“About time, my friend,” Jennings said. “Man, it’s been way too long.”
“Yes it has, but we’ve got some time to catch up. I’ve got a few months before I’ve got to head back to training camp.” Rhett looked up at the only man in Dixon taller than himself. At six-eight, Jennings had been as impressive as Rhett on the playing field, but a blown-out knee in college had stopped his dreams of playing pro ball. Over the years, the distance and Rhett’s busy schedule had left them miles apart, literally and figuratively. Rhett felt saddened by that. They’d always been good friends, and Jennings was a man he could depend on. Rhett needed people like that in his life, not the groupies who’d clung too tight.
Rhett followed Jennings to a table half-filled with his team members, and he clasped each one on the back before taking a seat. “What does a man have to do to get a beer around here?”
“Can I take your order?”
Rhett turned to see a hot little number in a skimpy outfit standing beside Jennings. A flash of something struck him in the chest, and his whole body stood up and took notice. Who was she, and where could he sign up?
There was something familiar about the woman, but Rhett couldn’t recall who she was. Her light hair was tied back in an intricate braid, her green eyes on fire. Tight curves exploded in a clingy tank top and tiny shorts, plenty of meat for a starving man. A smile came to his lips as he suddenly felt very, very hungry.
“The strongest, darkest stout you got on tap,” he answered her with his best smile. “I like things with a bite.”
She didn’t smile back. His charm must need a little polishing. The blonde didn’t seem to notice his subtle flirtation. Women didn’t ignore that. Instead she looked to the guys at the table. “Another pitcher of the cheap stuff for you numbskulls?”
Jennings put his arm around the girl and grinned down at her. “Tonight’s a celebration. How about some of the not-so-cheap stuff. Next round’s on me.”
Rhett kept a close eye on her, sure he should know who she was. Any woman that looked that good deserved to be remembered. His fingers itched to touch her and draw her close, his body already standing up and taking notice. But it wasn’t just her banging curves. There was a look of intelligence to her eyes, and he sensed she would keep him on his toes.
The waitress heaved Jennings’ arm off her with a roll to her eyes and headed to the bar. Rhett followed her with his gaze, not able to stop drinking in the nicest, roundest ass he’d ever seen. Once she was out of sight, he broke the spell she’d apparently put him under with a scrub to the face. He’d just got rid of one woman, he didn’t need another.
Although, he had a mighty itch to scratch at this point, as long as she wasn’t looking for strings.
“She looks familiar,” Rhett said to Jennings, raising his voice to be heard over the din.
“Don’t you recognize her? That’s Taylor.”
Taylor? Taylor-Taylor-Taylor … why did that name seem so familiar? Wait? Jennings’ little sister? The one who’d had a crush on him in high school? “Your sister, Taylor?”
“Yep,” Jennings said with a knowing smile.
Rhett closed his eyes and knew he was probably about to make a big mistake. There were strings already in place he’d not even seen. She should be off-limits, but the more he tried not to look, the more his gaze was drawn in her direction. He couldn’t stop looking at her … half-naked … flaunting half her ass for every man in the bar to see.
“You let her walk around this place dressed like that?”
“Twenty seconds ago you liked what she was wearing,” Jennings said with a cocked eyebrow. “Trust me, I raised holy hell when I found out what she was planning to do, but the guys around here know they’ll meet my fist a few times if they even look at her wrong. And it’s not like she’s going to listen to me. She’s a grown woman who doesn’t listen to her big brother anymore.”
A grown woman—that’s for sure. Rhett looked past Jennings and saw Taylor putting their order together as she joked with some idiot at the bar. She flashed a gorgeous smile the other man’s way, and Rhett suddenly felt jealous. That’s the grin he should’ve got. He knew he wanted to see that smile up close and personal before the end of the night.
He closed his eyes and groaned inwardly. What the hell was he thinking? He had no business going anywhere near another woman right now, especially the little sister of his best friend.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t thinking with the head above the waist. That was his usual problem.
