Page 64 of A Game Plan for Love

Me: I can ask Nora if she’s interested.

I asked. She’s very excited.

Thank you.

Sawyer: What size shirt does she wear?

Sawyer: She can’t go to a game without a jersey.

Me: She only wears princess dresses. It’s a point of contention in our household.

Nathalie: Maren is very persuasive. Got her to put on overalls.

Me: She looked adorable in those. Haven’t been able to get her to wear them since.

Sawyer: Should we keep this a secret?

Nathalie: YES! He will be so surprised.

Maren: I love scheming.

Sawyer: He has a way of knowing things…

Me: What are we keeping a secret? Nora’s overalls?

Nathalie: Not telling Declan that Nora is going to the game.

Me: Oh. Uh, yeah. Let's keep it a secret.

Theairinthestadium hums with crackling energy as fans fill in and take their seats. Players warm up on the field as music filters through the sound system, and I work to set up tables and electrolyte stations.

A hot puff of air hits my ear as I fill the squeeze bottles with water.

“You look hot as fuck in a polo,” Declan whispers, hand trailing along the curve of my spine.

My lip tips up at the corner, but I focus on my task. He moves around me, bends down, and puts his head right into my line of sight.

His deep blue eyes sparkle, and his smile morphs into something playful. “Playing hard to get, Adeline?”

“Just trying to work.”

I’ve avoided him all morning. I am not the best at keeping secrets, and if he corners me, it will inevitably come out that Nora is in the stands with his friends, and that she’s spent all week talking about how excited she is to see him.

I don’t think she particularly cares about football, but she loves Declan.

And she's thrilled to show him the poster she's spent hours working on.

“I’m not going to be able to focus today with how great your ass looks in those leggings,” he whispers. I choke on spit, and he offers a smug smile.

The thin navy Seattle Mavericks t-shirt he wears pulls taut against his wide shoulders, and it loosens around his narrow waist. He leans against an equipment cart while I fight the blush creeping up my neck.

A battle wages inside of me—the urge to fluster him and stay professional while at work.

The rules are surprisingly relaxed within the organization, and as long as we complete several release forms, you can engage in romantic relationships.

I signed the papers with HR after our first date, and while it’s not a secret I went on a date with Declan, it’s also not common knowledge, and a small part of me doesn’t want anyone to believe I’m unprofessional.

His eyes drop to my lips, and his gaze heats.

---