscles were chiseled and cut in ways I'd never seen. Little beads of sweat rolled from his collarbone along his pecks. I swallowed hard, imagining what the planes of his chest felt like.

I didn’t want him to know that he had this kind of effect on me. He was clearly cocky. I could see it in his eyes. They were a light green, almost the color of jade.

“So, what are you going to do?” Dylan James asked.

“Excuse me?” I blinked.

“How are you going to handle this mess? The team isn’t happy. No one is happy around here.”

“You aren’t the first person to tell me that today. I've heard it over and over again.”

I was exhausted. It was only lunch time and I’d heard nothing but complaints. Not a single compliment. I knew the sympathy comments were only out of obligation. The staff was unhappy. Management was unhappy. And the team was angry. They were like an army ready to fight, and pick up any weapons they could find and hurl them at this office. I didn't feel like I had any allies or anyone who cared what I was going through. The only thing that mattered to them was money. They had made that perfectly clear.

Dylan smiled. “Darlin’, I think you need to come up with a plan fast or you’re going to have a rebellion on your hands.”

I should have cared that he called me darlin’. I should've said something to put him in his place. I was the one in charge, not him. But instead the word made my spine tingle and my thighs warm.

“I’ll figure it out,” I explained.