With a long sigh, I pushed away from the bar and dragged back a chair from an empty table, sitting down in the shadows. I didn’t need to stay here much longer. In fact, if I slipped out pretty soon, no one would notice. Leo and the rest of the guys would remember that I’d been here, done my duty to the team, but no one would be surprised that I wasn’t the life of the party. It just wasn’t who I was, and it never would be.
But just as I rose to my feet to make my escape, I saw Danny Taylor walking away from Sarah. She laughed again, her eyes following his progress to a woman across the tent. And then she turned and made her way to the bar.
Shit. The bar where she stood was between me and the exit. If I walked out now, I wouldn’t be able to get past her without some kind of acknowledgement. But maybe if I just stayed here quietly in the dark, she’d ignore me and go the other way once she had her drink. She’d leave me to my brooding.
I should have known better.
The bartender grinned at the gorgeous woman in front of his bar. “What can I get for you?”
Sarah dazzled him with the same carefree, sexy smile I remembered all too well. “Corona, please, with lime. In the bottle.”
“Coming right up.” He bent to retrieve her drink, and after he’d handed it to her along with a napkin, Sarah dropped some cash into his jar. I held my breath, hoping she’d go find friends, return to the dance floor . . . anything but come my way. For a moment, I thought she actually might do what I wanted.
And then she quite deliberately turned to meander toward me.
She had to know I was watching her. I was pretending to look at everything and nothing at all, but she surely could feel my eyes on her as she approached. I tried to think of something to say—something that was either so bland and polite that she got the message I didn’t want to talk, or something so rude and off-putting that she’d understand I really was the aloof son-of-a-bitch I was made out to be.
“Gideon.” She stopped in front of me, and I could feel the heat from her body, the allure of her drawing me closer against my will. I had a sudden and vivid memory of our night together, and just like that, I was hard and wanting her.
That wasn’t going to happen. One night of meaningless sex was fine. Two was dangerous, even if those nights were separated by over four months. Two could be construed as meaning more than it was. I was just going to have to ignore my body’s reactions to Sarah.
She was speaking again, and I tried to focus on what she was saying and not on the way the neckline of her dress dipped tantalizingly between her breasts.
“I’m so glad to see you here tonight. I wanted to talk to you.”
I let myself look at her finally, keeping my eyes firmly on hers . . . for about three seconds, before they traveled down the length of her body. I couldn’t seem to help myself.
Clearing my throat, I swirled the small bit of liquor still in my glass.
“Hey, Sarah.”
She tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing. The tip of her tongue swiped over her full bottom lip before she took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling as I watched, fascinated.
“Gideon, I needed to see you tonight . . . to tell you that I’m carrying your child.” She pressed the hand not holding the bottle of beer to her middle. “You’re going to be a daddy in a few months.”
What comes next for Gideon and Sarah?
Find out in
Game of Inches
Making the Score series
Book 3
And don’t miss the romance that started it all!
The Keeping Score Trilogy
False Start
Three & Out
The Comeback Route
If you enjoyed Tuck and Zelda’s story,
please consider leaving a review at the vendor site
where you purchased the book and/or on social media.
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Acknowledgements and Author’s Note
When Zelda first strutted onto the scene in Three & Out, I knew right away that she was destined for her own book. But then she ran into Tuck, Nate’s roommate, and suddenly I knew exactly how they’d met earlier. It was excruciating not to share that until this book—but I kept the secret!
Eli Tucker and Zelda Porter might be one of my very favorite couples. I’m thrilled that their story is finally told, and I hope you love them as much as I do. I was determined to finish their book and have it out in 2018, against some pretty intense odds.
When I think of this book, it will forever be linked in my mind with the imminent arrival of my first grandchild, my granddaughter. In between madly writing, I prepared for my daughter’s baby shower, all the while missing those who won’t be with us, wishing my mother and mother-in-law were alive to celebrate being great-grands. Oh, how they would have loved that!
But I’m celebrating them all the time, particularly in this book, where strong women are center stage. I had the best examples—and my three daughters continue to amaze and astound me with their strength and love.
A few notes: there will be a few more books in the Making the Score series. Gideon and Sarah tell their story in Game of Inches. It is the first of the Making the Score books to take place outside of the time frame established in the Keeping Score Trilogy, where the parameters have been roughly the beginning of Leo, Quinn and Nate’s college years and the day of Leo and Quinn’s wedding. Gideon and Sarah’s story begins at Leo and Quinn’s engagement party, and honestly, I’m relieved that I won’t have to keep going back to stay in the same time line!
