Page 27 of Offsides

Oh dear Lord…please….

Chapter Ten

Theo twisted her damp hair into a bun at the nape of her neck, carrying the plastic bag with the workout clothes Cowboy had procured for her into the lobby of the training center. Her legs wobbled a little underneath her, still tired from class. Avery had been right—Zumba did use the muscles differently. Even though she’d gone for a run just the other day, Theo knew her legs would be all kinds of sore tomorrow.

Sore legs were a small price to pay though for the insight she’d gained today into the Atlanta Rising. Spending this time with the team, watching them bond, was irreplaceable. There was just something about seeing them in their own element, in a world that was just them, that shed a new light on them as individuals and as a team. Whether it was the team teasing Liam about his flirting with his girlfriend, snickers every time Gunnar scolded Dash for making eyes at his daughter, or the back-and-forth banter between D.B. Elliot, Chance Walker, and Boone Jarrett, Theo had felt like she was part of it all. Being invited to join them for lunch after the class and hearing stories from big-name players like the Brothers Bender had almost been surreal. To the point where she’d almost wished that she’d brought Steve or another member of her crew along to capture some of the footage.

Almost.

Had Steve been there, he also would have caught the moment she’d shared with Cowboy. The one where her heart had been so loud the audio would have easily been picked up by the camera. Where it had felt like they were the only two people on this planet, and every inch of her was screaming for him to kiss her. Which was something she didn’t need proof of. Her memory was more than enough to last a lifetime.

And probably fuel a thousand fantasies.

The only question that remained in her mind was if he had wanted to kiss her just as badly. It was a question that would go unanswered though. It had to. Not only was it unprofessional, but she didn’t have room for someone like him in her life. As sexy and full of life as Britt “Cowboy” Callahan was, she needed to remain focused. Needed to keep her guard up. She knew what happened when she let it down, and that could never happen again.

Cowboy stood waiting for her right next to the large glass doors where he’d met her this morning. He’d changed out of the shorts and tee he’d been wearing earlier, and was now in a faded pair of jeans that fit him so well, Theo was sure they’d been cut just for those massive quads of his. A plain navy T-shirt was stretched over his pecs, showing off the muscles. Knowing that she was the one he was waiting on sent a rush through her, making her feel like the cool kid for once in her life. Biting back a smile, she slowed her walk, forcing herself to look at his face and not the rest of his hotness.

“Here you go,” she said, skipping a greeting. She held out the bag, and Cowboy looked down at it like he’d never seen it before. “Thank you for the use of them.”

“Those are yours to keep,” he said, a sly grin taking over his face. “Unless you want to give me your dirty panties. Those I’m pretty sure I could find a use for.”

Yeeesss…

“No.”

Theo felt the color flash on her cheeks, her body and mind betraying her answer. Was it just her, or was it suddenly very, very warm in here?

Cowboy threw his head back, a deep, gruff laugh spilling out. Fuck, did she love that laugh. It made her melty inside. It also made her want to laugh right along with him. To let loose and see the world the way he did. She needed to stop this. Needed to stop being so charmed by him. Since when was she unable to resist this man? Up until a couple of days ago—hell, even last night—she'd been able to talk herself out of getting too caught up in him. So much for that.

“Come for a ride with me,” he said, jarring her out of her thoughts.

“Come again?”

“I haven’t come a first time,” he quipped, flashing her that smile again. “Seriously though, come for a ride with me.”

“To where?”

“Wherever we end up.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I mean it. I want to go for a ride with you. And let’s be honest here, you’re serious enough for the both of us.”

“Someone has to be, since you seem to go through life flying by the seat of your pants.”

Her words came out a lot harsher than she intended. She hadn’t meant them as an insult. Her stomach flipped, waiting for Cowboy to respond, praying that she didn’t just ruin everything that had changed between them this afternoon.

Taking a step in closer to her, Cowboy’s eyes found her, making her want to melt all over again. He was looking at her like he understood what was going through her mind.

“What if,” he said, in a voice low enough only she could hear, “just for tonight, we were just us? Just a boy and a girl, out for a bike ride. Just Britt and Theo, hanging out, enjoying each other’s company. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Theo sucked in a breath, a whole new wave of heat washing over her. It was definitely hot in here. Or at least in the three square feet that surrounded her and Cowboy. She wanted to give in. Wanted to hop on the back of that bike and ride off into the sunset with him. Every inch of her was scared though. What on earth was his motive? Did he really just want to hang out with her? Really just be a boy and a girl like he’d said?

“Just a boy and a girl, huh?”

“Yup. Just you and me. Maybe even a few secrets along the way.”

Secrets? Well, now he really had her interest piqued. Was he offering to…no, there was no way. It was the one question that had always gone unanswered—not that many people had asked. And more than anything, it was the one thing she was dying to know. Something that would take this team’s feature to the next level.