Chapter 1
POV-Brook
Those brown broody eyes, staring back at me. The slight scent of peppermint fills my nostrils as his breath brushes the tip of my nose only inches away.
How did we end up in this position again?…
The rush of heat braces my core as our bodies lean into each other.
God, please makesure this man can’t read the thoughts that are running through my head.
A small smirk appears in the corner of his lips as he starts edging closer. Evidently amused by the shade of red on my face, I listen as a little snicker leaves him.
A palm caresses the side of my cheek. Rubbing small circles along my chin causing me to shut my eyes.
Bracing myself, I catch my breath as I feel my face begin to lift up towards him. expecting at any point to come in contact with him, I wasn’t prepared for what happened next.
Turning my head a little forcefully, he brings his lips to my ear and whispered.
“By that look on your face…you look like you were imagining something dirty….”
Opening my eyes instantly I turn my head towards him, knitting my brows together, catching a glimpse of the cockiness spread across his face.
He knew exactly what he was doing.
I’m so fucked…..
3 months earlier….
Phone plugged into the car. I sit parked in my little red Fiesta, in a reserved owners spot at my father sport centre. Complaining to my older sister Kate about spending the next 3 months scrubbing benches and stocking equitment for self-absorbed, womanizing assholes that don’t pickup after themselves on the playing field.
“I think you are looking at this all wrong”
Kate starts off saying.
“How exactly?”
I retort.
“3 months spent around handsome, sweaty and adrenalining pumped hunks. Having first pick of the pack, most girls would drool over this chance”
Kate gushes over the phone, forming an orderly eye roll on my behalf.
“I don’t think Jimmy would appreciate you saying that”
Earning a tut from my older sister, who pretends to laugh on the other end of our call.
“Ha Ha”, “He knew what I was like before, he put a ring on it”
Imagining the grin on her face. We both laugh in response.
Kate and Jimmy had eloped a week ago to get hitched under the nose of our very over dominating and interfering parents.
They’ve been on honeymoon in Fiji since. Hiding out until the fog clears.
Which definitely wasn’t anytime soon
Dodging calls from our parents. I’ve had to come accustome to these random car rides, just so me and Kate can have our private chats away from the invisible ears around us.
“Babe? We doing parasailing this afternoon?”
Jimmy’s voice comes through the speakers as he talks to Kate about their upcoming activities.
“Mmm, I dunno. They mentioned a storm possibly coming our way…how about a coconut and a ‘snuggle’”
Kates voice elevates slightly as she suggests a snuggle.
Hearing a low giggle erupt from Jimmy’s stomach. I cringe at the hidden meaning behind the word ‘snuggle’.
“She wants to start baby making Jimmo!”
I shout over the call.
“Brook!”
Kate replies embarrassed but, the smirk on her face alters her voice, giving her away.
“If I had it my way, you’ll be getting called Aunty Boo by the time we get back! Little bear”
Jimmy shouts back at me.
Jimmy has called me little bear since my 15th birthday, where I hid under a table holding on to a giant brown stuffed teddy bear. Sucking my thumb after being frighten to death by the singing and moving robotic creatures that played at Pizza Rearer, that my parents took us to for celebration. I didn’t come out until nearing closing time when they cover up the robots with a ginormous blue sail, to avoid dust from sweeping through them during the night.
Hearring a smacking sound on the other end of the phone as well as the sound of Jimmy shouting “ow!”. I laugh loudly as Kate and Jimmy start having a pillow throwing war with one another.
After a few seconds of muffles and giggles, Kates voice returns back through the speaker to me.
“Right, Brook we’ve got to get going….Just bite the bullet, push up your push up bra and get into that building!”
Sucking in a breath of defeat as the realisation that I will need to get out the car any second as soon as the call ends. I hum.
“Yeah, yeah. I will…love you both! Please hurry up and start baby making so I can start shopping for baby grows than, groin guards!”
“Ew! Love youuuuuu toooo!”
Kate shouts down the phone before, going.
Unplugging my phone, I switch off my engine before, taking a deep breath and pulling on my door handle.
Stepping out of my car I lean in to grab my cap, pushing in down on my head before, swinging my bag over my shoulder.
I make my way towards to big white building infront of me.
‘Della Legacy sport centre’
In big bold writing hangs above the building entrance.
It wasn’t a huge business but, it was still a very profitable one, for just a local sport centre. Brooks father had started this centre in his early 20s. Building it up from the bottom into a successful buiness it is today. With helping to bring money into their community, it was truely renowned as the heart of their locals.
Hosting home games as well as charity galas on occasion, Brook always felt a sense of pride for the hard labour and love her father put into it.
Spending almost every weekend when she was younger here, Brook knew the layout of the building better than most.
However, after going off to college and graduating University with a BA Hons in Sports business/ management. Brook had internship in a well established sport centre straight after leaving. ‘Sports Global’.
