Playbook (The Holland Brothers 2)

I love the sounds on the field during a game. Everything from the crowd yelling and cheering to the snap of the football, and everything in between. There’s magic in the air. It seeps under my skin and makes it hard to stand still.

Taking a long drink of water, I scan the stadium behind me while our defensive team is on the field.

My gaze is drawn to the spot where London sits with Alec and her best friend Paige. I can’t make out their expressions, but I can feel London looking this way.

I waggle my fingers at her, feeling a shot of adrenaline when she returns the gesture.

It feels so good having her here, but I wish I were out there playing instead of standing on the sideline.

Turning back around, I walk over to Coach.

He side-eyes me, keeping his attention mostly on the field. “How are you feeling, Six?”

I dislocated my thumb during warmups. I caught a ball at just the right spot and that was that. I’m fine. The trainers wrapped it and I took some throws to make sure I’m solid. Still, Coach has been playing me sparingly to give me more rest and to not risk injuring it further.

We’ve had a lot of injuries already this season. Football is a tough sport. Two of our top defensive tackles got injured in last week’s game and then both Archer and Merrick were given sit out orders for today from the team doc. Arch with his nagging ankle sprain that seems to flare-up every time he’s cleared, and Merrick with the flu so bad he’s been in bed for two days.

It’s early in the season and no one wants to risk a setback that will put our playoffs chances in jeopardy, but the result is we’re moving people around and not meshing like we should.

I bounce on the balls of my feet, hands resting at the neck of my jersey and pads. “Good. Ready.”

It’s the fourth quarter and we’re down by thirteen. It kills me not to be out there contributing.

“You look like you have ants in your pants.” One of his gray brows rises.

“I want to play. Put me in. I’m fine.” There’s so much tape on my hand, nothing is moving. Not even if a three-hundred-pound defensive tackle lands on it.

“There’s only a few minutes left. There’s no reason to risk it.”

“Come on, Coach. My girlfriend’s here. She’s gonna think I’m a bench warmer.”

His mouth curves. “Oh well, since your girlfriend’s here…”

For a second, I don’t realize he’s fucking with me.

“Put me in. I’ll get us within six.”

A timeout is called by San Francisco.

“I admire your determination,” he says. “You’ve been playing well, and you seem to be finding a groove and staying out of trouble. But for tonight, your girlfriend is going to have to admire your handsome face more than your skills on the field.”

“Fine.” I huff. “You’re lucky I have such a handsome face though.”

He shakes his head as his smile turns back to a thin line and he focuses on the game.

I dress quickly and head out to the family waiting area. Guys with wives and kids or other family in attendance fill the room. I watch moms and dads embrace their sons. The atmosphere is somber, probably because of the loss, but it’s plain to see how much these parents love them regardless of the outcome of the game.

Sometimes it just hits me how much of that I missed out on. I don’t think my parents have watched me play a single game and if they did, there weren’t after-game hugs or words of encouragement.

A little girl wearing a Mavericks jersey nearly takes me out as she darts in front of me for her father. My teammate, Slade, scoops her up and nuzzles into her little neck. I smile at them, wondering what that would be like. It seems nice.

At the back of the room, I finally spot London. Her friends are still with her. London steps forward slowly as I approach. She seems to hesitate like she isn’t sure what to do, but as soon as I wrap my arms around her, she does the same.

“I’m sorry about the game,” she says when we pull apart. “How’s your thumb?”

“Fine. Disappointed like the rest of me. Glad you guys came though. Sorry we didn’t get you a win.” I nod my head to Alec. “Hey, good to see you again.”

He dips his chin back. “You too. Tough loss.”

I finally let my stare linger on the woman I know is London’s best friend.

“You must be Paige.”

“One and only.” She lifts a hand in a wave as she studies me closely. She seems to take in every detail from the hand I have resting on London’s back to the way her friend glances between us.

I smile at her. She has this hard-ass exterior that reminds me of London. “I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m glad to finally meet you.”

“Likewise.”

“Do you all have plans? Some of the guys were talking about going to a friend’s house to hang. Just a few people.”

London laughs. “I don’t believe that for a second.”

