by J. H. Croix
I wove through the team to his side. “Well done,” I said with a nod when I caught his eyes.
Alex cracked a grin. “That it was. Great play today. As usual, you led a bloody brilliant offense.”
I rolled my eyes. “Can’t take any credit, can you? Not throwing shade at the rest of us, but we won because you made sure they didn’t score.”
Alex shrugged. “Right then.” He looked past my shoulder, another grin stretching across his face.
“What?” I asked.
“Here comes your girl,” he replied, his eyes flicking to me and away again. “Hey Olivia.”
I felt Olivia’s presence behind me as soon as he spoke. I turned just as she reached my side, slipping her hand through the crook of my elbow. “Hey Alex. Great game as usual.” She caught my eyes and leaned up to kiss my cheek before turning back to Alex. “I never know exactly what to say to you after a game like this because it’s all about what you made not happen,” she said with a grin.
Alex shrugged. I glanced down at Olivia. “He’s bloody awful at taking a compliment.”
She smiled up at me, her green eyes bright in the crisp air. Just like that, nothing more than a smile from her while my teammates bustled around us and the stadium noise rumbled with the crowd filing out of their seats, and my heart clenched. The air around us heated as if lit by a flame. My body tightened and I leaned forward, about to kiss her, when Alex cleared his throat. I glanced back to him, arching a brow. Alex merely nudged his chin to my other side where I saw a cameraman approaching with his camera trained on Olivia and I. Instead of a kiss, I leaned down to whisper in her ear.
“Later, luv.” I couldn’t resist dropping a quick kiss in the delectable curve of her neck. As soon as I lifted my head, the cameraman and an interviewer from a sports channel were upon us. Thanks to the focus on Alex’s shut out, I got away with only a few questions and managed to keep Olivia’s hand firmly in mine the entire time.
I was in the thick of my second season with the Seattle Stars. We were on track to win our division this year. After we got through the after game interviews, I made my way to the locker room, reluctantly leaving Olivia to wait. She assured me she’d meet me out front and pick up pizza for us. I showered in record time, my mind spinning back over the last year. The mess I’d felt inside after my mum’s death, my move to the US and my knee injury felt like distant memories. I still missed my mum, missed her like crazy sometimes, but time had dulled its sharpness. As torn as I’d been about signing with the Stars at the time, I wouldn’t change a thing now. I felt the same about my knee. Without those two events, I’d never have met Olivia. About now, she was the sun in my universe and everything that led to her was bathed in its glowing light.
I hurried out of the locker room, glancing over my shoulder when I heard a chuckle from Alex as I passed by his locker. “What?” I asked.
He’d been in the midst of pulling a sweatshirt on and tossed the hood back once it was over his head and shoulders. His brown eyes held a teasing gleam when he met mine. “Mate, it’s a good thing Olivia’s so good for you because you can never get to her fast enough.”
I shrugged and grinned. “Bloody right about that. You’ll find out someday,” I said with a wink as I spun around and made my way down the long hallway that led outside. I pushed through the doors into the late afternoon sunshine. I found Olivia right away. She sat on a bench nearby with Bentley beside her, his leash looped around her hand and a pizza box beside her. She often brought Bentley to games with her because Coach was kind enough to let us leave him in his office during the actual game. I stopped where I was and just looked at Olivia.
She’d come to the game from the clinic with her hair pulled back in a tidy knot perched on top of her head and wearing a fitted black skirt and rich blue blouse, buttoned almost to her neck of course. I couldn’t wait to take her hair down and tear her blouse apart. She was still working at the clinic and managing a waitlist of high-profile cases. She’d received a written reprimand from the clinic’s board for her involvement with me. Dr. Adams had actually met with me and given me the option to file a complaint if I felt the need to do so. I’d burst out laughing and assured her it was entirely unnecessary. Even then, I’d been relieved at the outcome because I knew it had weighed on Olivia. She was by nature an honest person who played by the rules. I was happy to be the one who’d inspired her to break a few.
I suddenly realized I was stuck in place when someone bumped me as they walked by. Olivia had that effect on me—everything else fell away around her. I gave my head a shake and walked to her. Bentley leapt off the bench, his entire body wiggling when he saw me. “Bentley boy,” I said as I knelt beside him to greet him.
I straightened when Olivia stood up. I hooked my arm around her waist, pulling her flush against me and fitting my mouth over hers when she opened it, presumably to speak. She gasped, and I took full advantage, sweeping my tongue inside and groaning when hers slid against mine. A low whistle nearby nudged me out of my haze, and I pulled back, looking down at Olivia. Her cheeks were flushed, pretty and pink, and her eyes were bright. “Hi,” she said simply.
“Hello luv. That was for the kiss I didn’t get right after the game.”
She giggled and started to step back, but I held her firm. “Liam,” she whispered fiercely, pausing to take a breath. “There’s people everywhere, and you know any minute now someone will take another picture that will end up…”
“Online,” I finished for her. “I don’t give a bloody damn. I love you and I don’t care if the whole world knows it.”
