Quarterback Sneak (Red Zone Rivals, #3)

by Kandi Steiner

“Trust me — you and I are nothing alike.” “Oh, I have a feeling you might be wrong about that, Julep Lee.”

I wanted him so badly I’d let him devour every bit of everything that I was. I’d let him banish me from existence, to wipe me off the face of the planet if it meant I got to succumb to this moment right now.

Holden Moore was all stoic leadership for everyone else. But for me, he came undone.

“I like vanilla romance sometimes… a sweet friends-to-lovers, maybe a second-chance situation.” “And those don’t have sex in them?” Giana snorted. “Like I’d waste my time on a book without spice.”

He lived for the loved ones he’d lost. I self-destructed for mine.

He didn’t kiss me with the passion to take my clothes off, he kissed me with the desperation to save me. And I was hanging on just enough to let him.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to bang my fists against the wall and tell her not to do this, not to push me away when I was trying so desperately to hold onto her. But it seemed the tighter I held, the more she resisted being held.

“I love your daughter, Coach Lee,” I said, though my eyes didn’t leave her. “I love her, and I don’t care what you or anyone else thinks about it. My heart used to belong to football, but now it belongs to her. And none of this,” I added, throwing my hands up. “None of it means a damn thing without her.”

“I will be here,” I said, tugging her hands to my chest again. “Every day. I’ll be right by your side reminding you that you matter, that you are needed, that there is a reason to have hope and a reason to live. I’ll be here reminding you that for me? You are that reason.”

“You’re the only one for me and you know it.” “Doesn’t mean I don’t like to hear it.” “I’ll tell you as many times as you want,” he promised. “Again and again until you’re sick of it. Until you’re sick of me.” I just smiled and kissed him and laughed to myself. Because I knew in my heart that day would never come.

“Marry me, Julep. Marry me, and I promise to take you to every yard sale we can find in every state we go to. Marry me, and I will grow a garden in your name. Marry me, and I promise to set up a chrome pole in the middle of every piece of property we own.” She laughed, though it was garbled with tears. “Marry me,” I repeated, swiping the fresh tears away. “And I will spend the rest of my life loving you. No matter how long that is. Every minute I am here on Earth is yours. And after that, too.”