Summary:
All Wade Lewis wants during rookie preseason camp is to play great football and to make it to the final fifty three man roster.
He absolutely does not want Tristan Nicholson.
His complete and total opposite.
His teammate.
His competition.
And his roommate.
During the day, Tristan unexpectedly proves to be helpful on and off the field, but at night, when the lights go out, Tristan also becomes the only man he can’t resist.
First he’s a friend, then astonishingly, he becomes a lover.
And then he becomes the last thing Wade ever expected: everything.
Summary:
Sebastian Howard is the best damn cornerback in the NFL.
Or at least he was.
Age and injuries have taken a toll, and while most people have written him off, Sebastian isn’t ready to acknowledge that at only thirty-two, he’s already in the twilight of his career.
He signs with the Miami Piranhas intending to prove everyone wrong.
Only to realize that the head coach’s son, out-and-proud Beau Dawson, doesn’t believe he can.
Beau is infuriating but brilliant, and when he offers to help him on the field, Sebastian wants to say yes, but there’s one thing stopping him: the unexpected, inconvenient, and all-consuming crush he doesn’t want to have on Beau.
But Beau isn’t interested in playing it safe, with football or with anything else, and soon they’re embroiled in a hot—and secret—affair that would finish Sebastian’s career if Coach Dawson found out.
As Sebastian falls harder for Beau, he begins to realize that actually the worst thing in the world isn’t getting benched, but losing the man he loves.
Summary:
Center Logan Banks didn’t come to Miami looking for a best friend.
He came for football and for a chance at freedom—the freedom to live out of the closet.
But after a water main break, he lands an unexpected roommate, the new Piranhas kicker, Dylan Leonard. Between practices, games, and too many late nights on the couch, a best friend is exactly what he gets.
When Logan’s past rears its ugly head and threatens to destroy the freedom he’s hoped for, Dylan becomes more than just a friend. He becomes a lifeline.
But then their friendship gets incorrectly labeled as something more, and Dylan shocks Logan by suggesting they play along with a fake relationship.
Logan knows it’s off limits to fall in love with Dylan. He’s supposed to be straight, he’s his best friend, his roommate, and his teammate. But the closer they grow, and the more he and Dylan fake falling in love, the more real it feels.
The more real Logan wants it to be.
Making a play for love is the biggest risk he’s ever taken, but he wants it all and he wants it with Dylan.
Expected Release Date: October 12, 2022
Ex-quarterback Davis Abernathy knows he’s on his last chance.
If he strikes out as Paxton Kelly’s coach, nobody else is going to call him. Not to get back on the field, and not to stand on the sidelines.
He’s got a lot to teach Pax, and as a second-year quarterback, Pax has a lot to learn. But Davis doesn’t anticipate the irresistible way they’ll be drawn together from their first meeting. He never could have predicted such a fierce and uncontrollable yearning—or that Pax would feel the same.
It should be easy to remember rules aren’t meant to be broken, and certain lines aren’t meant to be crossed, but the only thing that’s easy is falling totally, completely in love with Pax.
As Davis falls harder, Pax succeeding becomes just as important—and maybe more so—than resurrecting his own career. If he messes this up, his last chance isn’t all he’ll be sacrificing.
What he should be is focused on being the perfect mentor. But what he wants Pax is in his bed, Pax in his life, and more impossibly, to win Pax’s heart forever.
Playing for Keeps #1
“You knew coming in that we wanted you to switch to safety,” Beau said.
“I knew it was a possibility.”
Sebastian began to pace in front of where Beau was pressed up against the front of his father’s desk.
“You thought you could show up in camp and prove yourself,” Beau guessed.
Sebastian shot him a glare from underneath eyelashes a model would’ve killed for. “You and your daddy really are the same, aren’t you?”
“What?” Beau couldn’t follow. “We’re not . . . no, we’re not alike at all, really.”
“That’s what he said.” Sebastian breathed out, and for a moment, he was silent. “That I planned to come to camp and prove you wrong, that I should stay a corner.”
Sebastian unsettled him so much, he could barely think. “It was a reasonable conclusion,” Beau said. “It’s not like a big injury slowed you down—a bunch of little ones, more like, and age. You’ve been playing ball since you were what, twelve? Thirteen? It’s a lot of wear and tear, it’s going to happen . . .”
“So you thought you could push me, teach me a lesson, huh?”
“No. No. I want . . .” Sebastian took a step closer, and Beau’s breath clogged in his throat. He gripped the edge of the desk and told himself firmly, even though he’d never, not once, been tempted to touch a player who hadn’t clearly wanted to be touched, that he would not reach out and press a palm to Sebastian’s bare chest.
“What I want,” Beau started over again, “is for this to be mutually beneficial for both of us. You want to keep playing. We want you to keep playing.”
Sebastian’s lip curled. “Oh, you’re two regular do-gooders.”
“No. We want to win football games. And you’re gonna help us.”
For a long moment, Sebastian just stared at him. Like he was assessing him. Beau found himself standing a little straighter, and hoping that after pulling off his cap, his hair wasn’t too much of a mess.
Like any of that mattered.
“I think,” Beau continued, uneasily, “that this could be a real good change for you. Honestly. What I want is for everyone to succeed.”
