Page 63 of Offsides

Theo walked into the Forever and Ever, Amen Chapel, fingers interlaced with Cowboy’s, her emotions running wild. She had no idea what to expect or if she was even really invited. Gunnar’s text had been borderline cryptic, turning Cowboy’s sexy and romantic mood into a frenzy of nerves and confusion, which only served to make her feel slightly anxious, killing the post-sex high she’d also been experiencing.

Buzzkill or not though, she was determined to try and help keep Cowboy calm. Whatever that meant in this moment, since no one in the cramped lobby of the chapel seemed to resemble anything close to calm.

“Would you sit down?” Zara Wellington, Dalton Sutherland’s fiancée, asked. Her tone was exasperated, like it wasn’t the first time she had asked this of the tall blond man who was pacing back and forth.

“Cowboy,” Dalton said, ignoring his future wife. “What’s going on?”

“You act like I know. I got a text message to be here in fifteen minutes because Gunnar needs a best man.”

“Flick’s just said she needs me to give her away.”

“Flick?” Theo asked. It was easy enough to reason that he meant Felicity, since she was the man’s sister. But what kind of nickname was Flick?

“Old family nickname. I couldn’t pronounce Felicity as a child, and it came out Flick,” Dalton explained.

“She hates that name though, so I don’t recommend using it,” Cowboy added in.

The heavy, white front door swung open, making a crashing sound as it hit the stopper on the wall. Talia rushed in, a frantic look on her face, clutching her phone in a death grip. Liam and Avery shuffled in behind her, uncertainty written all over them as well.

“Is this real?” Talia asked, looking between Cowboy and Dalton. “I mean, Gunnar said he was gonna ask her, but, here? Now?”

“So you knew?” Cowboy said, unlinking his hands from Theo’s and walking toward his best friend’s daughter, leaving Theo feeling suddenly exposed.

“Yeah, he asked what I thought about it.”

“At least he asked someone…” Dalton muttered.

A silence fell among the group, tension growing. Theo thought maybe she should excuse herself. It wasn’t really her place to be here. They were a family. A weird, hodgepodge of people not actually related to each other, other than Felicity and Dalton, but a family nonetheless. She was just the reporter embedded with the team. Who happened to also be sleeping with the technical director.

Forget keeping Cowboy calm, I need to get out of the way…

Theo started to slink backwards, convinced that no one would notice if she disappeared. She could catch up with Cowboy later. They could curl up in bed, and he could tell her all about it. Yeah, that was what she needed to do, get the fuck out of here.

The door burst open again, Felicity and Gunnar all smiles as they made their way inside. Excitement radiated off them, cutting the tension in the room. Theo could feel everyone around her relax—like watching a balloon deflate.

“Hi, y’all, thank you for rushing over here on such short notice,” Felicity said, her body seeming to vibrate with happiness. “I know this is a bit unconventional—”

“Unconventional? Flick…” Dalton started.

“Tripp, stop. I know what you’re going to say. And yes, this is really what I want. Please say you’ll give me away?”

“Of course.”

Felicity rushed across the room, embracing her brother. Theo’s heart squeezed, the moment of tenderness between the siblings catching her off guard. She hadn’t witnessed a lot of interaction between them, since Dalton ran the other portion of the family empire, leaving the Atlanta Rising to Felicity. But what little she did know about them, they were still rebuilding their relationship after Dalton had been gone for years down in the Virgin Islands. Theo knew getting to witness this moment was truly special. Still, she couldn’t help but feel awkward and out of place, bearing witness to this incredibly personal moment. All the more reason for her to sneak out.

Two more steps backwards and she was all but at the door, spinning around to grab the handle. But before she could, an arm looped around her waist, pulling her into a hot, hard body. Letting out a sigh, she relaxed into him, not having to turn around to know it was Cowboy. From the unique, manly scent that was all him to the way his body encased hers, being in his arms felt like being home. Even if he was trying to stop her escape.

“Where you goin’, darlin’?” he asked quietly. His voice was barely audible over the ruckus behind them, but she heard the concern laced in there loud and clear.

“I was just gonna head back to the hotel,” she answered, swallowing hard. She spun around in his arms, fighting back the urge to kiss him. “This is a private moment for them and their little family. I’m not a part of that. So I figured I wouldn’t intrude.”

“Intrude? You’re not intruding. Did you forget, Theodosia? You’re my girl. And that makes you part of this family. We're weird, and loud, and we don’t really match, but you’re one of us now.”

Theo’s heart melted. She was his girl. He’d said it before, but not outside the bedroom. But here he was now, in the middle of a chapel in Vegas, claiming her. It was a far cry from those three little words—that despite her deep feelings for him, she wasn’t ready to bust out—but it still felt monumental. Forget all those orgasms he’d given her earlier; this was the best thing she’d ever felt.

“You’re sure?”

“Positive.”