“Fewer than usual.” I glide my hand around her waist and pull her against me.

“I wish.” Alec looks genuinely apologetic as he speaks to me. “I promised some buddies I’d meet up with them.”

“I need to get home too,” Paige says. “I have to be in Chandler at seven tomorrow for an estate sale. Too bad. I’ll have to grill you another time.” One corner of her mouth lifts, but I have a feeling she means it.

“Absolutely. I’ll be ready.”

“What about you?” I ask London.

“I should probably go too. I need to work in the morning.”

“Are you sure?” I really hoped we’d get to spend the night together again.

“Yeah.”

Her friends step away, giving us a little privacy. I circle both arms around her, pulling her against me.

“We don’t have to go to the party. You could just come to my house.”

Her smile makes my pulse kick up a notch. “That is tempting, but I have a feeling I’ll sleep more at my house.”

She’s not wrong there. But I’m still disappointed.

“We could just sleep.”

A soft laugh leaves her lips. “It’s okay. Go have fun. I’ll text you tomorrow.”

Reluctantly, I let her free. “What am I supposed to do until then?”

She laughs again, louder this time, like she thinks I’m kidding.

“Did you let London know about tonight?” Archer asks the next day as we get dressed after practice.

Today was brutal. Coach tacked on a mandatory film review later.

“No, we didn’t have plans.”

Archer’s brows lift and he can’t hide the surprised look that crosses his face.

“What?” I ask, sitting down on the bench and putting on my shoes.

“Nothing.” He goes back to staring into his locker like he thinks I’m going to let it go.

“Just say whatever it is you want to say.” I stand and grab my wallet and keys, then shut my locker.

I wait while he grabs his stuff too and we head out together. He doesn’t say anything until we’re walking out the back door to the parking lot.

“You like her.”

“Wow. Congratulations on figuring that out.” I chuckle and shake my head.

“You know what I mean.” He stops at his truck. We rode together today, but neither of us makes a move to get in yet.

“No, I don’t think I do.”

“You’re spending time with her that has nothing to do with making people believe you’re a guy in a serious relationship.”

I resist rolling my eyes, but an uncomfortable sensation works its way up my spine anyway. “We’re having fun and enjoying the perks of the situation.”

“The perks? You mean that your pretend girlfriend is smoking hot and you want to sleep with her every chance you get?”

“Exactly.” I finally open the door to the passenger side and get in. Arch does the same, situating himself behind the wheel and starting up the engine.

“Why can’t you just admit that you like her? This is more than sex.”

“I like her. She is a really cool chick.”

“And…”

“It’s not as serious as you’re making it out to be.” Another rough chuckle scrapes up my throat.

“You know, I thought after watching Hendrick and Knox go through this, you of all people would be more insightful.”

“What in the hell do they have to do with this?”

My best friend groans and lets his head fall back onto the truck’s headrest.

I swat at his arm to make sure he’s looking at me as I speak. “I like her, I do. She’s great and if I were the type of guy that could be in a relationship with anyone for real, then London is exactly who I’d want. But I’m not that guy. I don’t know the first thing about how to love and support someone in that way. She knows that.” Until a few weeks ago, she thought I was a total jerk who slept with women for sport. I doubt she’s ready to go all in with someone like me just because she’s decided kissing me is fun. A whole lot of fun.

“Why not? You’re the best guy I know. And I’ve seen how you are with her. How the two of you are together. You treat her like a goddamn queen, and she looks at you like you are the only guy on the planet.”

I know he means it, but he’s biased. He sees the good in everyone, especially me. “We’re pretending half the time.”

“No.” He shakes his head. “I can tell when you’re putting on a show for everyone else and that stopped weeks ago.”

He’s wrong. Sure, it’s easy to be together and we’ve gotten comfortable with each other and the chemistry is off the charts, but it’s all centered around being caught up in this thing together. Isn’t it?

I’m still thinking about it after our late film review is over. I head to her place instead of home.

She opens the door wearing an oversized T-shirt and her hair up in a ponytail.

“What are you doing here?” Her grin is pleased even if the rest of her is clearly shocked by the late-night drop by.