Bentley nudged my knee. I glanced down and followed his gaze to see a photographer, likely from one of the sports news teams departing from the stadium, with his camera aimed right at us. I looked back to Olivia, gesturing over my shoulder. “There, see already done. Now let’s go home, so I can have you all to myself.”
I couldn’t resist giving her bottom a squeeze as I slid my hand down to reach for hers. The flush on her cheeks deepened, and she stopped where she was, glancing up at me again. “Well, if we’re going to be in the gossip pages again, we might as well give them something good.”
My oh-so-proper fiancée slipped her hand around my neck and yanked me down for another kiss.
***
Thank you for reading The Play! I hope you enjoyed Liam & Olivia’s story. Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter at http://jhcroixauthor.com/subscribe/ to get a free copy of another one of my books!
Up next is Big Win - Alex will make you swoon!
xoxo
JH Croix
Big Win
Brit Boys Sports Romance
By J.H. Croix
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 J.H. Croix
All rights reserved.
ISBN-13: 9781543244540
ISBN-10: 1543244548
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Big Win
They call me the Beast.
Nothing gets by me. Nothing gets to me. On the field, or off.
Until I meet Harper—she plays it so cool, all I wanna do is slide my hands down her curves and rattle her composure. But she’s got it in spades.
She’s brilliant, she’s beautiful, and she’s so reserved, she becomes the challenge I have to win.
She can’t be bothered. She’s not impressed with much—not the fact I’m an international soccer star, not money. She’s also running from something.
I can be patient. I’m used to that game.
But this isn’t a game. Not with Har
per, not when she’s everything I want wrapped up in a delicious body.
One taste of her lips, and it hits me hard—right to the gut.
I’ll do whatever it takes to win her.
*This is a steamy, full-length standalone sports romance with a guaranteed happily-ever-after. No cheating & no cliffhangers. Nothing but steamy romance & HEA!
Dedication
To the countless women who have found their way through to the other side of darkness.
Chapter 1
Alex
My breath came in steady gusts as I ran along the walkway. It was barely past dawn, my favorite time of day, and I was out for my morning run. The park was quiet as I followed the path along the shore. Gulls called in the distance, the only noise to speak of at this hour. I ran for a solid half hour and slowed to a walk as I made my way through the forested part of the park back to my flat. The air was cool and damp, typical for a spring morning in Seattle. A sudden burst of chatter from squirrels in the trees caught my attention, and I glanced up to see a woman walking toward me with a giant dog at her side. Tall and stately, the dog walked with grace at her side. I didn’t realize I’d stopped where I was until the woman got close enough for me to realize I knew her. A prickle of awareness ran up my spine.
Harper Jacobs was a good friend of my best mate’s fiancée. Harper also got to me—big time. I couldn’t put my finger on why. She was attractive, but in an understated way. I’d met her a bit ago when Liam, the best mate in question, invited me to meet him for coffee. Harper was there with Liam’s fiancée Olivia. I’d encountered Harper a few more times since then, what with our respective friends head over heels in love. She was polite and friendly and always seemed to have an invisible bubble around her. I wanted to know why she kept herself protected like that. I waited for her to reach me, which she eventually did. She slowed to a stop, rested her hands on her hips and glanced up at me.
“Alex, right?” she asked.
“That would be me. I see you’re out for a walk,” I said, instantly wondering why I couldn’t have slightly better conversational skills. Stating the obvious wasn’t particularly inviting. I usually didn’t give a bloody damn about conversing, but I wanted to know Harper beyond the superficial.
Harper nodded, her deep blue eyes crinkling at the corners with her small smile. “I am. I’m going to guess you’re just finishing a run,” she replied with a nod to my feet, which were encased in running shoes.
“That I am. I come here almost every day. I think I’d have seen you before if you’re here often, what with…?” My words trailed off as I gestured to her giant dog.
“Stanley,” she filled in, her smile stretching.
Damn. I wished I could see her smile more. Her whole face lit up and that careful, controlled look in her eyes softened.
As if in response to his name, Stanley stretched his head to my hand and slowly sniffed it. After a moment, he dipped his head further, nudging it under my hand as if he expected me to pet him. So I did. He was easily taller than my waist, his large eyes blue and his fur dappled steel gray.
“He likes you,” Harper said. “Stanley can be picky, so take that as a compliment.”
I stroked his head slowly and looked over at Harper. Her glossy brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail high atop her head with loose locks escaping. She blew a breath, effectively blowing one lock of hair out of her eyes. She wore fitted leggings and a fitted top, both bright blue, which brought out her eyes. She was clearly in good shape, but also managed to be curvy at the same time with full hips and generous breasts. I realized I was staring at her and forced myself to recall what she’d just said.
“I’ll take it as a compliment then. What kind of dog is he?”
“Great Dane. He’s on the large side for the breed, but he’s nothing but a gentle giant.” Her eyes canted down, and she laughed softly. Stanley had taken another step closer to me and nuzzled his massive head against my hip. “He’s a lover, not a fighter,” she said, looking back up to me. “So you run here on top of your practices?” she asked, referencing my career as a goalkeeper for the Seattle Stars.