Taylor traveled back their way, her tray laden with items that she dropped off here and there before finally arriving back at their table. She lowered Rhett’s beer and two pitchers for the guys. His mind raced with thoughts of something suave to say, but the only thing that came out of his mouth was a simple, “Hello, Taylor.”
She cast a glance his way. If looks could kill, he’d be dead. What the hell had he done to her?
“Hello, Rhett,” Taylor said quickly and turned to go.
“Wait,” Rhett called.
Taylor spun on her heel and looked at him crossly.
“You haven’t seen me in a decade and can’t give me more than that?”
Taylor stepped closer, her knees almost touching his. He wanted her closer, wanted her skin on his in any way. “I think you’re going to have enough people in town kissing your ass. You don’t need my lips attached to your rear, too.”
A couple of his teammates snickered at that.
Taylor walked away, but she wasn’t fast enough. Rhett grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer. The guys at the table grew quiet, and Rhett knew why. Rhett glanced at Jennings quickly and shook his head, letting his friend know he wasn’t hurting her. Jennings already looked like he was ready to pounce, and Rhett called off the dog, for a moment.
“Why are you so angry with me?” he asked.
Taylor shrugged. “I’m not.”
“Bullshit.”
Taylor let out a sigh. “You left here ten years ago and never came back. Maybe I’m just jealous. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”
“What time do you get off?” Rhett couldn’t help himself.
Her eyes narrowed. “Why does it matter?”
There was little difference in his height sitting and her height standing, but he still had to look up a little. “Maybe I want you to come have a drink with us when you’re through. Reminisce a little.”
“We have nothing to reminisce about,” she said bluntly.
Oh, was that the problem. He knew she’d had a crush, one he hadn’t returned the feelings for. She’d been too young then.
But she sure wasn’t too young now.
“Then you can let me know what you’ve been up to since I left,” he added.
Taylor shook her head. “Boss has a policy about not drinking in our uniform, and I don’t have anything to change into. Sorry.”
“I’ve got a jersey in my truck. I bet it would be a dress on you.” Rhett wasn’t taking no for an answer. He’d go buy her a damned dress if that’s what it took.
“I’ve got studying to do in the morning. I don’t need a foggy head.”
“One drink, Taylor. Just one drink,” Rhett said.
“Come on, Taylor,” Jennings yelled. “Just drink one with the guy so I don’t have to listen to this crap anymore.”
“Jennings, you stay out of this,” Taylor spat.
Rhett pulled her a little closer so her leg lined his. The warmth they shared made his body feel logy, and his cock began to thicken. “Just one drink. For old time’s sake.”
Taylor looked down at him for a moment before a customer yelled behind her to get her attention. She cast a glance that way and then turned back to Rhett. “You’re not going to let go until I say yes, are you?”
Rhett flashed a winning smile her way. “No, ma’am. I don’t like giving up.”
“Maybe if you’d been this obstinate in your last game, you’d be going to the Super Bowl instead of sittin’ in th
is dive,” Taylor said loudly.
Several voices around them oooh’ed at her burn. Rhett didn’t let the remark get under his thick skin. He’d heard a helluva lot worse over the years of playing. “If I had a sexy woman like you rootin’ for me to win, maybe I wouldn’t have lost.”
Taylor leaned in close. “As I recall, woman problems were probably what made you lose in the first place.”
Rhett smiled wider. “You do sure know a lot about me. Why don’t you come have that drink so you can help me balance the scales?”
Taylor yanked her hand away. Heat had filled her face, pinkening her cheeks. She’d apparently liked the little spat as much as he had. His cock was rock hard at this point. There was no way he was giving up now.
“Fine. I get off at ten. One drink. Just one.”
Rhett smiled at her and then lifted his wrist to look at the time. Taylor scowled at him and turned to go back to work.
