Free Sensual Games (Novak Springs #3) by Dawn Brower

you please, for once, respect my wishes and leave me alone.”
    Damn her. How did she turn it all off as if they never loved each other at all? He knew better. The way she kissed him earlier told a different story than the ice queen standing next to him.
    “Seems I’ve been doing just that,” he sneered. “I thought we agreed to be friends?”
    “It was foolish of us to believe we could ever be anything to each other again. Friends was only wishful thinking on my part.”
    Colt bet it was. No doubt, Emma believed she could push him back into the corner she’d put him in. Well, he wasn’t going to stand back and watch from the sidelines where she was concerned. He loved her, and he’d fight for her. Soon she’d realize that they were meant to be together and would stop fighting the inevitable. If only he could find the proof she needed to believe in him again. Part of him wished she didn’t need any. If Emma truly loved him, she should believe in him. Colt knew there wasn’t a chance in hell she’d ever willingly come to him and say she’d made a mistake. No, his Emma was way too bullheaded to ever admit she’d done him wrong.
    “Well, that’s too bad. I’m holding you to it.” Colt grinned down at her baffled expression. “You’re right about one thing though. I need to concentrate on the game today. So we’ll have this discussion later.”
    He left her standing still, her arms floating at her sides, and her mouth hanging open as she watched him, stunned. Colt chuckled at how hilarious she looked. He needed to start listening to Alison. She’d been right on a lot of things. Emma had never gotten over him, and she sure as hell didn’t like Ian as much as she claimed to. You don’t kiss another man like she’d kissed him if you were serious about another guy.
    He chatted with some of the other guys on the team. It didn’t take long for the stadium to fill up with screaming fans. They had possession of the ball first. He watched as Paxton walked out to the field, attaching his helmet as he approached the formation. It all seemed to go in slow motion and fast at the same time.
    First the snap…
    Paxton had the ball—he was backing up looking for a receiver. The Broncos were doing a good job of screening him. Colt kept his eyes riveted to the play on the field. He saw it all go on before him. Paxton’s arm was high in the air, and as he started to throw the football one of the Bronco defensemen stormed forward and sacked him. He hit the ground with a hard thud. The football was still in his hand and rolled away as his back hit the ground. Paxton didn’t move as the opposite team was cheering around him. Panic seized Colt’s heart. Get up, Paxton, you need to just move.
    Emma and Dr. Ellwood rushed out to the field. They were both examining him. After several minutes of dead silence, he could hear roaring in his own ears. Something was really wrong with Paxton. That sack had caused some kind of injury. He knew what it meant. He’d have to go in and take over. It scared him as much as it excited him. He’d never had this much responsibility before. He hadn’t wanted it like this—damn it, Paxton. Why did he have to go and get hurt?
    They brought out a gurney and wheeled him off the field. The team of paramedics pushed Paxton toward the locker room. Colt froze as panic seized his whole body. He shook his head forcing himself to snap out of it.
    “Lewis, I need you on the field,” Coach called to him.
    He couldn’t let it worry him. His team was counting on him to focus. Colt could check in on Paxton later. Maybe it wasn’t anything major and he wouldn’t be out of the game for long. Colt wanted his shot as the number one quarterback. He’d never expected to get it like this. He took a deep breath and ran out onto the field.
    “Okay, are you all ready?”
    They each nodded their head and got into formation. The first play of the game didn’t go as planned, but Colt intended to see the rest of