Free Playing with the Prop: (Rugby erotic romance)(Strathstow Sharks) by Mina Carter

Chapter One
     
     
    “ Sharks…Sharks…Sharks…Sharks! ”
    The deafening roar of the crowd washed over the Strathstow Sharks as they ran down the tunnel from the dressing rooms. The sound of studs clattering against the floor filled the air as over twenty men headed for the pitch. Sandwiched between two leaner players, Prop Harry James squinted as he emerged from the tunnel and followed the guy in front of him out onto the turf. The noise from the crowd increased as he appeared. His name interspersed with the cry of the team name—a fact which filled him with pride.
    Since his arrival on the team last year, he’d become a fan favourite within weeks, something unprecedented for the fickle Sharks’ fans. They were known to take a while, sometimes years, to warm up to a new player, and gave preference to those from the local area who’d come up through the team’s academy program.
    “ GO, JAMES !” A female voice screamed from behind the subs' bench.
    He allowed himself a small smile and lifted a hand in acknowledgement, which got another screamed reference to God. Had to keep the ladies happy. He knew a large part of his popularity was his appearance, especially with the female fans.
    Playing prop meant that physically he was powerful, with the heavy build required of the demanding front row position, but he worked at it. Fitness had always been his calling. The gym was his second home, and weights had always been his best friends. From the neck up, he was nothing to write home about, but despite the brutality of the game, he’d avoided getting busted up too much. Sure, one ear needed syringing after most games to stop blood collecting and cauliflower ear developing. Because of that he’d been forced to start wearing a scrum-cap, but since the other two on the front row did as well, he wasn’t the odd one out anymore. Besides, he liked to tease the coaching staff that he was going to wear a pink cap. The expression on their faces was worth it alone.
    Reaching his designated position ready for kick-off, he allowed his gaze to wander to the side of the pitch. Searching for one figure amongst the team support staff had become part of his pre-game ritual. It didn’t take long to find the lone female figure amongst the team physical therapists. Petite and with the kind of curves to tempt a saint, he’d had his eye on Ashley Parks since his arrival on the Sharks last year. So much so, he’d developed a “cramp” problem whenever she was around to ensure he got her pretty hands on his legs whenever he could. The other players had cottoned onto him, nicknaming him “Crampy James,” but he didn’t care. All that mattered was that she was here, at every game. One day, he might even drum up the courage to say something to her.
    As though feeling his gaze on her, she glanced around. Not yet bundled up against the cold of the oncoming winter, her dark hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, the ends bouncing across her shoulders. Swamped by the fluorescent tabard with ‘physio’ stamped across it, he couldn’t see much of her figure, but her brilliant smile and wave made up for that. Satisfaction surged through him as he rolled his shoulder and neck to make them crack. All was right with the world now. It was his birthday, he had game-time today, and his girl was watching him do what he did best.
    “For fuck’s sake, will you just say something to her?” The voice was accompanied by a heavy clap across his shoulder, and Harry turned around to see the smiling face of the team’s hooker, Tom, as the man passed him en-route to his own position. He turned, still grinning, pure mischief twinkling in his eyes. “Before one of us has to clue her in that it’s not just your legs you get a cramp in when she touches you.”
    Harry couldn’t help the bark of laughter but refrained from flipping his friend the bird. Ordinarily, he would have, but not here on the pitch with tens of thousands of eyes on them. To do so