The Sport of Romance: A Multi-Author Box Set

by Cari Quinn

  She took the cup and winked at me. “If you don’t make it home tonight, I know why.”

  Raven stopped and turned around. “Hey, I heard that.”

  Delaney’s eyes widened and a look of dread draped over her face. “I didn’t—”

  “Relax. I’m just messing with you.” He grinned and she sighed in relief. Pulling me closer to him, he said, “I promise to bring her home when she tells me.”

  Holding back a giggle, I waved to her as we crossed the parking lot.

  “So, you’ve been in hiding?” He kept in step with me as we walked toward his car.

  I kept my eyes trained to the ground, praying he wouldn’t ask me about Collin. I knew I would eventually need to tell him my side of the story, because I had no idea what Delaney had told him, but I wasn’t in the mood to talk about it. “I guess you can say that. I was going through some personal stuff.”

  “I understand.” The sincerity in his voice told me he was being truthful. “I’m sorry to, um, hear—”

  “It’s okay.” My stomach tensed and I took a few deep breaths. “It wasn’t meant to be.”

  He unlocked the car door and opened it for me. “Well, I’m here for you if you want to talk or need anything at all.”

  I swallowed the huge ball of nerves that was working its way out of me. “Thanks, I appreciate it.” I got in the car and he shut the door.

  It felt good to know that he was willing to listen to me, be there for me. Collin never offered me that. It was so obvious why I couldn’t find love with him. I wondered if he was discovering the same thing. I refused to ask Luke if Collin had confided in him about us. I just wanted to move on with my life and being with Raven was allowing me to do that.

  Raven slid into the front seat and shut the door. We sat there for a moment in silence. The sun was beginning to set, spreading hues of pink and purple across the sky. With one arm resting on the steering wheel and the other on the console between us, he turned to me.

  “Can I be honest with you?”

  I pivoted in my seat, facing him. “Sure, as long as I can be honest with you.”

  We exchanged a silent agreement as our gaze drew us closer together. My eyes searched his face, carefully examining every detail from the defined arch in his brows to the scar on his right cheekbone that disappeared in his slight five o’clock shadow. I watched as his eyes scanned over me and then rested on my lips.

  Lifting his eyes, he stared deep into mine. “I’ve really missed seeing you.”

  My heart pounded, telling me it was well on its way to mending. I swallowed back the fear that replayed over and over in my head.

  Could I really trust him?

  Not wanting to regret one passing moment with him, I tossed the fear aside and told him how I really felt. “I’ve missed you, too.”

  “Do you remember what I told you in the suite?” His eyes shifted up toward the stadium for a quick second and then returned to me. His look unraveled me, leaving me defenseless against his trap.

  Was I ready for The Raven’s trap?

  I was slipping effortlessly into it and knew there was no escaping it.

  Then again, I didn’t want to.

  “You told me lots of things.”

  He inclined his head and then rubbed his chin. “I’m referring to the point I made about me not doing anything unless you asked me to.”

  “Oh, that point.” I dropped my hand on the console and inched my fingers closer to his. “Yeah, I remember.”

  Our fingers brushed against each other and then interlaced. The roughness of his skin against mine sent an instant razzing sensation up my arm. I hesitated for a moment and then said, “Raven, can I ask you to do something?”

  He rubbed his thumb back and forth across my flesh, rendering my arm useless. “That depends on what it is.” His eyes lit up and I hoped he knew what I wanted him to do.

  “Will you kiss me?”

  “I thought you’d never ask.”

  Σ

  To Be Continued

  The Same Side

  Book Two of the University Park Series

  About the Author

  CM Doporto

  Born and raised in the United States of America in the great state of Texas, CM Doporto resides there with her husband and son, enjoying life with their extensive family along with their Chihuahua and several fish. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, where she is associated with the Young Adult Special Interest Chapter. To learn more about her upcoming books, visit www.cmdoporto.com and sign up to receive email notifications. You can also like CM Doporto’s fan page on Facebook and follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

  Other Books by CM Doporto

  YOUNG ADULT

  The Eslite Chronicles

  The Eslites (short story prequel)

  The Eslites, The Arrival

  The Eslites, Out of This World (Summer 2015)

  NEW ADULT

  The Natalie Vega Saga

  Element, Part 1

  Element, Part 2

  The University Park Series

  Opposing Sides

  The Same Side

  The Winning Side

  A Different Side (March 2015)

  My Lucky Catch (June 2015) – Luke and Delaney’s Story

  Blind Pass

  The Dartmouth Cobras 0.5

  Bianca Sommerland

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  Blind Pass

  Tim Rowe, the assistant coach of the Dartmouth Cobras, is drawn to the lovely flight attendant after the care she shows one of his rookie players. A glimpse of her submissive urges has him thinking she’s far better suited to his brother, but after a single night with her at his side, he’s determined to find a way to keep her there.

