The lights were dim. Dim enough that I hoped none of the locals recognized us. Despite Stubbs’ cocky speech, I felt pretty safe invading Warrior territory on a Sunday night. There was a guy on stage singing something about a road trip he took. I stared at my glass of water.

Wes came up behind me and slapped me on the back. “Sticking to the hard stuff?”

“Yeah.”

He held up his fingers to the bartender. “Two bourbons, neat.”

The guy already had them poured before I could turn down the drink. It didn’t help that I had a reputation from my rookie season. It was like rushing a fraternity when I was drafted. I made damn sure the veterans liked me, especially Wes.

Wes grinned. “To tomorrow night’s win.” He clinked his glass against mine and kicked back the thick liquor. I didn’t have a choice. I swallowed it and felt the fire from my throat to my belly.

“That’s good shit.” He slapped me on the back.

“Thanks for the drink.”

He pointed to the bartender. “Another round.”

Shit, he was just getting started. I took the second round and it went down smoother than the first.

“I know where to find you tomorrow night, don’t I?” he asked.

“Hell, yeah. The end zone.”

Wes was part of the reason my numbers had broken so many records. He liked throwing to me. And it worked. We were a winning combination.

“Just keep open.” He winked.

“Shouldn’t be a problem with the defense the Warriors run.”

We both laughed. We had a right to be cocky and arrogant. We were defending national champions. We earned the fucking right to boast. Not only that, but any chance to take a crack at the Warriors, we took.

Wes’s eyebrows waggled. “Check that out.” He tipped his head and I followed his eyes.

A group of girls walked through the doors and headed for the bar. Every one of the Wranglers had noticed them. It was hard not to. There was no one else here and they were hot as fuck. Each one of them had long hair, killer hips, and a set of tits that we’d all like to get buried in. As they walked past our table, I could smell the expensive perfumes and lotions they wore. It was like walking past a makeup counter in a department store. My teammates’ heads had all pivoted in one direction.

“Shit,” I whispered under my breath.

“Fuck is more like it.” Wes chuckled. I guess I wasn’t that quiet.

I kept my ass planted on the barstool while most of the team saddled up to the bar, shoving each other out of the way to buy the first round of drinks. This was trouble. Every one of those girls was a distraction to my buddies.

Some of the guys had wives or girlfriends. Hell, some even had kids. But when a group of women like that walked in, they had the power to erase all memories.

“Not getting in on that?” Wes asked. We stared at our teammates.

“Nah.” I shook my head. “I’m focused on the game. Not getting a piece of ass tonight.”

I could tell he didn’t approve. “You threw one hell of a Dean last year.”

“Thanks.” At the time, it was my crowning achievement, but there was more going on now. I had stats to back up my reputation, and I needed even more to get that bonus.

“So why are you holding back now? Seems like your kind of scene.”

I leaned closer to him. “I have a season policy. Can we leave it at that?”

“Ahh, one of those fuckers.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snapped.

“You think you can only have fun in the off-season. I know the type. I just didn’t realize you were one of them.”

“I still have fun. I just don’t get involved with women. The game is more important.”

Wes stared at me. “No football player is that good. You start blocking out what’s around you, and you lose the game. You can’t act like there aren’t women on this earth for six months. Too much focus is bullshit, Sam. This isn’t baseball. Let those guys have their weird superstitions. Football players don’t do those damn things.”

“So you think getting shit-faced the night before a game and screwing some random girl is going to help us win tomorrow?”

He stood from the table. “Take my advice however you want. But I’ve been in the game long enough to know that extreme anything is never good.” He pressed his heavy hand on my shoulder and whispered in my ear. “Technically, the season doesn’t start until tomorrow, so you’re not breaking any rules tonight.” He slapped me once again and walked away.

I had to laugh. If anyone thought Wes Blakefield was the team leader who would mentor a rookie into taking the path of righteousness, they didn’t know the man. I’d probably never get that type of advice again in my career.

Most people would agree with me. Coaches would. Trainers would. But not Wes. He probably thought less of me now that I revealed why I was staying away from the women.

The singer started up again, and I looked around to see if anyone would notice if I slipped out. The guys were too busy talking to the girls. I could walk out now and nobody would give a shit.

I stood to stretch my legs. The door was on the other side of the bar. A red neon sign hung over the entrance that read Warriors. It was another reminder that I needed to be reading our playbook, not taking shots and buying pretty girls drinks. I could do that in February.

Our hotel was only a few blocks from the bar. I’d walk back, clear my head, then hit the book again. The way the guys were drinking I might be the only one who could hold my head up tomorrow.

I looked over my shoulder. Stubbs had his arm around one of the girl’s waists. Shit. He had two girlfriends back home, but that didn’t stop him. I shook my head and took a step toward the door. I wasn’t paying attention to what or who was in front of me.

“Ow!”

“Oh shit.” I looked down. I grabbed her arm before she hit the floor. “Sorry.”

I had plowed her over with one step.

“Watch where you’re going, maybe?” Her voice told me everything I needed to know about her before I even saw her face. She was strong-willed, opinionated, and not afraid to stand up for herself.

I helped her to balance on both feet. She smoothed the strands of hair that had fallen over her cheeks and tilted her chin. Her eyes lifted to mine and I swallowed hard.

Fuck. She was gorgeous. And not like the other girls. Every part of her was natural and flawless. I stared at her high cheekbones, arched eyebrows, and long eyelashes. There was grace in her movements. Even her scowl.

She brushed her blond hair from her face. The rest was pulled back high off her neck.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking.” But I was now. I was checking out every inch of her. She wasn’t dressed like the others. It looked like she had run here from a yoga class.

She shrugged off my apology. “Sorry, I was a little rude. It’s fine.”

“Let me buy you a drink.” It popped out of my mouth before I could think about what I was saying.

She looked at me quizzically. “I’m fine, really. No damage done.”

“But I want to apologize. What do you like? It’s on me.”

She pinched her lips together and I noticed how lush and full they were. God, she was perfect.

She shook her head. “Really. It’s not that big a deal.”

“I insist.” I pressed my fingers to her wrist and heard a sigh escape those damn sinful lips of hers.

Her eyes flashed to mine. “All right. But only one. That’s all.”

“That’s all I’m offering.” I grinned. “Wait here.” I led her to the table where I had been sitting with Wes only a few seconds ago. “What’s your poison of choice?”

“Vodka tonic.”

“Got it.” I maneuvered toward the bar and threw a fifty in front of the bartender.

He poured a bourbon for me and a vodka tonic with a lime wedge for the girl. I walked back to the table. She shifted in her seat, and her loose shirt slid from her collarbone down her arm. Seeing a woman’s shoulder had never made my mouth water like that before.

She pinched the collar and repositioned it. “Thank you.”

I noticed how long and delicate her fingers were when she picked up the glass.

“It’s the least I could do. Are you sure you aren’t hurt?”

I’d knocked bigger men than me to their asses at the line of scrimmage. It couldn’t have felt good when I rammed into her.

“I don’t think I’ll have any bruises.” She brought the edge of the glass to her mouth.

I didn’t know what in the hell I was doing. I was getting ready to take my third shot and I was sitting with the most gorgeous girl in the place. I couldn’t blame Wes for any of it. He may have planted an idea in my head, but I was doing this all on my own.

I had already started a countdown of how long I had until the team meeting, or if I pushed it back farther—kickoff.

After all, the season didn’t start until tomorrow.