Page 23 of Offsides

Cowboy: You missed a red card

Theo: Come again?

Cowboy: I haven’t come a first time…yet…but we can arrange that…

Theo: Inappropriate…

Theo: What red card?

Cowboy: My first season in Liverpool, against Chelsea. I tackled Holden St. James and the ref called it for being studs up

The deep red of the Liverpool jersey mixed with the dark blue of Chelsea’s blazed through Theo’s memory, as the scene played out. Holden St. James had been on a run, Cowboy coming at him from his left side, Cowboy's right leg fully extended as he hit the ground and clipped the ball, pushing it away from St. James. The contact had been all ball, however it had caused St. James to leap, trying to avoid contact and falling as he landed. The ref hadn’t hesitated to pull a straight red, ejecting Cowboy from the game.

Theo: Doesn’t count, it was a clean tackle. You didn’t touch him

Cowboy: Red card still went on the books

He was right. Just because she didn’t agree with it didn’t make it any less of a legit statistic. And one that she had omitted while rattling them off last night. Her lip wobbled as she blew out a long breath over it, just happy that right now he wasn’t rubbing in her behavior last night. Even if deep down what she really wanted was for him to ask about it. For him to make a comment about how she had said he was her favorite. Wanted him to get a kick out it. Pun intended.

Theo: I stand corrected then

Cowboy: What are you doing tomorrow?

Her racing pulse jumped even more, speeding up faster than Theo had ever felt. It’s work related…work related…he’s not asking you out on a date, she reminded herself. Still, she couldn’t help but feel like his texts were more than work related. Like it was some kind of basic, entry-level flirting. Or maybe she just wished so badly that it was. That she wasn’t just a reporter texting with the liaison for the team, but a girl, sitting naked in her bathtub texting with her crush.

Reporter first, woman second…

Theo: It's technically my day off…

Cowboy: Good. Then you can spend it with me

Theo: With you?

Cowboy: Yes, with me. Training center, 11 am

Cowboy: and wear something comfy

Theo: define comfy…

Theo stared at her phone, waiting for a response. “Comfy” could mean a number of different things. But a response never came. Apparently that was all he had to say on the matter.

Sliding her phone back onto the small table, Theo sunk down into the tub, letting her eyes fall shut and the water creep over her shoulders. As amazing as it still felt, she knew there would be no more relaxing tonight. Her brain was too tied up in knots wondering what tomorrow held.

All thanks to Cowboy.

* * *

Cowboy tossed his phone onto the couch next to him, settling deeper into the cushions. The shit-eating grin that covered his face couldn’t be hidden if he tried. Not that he wanted it to.

Theo might not have answered the question about what she was wearing, but that hadn’t stopped his mind from wandering. He could see her now, sitting on her own couch, in some tiny little pajama set or oversized sweats, her long brown hair in a ponytail, phone in hand as she texted him back. In his mind she was flustered, trying to play it cool. Fuck, he really hoped that was her reaction to getting his texts.

Hearing her spout off his stats last night had been quite possibly the sexiest thing he’d ever heard. If he hadn’t already decided to throw his no reporters rule out the window, that would have easily done it all on its own. But now, it just made her that much more irresistible.

He had a plan though. One that he hoped was going to show Theo just how much fun life could be. That it wasn’t just all about work and stats and whatever else it was that she had going on up inside her head. A plan he couldn’t wait to put into motion.

And it all started tomorrow morning at eleven.

Chapter Nine