It all came down to an auction. The woman had fallen into my hands. I had to be the luckiest mother fucker there was on the team.

Isaac was with her now. He said they had a scheduled meeting. I figured he would break the news to her before Steve had a chance to talk to her about what happened last night. As long as Rocks wasn’t the one who ended up with her, I think we all could agree it was the best outcome for her.

And I got to fuck her this season.

I stood in the lobby, waiting for Candy to tell me I could be seen.

Isaac strolled down the hall.

“Hey brother, you headed in?” he asked.

I nodded. “Thought I should get the details worked out.”

“I told her.”

“How did it go?”

Isaac looked off to the side. Candy was listening to us eagerly. “Let’s go in here for a second.” I followed him into an empty conference room.

The Warriors logo was faded on the wall. I wondered what it was like to attend meetings here thirty years ago when the place wasn’t falling apart. I didn't think anybody was left from those days. McCade had done a pretty good job of running everyone off.

Sure, playing for the Warriors was a way to get in the door for the AFA. That's what the trainers told me. The sports docs. It was something they could put on their resumes. A job with a professional team, working with incredible athletes. But they had no intention of staying.

“What’s up? How was the meeting? What did she say when you told her?” I knew I sounded like a guy on prom night. Sex was only hours away and the tux and corsage were just a pretty package on the way to the inevitable.

Isaac leaned against the wall. “Look, I kissed her.”

“What the fuck, man?”

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I won’t touch her once the engagement begins. I figured it was my last chance,” he admitted. “I didn’t do it to piss you off.”

The instinct to be mad vanished. I didn’t have a real claim on Vanessa. It was all fake. All for publicity. And I wasn’t the faithful type. Commitment didn’t mean anything to me. I wasn’t pissed at Isaac. It just surprised me coming from him.

I laughed. “I can’t blame you, she’s fucking gorgeous.”

“Yeah. Those eyes.” He looked down at his boots. “And you have her for the entire season. I didn’t think a kiss would matter. But I wanted to be upfront about it. It was the right thing to do.”

“And you always do the right thing,” I joked. Isaac was so honorable it wasn’t funny. His time with the Navy Seals was imprinted on his soul. There was no way to separate it from his character.

I tried to remember a time when he and I had ever been with the same girl. Or if we had ever fought over one. Not that that was the case now. We knew there was a brotherly code between us that wouldn’t be broken. Especially not by a woman. I trusted him.

“But she's okay with the whole thing?” I realize how fucking stupid I sounded. Like the nervous prom date.

Isaac slapped me on the shoulder. “I think she's in over her head. She doesn't know anything about the business, or running the team. It’s clear that Steve pushed her into this. I kind of feel bad for her.”

“Then I promise to take really good care of her.” I smiled. I knew there were a lot of ways I could take care of Vanessa McCade. One of them was in my bed.

“I’m sure you will. Hey, I'm going to head down to the locker room. I've got drills in 30 minutes. You do too,” he warned. Isaac always had to be early.

“I’ll see you down there. I want to talk to Vanessa before practice starts.”

I left Isaac in the elevator, while I went in search of Vanessa. She was behind her desk again, her head buried in her hands.

“Is this a bad time?”

I startled her. She knocked a stack of folders onto the floor.

“Shit,” she mumbled.

“Sorry.”

I walked toward her, stooping to help her with the folders. My hand brushed over the warm silkiness of her wrist. Damn, there was something about this woman that drove me wild. It shouldn't be like this. This was all part of the game. Part of the season. Part of my job to keep the team going. But I couldn't help it, I was fucking drawn to her.

“Thank you.” She smiled. “Isaac told me there was an auction last night.”

“Yeah, I'm pretty good at bidding.”

“This is awkward. I don't even know what to say.”

“Don't be nervous, darlin’. I’ve got this under control. Let me handle Steve and everything else.” I saw the tenseness ease from her shoulders as the words left my mouth.

“Really?”

I didn't know what I was saying. I had committed to more than a fake relationship.

“Yeah, really. You look a little overwhelmed, darlin’. Did you ever think to ask for help?”

Her eyes fell to the floor. “I did, a little. I just met with Isaac. I wanted to get the players’ perspective on what's happening with the team transition. I know everyone is worried about the money and the salary negotiations.

