Win Me Over Read online

  “Yes, Coach,” rang out from the mass of bobbing helmets.

  “On three,” Bennett said. The boys huddled, counted off, and ran back to the twenty-yard line. Two downs and five minutes later they’d made the touchdown but lost the game. The final score was 22–14.

  Bennett slugged through a morose wrap-up in the locker room, trying to find something encouraging to say, which was hard because for once he was unsure of what the immediate future held. He talked to parents—some concerned, some angry, some full of pity—gathered his stuff, and then headed to his truck.

  He was completely exhausted as he made his way to the parking lot. So far this was the most depressing game of his coaching career, and he couldn’t stop thinking that it shouldn’t have happened.

  He hated that he had so many other things going on in his life this season. He couldn’t help feeling like maybe he should have sensed the strife between his two best players. But no, he’d been clueless. The fight had come out of nowhere as far as he was concerned, which was irritating, but he was even more pissed with Tate and Jason. If there was one thing Bennett had stressed to his guys it was that he was there if they needed him. Why hadn’t the two talked to him about the shit that was going on between them? He hoped that it wasn’t because they’d felt he was too busy for them right now.

  But as much as that all sucked, Bennett had one thing going right in his life. Callie. Yeah, maybe it was all a distraction, but he deserved it, didn’t he? He’d devoted all of his time and energy over the past six years to this school and this team. He was enjoying himself, and most important, he was enjoying her. All the way home he debated calling her tonight. Would it seem like a booty call? Did that matter?

  Bennett pulled into his driveway and headed into the house. Misha greeted him the second he walked in, her tiny paws kneading at his legs. He dropped his bags and scooped her into his arms. “You miss me?”

  The little fur ball responded with tiny licks to his chin. Bennett chuckled and set her down before heading to the back door. “Come on, Misha, let’s go potty.”

  He smiled at the clicking of her tiny nails against the wood floor, and then she was out the back door. Bennett walked over to the fridge and pulled out something he only reserved for game nights. A bottle of sweet tea. His beverage vice, since he no longer drank alcohol. Also a reminder of his childhood.

  When Bennett was a kid his mother would make a fresh pitcher of sweet tea every single day. She’d eventually stopped, realizing it probably wasn’t the healthiest option, but for Bennett it was a reminder of happy times. Now on game days he always made sure to have one on hand. To be honest, it wasn’t even really that great, but nostalgia was a powerful thing; it was about comfort.

  Just as he was about to snap the lid open, his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and glanced at the screen before answering. “Hey, Reg.”

  “Where you at? I thought you’d be here by now.” Laughter and happy voices sounded in the background.

  Shit, the annual homecoming party. Bennett blew out a breath. “I’m sorry, man. I can’t believe I forgot.”

  “What the hell, Clark? We’ve been doing this for five years now.”

  “I know; I just…” Bennett glanced at the back door and ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve had a lot on my mind. Then tonight.”

  “Yeah, tonight sucked. Which is exactly why you need to get your ass over here. We won’t talk about the game. Just eat some good food and shoot the shit.”

  “I know, man; I just think I’m going to miss this year. Now that I’m home I’m tired as hell.” He also possibly had other plans.

  Reggie was silent for a minute, and Bennett felt like a total ass. Reggie’s wife, Corinne, went to a lot of trouble every year for this. The sounds of the party faded on the other end of the line, as if Reggie had gone into a quiet room. “This isn’t about your dance partner, is it?” he asked.

  Bennett’s stomach knotted. “What? No. Why do you ask that?”

  “I don’t know. You’ve been spending time together; you seemed kinda into her maybe. Then Corinne talked to her at her shop this morning.”

  Bennett stalked over to the back door and opened it, trying to process the change in the conversation. Misha’s white fur almost glowed in the dark as she pranced through the yard and inside. “She did? What about?”

  Callie did not seem like the type to kiss and tell. No way.

  “Nothing bad. Just that you guys were only friends. She was just helping you out as a favor.”

