Punt: A British Bad Boy Football Romance

“
O
kay
, Aud. Basically everything in our lives is counting on this, so… you know, be nice.”

Audrey straightened the wrinkles from her light gray suit and pulled a face. She and Jack stood in the law firm’s chic lobby, waiting to be called into a conference room for The Big Meeting. The one that Jack insisted was about to change his life, give him his big shot.

“Mmmhm,” she murmured.

She reached out to straighten his tie. His suit jacket was wrinkled beyond all reckoning. The suit was also a full size too small for his tall, heavily muscled frame, but there was nothing to be done about it just now. Just getting him into a suit and making sure he brushed his bright red mop of hair had seemed like a minor miracle.

Sometimes, caring for Jack was like caring for a teenaged boy, though he was nearly twenty seven.

“I’m always nice,” Audrey told her brother as she brushed a bit of lint off his shoulder.

The look on Jack’s face said he clearly disagreed, but Audrey ignored him.

She wasn’t nervous about the meeting, exactly. It seemed unlikely that anything would come of this, other than an hour of her life wasted on listening to some lawyers tell Jack
no way, Jose
.

It was more that Jack had spent so much time chatting her up about his famous friend Liam, star athlete for this and that European football team. If he was lying, it was the most complex lie of Jack’s whole life. Jack was usually honest to the point of being accidentally offensive.

So curiosity ate at Audrey, and it made her feel fidgety. She adjusted the long, thick fishtail braid that held her flame-red locks in check. She put on more lip gloss, several times. She drummed her fingertips on a side table until Jack told her to quit. She picked up a magazine, turning the pages of Forbes in aggressive flicks and sighing.

“Aud, chill out,” Jack said. “You made us get here super early. The meeting is probably just about to start.”

Relax, Audrey
. She heard that a lot, from pretty much everyone she knew. It just wasn’t something she was
good
at.

She took a deep breath in and focused on the huge marble statue that stood in the middle of the waiting area. It was Audrey’s height, just about five feet high. She stared at it and tried to remember which Rodin sculpture it was.

The Hand of God
?
The Secret
?

She wasn’t sure. She’d only finished her fine arts degree the year before, but she’d hardly paid any attention to famous sculptures. In any event, it was a strange design choice amongst the sleek white furnishings and chrome desks she’d seen in the rest of the office.

She cleared her throat and tried to focus by staring at the heavy oak doors of the conference room.

As if summoned, a pretty secretary swung one of the doors open and beckoned. “They’re ready for you. Follow me, please.”

Jack took the lead. This was his show, after all.

“Liam!” he said, the second he stepped into the room.

Immediately, several things became very clear to Audrey.

First — Jack hadn’t lied about his famous footballer friend, or the fact that said friend was trying to get him a spot on the brand new Atlanta Unified team.

Second — Jack’s friend was the most casually dressed guy here, the one guy standing in jeans and a button-up. With that sexy-scruffy beard and the tattoos peeking out of the cuffs of his shirt, it seemed likely that he was probably Liam Packham.
The
Liam Packham. Famous, if Jack were to be believed.

Third — Audrey had encountered
The
Liam Packham before. If her math was correct, she’d sat on his lap and locked lips with him almost exactly one year before this moment.

Yeah, it had been a minute, but there was no way to forget a man like Liam. Those tattoos, that big, lean body… those blazing green eyes?

Audrey grabbed for Jack, unsure what to do. Her brother shook her off and went over to shake hands with Liam, which turned into one of those bro-hey-let’s-hug things.

“That’s Liam?” she hissed. “As in, your best friend from high school?”

“Yeah,” Jack said, giving her a weird look. “I’ve showed you pictures, I’m sure. And you’ve watched matches with me before, on TV. How can you not know what he looks like?”

Audrey didn’t have a good answer for that. At the moment, she was a pure knot of anxious panic.

Was it too late to run? Or build a time machine and travel back to her 23
^rd
birthday to slap those tequila shots out of her hand?

She couldn’t stop wondering if this was real. How could she have ended up in a club with Liam on that fated day? He was British, for god’s sake! What would he have been doing in some packed Atlanta club?

