Page 24 of Offsides

“I thought I told you to dress comfy,” Cowboy said, his eyes dancing up and down Theo’s long legs, clad in a pair of well-fitting jeans as she crossed the training center lobby. The dark denim hugged her legs in a way that made him borderline jealous of the fabric.

That’s new, I’ve never been jealous of pants before…

“This is comfortable,” Theo responded, glancing down at her outfit.

She cocked her hip out to the side, stopping a few feet in front of him. She'd paired her jeans with a simple black knit top and a pair of heeled boots that Cowboy knew would look killer up against his bike. It was the most casual he’d ever seen her, and it probably was a lot more comfortable than her usual work attire, he’d give her that. It just wasn’t what he’d really had in mind. Although now that he saw her like this, all he could think of was taking her for a ride. Literally and figuratively.

“Be that as it may, you’re still overdressed.” He gave her a wink, spinning around and nodding for her to follow.

“Then maybe you should have been more specific.” Her voice was sharp, and Cowboy didn’t have to turn around to know the scowl she had on her face. He smiled to himself, liking it more than he should that he had her all riled up. It was even in the clack of her boots against the tile as they walked. Which only served to fuel his excitement over the surprise he had waiting for her on the pitch.

“There’s a change of clothes for you on my desk,” he said when they reached his office. “Put them on, and I’ll see you on the pitch.”

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

“I told you, you’re overdressed.”

“And if they don’t fit?”

“Oh, they’ll fit,” he answered, feeling a cocky grin slide across his face as the scowl returned to hers.

Theo let out a huff but followed his directions anyway. She let the door slam shut behind her, and Cowboy let out a laugh, turning to head outside. Obviously no one had ever told her that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. But he didn’t care. He was going to help change that.

There was more to Theo than what she let everyone see—he knew it. Just like he knew that deep down the painted-on smile that she wore on TV had a genuine side. That she could let go, have fun, and show off the version of that smile that would light up the whole room. Hell, it would probably light up the whole stadium.

Cowboy wanted to be the reason behind that smile.

“It concerns me greatly that you know my sizes,” Theo said, throwing open the glass doors that led to the practice field.

Cowboy’s eyes danced up and down her body again, this time taking in the black workout pants and fitted electric-blue Rising tee. He could see the swells of her breasts straining a little against the cotton, the compression of the sports bra that he’d included giving them a boost. His dick twitched, wishing he could get a glimpse without the shirt. If he’d thought she looked cute before, this outfit dialed it up to eleven.

“There was underwear in there. How the hell do you know my underwear size?” she questioned. Pursing her lips, she squinted at him, suspicion all over her face, sending excitement rushing through him.

“What? You don’t like thinking of me playing with your panties?” he teased.

Theo swallowed hard, a faint pink suddenly tinting her cheeks. Her reaction was telling—she liked the thought. Maybe almost as much as he did.

“You didn’t answer my question about my size. And what was wrong with what I was wearing?” she said, finding her composure again.

Shifting her weight, Theo cocked her hip out again, crossing her arms, pushing her breasts up even more. It took all Cowboy had not to stare at them. He knew full well that her cleavage was like the sun—glimpses here and there were fine, but staring directly into it would probably be the death of him. Still, he couldn’t look away. He was starting to understand exactly how Icarus felt.

“We have got to get you to loosen up,” Cowboy muttered, gesturing toward the field where the players were gathered.

The sounds of the chatter and laughter filled the warm Southern air, welcoming them as they approached. Cowboy could feel how tense Theo’s body was as she walked alongside him, her head twisting all around as she surveyed the scene, confusion still plastered all over her face. He’d hoped that his smartass comment about her panties would have helped loosen her up, but now he was worried all it had done was make her clam up more. If this was going to work, he needed to reassure her that she could trust him.

“Felicity worked some girl magic. I had no part in it other than asking for her help. Because somehow I knew that even comfy in your world would mean ready for brunch,” he said. It was partially the truth. He knew she had workout gear, since he’d seen it that day when he’d caught her after her run. But he had gone with “comfy,” knowing she would need a change of clothes. Practice was only the first part of his plan after all. “And what was wrong with your other outfit is that it’s not conducive to this.”

“I had to change to watch training?”

“This isn’t any old training session,” he told her, waiting for it to sink in. All the normal training equipment was gone—balls, nets, cones—safely stored away back in the training center. It was just them and the wide-open pitch. “And you’re not watching, you’re joining us.”

Theo’s head whipped around, her eyes wide, the surprise in them overflowing. It was the exact reaction he’d been hoping for. Or, well, it was close. He’d really been hoping that a smile would accompany it, rather than the worrisome line her lips were pressed into, but he could still see a spark in those hazel irises. He was making headway.

“I’m what?” she asked, twisting and turning, scanning the field. “Wait, is that…” Theo trailed off, her mouth hanging open slightly. She pointed over to the far side of the pitch where Felicity and Gunnar stood chatting with Link, who was leaning against a massive speaker.

“Link Weston,” Cowboy finished for her. “He’s a professional dancer, used to tour with Britney. He teaches a bunch of classes here in town, including one for special needs kids that Tanner takes. He’s trying to start his own studio, so he’s working at Bunz to help fund it. So next time you’re there, tip him well.”

“So what’s he doing here?”