Page 48 of Offsides

“I smile. I smile lots. Like half my job is smiling,” Theo retorted, hoping that the response had just enough sass to make Dana think nothing was amiss.

“Yes. But not this smile. This smile is new. This smile has a story.”

Busted…

“It’s the smile of a girl who is on her way to her exclusive interview with Beau Blackwood. An interview no one else in this city has.”

Please, please, please let her believe that…

It was the truth. That was where Theo was off to. And she was over the moon about this interview. It just wasn’t the only reason she was excited. It’d been less than eight hours since Cowboy had left her apartment this morning, but she missed him. She knew that would sound weird to anyone else, but it was true. She just liked being around him. So much of the time they’d spent together since the Miami trip had been spent talking and laughing, sharing stories about growing up or his time playing abroad. Yes, sex was mixed in to all that, but it was such a small part of why Theo was feeling the way she was. Listening to him talk about playing the beautiful game was almost as thrilling as the feel of him inside her.

Almost.

“And you believe that it really is exclusive?” Dana asked, slipping back into reporter mode, seeming to forget all about the other line of questioning.

“I do. You saw the email from Cowboy saying that until after the Fremont Cup all practice sessions would be closed, and none of the players would be available for the media. And he’s serious about it. He told me last night he plans on hard-core enforcing it so the players can concentrate before the tournament next week.”

“You talked to him last night?” Dana’s eyebrows rose, that small nugget of info apparently too juicy to let slip.

Shit…

“To confirm my interview with Beau today,” Theo answered, tap dancing again, sure that Dana could see right through her. She might be able to weave a great story together for the news, but she was a terrible liar. Especially to someone that knew her so well. “Which, I need to get to.”

“Go,” Dana replied with a nod of her head.

Theo nodded in return, spinning back around and dashing toward the door. She had an interview to get to. And a damn sexy staffer to see.

* * *

Shouts and hollers wafted through the air, the thud of cleats connecting with the ball punctuating the sounds of the scrimmage. Theo stopped at the edge of the practice pitch, taking in the team as they bobbed and weaved around one another, each side trying to stop the other from progressing down the field.

Chance Walker tapped the ball out wide, finding Dash waiting on the wing. The striker was slightly out of position, but it seemed to work in the moment, as he dribbled forward, leaving his teammates in the dust. His shorts were rolled up, showing off his impressive quads and the large lion tattoo on his right thigh, as he ran toward Liam in goal. Her eyes following the action on the field, Theo slowly walked along the sideline to join Cowboy and Gunnar. Both dressed in jeans and Atlanta Rising polos, they looked like they belonged in one of those charity calendars that women bought pretending to support a great cause, when it was really about the hot guy inside. Letting her eyes linger on Cowboy, Theo’s mind wandered to his quads and just how delicious they looked in his boxer briefs, his muscles still just as impressive, if not more so, than Dash’s. Butterflies filled her tummy, enjoying the thought of hopefully seeing them again tonight.

“Ugh!”

A loud groan cut through the air, pulling Theo from her trance, her attention back on the scrimmage. Beau Blackwood shoulder-checked Dash, sending the Argentine stumbling, Beau stealing the ball and sending it back in the opposite direction. Making quick work of his trek downfield, charging toward Cardoza in the other goal, Beau gave the ball a hard tap, sending it through Boone Jarrett’s legs, catching up with it on the other side, earning him more shouts from his teammates. A second later it was one-on-one, just him and Cardoza, Beau chipping the ball around the backup goalie and straight into the back of the net.

“That’s how it’s done!” Cowboy screamed, a fist pumping into the air.

“Nice shot, Beau!” Gunnar followed up.

“That was also a hell of a nutmeg,” Theo added in, sidling up to them.

Cowboy and Gunnar both turned to look at her, big smiles on their faces. She could see the spark in Cowboy’s eyes, setting those butterflies flying all over again.

“Theodosia!” Gunnar said, his smile turning mischievous. “Britt didn’t mention that we were expecting you today.”

Did he just…

Theo’s body went stiff, trying to stop herself from visibly reacting to Gunnar not only using her full name, but calling his best friend by his real name. Cowboy had told her the story about the nickname the other night—how Cullen Cruz had tossed it out there during his first practice with Liverpool, and it stuck. To the point where even his own father called him that now.

“I can’t remember the last time Gunnar or Cullen called me Britt,” he had told her, his hand running up and down her bare leg while they sat on the couch eating takeout. “But I was probably in trouble. I became Cowboy that day on the pitch and have been that ever since. Happily too. That is until you started using it.”

Except now, here they were, on the sidelines of the practice pitch, awkward swarming all around them. Theo felt almost paralyzed with fear, not knowing how to react. It was just a name—her name. It shouldn’t have elicited this reaction. But paired with the smirk on the coach’s face, something was up.

“I absolutely did tell you she was coming,” Cowboy scoffed. “And fuck off with the formalities. Coach your team, and tell Elliot his crosses are dropping too soon. I’ll get Theo set up to chat with Beau.”

“Elliot’s crosses look fine,” Gunnar retorted.