“What if what I want is to play corner?”
Beau shrugged. “You can teach Rose everything you know. He’s got potential. He won’t be you in your golden years, sure. But he could still be really, really good.”
“Sure,” Sebastian retorted.
“Listen”—Beau found his voice growing sharper—“you want to know what I really think?”
Sebastian gestured like, sure, might as well, and Beau kept going. “I think that you’re miserable trying to be your old self. You’re working yourself so hard, you’re going to end up with another injury, and it’s going to end up being a vicious cycle. You played safety this afternoon, and I saw a dynamic, aggressive player who got to be himself again because he wasn’t worried about outrunning a guy he couldn’t outrun anymore. You saw the field, analyzed it, and attacked the play.”
Sebastian stared at him.
Long enough that Beau told himself not to squirm under the intensity of that gaze, but he couldn’t help it.
Finally, he spoke. But only after taking another step closer, and then another to be even closer still. Beau swallowed hard. All he’d have to do was lean in and their chests would touch. He was wearing a cotton polo, but he bet that he’d feel the warmth of Sebastian’s skin, even through the fabric.
“You think you know me?” Sebastian’s voice was low and quiet and so dangerous.
Dangerous to Beau’s peace of mind.
Playing the Player #2
“Take a seat,” Coach added, gesturing to the chairs set in front of his desk. “I just wanted to chat real quick. Helen’s told me what happened, Logan, and I’m sorry. I know you wanted to do this on your own terms.”
Logan nodded. He had. But other than Dylan getting dragged into it, he wasn’t . . . well, he couldn’t really be angry about it, because there wasn’t any point. Even though he hadn’t picked the timing or the scenario, he couldn’t deny that the outcome was exactly what he’d wanted.
“It’s actually not so bad. I’ve gotten used to the idea of everyone knowin’ now,” Logan said. “And I wanted to do it anyway.”
“Still doesn’t give anyone permission to reveal it without your say-so,” Coach said firmly. “Helen tells me you’re releasing a statement today.” He picked up a piece of paper from his desk. “You’ve read the final version?”
Logan nodded. Words weren’t ever his strong suit, but Helen had done a really great job of crafting all of what he’d felt into one concise statement.
There’d been a firm rebuttal of his relationship with Ricky, and all the accusations Ricky had leveled at him—but mostly she’d focused on what was important to Logan, and expectations of the future.
Specifically, she’d penned a line: As much as I understand the intense interest in my personal life that this article has generated, I still ask that my privacy be respected and my personal life remain personal.
He hadn’t confirmed or denied anything. But everyone, of course, would assume that any allegation that he didn’t specifically refute—AKA that he was dating Dylan—was plain and simple fact.
“And you, Dylan . . .” Coach sighed. “Helen tells me that you actually offered to help Logan out here. But I want you to know, it’s not necessary. If you change your mind . . .”
Clearly, Coach had not seen the picture from last night.
He’d seen it, first thing this morning, when he’d opened his email and there it was, a forward from Helen, who said it was spreading through social media.
He hadn’t been able to help the way his gaze had lingered on the photo, even as small as it was on his phone screen. The surprise on his own face. The undeniable joy in his eyes. The way Dylan’s own had fluttered closed.
The possessive arm he’d slung around Dylan’s shoulders.
“I’m not going to change my mind,” Dylan said firmly. “I don’t have a problem doing this.”
“You’re sure, then,” Coach said. “And you, Logan? Nobody says you have to do this. I know y’all were close friends before that. No need to . . .” He hesitated, and Logan swore he saw something he’d never imagined he’d see in his coach’s eyes: understanding. Then as soon as Logan had identified the emotion, it was gone. “No need to compromise your friendship, just to refute this jerk’s claim.”
“It’s not compromised, Coach,” Dylan said very earnestly. “It’s even stronger than ever.”
Coach sighed. “And now I get to give my real fun speech, I’m sure you two know the one. It’s a little less relevant considering y’all aren’t actually dating, but the point remains: what happens between you doesn’t impact what happens on the field. Okay?”
“It won’t,” Dylan swore earnestly.
“Besides,” Logan added, “we aren’t even on the field at the same time.”
“Doesn’t mean,” Coach retorted sternly, “that the drama won’t impact your individual playing time. I just ask that you make sure it doesn’t.” He paused, his face softening. “Really, I’m not too worried about y’all. Logan, you’re a rock. And Dylan, you came to us for a reason, because we had faith in you and that hasn’t changed. But for equality’s sake, I had to give y’all the same speech I gave Tristan and Wade and Sebastian and Beau.”
“You weren’t worried about them either,” Dylan guessed. “Not really.”
That was the thing about Dylan. He was so smart, unexpectedly. Nobody expected someone who kicked a ball for a living to have so many insightful observations. But Dylan always did.
Coach eyed him, and then his smile grew, slowly.
“I’ll neither confirm nor deny,” Coach said, but the sly twinkle in his eyes gave him away.
A lifelong Pacific Northwester, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.
Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published twenty-three novels and seven novellas.
Playing Dirty #.5
Playing for Keeps #1
Playing the Player #2
Playing by the Rules #3
Series
