Catching the Pass (Football Fantasies) (9 page)

Chapter Fourteen

The crowd was electric in the stands at the first preseason game.  Jennings heart beat like a drum in his chest.  His first big show.  Yeah, it was preseason, but it was one step closer.  If he did well, he might make the cut and make the team.  He’d already gotten a helluva lot farther than he’d expected.

As the National Anthem played, Jennings soaked it all in—the lights, the crowd, and the energy.  He closed his eyes.  He was living his dream.

They were playing Baltimore, of all the luck.  Maggie’s eldest brother was on the team, and Jennings was going to meet him after the game for dinner along with Maggie.  Maggie had been wound up all day, her mouth moving like crazy.  Until he’d kissed her silly and calmed her down.

Bad news was Brian Brooks was still in purple and black.  The asshole glared across the field in Jennings’ general direction.

“I can’t believe that douchebag wasn’t forced to sit out some games.  A fine for what he did isn’t enough,” Rhett said as he stood on the sidelines.  “Bullshit penalties won’t keep him from doing this same kind of crap.”

Jennings just stared across the field, his blood already pumping like crazy.  He knew Maggie was farther down field, working on a teammate’s wrap, and the thought of him taking Brian Brooks down while she watched was thrilling.  He wasn’t going to endanger his position on the team, but he wasn’t going to miss an opportunity if it presented itself, either.  The guy deserved a kick in the ass, and Jennings was surely willing to give it to him.

But then, Jennings wore a target on his back, for sure.  Brooks would go after him, as was his job on the field.  Jennings would have to work to stay away from the guy as much as possible or risk an injury he might not come back from.  He’d worked too hard to get where he was to lose it now.

“He’ll be gunning for you,” Rhett said.  “We need to be careful out there.”

Jennings nodded.  He could trust Rhett to help watch his back.  “I’m not pulling punches on the guy.”

“Don’t do something stupid.”

“Never,” Jennings said, pulling on his helmet.  He walked out on the field for the first time, Rhett at his side.

He got into formation and looked at his opponent.

Brooks.

“Ashby, I’m taking you down.”

Jennings dug his feet into the turf and glared at the jerk.

“Your body is going to be bent and broken when I’m done with you,” Brooks taunted.

Rhett started calling plays and the ball was hiked.  Jennings rushed past Brooks and headed down field.  Rhett sent a sailing pass through the air, heading straight for Jennings.  The ball hurtled closer, Brooks on Jennings’ ass.  As soon as Jennings reached into the air, Brooks was on him.  Somehow he managed to snatch the ball and tuck it close, rolling into the bone-crunching fall as Brooks landed on him.  Jennings felt the air sucked from his lungs upon impact and lay still for a long moment, hoping he wasn’t injured.

Everything seemed to still be in one place.  Brooks got up and sucker punched Jennings in the gut.

A whistle was blown, and a melee occurred on the field.  Players were all over one another, fights breaking out, and the refs stormed in to pull them all apart.  Rhett came over and offered Jennings a hand.  He took it and rose to his feet, ball still in hand.

“Keep making catches like that and you’re on the team, man.”

Jennings stretched, his gut sore from the punch.  “If I can take a beating.”

“You’re stronger than he is.  Just wait and see.”

Jennings wasn’t so sure.  He moved to the line of scrimmage and eyed Brooks again.

“How’d you like that tackle, asshole?  I’ve got plenty more for you.  I’m going to tear you up,” Brooks taunted.

The play call was yelled and the ball hiked.  Jennings sped past the lumbering giant once more and rushed to the other end of the field.  He turned to catch the ball and saw Brooks steamrolling his way.

Until a Baltimore player dived into Brooks and took him to the grass.  Hard.

Jennings caught the ball and ran his ass off—right into the end zone.  Two teammates smacked his head and congratulated him.  Rhett raced up and grabbed Jennings facemask.  “Woohoo!  What the hell was that?”

“Who took Brooks down?”

“Marc Anders,” Rhett said.

Jennings looked down field and saw Anders heading his way and Brooks being looked at by the Baltimore staff.  Marc offered a hand to Jennings.  “We’re even now.”

Jennings frowned.  “For?”

“You took a few punches protecting my sister.  I owed you,” Marc said.  “I never liked that piece of shit.  I think he’ll reconsider taking you down hard now.”

“Won’t you get fined for that?” Jennings asked.

“Totally worth it,” Marc said with a smile before trotting off the field.

Jennings grinned and glanced at Rhett.  “I think I like that guy.”

Rhett started dragging Jennings off the field.  “I think you like his sister even better.”

* * * *

Maggie walked through the loud locker room, the guys reveling in their victory.  She wormed her way around half-naked men, not really caring about looking at any of them.  There was only one half-naked man she was interested in seeing.  She stopped before his locker, where he sat without a shirt on and looking awfully tasty.  Later, when they got home, she’d make sure she massaged all his aches and pains away, and then right after, he could return the favor with his magic fingers on her most intimate places.

“Did you really have to elbow him in the throat during the third quarter?” she asked him.

Jennings looked up at her sheepishly.  “He got too close, and I’ve got long arms.  I can’t help it if Brian ran into my elbow.”

“Ran into your elbow, hmm?”

Jennings grinned.  “That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.”

He pulled her into his arms and she tensed, drawing away. 

“Not in here.  I avoided you the entire game.  We need to be professional,” she scolded.  “Remember what Reid asked me?”

Jennings grasped her waist and yanked her into his lap.  “I’ve waited long enough to be unprofessional with you, and I’m not being told when I can and can’t touch my woman.”

He kissed her and her toes curled.  As soon as they came up for air, she grinned at him, happier than she’d ever known possible.

“Plus I’ve got to let all these guys know you’re mine.  Can’t have them hitting on you, now can I?”

“Am I yours?” she asked.  She knew the answer, but she liked hearing it from his lips.

“You’re mine.  I’m yours,” he said in that sexy deep voice of hers, that little bit of Texas twang making her heart skip a beat.  “Now get up so I can wash and we can go to dinner.  By the way, your brother is an animal.”

Maggie laughed.  “Luckily it seems he likes you, too.”

The End

Also by Alexandra O’Hurley and TEP

Sacking the Quarterback

Coming Soon

Tackling Her Heart

Crave

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexandra recently turned the dreaded forty while her teenager legally became an adult—all in the same year.  Those events have added more gray hairs into her head.  She uses most of her writing income on bad dye jobs and wine.  Mostly wine. (You should see her roots!)

Alex is a multi-published, bestselling erotic romance author, despite her bad hair.  Or maybe because of it.  When one doesn’t want to leave the house or wear a hat, one stays home and writes. 

Published since 2009, Alex writes all over the genre map, be it Ménage, Paranormal, Historical, Contemporary, or Sci-Fi Erotic Romances.

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