Visiting Jack
, she realized instantly.
Oh god. What have I done?

Then
The
Liam Packham turned to look at her, pinning her with his forest green gaze. Surprise flared on his face.

Did that mean he remembered her? He opened his mouth for the barest second, but Jack interrupted him.

“Liam, this is my sister Audrey,” Jack said. “Audrey, don’t be weird. Come shake hands.”

And then she was moving forward, propelled through her fear by nothing more than the Southern manners drilled into her since birth.

It was a little like watching a scary movie, yelling at the characters
not to go in that room
. But this was Audrey’s actual life, and her hand stretched out.

She stepped close enough to smell his distinctive cologne, to look at up his dark hair and perfect cheekbones up close.

“Hi, I’m Audrey,” she said. Pure instinct at this point. She looked at him, begging him not to expose her. Not to tell anyone that she’d been grinding on his lap the first time they met, that she’d come very damned close to fucking him in the VIP booth of a crowded club.

Then a mischievous smile appeared on his face, a dimple flashing in his left cheek.

“Audrey,” he repeated.

Lord, was he ever gorgeous. Her mouth went dry, a little from fear but mostly just from being so close to him again. She flushed, thinking of her repeated fantasies about him, fantasies that she ran into him again and they finished what they’d started.

God, she’d made herself
come
thinking about him. Countless times.

She glanced at the window, wondering if it would be too dramatic to just fling herself out. They were only on the first floor, after all.

“I’m Liam,” he said, taking her hand. That thick Cockney accent sent a shiver down her spine, just as before.

The feel of his warm fingers clasping hers made her stomach flutter unbearably.

“It’s nice to meet you,” she managed, then bit her lip.

“Oh, Audrey,” he said. “I assure you, the pleasure’s mine.”

He held her hand for another long beat before releasing her. Audrey was quick to step back behind her brother, who was giving Liam a hard look.

“No flirting with my sister,” Jack said, then laughed.

Liam laughed, and the men at the table chuckled along with him. Liam looked over at them. “Let me introduce everyone so we can begin…”

Names were given, hands shook. It was a bit of a blur to Audrey. Several of the businessmen wore similar dark suits and their features were so bland that they could have almost been related.

Everyone took their seats, Audrey and Jack across from Liam, all the suits taking up the rest of the seats at the long glass conference table.

“The reason we called you here is to talk about Liam’s contract with Atlanta Unified, and Jack’s potential part in that…” one of the lawyers started in.

Audrey didn’t hear another word for at least a few minutes. She was trying not to stare at Liam, and failing. For some reason, she couldn’t shake the feeling that everyone in the room somehow knew.

Knew that she’d run her tongue along the thick cords of muscle in his neck. Tasted his salty skin, inhaled his masculine scent.

Boldly cupped his erection through his jeans, blushing when he intimated that women often found his size pleasing.

No one in the room was even looking at her, though.

Well, until Jack drew all the attention right to her.
Typical
.

“That’s actually why I brought Audrey here today,” Jack said, nodding to one of the guys. Liam’s manager, maybe?

“What?” Audrey asked, her brow furrowing.

The manager cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s gaze.

“Basically, we want Liam here in Atlanta, playing for Atlanta Unified. He’s been practicing with the team, and we think he’s a great fit. He’s good for the team, and Liam could use a little time out of London,” the manager said, giving Liam a knowing glance. “When Liam signs with Atlanta Unified, they’ve agreed to give him several of his contract stipulations, such as having Jack on the team as well.”

“And I’ll be playing, not just some pity friend who rides the bench,” Jack says, tapping Audrey’s arm. “I’ll be sweeping in no time, Aud.”

“Uh huh…” she said. “Where do I come in, exactly? I thought I was just here being supportive.”

“Well, see, Liam mentioned that he’d just fired an assistant. And I thought, you know, since you’re between jobs…” Jack motioned between them.

“Not just an assistant,” the manager cut in, drumming his fingertips on the table. “A body man. Keeps Liam’s whole life running smoothly. Most importantly, keeps him out of trouble.”