  Madeline’s heart wants only Tim, but can her need to surrender control be ignored? Or is there more to her than even she knows. Tim proves he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make her happy, but how far can they really go before the things they both crave destroy everything they’re trying to build.

  Blind Pass © March 2014 by Bianca Sommerland

  Originally Found in Seduced by The Game © March 2014

  All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental. All sexually active characters in this work are 18 years of age or older.

  This book is for sale to ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It contains substantial sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which may be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Author’s Note

  BLIND PASS takes place four years before GAME MISCONDUCT (The Dartmouth Cobras #1). Many players were not with the team at the time and I’m sorry if you’re not getting your favorites, but so many love Tim Rowe that I had to tell his story. I hope it brings a smile to your lips to see him meet the love of his life and become the strong man the Cobras all leaned on for so long. Happy reading!

  Chapter One

  Late January

  Thirty-thousand feet, nothing but an endless stretch of blue below, no escape in sight on the long flight from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia to Florida. Tim rubbed his temples with the index and middle fingers of both hands and wondered how likely their chances of making the play-offs would be if he gav
e a few of his boys a crash course in free-falling. There had to be parachutes on the plane. They’d be fine as long as they landed in one piece.

  However, with tempers flaring between the men, they might not survive this flight.

  “Give the baby his fucking pillow, Kral.” The Dartmouth Cobras’ captain, Sloan Callahan, stared out the window, not even bothering to turn as the two men struggling in the aisle bumped into the empty seat next to him. “He don’t kick your ass for being a pain, I will.”

  “The baby” was the team’s rookie left winger, Ian White. When he’d joined the team at the beginning of the season, he’d been a couple inches shorter than the defenseman, Peter Kral, and a few pounds lighter. White had gained about twenty pounds since and now matched Kral in height. Tim wasn’t sure if it was boredom from the long delay before their flight or what, but the players were taking turns getting on each other’s nerves. Kral picking on the rookie for the black pillowcase with a white Transformer’s logo on the pillow the kid carried around to every away game made things so much worse. The team had started calling White “Bruiser” after his first week on the ice. Started because he managed two black eyes, a nasty bruise on his jaw, and a lump on his forehead during that same week.

  Now it was because he was recognized as a gritty fighter who would throw down his gloves to defend his teammates. And he turned into a damn caveman when he got riled up.

  Kral had gotten White nice and pissed off. Tim undid his seatbelt and apologized to the young assistant trainer sitting next to him as he slid past to separate his players. He banged his head on the underside of the luggage bin as he straightened. The dull pain slowed him down for just a second.

  Long enough for things to deteriorate. Shoving and snarling, both White and Kral ended up on the floor. Their biggest defenseman, Dominik Mason, the only black player on the team, hauled White up to his knees by the back of his neck. Tim couldn’t tell what Mason was saying, but he caught a few growled curses from all three.

  Better and better.

  Near the back of the plane, the team’s head coach, Paul Stanton, glanced up from the newspaper he was reading, looking at Tim expectantly.

  Right. Apparently controlling the team is the assistant coach’s job. Get to it, Rowe.

  “That’s enough, boys.” Tim pried Mason’s hand from White’s neck. Mason’s jaw ticked, but he stepped back. Now all Tim had to do was separate the idiots on the floor. “White, Kral, get up. You’re representing the team and—”

  “I’m gonna kill him! Then I’m gonna throw him off the damn plane!” White’s teeth snapped together at the sound of ripping fabric. The stupid pillow was between him and Kral. The pillowcase had ripped. White released it and drew back his fist. “You son of a—”

  “What’s going on here? Excuse me, sir.” A curvy flight attendant carefully sidled by Tim and caught White by the wrist. “Young man, on your feet.”

  “He ripped it! That’s mine, you asshole!” White stood and lunged for Kral, who’d scrambled back a few feet. “I’m gonna kill him!”

  Thankfully, White didn’t try to get past the flight attendant. But he was shaking with rage and Tim knew he was going to completely lose it if someone didn’t rein him in. The way White’s eyes glistened had Tim wondering if he didn’t need fucking restraints.

  The flight attendant spoke quietly to White. Then turned to Kral and held out her hand.

  Kral rolled his eyes and passed her the pillow. “Was just fucking with you, kid. You don’t gotta cry about it.”

  Several players were standing in the aisle now. They moved as the most levelheaded of them all, Max Perron, made his way up to Kral’s side. His voice was low, thick with his Texas accent, but carried clearly as he put a heavy hand on Kral’s shoulder. “Was the last thing his dad gave him before he got killed in the mines. Ratty old thing, but means a lot. He’s had it since he was eight. You’re smarter than this, man.”

  “Shit, I didn’t know.” Kral hunched his shoulders and stared down at his hands. “Why didn’t you say something, Bruiser?”

  “Don’t fucking pity me, just stay away from my shit.” White rubbed his eyes with a fist and turned to the flight attendant. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I’ll go sit over there.” He pointed to the empty seats near the front of the plane. “Won’t cause no more trouble.”

