Offsides with the Enemy

OFFSIDES WITH THE ENEMY CLARISSA MCKAY Copyright © 2023 by Clarissa McKay All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Download the free novella Forbidden Captain, a brother’s-best-friend sports romance, HERE. CONTENTS 1. Skylar 2. Austin 3. Skylar 4. Austin 5. Skylar 6. Austin 7. Skylar 8. Austin 9. Skylar 10. Austin 11. Skylar 12. Austin 13. Skylar Epilogue Taken by the Grumpy Player Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 About the Author Also by Clarissa McKay 1 SKYLAR If there are a few things I appreciate about a night out, it would be the drinks, my friends, the hot guys, and the music playing so loudly it deafens me to any other thoughts in my head. All of that is exactly what I need right now as my friends and I throw back our second round of green tea shots, the drink going down my throat like water. My body is warm from the drinks as I nurse a vodka Red Bull in between the shots, sitting on the barstool facing Quinn. The rest of our friends—Julia, Theo, and Chase—stand right in front of our stools, the five of us forming a little circle as most of the rest of the club pulses with life behind their backs. The DJ tonight is great, playing both nostalgic hits and songs from the top forty, and my friends’ company is exactly what I need to distract me from the train wreck that had been my conversation with my sister Bridgit. “If I had to drop everything to celebrate one of your accomplishments, I’d never have time for myself. So sorry, but my world doesn’t revolve around you.” Bridgit’s words had stung, mostly because of the venom she had spat them out with. It hurts to know that she thinks I would want her to put her life on pause for mine, when all I have wanted is to share my life and celebrate with her when something good happens. But things with Bridgit have been teetering on a seesaw for years now, so I don’t know why I’m surprised or even hurt, at this point, by her obvious frustration and, painfully enough, resentment for me. “Oh, no—we’ve lost her.” I blink as Quinn’s voice breaks through, and look at my friends, who eye me with various degrees of exasperation and concern. “Thinking about what Bridgit said?” Julia asks knowingly. I purse my lips and nod guiltily, and Julia lets out a groan, head lolling against Chase’s shoulder as her husband keeps an arm around her. “Come on, Sky—forget what she said. Your sister’s always been a little bit of a... turd.” Theo shoots her a what the fuck? look while Quinn snorts next to me. “You’re too nice. I would’ve straight up just said bitch.” She widens her eyes in fake surprise. “Oh, look at that—I just did.” I fiddle with the plastic straw in my glass. “She’s just going through some things,” I say. Defending Bridgit feels like second nature, even if she may not deserve it. But I can’t help it sometimes. Three years may only separate us, but she’s still my little sister. If I don’t defend her, who will? Chase throws me a disbelieving look. “She’s been going through some things for years now,” he points out. I huff out a breath before sipping my drink. He’s not wrong. My sister can be a magnet for bad ideas and bad decisions. Questionable friends, shitty boyfriends—kind of the opposite of me, though I hate to admit it. But when it’s staring at you right in the face, it’s kind of difficult not to acknowledge these things. Fortunately, the conversation shifts off my sister. While I sip my drink and subtly nod along to the music, I listen to Theo talk about a girl he matched with on a dating app and wants to take her out, asking what they should do instead of just sharing a meal. While the others give him suggestions, my eyes wander. Unfamiliar faces surround me, drunk and dancing and leaving their problems at the door like I should. Looking towards the end of the bar near the door, my gaze snags on a man leaning forward on the bar, locked in a conversation with the guy next to him as well as the only male bartender. But even as he talks, he looks in this direction—right at me. Our gazes lock and something in my stomach flips, my back to the bar. He looks so vaguely familiar as he lifts his glass and takes a sip of his drink, yet his eyes are still holding mine. I don’t know why he looks like I have seen him somewhere before, but the alcohol in my veins, frankly, has me not caring. All I can think of is the guy is handsome with short, slightly curly light brown hair and eyes I can’t make out the color of from this distance—but they’re locked with mine, and the intent in them seems clear. Now that will be a distraction. “Alright, are we dancin’ or what?” Chase asks, looking at us with raised eyebrows. Julia and Quinn are in instant agreement, but I just smile and shake my head—especially when the hot guy from the end of the bar straightens up, gaze still on me. To my friends, I say, “You guys go ahead. I’m good.” Julia frowns. “You sure?” I nod with a small grin. “Yeah.” Theo stares at me in slight concern. “One of us can stay with you—” “I appreciate it,” I say, chuckling. “But this hot guy has been eye-fucking me for the last few minutes and I think he’s gonna come over here. So, I’m good.” Realization dawns on my friends’ faces, and Quinn and Julia