AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I had no idea what Collin would think of my request, especially because he was now part of the equation. Instead, I smiled. “Thank you, Coach.”
“You’re smart and talented, Charlie. My wife wouldn’t recruit you if you weren’t. It’s my pleasure and job to help you grow as a player.”
Iwas a player. “I appreciate that. Not many people can learn from the best.”
Trent chuckled. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”
Laughing, I turned and walked with him toward the tunnel leading to the locker room, where Collin stood looking ridiculously sexy. Sweat made his hair appear more brown than blond, and his sun-kissed skin glistened. I licked my bottom lip, imagining the salty taste. This man made me feel things I’d never felt before.
“Everything okay, rookie?”
“Yes. Everything is great. Coach is going to teach me how to throw the ball in the event that I might need to.”
He nodded, and for a minute I thought I may have spoken out of turn. Since he gave no indication either way, I figured I should shoot for the moon. “Will you be my receiver? We’re going to do it before our next practice.”
“Sure. But right now, I need to hit the shower. Meet you back here in thirty?”
“See you then.” I grabbed the handle of the door leading to my private locker room, but rather than go in, I watched Collin walk down the hall. Damn, he looked good in football pants. Heck, he looked good in everything. Before he disappeared beyond the door, he glanced over his shoulder.
“Need something?” he called out.
Embarrassed by being caught, I just shook my head and went into my room. After I closed the door, I whispered, “If you only knew what I needed.”
Rather than stand there and think about how sexy my roommate was, I took off my uniform, cleaned up, and put my street clothes back on. When I caught my reflection in the mirror, I smiled, knowing I was doing something that no one had done before.
Collin and Reese both waited for me. She beamed and had a sparkle in her eyes. “Great practice, Charlie. Trent told me what you asked of him, and I think that’s a tremendous idea. Also, I’m going to be holding a press conference sooner rather than later to let everyone know that you’re joining the team. I’m hoping to prevent a media frenzy. If you need anything, please let us know. Since we haven’t done our player pictures yet, would you mind if I used one I took earlier today?”
When she handed me her electronic tablet, there was a picture of me lined up behind the ball, and the number “1” below my name on my back had pride swelling in my chest. She swiped her finger across the screen, and an action shot of me after kicking the ball populated.
“Nice shots,” Collin said.
Agreeing with him, I thanked Reese once again for everything. Collin and I walked out, and he gave me a reassuring smile. “You’ve got this, Charlie. I’m glad you both decided on your number.”
“I appreciate that. And, yeah, thanks. Reese loved your suggestion.” We stared at each other for a long moment before he turned to walk out the back door, which led to the parking lot.
Once again I felt as though he’d wanted to say something but had held back. Neither of us had mentioned our accidental kiss, and I decided if he could act cool about it, then so could I. Except I was on fire, and he might not be acting.
Chapter 11
Collin
The past week had been great. Charlie was getting her footing with the team. When she nailed a forty-nine-yarder with ease, the guys started giving her a bit more respect, and they definitely understood why Reese had brought her on.
We played a quick scrimmage, and Jackson ran in for the touchdown. DiNardo put his helmet on to kick the extra point, but Coach Tisdale stopped him. He motioned to Charlie, who thankfully remained cool. She tipped her head in acknowledgment, put on her helmet, and took her place at the fifteen-yard line. This would be the first time the defense would try to stop her kick.
With my hands on my knees, I eagerly waited for the whistle to blow. And when it did, the ball was hiked and set down by the placeholder. With determination etched in her eyes, Charlie made contact with the ball just as the defense leaped toward it.
“That’s good,” Jackson said next to me.
“Yeah,” I huffed, relieved that it sailed through the uprights. When I looked on the field, Charlie was on her back. My first instinct was to run out there, but Benson held out his hand. She took it and popped up, dusted herself off, high-fived a few of the guys, and hustled back to the sideline.
Despite the helmet’s face mask, her smile could easily be seen through the small grille. She ran up to me. Her chest rose and fell. “What a rush!” she exclaimed, taking her helmet off.
Jackson complimented her before I could. “Great kick. Way to stay tough out there.”
“Thank you. That means a lot. You had a fantastic run.”
Trent blew his whistle. “Line up!”