I was a Seattle transplant after moving here with three of my teammates from our former team in London. The Seattle Stars were America’s current best hope for a shot at international glory on the soccer stage. Though I still felt out of step with Seattle and America in general, none of it helped by the fact they insisted on calling football soccer here, I’d come to enjoy Seattle and the team. Being a professional footballer, or professional sports player of any kind really, meant you went where you had the best offer. Oh, there were negotiations and such, but that was the life. Well that, and dedicating your mind and body to a sport. I loved football and had loved it since I was a lad. I felt lucky to be able to play professionally.
I met Harper’s clear blue gaze and nodded. “Most days I run on my own before practice.”
She nodded, but was otherwise quiet. The silence started to stretch, but it was a comfortable silence. In the few times I’d been around Harper, we’d always been in a group, usually with our shared friends. It occurred to me just now I didn’t know much about her, other than who her friends were. Stanley nudged my hand, and I realized I’d slacked in petting him. “Sorry ‘bout that, Stanley,” I said, glancing down and stroking his sleek head again.
“I suppose you need to go,” Harper said.
When I looked back at her, she looked, well the only way to describe it was nervous. Seeing as I hadn’t a clue what she could be nervous about, I was flummoxed. But I didn’t want her to go. I wanted to curl my hand around hers and walk through the park.
“Why don’t we walk for a bit?” I asked, startling myself.
Her eyes widened for a beat, and her cheeks flushed. She went still, so still it worried me, and that controlled look slipped in front of her eyes again. Stanley took a step away from me and nudged her hip gently before turning to stand close beside her. He exuded a quiet protectiveness toward her. Her shoulders rose and fell with a deep breath, and then she nodded. “Okay, that would be nice.”
I bit back my grin and turned to walk alongside her. Stanley padded beside us. He wasn’t on a leash and didn’t appear to need one. He stayed right by Harper’s side and walked quietly, his gaze alert. Aside from the squirrels and birds chattering around us, it felt as if we were alone. Oh, there were a few other early risers out and about, but anyone here at this hour loved the quiet as much as I did. Harper idly kicked a pebble as we walked. I wanted to look long and hard in her eyes and make the underlying worry and tension in them disappear. Yet, I was slightly relieved we weren’t face to face because Harper seemed more relaxed when I wasn’t looking right at her.
So I just kept walking. I didn’t care to talk. Talking wasn’t really my thing. As we walked along, I felt the hum of tension emanating from Harper start to ease. Lincoln Park was an urban sanctuary and preserve situated by Puget Sound. There were the usual park amenities, such as a pool and tennis courts, but there was also a walkway along the beautiful shoreline and a well-preserved old growth forest, offering plenty of peaceful walking in the quiet hours of the day. We followed a footpath through the trees until we reached the walkway where I’d gone for my run this morning.
Salty air gusted off Puget Sound with the sun rising through the clouds. I glanced to the side when Stanley stopped abruptly. Stanley was staring straight ahead at a man running along the walkway. He didn’t raise his hackles, nor did he make a sound, but it was plain he was bothered. I lifted my eyes to Harper. Splotchy red spread up her neck and face, and she looked absolutely horrified. She seemed to have forgotten I was there. I reached for her hand, curled tight in a fist at her side. The second I touched her, she swatted my hand away and then gasped.
“Oh, I’m sorry! I, um, I…” She looked from me back to the man, whoever the hell he was, running toward us. He was still a good distance away. I didn’t know what was going on, but I had two inclinations—go punch the guy because his
mere existence upset Harper, or get Harper away from him. Liam was wont to tease me for ‘protecting the whole wide world’ as he liked to put it. I didn’t like seeing anyone hurt. Ever. I had my reasons, but those weren’t particularly important now. What mattered was taking care of Harper.
“Harper?”
I wanted to reach for her hand again, but I didn’t want to startle her as I already had. Her eyes flicked to me again. The blue had gone darker, but she held still. “I’m not sure what’s up, but I think we should go,” I finally said.
She nodded jerkily, but she didn’t move. So I reached for her hand, and this time she let me curl mine over hers. I don’t know how long she’d been cold, but right now, her hand was freezing. Stanley was still staring at the man gradually closing the distance between us. I’d seen him running before and thought nothing of it. Whatever he was to Harper, it wasn’t good. “Stanley, come on,” I said softly as I turned and led Harper away.
The next few minutes were quiet. I didn’t even notice the birds calling and the squirrels chattering as we made our way back through the trees to the park entrance. I’d walked here, but I didn’t know how Harper had arrived, nor did I know where she lived, but I wasn’t leaving her side until she was home again. We reached the park entrance, and I glanced down. Her skin was pale and her eyes shuttered. Stanley was as close as he could get to her on the other side without melding his body to hers.
After a moment, Harper looked up. “Did you walk here or drive?” I asked.
“I walked,” she said, her voice low and quiet.
“Okay, where to?”
She looked confused. “I’m walking you home,” I explained.
She started to shake her head, but I shook mine in return. “This isn’t up for debate. You don’t have to tell me what’s got you so upset, but there’s no bloody way I’m leaving you here with that look on your face. I’ll walk you right to your door and you can slam it in my face, but I’m not letting you walk alone.”
