Making the Play

By Megan Slayer

Sometimes switching things up really does mean getting the guy.

Allan Clark thought his life as a wide receiver for the Wildcats was over the moment he was told he'd be the new punt returner. He'd thought he didn't want to be a special teams player. He'd rather have the limelight. But once he starts returning punts, he realizes this was where he should've been all along. Speaking of perks, he now gets to spend time with the sexy kicker, Tyler Leigh. Maybe this switch is the best thing that could've happened to him.

Unlike Allan, Tyler isn't planning on going into the draft or playing football for the rest of his life. He's got other plans, though a side trip in the sheets with Allan isn't off his radar. He's wanted Allan since he joined the team. But Tyler's got baggage and an overzealous ex-boyfriend hell-bent on making his life miserable. With Allan, he sees a bright spot.

Will these two seeming opposites leave their desires on the field, or will they find common ground together and score?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pride Publishing
• Release date: Mar 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9781786515353

Megan Slayer

Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com. When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice.

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Making the Play

ISBN # 978-1-78651-535-3

©Copyright Megan Slayer 2017

Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright February 2017

Edited by Sue Meadows

Pride Publishing

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Pride Publishing.

Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Pride Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

Published in 2017 by Pride Publishing, Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN

Pride Publishing is a subsidiary of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

Out of Bounds

MAKING THE PLAY

Megan Slayer

Book two in the Out of Bounds series

Sometimes switching things up really does mean getting the guy.

Allan Clark thought his life as a wide receiver for the Wildcats was over the moment he was told he’d be the new punt returner. He’d thought he didn’t want to be a special teams player. He’d rather have the limelight. But once he starts returning punts, he realizes this was where he should’ve been all along. Speaking of perks, he now gets to spend time with the sexy kicker, Tyler Leigh. Maybe this switch is the best thing that could’ve happened to him.

Unlike Allan, Tyler isn’t planning on going into the draft or playing football for the rest of his life. He’s got other plans, though a side trip in the sheets with Allan isn’t off his radar. He’s wanted Allan since he joined the team. But Tyler’s got baggage and an overzealous ex-boyfriend hell-bent on making his life miserable. With Allan, he sees a bright spot.

Will these two seeming opposites leave their desires on the field, or will they find common ground together and score?

Dedication

For Flash and her love of football pictures.

For all fans because football is like breathing—it’s in my soul.

Trademarks Acknowledgement

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmark mentioned in this work of fiction:

MP3: Moving Picture Experts Group

Chapter One

Time to make a move. Allan Clark wandered into the locker room and made his way to one of the benches. He barely noticed his locker but moved on instinct as he sat. He’d been switched. His regular role on the Wildcats team wasn’t in the wide receiver position but as a punt returner. He still couldn’t wrap his brain around the new information. He remembered the coach talking to him and watching his teammate, Glen Bilson, being carted off the field with a broken leg, but the gravity of his new position hadn’t quite made sense in Allan’s head yet. It was only the second week of September. He hadn’t planned on Glen getting hurt, much less switching to special teams.

Truth be told, he liked the change of pace and loved the challenge of punt returning. The new field position rested on his shoulders. He had to think fast and move even faster to dodge the opposing team. He stared at the helmet in his hands. From now on, he’d be part of the special teams squad. His returning two punts for a combined seventy-eight yards might have had something to do with the change.

Part of him wanted to be pissed off about switching positions. He’d always dreamed of being a boss wide receiver. Ever since he’d started playing football, he’d known he belonged on the field with the ball in his hands. He’d never thought about trying a special teams spot. Would he get as much notice with the reduced playing time? He could play some offense, but he’d be primarily used as a returner. Would that screw over his chances to be seen by the scouts for the professional teams? As much as he loved his college and playing at the collegiate level, his dream had been to play pro ball.

Allan? Coach Turner strode up to him. You’ve got interviews. Don’t dick around. He slapped Allan on the shoulder. Seems the network wants to talk to you about that sweet forty-yard run.

Allan blinked and dragged a long breath into his lungs. The network wanted to talk to him? Great. He stood and rolled his shoulders. He hadn’t had time to change out of his pads, but whatever. If he was going to talk to the media, he wanted them to see a player right off the field.

Two reporters and a cameraman crossed the locker room to where Allan waited. One shoved a microphone into his face and the other held a voice recorder. The reporters, both men, alternated in asking him questions.