Over the next hour, he didn’t let her out of his sight. He chatted with his old friends, and even more came pouring into the bar, hearing he was back in town. Soon enough, the place was packed to the rafters, the noise so loud he could barely think, let alone talk. It made it harder to keep tabs on Taylor, but he learned a long time ago to never let his eye off the ball.
Chapter Three
“Another hour, please. It’s crazy in here. I need your help,” Ava pleaded.
Taylor was looking forward to getting off and having that drink, even though she’d try to tell herself not to. Suddenly she was fourteen again and the star quarterback wanted her to climb into the back of a pick-up truck. Rhett hadn’t looked at her with lust in his eyes the first time, but he sure had this time around. Too smart to let his charisma and charm go to her head, she couldn’t help enjoying the attention either. Taylor didn’t want to hold back her date with destiny, but she also couldn’t leave Ava in a lurch. “Fine. One more hour. I’ve got to study in the morning.”
Ava clasped Taylor’s arm. “Thanks, hon.”
Taylor went back from behind the bar and continued taking orders at the array of tables littering the place. Being a sports bar, they usually had no band, but the center of the room was packed with couples dancing to the old jukebox Ava’s father kept up-to-date. All that dancing was making many of the patrons thirstier than normal.
She kept working the room, making sure her side was filled, before she headed over to Rhett’s table. When she got there, she found Maria Blevins sitting on Rhett’s lap, looking like a Kodak moment from high school. The captain of the cheerleading squad had dated the star QB for a year or so. Why wouldn’t she find her way back into his lap the minute he got back into town? Too bad Maria hadn’t had a great life since graduating.
Jealousy swamped Taylor, but she bit her lip and tried to ignore it. She’d been silly to think he had been actually interested in her, a nobody waitress still stuck in Dumb Fuck, Texas. She went up to the table to ask if they needed refills.
“Dammit, Maria, I think you’ve had a little too much to drink,” she heard Rhett saying as he pushed Maria off his lap. Maria had too much to drink just about every night, but there was no point in her bringing that up to embarrass the woman. At fourteen, Taylor had been so ready to rat out the woman. Now, Maria would show her own hand all too readily, letting Taylor off the hook. She had to feel a little pity for Maria at this point. The best years of her life appeared to be behind her. It was a reminder of exactly why she wanted out of Dixon.
“Oh come on, Rhett, one night for old time’s sake?” Maria cooed.
Rhett grimaced at her before he seemed to notice Taylor standing there. He got up, almost dumping Maria onto the floor. He glanced at his watch and looked down at Taylor. “Here for that drink?”
Taylor eyed Maria, then Rhett. “It’s too busy. I’ve got to help out a while longer.”
Rhett’s face seemed to fall. “But you are coming, right?”
Maria inserted herself between them. “No worries, baby. I can keep you company.”
Rhett gently pushed Maria away. “That’s not a good idea, Maria.”
“No worries, baby. You’re busy, and so am I,” Taylor said as avoided Rhett’s stare and looked at the table. “You guys need refills?”
The guys gave her their order. Rhett stared her down as she began to walk away. She could feel the heat of his stare on her flesh, and it raised her temperature a degree.
Over the next hour, she worked hard to ignore Rhett and take care of the crowd, but she couldn’t help noticing Maria practically hovering over the man. By eleven, a lot of the old timers had left and the crowd thinned to one Ava and the bartenders could handle. She cashed out and headed for the back door, deciding it wasn’t worth the drink after all. There was no way she’d be in a three-ring circus with a drunk Maria and the man she didn’t have a chance with. Taylor pulled on her parka and shoved her tips in the pocket as she headed out into the cold night.
Before she could get to her car, she sensed someone behind her. Taylor spun around, her arms coming up defensively. She punched Rhett right in the gut.
All she heard was an ooaf before he fell into her. She took his massive weight, feeling bad she’d punched him. Well, sorta bad. He shouldn’t have snuck up on her.