Thinking about her previous employment. brook suddenly felt really insecure and exposed, for the reasons she had left her well positioned posed at Sports Global. To come back home and get handouts from her family business. Brook pushed her cap a little further down, shoving her hands into her pockets before, entering the building.
The sound of sneakers scooting on the floor and equipment humming through the echos, bouncing off the high ceilings. Brook continued her pathway until she reached the far office to the corner.
Knocking lightly on the door frame she waits until the older gentleman in his late 50s turns in his desk chair, looking over at her.
“Brook! I was expecting you this evening?”
Now standing, the gentleman ushes me in with a smile. Placing his clipboard down, he walks over to my side, reaching his arms out for an embrace.
“Hi dad”
Reciprocating his movement. I allow myself to be alloped in his embrace.
“I thought I’d get an early start and re-memerizes the layout of the grounds before, starting offically”
I smile up at him as I step out of his arms.
Raising an eyebrow at me, my father folders his arms before, forming a tight grin.
“Brook. You use to play hide and seek on these grounds….I’m pretty sure if a floorplan was needed, you’d be able to draw it out with your eyes closed”
Chuckling nervously, I place my hands behind my back before, fiddling with the back of my sweatshirt.
“Hunny…”
My father starts.
Rolling my eyes up, I see my father staring at me with a softiness.
“I know this isn’t what you wanted…but, I appreciate you being here”
Smiling apprehensively. I try my best to put on face before, changing the topic.
“So where do you want me?”
Accepting that, as the end of our small talk. My father switches to business mode. Passing me a entrance key to the building, as well as planner with a list of itineraries for me to do.
“If you could start with stocking the out house left feild, as well as checking deliveries making sure there is enough cones and posts for our next two games this weekend that’ll be great”
Giving an orderly nod, I look over my schedule for the week.
“Great. Now I’m sorry to cut this short hunny but, I’ve got a few phone calls to make”
Knowing it’s my queue to leave, I nod at my father once more before, turning to leave.
“Oh and Brook? Contact your mother will you about dinner tonight…she’s been hounding my phone all morning”
“Rightie-o”
Doing a salute motion, twirling once more to my father before, leaving his office.
The out house is more like a shed than, stock room. With its dark wooden exterior on the outside, it has two long length windows either side allowing minimal natrual light through making it incredibly hard to see without squinting your eyes.
After locating the equipment she needed. Brook started carrying out cones, placing them along the feilds outter lines.
“That should do it…”
Stepping back, to check over her work. Brook brings her hands to her lips, where she blew on them to warm them from the cold autumn breeze.
The intercom rings through the feild stopping me in my tracks, as a loud voice speakers through the speaker.
“Feild one 4 o’clock practice will be starting in 5 minuets”
As the lights on the posts around the feild start lighting up, I decide to start picking up the unused cones to put back into the stock house.
Locking the door after I step back out, I quickly peer at my phone as a text from my mother comes through.
“Hi Brookie. Let your father know, dinner at 6:30pm. Enchiladas are in the Ovan ready to cook. Oh! And could you pickup a red on your way home please? x” sent at 3:50pm-mum
“Will do x” sent at 3:53pm-Brook
Placing my phone into my back pocket, I re-zip my jacket up before, walking towards the underground bleachers, which lead back towards the main hall.
I hear the chatter of male voices coming from the lockers on to the feild. Trying to avoid eye contact with them as I walk by. I keep my eyeline down towards the ground.
“Dude you should have seen this chick! She was atleast an 8 out of 10 hands down”
Rolling my eyes. I continue walking forward.
“Why would you settle for an 8 out of 10…anything lower than a 10 is only good for one thing”
Another voice talks and I can feel the vomit I’m trying to keep down, threathen to come up.
“Dude you’re savage! Don’t think I didn’t see that little red head on your lap the other night…she looked like a lot of funnnn”
The other voice does a husky laugh before, confirming.
“Oh you have no idea”
That was it I couldn’t take this nonsense anymore and before, I knew it I was turning around facing the group of men.
“Excuse me, this is a highly respected sport centre..if you want to be discussing vulgar Pornofiler go to a gentlemans club. Otherwise keep it to the lockers”
Apon hearing a snicker come from one of the gentleman infront of me, I bring my eyes up to meet his.
Sucking in a breath, my eyes almost widen at the hunk of a man standing infront of me. Arms crossed.
Oh.my.god
Having to tilt my head upwards just to meet his gaze. I allow my eyes to roam over his stature.
Starting at the top of his head, I notice his faded side cut with dark brown mop of hair on the top; long enough to run my fingers through.
Down to his deep brown eyes that look like they could devour me in an instant. My eyes continue to trail down to his ripping biceps that stickout even more so by his arm being folded into a tight grip.
Making me wish they were wrapped around me instead; my mouth starts to go dry.
As my eyes finally lower low enough to notice his well in doubt partner, I finally gulp back the breath I had been holding.
Snickering again at my obvious ogling, and feeling incredibly embarrassed. I force my eyes back up long enough to see the smirk permanently across his face.
