Win Me Over (26 page)

Callie smiled when Claire and her best friend, Bailey, ran up to the registration table.

“Callie, we're here!” Claire yelled.

“I'm so happy to see you,” Callie said, wrapping her arms around Claire. Callie waved at Anne and Bailey's mother, Erin, who were just coming in the gym door. “Why don't you get in line and Erika will get you signed in and give you your T-shirt and hair bow.”

The girls squealed and ran to the end of the line as Anne walked up. “Claire couldn't even fall asleep last night, she was so excited for today.”

“Oh, I'm so glad. They are going to have a blast,” Callie said.

Anne looked around. “There's a lot of people here; I'm so happy for you.”

Callie whispered, “It's amazing; even after paying for everything the dance team will make about fourteen hundred dollars.”

Anne's eyes went wide. “That's great. Well, I'll let you get to work. I know you're busy.”

Anne went to join the others in line. Callie glanced around, noting that everything looked good, so she headed around the corner and down the hallway to the girls' locker room. She had her bags shoved into the PE teacher's office and needed a hair tie. Just as she was about to push through the door a body crushed into her from behind and then pulled her through a different door. The latch sounded as the door was closed quickly and she was shoved up against the wall in a dark room.

She might have panicked, but within a fraction of a second she'd known exactly who it was, the scent of his skin a dead giveaway. Callie also knew the football team was probably outside setting up for their Punt, Pass, Kick event this afternoon.

“Some might frown upon this kind of manhandling,” Callie said.

Bennett replied by slamming his mouth down on hers, his hands cupping her face. Callie kissed him back, a whimper lodged in her throat. After a moment he pulled back, breath ragged.

“God, I love kissing you,” he whispered.

“I'm glad. Do it again.”

He did, several small pecks and then his tongue slid along the seam of her lips. She opened to him, angling her head and asking him to give her everything. Bennett sucked her tongue into his mouth, a low groan rumbling in his chest.

He kissed down her jaw, neck, and then finally ran his tongue along her earlobe. “Oh my goodness, stop. I have to get back out there.”

“Okay, I'm sorry. I just … knowing you were in here. I had to come and see you. Just for a minute.”

“I'm glad you did. Am I to assume you would have attacked me like this in front of our dance clinic had I not been in the hallway?”

Bennett laughed and placed one more kiss on the tip of Callie's nose. “No. It was an amazing coincidence that I saw you when I came in the side door.”

“I wish I could see you. What is this room?” she asked.

Bennett leaned over and then a fluorescent light flickered to life, the hum of the bulb filling the air. Callie squinted for a moment and then turned to make out the … nurse's office?

“Oh my goodness.” Callie laughed and then looked up into Bennett's squinting eyes. He smiled down at her.

“There is a cot over there. Fresh paper sheet and everything,” he said with a grin.

Callie smacked at his chest and then leaned her head on him, exhaling deep as her arms tightened around his waist. “You're horrible.”

Bennett rested his cheek on her head and wrapped his arms around her. They stood like that for a long moment, just enjoying the nearness of each other. Callie breathed in the smell of Bennett, aftershave, grass, and sunshine.

“It's a busy weekend, again,” Bennett said. “For the first time in a long time I'm looking forward to November. It will be nice when we can just … be together.”

Callie was silent for a moment; she stared at a poster on the wall about CPR, but she wasn't really seeing it. All of her focus was on the words Bennett had just spoken. It was the first time either one of them had made any mention of what would come next, after the dance competition.

She looked up at him, her chin resting on his chest. It was quickly becoming her favorite view. “That will be nice.”

Bennett leaned down and kissed her forehead quickly before giving her butt a little slap. “I gotta get back out there.”

“Ow, what is with you and slapping my butt?” Callie asked.

“It's those tight little pants,” he said. “Your ass is just asking for it.”