  What the hell? He couldn’t really blame her; what was she supposed to say? But he definitely didn’t like her answer.

  “Okay. Fine, but that has nothing to do with tonight.”

  “All right. I believe you, just wanted to be sure you weren’t avoiding the party because of her.”

  Bennett froze. “Is she there?”

  He didn’t miss Reggie’s small chuckle. “Yep. Corinne invited her, and she’s been sitting with McNeal for the past twenty minutes. Now I can’t be certain, but it looks like he might be putting the moves on her nice and thick.”

  Bennett was silent. He had no words, but right now his jealousy was a living, breathing thing. He could feel it weighing down on his chest.

  McNeal? John was one of Bennett’s assistant coaches.

  “So, uh, I’ll see you in about twenty?” Reggie said, his voice full of amusement.

  “You’re a smart-ass,” Bennett said.

  “Hey, one of us has to be smart.” The line went dead.

  Bennett filled Misha’s water bowl and then headed to his bedroom to take a shower. He had a damn party to go to.

  Ten

  Callie laughed at another one of John’s corny jokes. He was funny, especially since he’d clearly had a little too much to drink. He was kind of cute, too. However, John’s attention didn’t keep her from glancing at the sliding glass doors every thirty seconds.

  The party was spread throughout the Wilsons’ house from the living room, through the kitchen, all the way out to the back patio, where she currently sat in a folding camp chair. One of many situated around a cute little brick fire pit. The fire did nothing to take her thoughts off Bennett. Would the smell of burning wood always make her think of kissing him? Touching him? Probably. And why wasn’t he here?

  “So, I heard you’re teaching our main man how to dance,” John said beside her. Callie turned her head to meet his eyes. He was leaned against the side of his chair—which he’d scooted closer to her at some point.

  “I am. He’s doing great so far. I’m really proud of him.”

  “I can’t even imagine Clark dancing.”

  Callie smiled. “Anyone can dance. And he has an excellent teacher, so he’s lucky.”

  “He is lucky. I’m a little jealous.”

  Okay, that was awkward. She gave him a small smile and then looked toward the back of the house once more. Come on, Bennett. She was a little tired of making idle chitchat. Many of the teachers she’d met for the first time tonight, and while they were nice, she hadn’t come for them.

  “Looks like he won’t be coming out tonight,” John said. “Bet Clark is pissed because of tonight’s loss.”

  Callie wondered if it was obvious that she was waiting for Bennett. She decided to just go along with the conversation. “Well, you can’t really blame him. It’s always disappointing to lose.”

  “True. But he takes it harder than most. Blames himself when things are going wrong with his players.”

  “Why would he do that?” Now she was truly engrossed. If this guy would spill secrets about the man she couldn’t quite figure out, then she was all ears.

  John shifted in his chair. “Coach puts a lot of pressure on himself. He’s got this idea in his head that he’s responsible for these boys. Tries to keep them out of trouble, make sure they’re doing well in school.”

  “I can’t imagine what’s wrong with that,” Callie said.

  “Now don’t get me wrong, it’s admir
able and shit, it’s just, you can’t be everything, ya know. You can only do what you can do.”

  Callie nodded. John was right of course, but she couldn’t help but feel a little thump in her chest to learn this about Bennett. It wasn’t a shock; she sensed this about him just from things he said and what she’d witnessed herself. John turned back to her, leaning in close again.

  “I mean, he forces his players to have his cell number on speed dial in case they get into trouble. Who does that? Students get themselves shit-faced on a Saturday night, I want nothin’ to do with it. Know what I mean? I’m not having anyone’s parents on my back.” His words slurred a tiny bit.

  “Well, I guess it’s better than having someone end up in a ditch,” she said, beginning to feel irritated. Bennett was a grown man, he didn’t need her to defend him, but damn it, she wanted to. The world needed more men like Bennett Clark. Too many people wanted to turn a blind eye. Shit, she was guilty of being one of them way too often. “What do you think makes him that way?”