Liam made a low sound, and the table fell silent for a second. One of the lawyers took the opportunity to jump in.

“The team has their own laundry list of contract requirements. Aside from the usual, no drugs or arrests, they want Liam to avoid any and all negative press. They’ve actually…” he paused, flipping through a thick sheaf of papers before him. “Here, the team has actually taken the liberty of listing the types of events they would consider negative press. It’s… extensive.”

He hefted the document and offered it to Audrey, who declined.

“I believe you. I still don’t see why I’m here,” she said. The lawyer slid it over to her anyway.

“Well, I told them what you’re like,” Jack said.

“What I’m like? What am I like, Jack?” she asked, narrowing her gaze at her brother.

“You know,” Jack said, shifting in his seat. “Strict?”

“I’m not strict, I’m practical,” she said, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair.

“Miss Cross,” the manager said, waving to get her attention. “How old are you?”

“Twenty four,” she said, arching a brow.

“And you went to school? College, I mean?”

“I did. I have a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts,” she said.

“What was your area of expertise?” another lawyer asked. “My daughter’s getting her BFA.”

“Um, visual arts. Focus on oil painting,” Audrey said.

This was starting to sound too much like an actual interview. The manager stared at her for a long moment, then looked at Liam.

“Would you listen to her?” he asked. “Take her seriously, as your assistant?”

Liam’s genial smile turned into a bit of a smirk.

“Of course,” he said. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Ummm…” Audrey started to cut in.

“How does a thousand a week sound?” the manager said, swiveling back to face Audrey.

Audrey’s mouth opened. She tried to say no. The words
thousand a week
rang in her ears.

“Er… okay?” she said, unsure if she was accepting or not.

This was getting out of control, fast.

Liam was a troublemaker, that much was certain. All of Jack’s stories were about Liam being a complete hostile asshole to authority figures and
banging chicks
, as Jack put it.

Plus, she’d already nearly slept with him, so she’d have almost no leverage over him.

If she had a quarter of a brain in her head, she’d jump up and leave right now. Her gaze dropped down to the contract in front of her, trailing down the list of absolutely forbidden activities.

Suddenly, the line
fraternize with Atlanta Unified or personal staff of any kind
jumped out at her.

She glanced up at Liam, her lips quirking. She could easily turn that one against him, if she had to. And god knew, she needed the money pretty desperately.

Almost as bad as Jack needed a spot on the team.

“Okay,” she heard herself say.

“Is that a yes?” the manager asked. “On a trial basis for a week, then we could reassess.”

One of the lawyers mumbled something about no assistant having made it a whole week yet.

Audrey straightened her spine and smiled.

“Yes,” she said, loud and clear. “I’ll do it.”

Her gaze clashed with Liam’s, and his smirk wavered for a second.

Good. Assert your authority, she praised herself.

“Wonderful. Give the front desk secretary all your information and we’ll send over the various forms you’ll need to sign,” the manager said.

Liam rose to his feet, which prompted everyone else to stand as well.

“Are we done here, then?” he asked, without waiting for a response.

No one in the room looked the least bit surprised. When the guy who indirectly pays your salary says jump, you jump. That was how the pecking order seemed to work in all businesses, in Audrey’s experience. From the money on down.

The meeting broke up. Jack stayed to talk to Liam for a minute, clapping him on the arm and making jokes about their high school days. Audrey headed out to the lobby, rolling her eyes.

Not everybody got lucky enough to get a scholarship to attend a fancy Swiss boarding school that specialized in training future soccer players. Nope, just Jack, who had that kind of dumb luck that always made Audrey jealous.

Well, him and Liam. They attended school together, but Liam likely got in on merit or rich parents or something, rather than Jack’s grinning charm.

There was a brash, friendly quality about Audrey’s brother that made it hard for people to not want to pat Jack on the back and tell him he could have whatever he wanted.

Try not to be so cynical. You just got a job! And the pay’s nothing to sneeze at, either,
she reminded herself.
Just… try not to focus on the fact that you’ve made out with your new boss.