*   *   *

Almost a week later, Bennett stood outside the gymnasium with his players, the school band blaring from beyond the doorway. This wasn't the first game of the year, so the team would be called in together. This was actually Bennett's favorite way to go in, as a group.

“Hey, Coach.”

Bennett turned and Tate was staring up at him. “Hey, what's going on?”

“I just wanted to thank you for letting Jason play this week.”

Bennett gave the kid's shoulder a squeeze. Wednesday morning Bennett had made the decision to let Jason practice that afternoon and Thursday. He was going to play for the first time at tonight's game. Bennett smiled. “I figured you could use him after seeing you get sacked twice last week.”

Bennett was teasing, but Tate's eyes fell. Bennett tried to recover; the last thing he needed was to upset his quarterback on game day.

“Hey, man, we've already talked about this. Don't let it get you down,” Bennett said. “Their defense was insane. We learn from it and we get better.”

“Nah, it's not that. I just—”

Bennett looked up. Reggie had opened the doors, the music getting louder. Taste and Bennett didn't have a lot of time. He looked back down at Tate. “You and Jason talking yet? I mean, I know you've talked during practice, but I mean real talk. About what happened?”

“No, we haven't,” Tate said.

“You've been friends your whole lives. That's more important than any of this shit. More than football, more than girls. You need to fix it. You can't go out tonight and put your faith in Jason if you guys aren't speaking.”

Tate nodded. “You're right. I will. I promise.”

The announcer called them in and the team shuffled into the gymnasium, the roaring applause nearly deafening. On instinct, Bennett sought out Callie right away. He spotted her right where she always was, kneeling down front and center of the band so she could see her girls easily. She smiled as soon as she saw him, and he gave her a wink, hoping the entire population of Preston High School was oblivious.

Nobody needed to know that he spent too much time imagining the dance team coach naked. Or on her knees in front of him. Shit, he'd been picturing that almost exclusively for the past week. She looked beautiful today in tight jeans, tall brown boots, and some sort of fitted flannel shirt. She looked like she could use a good roll through the leaves … with him on top of her. Or maybe sex in a tent; yeah, he could picture that, too. He'd definitely be taking her camping, whether she liked it or not.

There were only two football games left, and it shocked even him how much he was ready for the season to wrap up so he could spend more time with Callie. He hadn't planned to tell her exactly that last Saturday, but he had, and then he'd been relieved when she hadn't acted weird about it. In fact, she'd agreed. And this entire week had been great. They'd had two great practices … and lots of sex. He wanted more.

One week from now and the competition would be behind them also. He didn't really care anymore whether he won or lost. It would be amazing to win—he still wanted to give that scholarship to his seniors—but lately he'd been trying to remind himself that these guys' future wasn't in his hands. It wasn't his job to protect them, save them, and make sure they were okay. It was a little freeing to give himself a break. His team had been Bennett's focus for so long.

Bennett glanced at Callie once more. All of these feelings were because of this woman. This funny, loud, and incredibly sexy woman. She smiled, clapping along to the band.

The song ended with a round of cheers and whistles, pulling Bennett's thoughts back to the task at hand. Principal Jensen turned and handed Bennett the microphone and the applause continued. He smiled at the crowd and lifted his hand to quiet them down.

“Preston, I'm happy to say that tonight we will finally be back on the field as a full team.” The crowd cheered as several players lifted Jason's arms in the air. Bennett couldn't help but smile. The look on Jason's face was priceless as his fellow students let him know by their overwhelming response how much he'd been missed on the field.

It had been an agonizing decision to allow Jason to play, but Bennett had observed him closely the past few days and talked with Mrs. York, who thought that much of Jason's depression was due to his inability to play, not a symptom of a concussion. Bennett couldn't be certain, but he was going with his gut instinct, which was telling him that things would be fine.

“I hope you'll come out tonight and cheer us on.” Bennett looked around the gym once more. “Because we plan to annihilate those Bulldogs.”

