Once Upon A Half-Time: A Sports Romance - Sosie Frost Page 0,16

said. “How can I prove that I deserve a chance…aside from using my tongue?”

I didn’t know if it were possible. “I’m looking for someone who knows the meaning of humility.”

“No problem, Red. I’m the humblest guy in the world!”

I poked his chest, wishing I hadn’t touched that hard pack of muscle. I hadn’t yet caught my breath, and I trembled so near his hands, his mouth, his straining cock.

“Anyone can be the loudest, the biggest, the baddest in the locker room,” I said.

“Not just anyone. Me.”

I rolled my eyes and slammed the shower off. He still didn’t understand.

“Do you know what separates the men from the boys?”

Lachlan nodded. “A weekend in Vegas with you.”

“Nope.” I grabbed my towel, rubbing the wetness from my arms as I walked back to the main locker room. “If you want me, you’ve gotta show me one thing.”

“I’m all ears.”

He was all cock, but I’d forgive it. I grinned and rounded the corner.

“Learn how to be modest—”

My words choked in my throat as the main doors opened.

The entirety of the team funneled into the locker room.

And I was completely and totally naked.

The team went silent, but the little voice in my head screamed a hell of a lot of words.

In a moment of panic, my towel dropped to the floor, crumpled in a tight ball with my pride, dignity, and every bit of respect I’d cobbled together.

I wasn’t sure what was worse…my nudity or Lachlan appearing at my side with an obscenely throbbing erection.

Jack was the first to speak, his voice hoarse. “Damn, rookie. Put that away before you poke someone’s eye out.”

Oh God.

Jack tossed me a towel and motioned for the team to avert their eyes while I tucked the terrycloth around my curves.

“Jesus Christ.” Cole grunted, rifling through his locker. He pitched his towel at Lachlan’s head.

Lachlan hadn’t moved. I groaned as the towel missed him, fluttered down, and tee-peed over his erection. The team collectively lost their shit, and the locker room echoed with laughter.

What were the chances I could melt into a puddle of my own humiliation and escape to a regular nightmare—the kind with monsters or missed math tests?

Cole swore. “I am not gonna be the one to tell Piper about this.”

That made two of us.

No one had to know. Not agents. Not the press. Not the coaches—

“What the fuck is going on here?”

Fuck. Too late for the coaches.

Coach Thompson pushed linebackers and receivers out of his path, shoving his way to Lachlan. Jack shouted and pulled me back before Thompson launched Lachlan into Cole’s locker.

“What the hell are you doing?” He pointed a thick finger at Lachlan’s head. “Don’t fucking tell me we’ve gotta another goddamned assault case to cover up?”

Another?

“Whoa!” Lachlan raised his hands. “No! It’s okay. I can explain!”

“You!” Coach Thompson turned to me, venom in his words. “Get the hell out of the locker room. Out of the goddamned facility! You’re—”

“Wait!” Lachlan stood as the team shouted. “I didn’t force myself on her! Honest to God.”

I found my voice, squeaking between my heart and stomach, both frantically attempting to escape my mouth.

“He didn’t,” I said. “It was an accident. I didn’t know he was showering too. I had to clean-up—”

“So you’re just fucking around, rookie?” Coach Thompson pitched him into the lockers again. “On my time? With our money?”

“No! Look. Three months ago at the scouting combine, Elle and I hooked up.”

This delighted the team. The applause and cheers were not helping.

“Lachlan!” I snapped. “That’s not going to help!”

The coach agreed with me. “And you think that makes this okay?”

“You don’t understand.” Lachlan gave me an apologetic shrug. “See…we’re kinda—”

“You’ve got three seconds before I cut your ass off this team—”

“We got married!”

Silence except for my panicked, enraged, utterly humiliated squeal.

I shoved away from Jack and nearly crashed Lachlan into the locker myself.

“Are you insane? What are you talking about? We absolutely did not get—”

The memory blitzed me from the blindside.

I gasped, hands over my mouth.

No, no, no.

It wasn’t possible. No one would let someone who had that many shots of every kind of alcohol into a wedding chapel.

We’d drank to get rid of the hangover. Fucked to work off the buzz. And then…

Oh no.

What he said rang a bell. Wedding bells.

Lachlan wrapped an arm over my shoulders and faced the team with a brilliant smile.

“I guess I should have told you guys,” he said. “Elle is my wife.”

4

Lachlan

Elle looked great when she was pissed.

That was good for me. I was pretty sure she planned to