  John shrugged and then burped a little. Nice. “He lost everything because of that accident. His NFL contract. His fiancée. No way that doesn’t fuck a man up. I think he’s just on a personal mission to make things right in his world. Who the hell knows. I don’t question him.”

  Callie was stunned but kept her expression neutral. Fiancée? That was news. “No. Of course not.”

  Suddenly she was in the mood for anyone else’s company, but before she could make an exit a large body stood in the doorway casting a shadow on the patio. Callie let out a breath. Finally.

  Butterflies bounced around in her stomach as Bennett walked down the two cement steps. She willed him to see her, and her heart skipped as she watched him glance around the group of people and finally make eye contact with her. She stared right back at him and all she could think was that he might be the most thoughtful and caring man she’d ever met. She really wanted him to be the one telling her about himself. Maybe it was time for her to start pushing a little bit harder.

  He said hello to a few people and then, thank goodness, he picked up a vacated chair and made his way around the circle straight toward her. Someone was sitting not far away from her on the right side, so she wondered what Bennett planned to do.

  “Hey,” she said, glancing up when he was right behind her. She had the answer to her question when he angled his chair into the space between her and John. Callie turned in her seat so she could see Bennett. His knee brushed the side of her chair as he sat down.

  “Hi,” he said when he was settled. He lifted his chin toward John, who had stared silently at the fire through the whole process. “What’s up, John?”

  “Clark,” John said before taking a long swig of his beer.

  Callie bit her lip, not wanting to laugh. Had some manly thing just passed between John and Bennett? She secretly hoped it had. She hadn’t necessarily wanted whatever this was with her and Bennett to be public, but technically there was no rule against two staff members seeing each other. And to be honest, for all of Principal Jensen’s warnings, he had made them dance partners. What did he expect would happen? Then again, it was possible everyone would just assume that she and Bennett had become friends over the dancing. That was totally believable.

  “Sorry about tonight’s game,” she said.

  Bennett folded his hands together and slouched into the seat. “Happens. Sometimes it’s not your night. Right, McNeal?”

  “Can’t win ’em all. That’s for sure,” John said, casting Callie a quick glance before focusing his attention back on the fire.

  Callie looked over her shoulder at Bennett and he raised his eyebrows in challenge. She laughed quietly and then turned back toward the group just as a conversation across the way gained everyone’s attention. She listened as another teacher went on about something that had happened with some students during his class today.

  The fire popped and Callie snuggled into her chair and stretched out her legs. She could almost feel Bennett’s eyes on her profile. She really wished John would just get up, so Bennett could squeeze in closer. She was almost surprised John hadn’t offered to, after the way Bennett had acted. Or maybe that was why John hadn’t. Men.

  Callie’s pocket vibrated and she twitched in her chair before reaching into her puffy vest and pulling her phone out. She glanced around; everyone was still engrossed in the story being told. Callie held her phone down in her lap for privacy … she just had this feeling.

  BENNETT: Has John been hitting on you?

  A giant grin threatened to erupt on her face. She bit at her lip but didn’t respond immediately. After a moment her phone vibrated again.

  BENNETT:??

  CALLIE: Chill out, Clark. And please define “hitting on.”

  She heard him shift in his seat behind her.

  BENNETT: You know exactly what I mean.

  This was cute. Jealous Bennett Clark. She wished she could see his face right now. She turned around to look at him. He was farther away from the fire, but she could still make him out just fine even back in a shadow. He was staring at her, one foot resting casually on his knee. But there was nothing relaxed about the expression on his face. She gave him a little smile.

  Instead of speaking or returning her smile, he glanced back down to his phone, and she could see his thumbs moving over the screen. She turned back and waited.

  When the message popped up her heart rate sped into dangerous territory.

  BENNETT: I wish you were sitting in my lap. Naked.

  She liked this side of Coach Clark.

  CALLIE: I could ride you hard in that chair.

  She heard Bennett blow out a long breath behind her.

  BENNETT: Let’s get out of here.

  CALLIE: You move fast.

