Full Court Press

By Alexandria Grant

When basketball hotshot, James Courtney, knocks Elise off her feet she soon learns that he has skills on and off the court. As things heat up between them, will she put down her defenses? Will she see that the play he is making has mutual benefits? Will she withstand his full court press or will they score big together? Sometimes you just have to take a chance and get in the game.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alexandria Grant
• Release date: Jun 27, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476469652

Alexandria Grant

Quite frequently I can be observed grinning like a madwoman as my fingers move furiously over the keys on my computer. This is what I want for my readers. I want you to be able to sit, grinning insanely, at some hilarious or outlandish scene in my books. I want your heart to race with excitement, shudder with fear, stop with pain, and come to life with joy and love along side my characters. I want to give them life, through each of you.I work for an environmental group and am a full time mother and wife. I can be found in front of a computer when I am not spending time with my three kids and husband. I have, from a very young age, read anything and everything I could get my hands on- including users manuals for random things, when all else failed. I have a knack for dazing out and daydreaming at a moment's notice, and have chosen to put some of these daydreams down on "paper" for others to enjoy.If you would like to let me know what you thought of my works, you can email me at:[e-mail] please, if you have read one of my works, feel free to take a moment and rate it.

Book preview

Full Court Press

Alexandria Grant

Published by Alexandria Grant at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 Alexandria Grant

Smashwords Edition, License Notes.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author

This book is intended for adults only and contains material not suited for persons under the age of 18.

Chapter One

Come on, ref! That’s a foul! Are you blind?! Tara pulled on the belt loop of my jeans, tugging until I sat back down. Elise Marie Barton. Chill. I don’t want to be thrown out of another game. Tom, Tara’s husband laughed from his seat beside her. Hon, I don’t think that’s going to happen again. Right, Elise? You’re not going to actually try to punch this one are you? I sighed in exasperation and pulled my eyes off the court. You know that wasn’t how it happened. If that jerk hadn’t spat at Tara I never would have lost it. I mumbled under my breath about the stupid racist pig. I mean, what was I supposed to do? Let him insult her in front of everyone? Besides it was a high school game and that was years ago.

You know we love you, Elise. Stop picking on her, Tom. Tara was always quick to come to my aide. Hey! Me? You’re the one who started it! Tom said before he and Tara began to bicker lightly. I turned back to the game and ignored them. I loved them both; they were the only family I had, though we weren’t related in any way Tom was a tall well-built black man; strong from years of playing sports and working construction. Tara was short and slim, barely reaching 5ft. 1in. with rich caramel colored skin. She had a quick wit and an outgoing personality that complimented her husband’s more serious nature perfectly, but constantly got her in trouble. I was everything Tara wasn’t. I was 5’9" with brown-blonde hair that always seemed dull to me. I had nondescript blue-grey eyes, and skin so pale that it seemed to never have seen the sun. If that wasn’t enough, I always felt like I needed to lose another 10lbs. or so; a feat that was impossible for me to accomplish.

Refusing to let my mind start down that road, I focused more intently on the game. I let out a loud cheer, as James Courtney, the team’s 6’7 shooting guard, stole the ball and raced down the court toward our team’s goal. Go Courtney!" As he passed our seats, a player from the opposite team slammed into his side, from behind, causing him to lose his footing and sail toward us. Tom pulled Tara into his lap seconds before Courtney crashed into her seat and mine. I saw the edge of the chair speeding toward his forehead as the momentum carried us backward, and lifted my left arm to wrap arm in order to deflect the blow. A loud pop came from the vicinity of my shoulder and white hot pain moved through my arm as we landed.

Oh my, oh my, oh my! Elise! Are you okay? Say something?! I could hear Tara’s fearful cry but couldn’t respond since the air had been knocked from my chest when we landed. I opened my eyes to see a pair of warm brown eyes, filled with concern, hovering above me. James Courtney hauled himself off of me and reached down to help me up. Are you okay, miss? I attempted to smile reassuringly as I reached for his hand, but it was quickly wiped from my face as the pain reminded me of my injury. Shit! She’s hurt! Get Jack over here! I closed my eyes against the dizziness and focused on Courtney’s deep resonating voice, blocking out the sounds around me of the fans and players and the ref calling a technical foul on the other player.

After a moment, I opened my eyes and took a shaky breath in order to tell them what was wrong with me. It’s my shoulder. An old injury. Courtney and an elderly gentleman looked at my arm before nodding at one another. Would you please come with me, dear? I will take you back to the locker room and check on your shoulder. I’m the team doctor, Jack Pierson. Tara was nodding at them before I could speak. Of course she will. Of course you will, Elise. We will follow you and wait until the Doctor is finished checking you out. You know what your own doctor said about your shoulder. I knew it was useless to argue with her, so I quickly agreed and walked off the court with the man, wanting to not hold the game up any longer. As I was led off the court, I glanced back to see James standing at the free throw line to take the shot due a technical foul call.

Chapter Two

I’m telling you, it will be fine. Just do it. I’ve done this before, many times, but it would be easier if you would help. The exasperation in my voice was coming through loud and clear as I stared down the kind older man in the locker room. It’s just dislocated and needs to be put back in place. Doctor Pierson opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by the sound of the locker room door opening and raucous cheers sounding as the team filed into the outer room. Moments later, the door to the smaller room they occupied opened and James Courtney walked in his rich dark skin still shinning with sweat from the game. His eyes held mine captive as he talked. Is everything alright in here? Should you be taken to the hospital to be checked out?

My frustrated no! mingled in the air with a resounding yes! form both Tara and Tom, who had apparently followed him into the room. Tara pushed past James and Doctor Pierson to stand before me, hands on hips, glaring up at my face. You know you should go to the hospital. The doctor told you last time that if you weren’t careful you would have to have surgery! If that happens, who exactly is going to pay for it? It shouldn’t be you and I’m sure the team can afford it. Right? With that she turned and faced down a room full of basketball players and staff, crowding into the room and doorway, that were all at least a foot and a half taller than her.

I turned away and faced the doctor once more. Just do it. It’s the same thing they will do at the hospital, and you know it. The longer we wait, the more it will hurt me. Please. The doctor eyed me for a moment before offering a compromise. Fine. I will, as long as you promise to allow us to send you to the hospital to be rechecked and make sure no additional or unknown damage has been done. Your friend is right; we carry insurance just for this purpose. I nodded my assent. "Good. James, stand behind her and hold her upper body still while