Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 63970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Jared scrambled to get up. “You know I haven’t played in a long time.”
“Yeah, that’s okay. You’re the new guy and our wives watch your work-out porn. While the other team chases you around trying to rough you up, we’re going to score. This is going to be the best year ever.”
Jared stared at the big guy. “Maybe we should talk about this.”
“I think you’ll be great,” Sarah said. If he was going to play, the game had just gotten way more interesting.
He glanced down and she watched as his face became resolute. “I’ll see you after?”
What was she going to do about him? “I’ll save some cookies.”
“I would love that.”
He looked like he might have stayed, but Big Tag started to drag him along with the dog. “Cookies are for after. I need you hungry on the field. Let’s go kick some ass. Well, I’ll kick ass. You’ll probably get your ass kicked.”
Jared looked back at her, his eyes almost pleading.
He was even sexy when he was desperate.
“Where’s Jared going?” Kori walked up, three dogs on her heels. They were on leashes and kind of running every which way they wanted. “I thought he was planning on trying to talk to you. He told me he would ask your permission to sit with us. I texted you a heads-up. Are you mad at me?”
How could she be mad when there were French bulldogs? She pulled Gideon onto her lap. “Hello, sweetheart. How are you? And no, I’m not mad at your mom.” She held the dog close to her heart as she looked up at her bestie. “It’s fine. We’ve decided to be friends.”
Kori sighed and dropped down to the blanket. “I’m so glad. He’s lonely. I don’t want to have to ask him to stay away.”
It wasn’t fair to make him keep his distance. It was his family. Was she doing the right thing keeping her secret from them all? Was she doing it for the reason she told herself she was—to spare them the worry? Or was she doing it because she was worried they wouldn’t worry much at all?
“You think I won’t wear this, Lodge?” Big Tag’s voice boomed across the field. “Because this is a damn badge of honor, asshole!”
“Ian, children!” Charlotte yelled, just as loud.
He turned and grinned. “Yeah, baby, this is where they come from.”
He pointed to his shirt.
Kori squinted. “Does that say what I think it says?”
Sarah nodded. “Yep. Yep, it does. Someone doesn’t know how to spell.”
Or they knew how to prank. It was exactly the type of thing she expected out of one of these events. She watched as Jared pulled his shirt over his head and for a moment his chest came into view. His stunningly sculpted chest with its ridiculous eight pack and notched hips that led to what she suspected was an amazingly beautiful penis. She couldn’t help but sigh.
“Let the games begin.”
* * * *
“You think about telling her the truth?” Big Tag asked as they walked toward the tent where it appeared the “team” had gathered.
Bud lumbered beside them and Jared was reminded again of how much he missed having a dog.
“About what I’m doing at night while I’m here? I’ve thought about it. I don’t know if it will make her think I’m honest or if she’ll kick my ass to the curb. I think I need more time. I still don’t know exactly what’s going on with her. She says she’s worried about what happens if we become a couple and then we break up. Kori and Kai are her only family.”
“That’s not true. She’s got a large family if she wants it. Sanctum is her family. She simply hasn’t figured that out yet and until she does, telling her won’t mean a thing.” Big Tag strode past the tent where a bunch of kids were now eating hot dogs and joined the big group of Sanctum guys who were tossing a football around or helping each other stretch. “Bud, stay.”
He put the leash down and Bud simply yawned and laid himself out on the grass. There was absolutely no thought in that dog’s head to running away. He was right where he wanted to be.
It must be nice.
“Have you tried telling her she has a family?” There was a large box sitting on one of the picnic tables that dotted the park.
“Do you think we don’t invite her to family functions? She’s always welcome,” Tag explained. “The problem is sometimes when you lose your family like Sarah did, it can be hard to get used to depending on people again. The sad truth of the human state is loneliness is easier for some of us. It feels right to be alone even when we hate it. When those people who cared about us most in the world are gone, it doesn’t matter how many people say they love us until we believe it for ourselves. You know she lost her mom at a pretty young age, right?”