Allan did his best to give solid answers. Hell, he wasn’t sure what the scouts looked at for off-field performance, but he didn’t want to give them much negativity if he could help it. As he talked to the reporters, he noticed his teammates around him. Some spoke with other members of the media, and a few changed. A lone figure wound through the knots of people and stopped at one of the smaller lockers. The player removed his helmet and opened the locker.

Unlike the guys around Allan, this man didn’t grab the attention of the reporters. Allan continued to chat with the news people, but he wished he could be more like his teammate. Whereas Allan needed to get as much experience in all aspects of the game if he wanted to go pro, Tyler Leigh didn’t. He’d seen Tyler around campus but hadn’t given him much thought.

From what Allan had learned by listening to the gossip, Tyler wasn’t planning to go into the draft. Ty’s future plans included finishing his degree—in what, Allan wasn’t sure—and going into the workforce.

A streak of jealousy hit Allan. He wished he could approach football with the same carefree attitude as Ty. No pressure to perform, just show up for the love of the game. No scouts watching his every move. If he screwed up, so what? Well, no. If Tyler screwed up, the coach would certainly come down on him. Still, the guy had talent and wasn’t going to use it for professional ball. What a nut!

Allan returned his attention to the media and finished answering the barrage of questions. Why’d he switch positions? Did he see a future in special teams? Had he known ahead of time that he’d be moved? What did he think of the team’s chances in the next few weeks? His brain buzzed as the reporters left him alone. He hadn’t expected being important on a minor scale would be so tiring.

He waited for the locker room to clear out a bit more before he stripped down to his underwear. He needed a shower but hated to use the facilities when most of the team was present. Having the other guys see him naked didn’t bother him. The claustrophobic feeling when more than a couple of the players joined him in the showers was more than he could handle. He tossed his soiled jersey and pants into the hamper then tucked his shoes and helmet into his bag.

After the games, the locker room was always ripe with body odor. He crinkled his nose as he tossed his flip-flops onto the floor and stepped into them. Tonight was no different. Someone needed to spray some air freshener in the room, and fast. He picked up his shampoo and soap as well as a towel and his robe, then headed into the shower room.

Across the tiled expanse, Tyler stood under one of the shower heads. Water trickled down his chiseled form.

Allan arranged his things on the small shelf behind the faucets, hung his robe on the metal peg, then angled himself enough that he could steal glances at the kicker. Who was he to deny himself the chance to ogle fantastic eye candy? He switched on the water and picked up his shampoo, then gazed over at Tyler.

Damn. Soap slid down Tyler’s spine and between his ass cheeks. There couldn’t have been an ounce of fat on the man’s body. No fat and no tattoos, not that Allan had expected Tyler to be inked. Something about the guy screamed clean-cut. Tyler smoothed his hands over his body, lathering his sides then down his thighs. When he bent over, Allan noticed his cock dangling between his legs. Holy fuck, the man is hung. Probably not super-endowed, but he’d make his partner happy, no doubt.

Allan pressed his lips together and shoved his head under the hot spray to clear his thoughts. A vision of Tyler’s pale form imprinted itself on his brain. From his bald head to his sculpted legs and feet, the man was sexy—at least from behind.

Voices filtered into the room. Allan glanced over his shoulder and groaned. Jesus. He got along with most of the other players on the Wildcats team but there were a few that drove him nuts. Blake Jackson and his lackey, Devan Fields, were two of the biggest offenders. Both men thought they were the best players on the team but neither put up big numbers. Blake had started out as the primary quarterback, but after a nasty elbow sprain had been moved to the backup position. He might have lost the primary slot but he hadn’t lost the pompous attitude. And Devan? He served as Blake’s shadow and sometimes even as a left tackle, on a good day.

Blake marched, fully clothed, up to Ty and switched off the water. Your craptastic kicks nearly lost us the game.

Can’t win ’em all. Tyler grabbed his towel, only to have the white bath sheet ripped from his hands. I did my best and I know what to adjust for the game against the Bearcats.

Allan squirted the shampoo onto his hand. At least Tyler had a good attitude about messing up. No doubt the guy would spend time practicing his kicks in order to improve.

You put the game on the line. Blake tossed the towel across the room. He folded his arms and stepped into Tyler’s personal space. Losing isn’t in our vocabulary.

We won by twelve points and were ahead by at least ten through the first three quarters. Tyler backed up and into the wall.

We still could’ve lost it, Blake snapped. Because of you.

Where Tyler possessed