Ten minutes later Bennett watched the dance team perform. Today was the seniors-only dance, and they were good, really good, and he could tell the difference in the performance from years past. He was certain Callie had a lot to do with that.

On that thought his mind traveled back to her. He glanced over to where she knelt, her lips moving, and he knew she was counting the beats. Studying the girls' movements. She was so damn amazing at what she did—
everything
she did. Dance, her bakery, which was incredible, her ability to make everyone around her feel good.

He needed that in his life.

When the assembly was over he headed to where Callie was seated, battling the crowd of students heading in the opposite direction. He and Callie met in the midst of moving bodies and she smiled up at him.

“Why didn't you tell me you'd decided to let Jason play?”

Bennett shrugged. “I've been questioning it, but I feel good about it.”

“I'm glad. You've really been worried. I hate seeing you stressed out.”

Bennett didn't like to see concern in her eyes, but knowing it was for him made it a little better. He'd almost forgotten what it felt like to have a woman genuinely care for him, and he realized how much he wanted someone worrying over him.

“I tend to be a little overprotective about those boys.”

She laughed. “A little?”

He pulled on her pinky finger, trying to touch her without being noticed. Although the students were focused on getting out the door, he had a feeling that he and Callie had become an object of conversation. He wouldn't be surprised if they were being watched. She must have had the same thought, because she gave him a curious look.

“Sorry, I can't help myself when you're near. Your body calls out to me.”

She grinned. “And what does it say?”

“What it says … is not really appropriate for mixed company.”

“Good, that's what I was hoping for. What are you doing tonight after the game, Coach?”

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Well, that depends on if we win or lose. If we win I'll be in the mood for celebratory sex.”

“And if we lose?” she asked with a grin.

“If we lose I'll need consolation sex.”

Callie laughed. “I think I can handle that.”

“You better.” He winked at her. “I'll see you tonight.”

*   *   *

The cheerleaders, Pantherettes, and Little Pantherettes nailed their halftime performance. Everyone loved seeing all the cute little girls on the field and they'd even received a standing ovation.

By the time all the parents had retrieved their children in the waiting area at the south end of the field, Callie was exhausted. She, Anne, and Claire made their way up into the bleachers where everyone waited. Claire immediately ran into Mike's arms as he gushed over how great she'd danced. Callie smiled at the sight.

“The hair bows looked amazing,” Barbara said as Callie sat down.

“They did, Mom. Thank you so much for making one for each of the kids. They all loved matching the big girls,” Callie said, wrapping an arm around her mother's shoulders.

“I'm impressed, Callie Jo.” Her daddy's voice always had the power to make her smile. She turned to her other side and hugged him.

“Thanks, Daddy. I'm so glad you could make it.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“Well, we don't see you enough; you never come home. Guess we'll have to start making more trips up this way,” Ted Daniels said. “They got any plumbers up here?”

“Of course they do, Dad. Don't you even think about moving; your business down south is too good.”

And Callie could never live that close to her parents, no matter how much she loved them.

Callie glanced down the row of stadium seats. All of her favorite people had come to support her. This was the first game where everyone had been able to make it. In addition to her parents, Anne, Mike, Claire, Lindsey, and Eric were sitting in the stands.

Callie squeezed past her parents' legs to sit by her friends.

“Hey, they looked amazing.” Lindsey handed Callie the rest of her nachos. “I saved you some. Extra jalapeños.”

“Mmm, you're the best.” Callie sat down and dug in. She was starving. The weather had turned back a little and it was a warm night for October. She'd lost the flannel early in the evening and was now sporting her blue Panthers T-shirt.

Claire came down and squeezed in between Callie and Lindsey, a giant pickle in one hand, a Sprite in the other.

“Hi, Bug. You did such a good job tonight,” Lindsey said.

“Thanks.” Claire beamed.

Callie looked around at the people sitting near them and saw Corinne Wilson sitting with her daughters. Callie reached down and patted Corinne on the shoulder. When she turned she gave Callie a wide smile.