“What was that for?” he asked after getting his breath back and standing up straight.
“I thought you were a mugger,” she answered.
“If you hadn’t tried to dip out of that drink, I wouldn’t have had to chase you down in the parking lot,” he said, still rubbing his belly.
“You were busy, and I’ve got to study tomorrow morning.”
“But you promised me a drink. One drink.”
Taylor’s teeth began to chatter. She was standing in the dark, her bare legs freezing. “I don’t feel like going back in there now.”
“Then take a ride with me,” he said smoothly. “I’ve got heated seats and somewhere to show you.”
Taylor should’ve said no. She knew what guys expected at the ends of those rides. But her curiosity got the better of her. He’d apparently been watching her if he saw her leave, and he’d been interested enough to chase her down. Did that count for anything? “A short ride.”
Rhett put up his hands in mock surrender. “I know, studying. I promise to have you back before long.”
“Where’s your truck?”
He pointed to a big silver F-450 Super Duty, clicking a button to make the big engine turn over. The thing roared to life like an animal possessed, the lights coming on and spearing through the darkness. The devil himself was offering a trip straight to hell on a fiery beast, and she was so tempted to let him be wicked with her along the way.
A few people began heading outside in the cold, two of them staggering pretty well. She paused a moment, making sure the staggerers got into passenger sides and not behind steering wheels. Why she cared so much, she didn’t know. No one seemed to notice her, unless she was serving them a mugful of frosty beer or a basket of wings in a tiny tank top and short shorts. She’d lived her whole life in Jennings’ shadow, the boy wonder who’d been on his way to stardom.
Until tonight. She looked up into Rhett’s face and saw something that shocked her a little—longing. Rhett wanted her, and that was something she never thought she’d see. A shiver raced down her spine before they started walking over to his truck, and she wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or what might come.
He approached the passenger side and opened the door for her. A blast of delicious heat came her way, and she closed her eyes and tried to draw it in. She felt hands grip her waist, and she was lifted into the air before she could open her eyes and tell him no. He pushed her onto the warming seat and closed the door on her.
Taylor nestled into the seat and sighed. She pulled on her seatbelt as Rhett got behind the wheel.
“You are okay to drive, right? I only served you two beers, but I need to ask,” she said as the thought suddenly hit her.
“Only the two. Was supposed to
be three, but someone left without me,” he said, grinning at her. He pulled on his seatbelt and threw the truck into drive. He sped out of the parking lot and onto the old country road, heading in a direction that would lead her toward home.
“Where are we goin’?” she asked.
“You’ll see,” he said cryptically before reaching over and snagging her hand in his big one.
Taylor looked down at his hand, shocked by the touch. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, sending tendrils of excitement up her spine. She didn’t even pay attention to where they were going, her attention so focused on his hand on hers.
“Does that bother you?” he asked after a moment, apparently noting her regard.
She looked up at him, unsure what to say. “I guess not.”
“Good. Your hands are cold,” he said firmly. “So what’s this firm need to study about?”
“I’m about to earn my master’s in sports administration from UH,” she said, not able to keep a little pride from her voice. She’d worked hard for the honor. “Between work study during the day and waitressing most nights, Saturday and Sunday mornings are when I hit the books. I’ve got a thesis to finish writing.”
Rhett turned onto the old country road that led to her house. “Sports administration? What do you plan on using that for?”
“Following Jennings around for games most of my life made me quite interested in the business side of sports. I want to work for a large sports organization one day. I also minored in communications, so maybe reporting for ESPN is in my future.”
“You’d look awful pretty standin’ at the sidelines,” he said.
Taylor yanked her hand away. “I’m more than a pretty face, Rhett.”
He cast a quick glance her way. “I didn’t say you weren’t. Just because I appreciate what’s on the outside doesn’t mean I haven’t noticed there’s something on the inside.”
Sacking the Quarterback Page 2