“I was thinking about you. Thought maybe we could have a sleepover.”

“I have work tomorrow and I have to be there earlier than normal for a big corporate meeting.” She looks as bummed as I feel.

“Why are you up so late then?”

“Finishing an illustration for a client.”

“Lo?” Alec’s voice calls from somewhere in the apartment.

“Sorry. It’s just Brogan.” She motions with her hand for me to follow her. I do…into a small bedroom. She closes the door behind us and with a low voice says, “He has to get up really early during the week.”

“Right.” I’m suddenly feeling a little like an ass for interrupting her normal routine, but then my gaze drops to her computer and I find myself walking closer. “This is the piece you’re working on?”

“Yeah. It’s not done.” She fidgets next to me, looking uncomfortable as I take in her work in progress. It’s a couple embracing. A blue alien with boobs spilling out of her space suit and a human man holding a sword at his side. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before and could have never dreamed up, but it’s awesome.

“You’re so talented,” I tell her when I can manage to pry my gaze away from it. “It’s amazing to me that you can come up with that in your head and then draw it.”

“Well, the client usually gives me some guidelines and descriptions.”

“Take the compliment, sweetheart.” I turn to face her. With her hair pulled up like that, her neck looks about a mile long. All that smooth, delicate skin. I bring a hand up to one side and glide my thumb over her pulse point.

“Thank you. I’ve been getting a lot more business lately and some very interesting projects. I sketched like a dozen poses before I came up with this one.”

“Aliens, I dig it. We could do a little role-play later. You’re the sexy alien and I’m defending the galaxy.”

“He’s an alien hunter who falls in love with the enemy.”

“Oooh.” My eyes widen. “Even better.”

She laughs, leaning into my touch.

“I won’t stay since you’re busy and have to get up early.”

“Okay.” A flicker of something like disappointment flashes in her eyes.

I sit on the edge of her bed. It has a white comforter. The walls are decorated with art and photos. My gaze lands on a framed photo of her and Sierra when they were younger. London looks to be about twelve or thirteen. She has braces and hair that’s shoulder-length.

“How was your day?”

“Good.” She says the word slowly as she leans against the desk, facing me. Laughter spills out of her, all airy and light.

“What’s funny?”

“You in my room.”

“Is funny?” I arch a brow.

“Funny because if someone had asked me a month ago what the odds were, I would have said impossible.”

“Nothing is impossible.” I take her hand and tug her to me. She stands between my legs and I run my hands up the back of her bare thighs. Her shorts are hidden by the big, baggy T-shirt, but mold to her slim curves.

“So it seems.” Another small laugh escapes her, but when I cup her ass in both palms she quiets.

“I like your room.” I think what I really mean is I like you, but she either understands or doesn’t care.

“I like yours too. Bigger bed.”

“The bed is optional.” I wink, remembering how I fucked her up against the wall last time. So many more things to explore with her. We’ve barely scratched the surface.

I let my fingers drift up to the hem of her shorts and then I slowly pull the material down, along with her panties. She steps out of them, hands on my shoulder, never breaking my gaze. This time when my hands trail up her smooth legs, there’s no barrier. I can’t see her because of the shirt, but I have every last inch of her burned into my memory. She’s perfection.

Standing, I pull up the hem of her shirt and hold it in one hand above her belly button. I walk us forward a step to the desk, then brush my mouth over hers. “Turn around for me, sweetheart.”

She does, the movement twisting the shirt around her, hugging her tighter. Gently, I push her back down so that the front of her rests on top of the desk, then I nudge her feet farther apart. Kissing her neck, I glance over at her laptop screen, still open.

“So talented,” I murmur. “Don’t you think so?”

She doesn’t reply, just moans as I drop one hand between her legs from behind. My fingers slide over her slick heat.

“So talented. So beautiful. So perfect.” I dip two fingers into her tight pussy. Her muscles contract around me and she whimpers.

My pace is lazy and unhurried, which just seems to drive her wilder. I’d like to think it’s the time apart that has her frantic with need, but we’re so deep into this thing…whatever it is…I can’t even begin to guess the reason for any of it anymore. Maybe, we’re just good together.