We rose from the floor and she restocked the pile of folders on the corner of her desk.

“Right. The Isaac meeting.” I broadened my shoulders.

I couldn't help it. There was something damn territorial ripping through me. It had taken hold of the lining of my muscles. I knew my best friend’s lips had been on hers. That he had felt her under his hands. I didn't know if it turned me on, or made me want to claim her as my own. My palm pressed into the desk as I cupped her cheek. Her eyes lifted to mine.

“I know he kissed you.”

“You do?”

I nodded. “So it’s my turn to try something.”

I didn't give her a chance to respond. I pressed my lips against hers, pushing my tongue inside her mouth.

“Oh God,” she mewed into my lips.

My tongue flicked along hers. I sucked her soft lips. It was like holding innocence and sweetness in my arms. It had been so long since I had touched a woman who felt pure. My cock throbbed. It was a turn-on I had forgotten about. I brushed the hair from her face.

What the fuck was happening? I had tried to sear my lips into hers. To wipe the taste of Isaac off her mouth. But I fucking loved it.

I took a step back, watching her try to catch her breath.

“I guess we get to do that and a lot more this season.” I knew my voice was dark and husky. It was the one I reserved for bed. When women begged for me to say their name in the dark. When the sheets were tangled around us and they were coming hard on my cock.

Vanessa made me feel primal. She made me feel animalistic. I wanted to pick her up, lay her across the desk, and show her what a warrior could do for her.

“I-I don't know what to say. Dylan, I need time to think. To process this. I know it's all a game to you and Isaac. My grandfather just died and I'm dealing with so much right now. I don't know if the engagement is a good idea. And all the kissing…the kissing is confusing.”

Fuck. I had gone overboard. Done too much. Pressed too hard. Too fast.

“Come on, darlin’. Don't say that. I'll be the best damn fiancé Austin has ever seen. I promise you that.”

She twirled in her chair, dropping her face into her palms. “It's just too much. All of it.”

I was a bastard. A damn bastard for taking advantage of her in this situation.

“I’m sorry, Vanessa.” I raised my hands in the air. “From here on out, I'll be a perfect gentleman. I swear.”

Her head rose from her hands. “I don't know if I can believe that. I've read a lot about you. The infamous Dylan James isn’t exactly known as a gentleman.” I thought I heard teasing tone in her voice.

“Is that so?”

I sat on the corner of her desk, facing her. If anyone walked in the office now they would think something was going on. But I didn't give a shit. The switch had flipped. I realized Vanessa needed something more than a quick fuck.

“I know a lot about you. My grandfather used to talk about you, you know.”

“He did?”

“You and Luke. Always causing trouble for him.” The corners of her pouty lips turned up. Damn, she had the most beautiful kissable lips.

“I didn’t know that, I’m sorry I caused your grandfather any trouble.”

“You’ve caused a lot of trouble for this team, haven’t you?”

I felt my cock twitch, straining in my jeans. I wanted to touch her again. I wanted to run my hands over her entire body. I wanted to do things to her no man had ever done.

“I think you're proud of your reputation.” She settled into her seat, crossing her arms. “You think it's some kind of badge of honor, don’t you?”

I shrugged, wondering how much she liked that side of me. Did I turn her on? “I live life to the fullest, darlin'. I like to have a good time.”

“Then why would you sign up for something like this? All eyes are going to be on us this entire season. Is that something you really want? Do you want to be tied to one woman for months?”

Did I do dare tell her the truth? Did I tell her I didn't care about the press or headlines? I cared about the Warriors making money, and I cared about fucking her so the only thing she remembered was me being deep inside her.

“Dylan?”

“I want you this season. That's what I want.” My eyes locked on hers, watching her breasts rise and fall with heavy breath.

She wanted it too. I could see it in her eyes. They glistened and sparkled. A shimmery blue that would take most men to their knees.

She still hadn’t found words. I could tell she was struggling to speak. “Maybe we should have a meeting with Steve.”

“I think we need to leave Steve out of this.”

I placed one foot on the floor and then the other, bringing my body over hers. My hands landed on the armrests of her chair, keeping her between my legs. She looked up, her eyes flickering with desire.

“I think it's time you realize who is gonna make the rules this season.”

“And who is that?” she whispered.

“Me.”