Page 47 of Offsides

“It’s a sports bar for woman. A safe space for them to enjoy the game, thank you very much,” Heather retorted, her own voice turning snappy.

“So you can be confused about the rules as a collective? Or so there is no one to tell you to stop talking about your makeup during the game?”

Heather let out a huff. She took a lot of pride in her establishment, and rightfully so. Regardless of the original intent of the bar—one that Cowboy fully supported—she'd created an amazing atmosphere that was popular with way more than just women, as well a kick-ass menu. She and her staff also welcomed the team with open arms, proud to be the official pub of the Atlanta Rising.

“And that attitude right there is why we exist,” she told him. “By the way, first rule of Bunz is there’s no mansplaining, and I don’t care who you think you are or who you play for. You pull that shit again, you’re out. We clear?”

“Crystal,” Beau muttered.

“Good. I’ll let you two explain to him the rest of the rules of the place then while you decide what you want to eat.”

A curt nod of her head and Heather turned on her heels, rushing back toward the bar. Gunnar let out an audible sigh, taking a long pull of his beer. Cowboy felt the exact same way.

Adding an attitude adjustment for Beau to the to-do list…

“So, now that you’re here,” Cowboy said, desperate to change the subject. “We need to get you integrated into the team right away. With Tiago injured, we’re going to need to shift some things around, but it’s nothing you won’t be able to pick up right away. After training tomorrow though, you will have to do some media stuff. We have a reporter, Theodosia Kappas, who is doing a profile on the team and our run for the Fremont Cup, so you’ll need to do a one-on-one with her.”

“Theodosia?” Gunnar asked, calling him out on the use of her full name. Not even trying to hide his knowing smirk, he took another sip of beer, adding in a wink for good measure.

So much for denial…

“So the shit-eating grin has a name,” Beau laughed.

Yeah, it does. Quite possibly the most beautiful name I’ve ever heard…

“We leave for Vegas in just under a week—”

“Nice segue. Just gonna completely ignore it, huh? I’d have thought you’d own up to it,” Gunnar chided.

“She’s a reporter?” Beau asked. “You hate reporters. No, hate’s not the right word. You abhor reporters. They might be the only thing I’ve ever seen upset you.”

“Theodosia’s different.”

“I’d say. Using her full name. You see, Beau, most of the city simply calls her Theo. Except our boy here, who it seems is a…uhhh…” Gunnar trailed off, snapping his fingers as he tried to remember the phrase. “What did Talia call Liam when he first met Avery?”

Cowboy huffed out a breath. He knew the answer, but he had no intention of providing his friends with the ammunition they needed to harass him. He stood by his statement—Theo was different. In all sorts of ways he couldn’t explain to himself or them. Whatever it was that was brewing between them couldn’t be put into words either. He didn’t dare put a title to it—naming it somehow felt like it was limiting it, rather than letting it grow into whatever shape it was going to take. She was the first woman in years that he was just as happy hanging out with as he was hooking up with. Actually, he might even enjoy spending time with her more than he enjoyed sleeping with her. Which was saying something, because sleeping with Theo was mind-blowing.

“A smitten kitten. That’s it!”

“Glad you finally got there,” Cowboy sassed.

“Just be careful, dude. Women are trouble,” Beau interjected. “And reporters are even more trouble.”

Cowboy nodded, waving over to Heather that they were ready to order. The trouble the media could cause was something he knew all too well. Thing was, this time he wanted to be wrong and for everything he’d learned over the years about how reporters acted to be proven incorrect by one beautiful brunette.

He wanted that more than anything.

* * *

“What’s that smile?”

Theo stopped dead in her tracks, purse slung over her shoulder, trying to make it out of the office unseen. So much for making a break for it. Spinning around, she inhaled deeply, holding it long enough to feel her diaphragm stretching, trying to figure out the best way to answer her boss’s question.

Honesty…honesty is always the best policy…just tell her…

Only thing was, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be honest right now. She knew that Dana wouldn’t chastise her over getting involved with Cowboy, or whatever one called what was going on between them. Dana would probably congratulate her for going after what she wanted, before pulling Theo into her office and launching into a version of girl talk that was certainly not safe for work. But there was also something…fun…about keeping it just between them. It was just one of the many reasons she was smiling the way she was—because for the first time in a very long time, she was having fun.

All thanks to Cowboy.