Page 39 of Touchdowns and Temptations

I'm standing in the parking garage waiting for my parents, who are still shaking hundreds of hands. I quickly excused myself by pretending to go to the bathroom and walked on, hoping to meet Noah. Not only did the Boston Foxes lose the game, but they caused a turnover in the final seconds, allowing the Bears to score another touchdown. A really bad Sunday.

“Cara, hey!” I turn to see Toby coming toward me.

“Hey!” Smiling, I walk over to my old childhood friend and give him a hug. “Sorry about the game.”

“It's okay,” he says with a shrug. “The season's still long and we had a bad day.”

“I noticed,” I remark. “Who are you playing next week?”

“Atlanta,” he says. “Where are your parents?”

“Still shaking hands,” I reply with a grin.

Just then the elevator opens and Noah gets out.

He speaks to Alex who follows him. Noah raises his head and looks at me. The corners of his mouth turn up and I smile too. That makes Toby turn around.

“Oh yeah,” he says with a grin, waggling his eyebrows. “Of course you're waiting for Noah.”

Heat rises in my cheeks and I hastily avoid his gaze.

“Not at all,” I contradict half-heartedly. “It's all ... coincidence.”

Toby can barely hold back a laugh.

Noah and Alex come over to us, and Toby is kind enough to take a step aside.

“Hey,” Noah says, and I smile at him.

“Hi,” I say. He leans over and plants a kiss on my cheek.

“How did you like the game?” he wants to know with a grin.

“Hm,” I mumble, not quite sure what to say. The game wasn't that good, but I can't say that. It would only bring him down. “It was okay.”

“You're a terrible liar,” he replies.

“Sorry,” I chuckle. “I was trying to cheer you up.”

I raise my eyes cautiously, my heart pounding. Noah smiles back at me and pulls me closer. Inevitably, I snuggle up against him and place my hands on his muscular chest.

“What are you doing today?”

I look up at him in surprise.

“I'm waiting for my parents and then we're going home, and you?”

“I want to go home too,” he mumbles. “Do you want to come with me? We can cook something and call it a night.”

Surprised, I look at him and walk past him to Alex and Toby. I'm not sure if they're paying any attention to us, as they're deep in an animated discussion about the game.

“Alex is flying to Nashville tonight.”

“Okay, wow,” I mutter. “And you're not?”

“I have a few more appointments in the next few days. I'm flying out on Wednesday.”

“Okay,” I say again, not very witty, and Noah laughs.

---