  BENNETT: When I know what I want I do.

  She shoved her phone between her thighs. She needed to collect her thoughts. Did she want to take this all the way? Stupid question; of course she did. The real question was, should she? Callie hadn’t come tonight so she and Bennett could roast marshmallows together. Although she now realized that she totally would do just that if it’s what he wanted. She liked Bennett. Talking to him. Hearing him laugh. Learning about him. She wished she knew more, but right now a naked Bennett Clark seemed like a very good place to start.

  Callie picked her phone up.

  CALLIE: Let’s not be obvious. I’ll go in and say good-bye, etc. You meet me out front in a little bit.

  Without waiting for him to respond, Callie made a show of yawning, saying good-bye to John, who already seemed to have given up on her—smart guy—said good night to several others, and then made her way inside.

  Ten minutes later she walked down the street to find Bennett sitting in his truck idling beside her car. She smiled, making her way to his window, but then felt a twinge of panic when she saw the look on his face.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m sorry, I’m gonna have to go,” he said, his arm resting on the window. “I know this sounds nuts, but … I got a text from one of my guys. Tate’s trashed at some field party, threatening to kick somebody’s ass. He’s not taking this week’s events—”

  “Are you going to go pick him up?” she asked, cutting Bennett off.

  He looked at her and she could tell that he seemed surprised at her comment. Did he not think she’d understand? Of course she was disappointed and admittedly a little pissed that a drunk teenager had ruined what she and Bennett had planned, but she couldn’t fault him for this, especially after her talk with John.

  “Yeah. I was going to go get him.”

  “I could come with,” she said, not sure if that’s really what she wanted but knowing full well she’d do it if he wanted her to.

  “Might not be a good idea. If Tate’s dad isn’t around I may take him back home with me to sleep it off on the couch. Don’t want to leave him alone drunk and angry.”

  “Have you done that before?”

  “Once. I�
��m afraid that while Tate’s been known to get trashed on occasion, his father does it regularly. With everything that’s going on, and this loss tonight … I ju—”

  “I understand, Bennett. If you think it’s the right thing I believe you. Go take care of your quarterback and maybe … I don’t know, call me. Let me know how he is. How you are.”

  Bennett looked at her for a moment before leaning out of the window a little. “Come here,” he said quietly.

  She stepped toward the driver’s door and laid her fingers on his forearm. “I’m here.”

  “Thank you, for understanding,” he said.

  Callie went up on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on Bennett’s lips. Then another. Just when she was about to pull away he took his hand off the wheel and slid his fingers through her hair, gently cupping the base of her head and pulling her harder against him. They kissed deeply for a moment, his tongue teasing hers.

  Finally, her toes aching, she retreated. The heat in his eyes after their kiss made her stomach tingle. “Don’t look at me like that,” she teased. “Or Tate’s going to have to fend for himself.”

  The corners of Bennett’s lips quirked before he spoke. “Don’t go back in there and talk to John again, ya hear?”

  Callie playfully rolled her eyes. “So bossy, Coach Clark. Don’t worry, I’m going to go home and dream about you again.”

  He gave her a sexy grin this time before he whispered, “Bye,” with just enough Texas twang to make her sigh. She watched his taillights until he turned off onto a cross street. Callie got into her car and started home.

  What the hell was she doing? She didn’t know what she wanted out of this. Sure, she wanted the obvious, an amazing night with Bennett, but was that all? It had been a long time since she’d truly missed a man, but with Bennett it was becoming a problem. When she wasn’t with him, she thought of him constantly.

  Eleven

  Callie walked up to Anne’s front door holding a large Callie’s Confections box. She kicked lightly with her foot in lieu of knocking.

  It was once again her favorite day of the week during the fall. Celebrity Dance Off Monday. Although this week she could only think of the last time she’d watched the show, with Bennett sitting next to her. She’d been so close to inviting him again but hadn’t. They’d see each other again for practice tomorrow, and she was excited to think that maybe they’d now have fun with each other again.