  “I’d appreciate that.” The flight attendant smiled and followed White to his new seat. She handed him the pillow. “It’s a tiny tear. Do you have someone who can fix it for you?”

  White shook his head. “Grandma’s got arthritis bad.”

  “Well, I’m with you boys when you head home from Miami. Would you let me take care of it?”

  Tim grinned when White nodded with a hesitant smile. All the players were sitting and behaving, so he could keep his attention on the kid. And the sweet lady taking care of his boy.

  Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a bun, but wavy tendrils framed her face, softening the neat updo. Everything about her seemed soft, from her rounded cheeks and sweet, plump lips, to the thick black eyelashes around her big brown eyes. She wore a crisp, dark blue uniform, all proper with the skirt hitting just above her knees, but her full, curvy figure had a luscious appeal that made him wonder how she’d feel in his arms. She laughed at something White said and the sound drew Tim closer to her.

  The plane jolted, making the floor beneath his feet became unsteady as he reached her side. He wet his lips with his tongue when she looked over at him, not sure what the hell he was going to say to her, but needing to say something. He wanted to make her laugh again, wanted to use the time on the long flight to get to know more than her name.

  Her name… He glanced down at the badge on her chest. Madeline.

  “Sir, are you quite all right?”

  She grabbed his arm as the plane shuddered, and he put his hand on her waist to steady her. A melodic ding sounded as the seat-belt light flicked on.

  White cleared his throat. “Coach?”

  Quiet, boy! Tim rarely lost his patience with his players, but in this moment, he needed to be left alone. With Madeline. “One minute, White.”

  “You might want to sit down, brother. And let the lady do her job.”

  Tim frowned, turning slightly as Dean Richter, the team’s general manager, spoke up behind him. His half brother usually either slept through flights or used the time to catch up on paperwork. Since Dean hadn’t interceded during White and Kral’s little scuffle, Tim had figured he’d been sleeping.

  Madeline’s big brown eyes opened wide. She stared at Dean, her pale cheeks going pink when Dean’s gaze shifted to her. Dean studied her face, the edge of his lips tipping up as he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I appreciate how well you handled the children.”

  “Hey!” White folded his pillow against the window, scowling as he propped his head on it. “I ain’t a damn child.”

  Both Dean and Madeline ignored the rookie. And Tim.

  Not all that surprising—women tended to forget him fairly quickly when Dean showed up. His brother had an aura of power and authority that couldn’t be ignored. It didn’t usually bother Tim since the type of women ready to kneel at his brother’s feet didn’t interest him at all. And with the way Madeline’s lips moved as though Dean’s presence made speaking difficult, she was clearly one of those.

  He gave them both a stiff nod and slid into the seat beside White.

  White shifted around like he was trying to get comfortable. He sat up straight when Dean and Madeline moved farther back in the plane, watched them for a bit, then shook his head. “Damn, you gonna let your brother cockblock you like that, Rowe? Call her back over and ask her for some peanuts or something.”

  “Peanuts?” Tim arched a brow at the rookie, rolling his eyes as the kid shrugged and looked over the back of his seat. “You’re gonna lose your tough guy card if you start trying to play cupid.”

  “Maybe, but she’s nice. And the GM ain’t been nice since his
wife walked out on him.”

  This was true. The divorce had been finalized only two months earlier, yet the marriage had been over for years. Dean hadn’t had many lovers since, and all were submissives who wouldn’t dare ask him for more than a single night of pleasure. And most seemed to find that more than enough. His brother was an intense Dom, but he had nothing of himself left to give.

  No, he did give of himself to his family. His fourteen-year-old daughter, Jami, was his whole world and there was nothing Dean wouldn’t do for her. And Tim knew very well Dean would back off the woman if he showed any interest in her.

  Maybe peanuts are a good idea after all.

  But the captain’s voice came out over the speakers, asking for the flight attendant to take her seat and buckle up. Tim kept his eyes on Madeline as she waited for Dean to settle in and then headed to the front of the plane. She met his gaze while strapping herself into the jump seat and flashed them a bracing smile as the plane began to shudder.

  Turbulence didn’t bother Tim; he’d been on enough flights to have experienced worse than this, but by his side, White was gripping the armrest and cursing under his breath with each jolt. Tim patted White’s arm, grinning at Madeline as he spoke in a mock whisper. “You face O’Reilly without a second thought, but you’re scared of a little turbulence?”

  “O’Reilly ain’t shaking me around a million miles over the ocean.” White ground his teeth and pressed his eyes shut tight. “Shitshitshit.”

  “You fought with your friend for your pillow just a few minutes ago, Ian.” Madeline used White’s first name in a soft voice that carried, and for the first time, Tim noticed she had a sweet southern accent. Maybe Georgia? Either way, he found it soothing and noticed the tight muscles in White’s jaw loosened a bit with her every quiet word. “You’re in no more danger now than you were before. Less, actually, because you both could’ve been injured while out of your seats.”