In addition, I expect two other Making the Score books, but they are as yet untitled. As to who’s in them . . . well, you’ll have to subscribe to my newsletter and/or follow me on social media to find out!
And . . . there is going to be a spin-off series that will feature Zelda and Tuck—but will be more college football focused, with the story lines revolving around the Birch College football team. It’s tentatively titled the Varsity Rules series, but that is subject to change.
As always, massive thanks to my team of supporters! Meg Murrey created this perfect cover. Stacey Blake of Champagne Book Designs made it gorgeous on the inside! My beta readers were Kara Schilling and Carla Edmonson, and they were so understanding of my time constraints and craziness! All of my Temptresses make me so happy to be among friends.
Thank you . . . and of course, my final word is always GO Army, Beat Navy!
Next Man Up Play List
Bang, Bang Jessie J. and Ariana Grande
Somewhere Only We Know Keane
All I Want Is You U2
Love is War American Young
Beautiful Wreck Shawn Mullins
Kings and Queens Mat Kearney
Arms Open The Script
You Are the Reason Calum Scott and Leona Lewis
Have It All Jason Mraz
Your Love is a Car Crash Blue October
broken lovelytheband
Your Wildest Dreams The Moody Blues
About the Author
Tawdra Kandle writes romance, in just about all its forms. She loves unlikely pairings, strong women, sexy guys, hot love scenes and just enough conflict to make it interesting. Her books include new adult and adult contemporary romance; under the pen name Tamara Kendall, she writes paranormal romance, and under the pen name Tessa Kent, she writes erotic romance. Tawdra lives in central Florida with her husband, two sweet pups and too many cats. Assorted grown children and a perfect granddaughter live nearby. And yeah, she rocks purple hair.
Subscribe to Tawdra’s newsletter to keep up with all of her releases and sales!
Photo by Heather Batchelder.
Also by Tawdra Kandle
For more information on Tawdra’s books and buy links to all vendors, please visit Tawdra’s website at tawdrakandle.com.
The Anti-Cinderella Chronicles
The Anti-Cinderella
The Anti-Cin
derella Takes London
The Anti-Cinderella Conquers the World
The Anti-Cinderella World Romances
Fifty Frogs
Hot Off The Press
The Cuffing Season
A Dozen Dreams (Coming Soon!)
Sort of Sleeping Beauty (Coming Soon!)
Slightly Snow White (Coming Soon!)
Love in a Small Town
Love Me Home (A LIAST Prequel)
The Last One
The First One
The Only One
The Perfect One
The Always One
The Hard One
My One and Always
The Forever One
The Love Song One
The Meant To Be One
Love in a Small Town Volume I
Love in a Small Town Volume II
Crystal Cove Romances
The Posse
The Plan
The Path
Underneath My Christmas Tree
The Problem
The Keeping Score Trilogy
Young (A Keeping Score Prequel)
False Start
Three & Out
The Comeback Route
The Keeping Score Box Set
Making the Score Series
Down By Contact
Next Man Up
Game of Inches
The Career Soldier Series
Maximum Force
Temporary Duty
Hitting the Silk
Zone of Action
Damage Assessment
Scheme of Maneuver
Evergreen
Army Blue
The Career Soldier Collection
The Mustang (Coming Soon!)
The Rotorhead (Coming Soon!)
The Shavetail (Coming Soon!)
The Perfect Dish Romances: Exclusively on KU!
Best Served Cold
Just Desserts
I Choose You
Just Roll With It
Books Written As Tessa Kent
Good Vibrations
More Than Words
Baby, I’m Yours
Save It For Me
Small Town Swingers
Welcome to Paradise
Night Moves
The Heat Is On
Fading Into You
Third Date Rule Romances
Crush
Crave
Crescendo
Tease
Tempt
Take
Tiny Bit Taboo
The Conference Taboo
The Ex In-Law Taboo
The Business Trip Taboo
The Client Taboo
Books Written as Tamara Kendall
The King Quartet (Young Adult)
Fearless
Breathless
Restless
Endless
The King Series Box Set
Serendipity
Undeniable
Stardust on the Sea
Unquenchable
The Shadow Bells
Moonlight on the Meadow
The Fox’s Wager
Recipe for Death
Death Fricassee
Unforgettable
Death A La Mode
Death Over Easy
The Recipe for Death Box Set
Age Of Aquarius
The Save Tomorrow Collection
Next Man Up (Making the Score Football Romance Book 2) Page 30
