Double Teamed

  Gridiron Love Series

  Tamrin Banks

  Copyright © 2022 by Tamrin Banks

  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.

  Cover by Just write. Creations and Services

  Created with Vellum

  For my honey bunny. You’re the best! Love ya!

  Thank you to all my new and faithful readers! I so appreciate all of you taking the time to read my stories!

  Contents

  1. Kade

  2. Alexandra

  3. Sebastian

  4. Alexandra

  5. Kade

  6. Alexandra

  7. Sebastian

  8. Alexandra

  9. Kade

  Gridiron Love Series: Read them all!

  Epilogue One: Kade

  Epilogue Two: Alexandra

  About the Author

  Also by Tamrin Banks

  Chapter 1

  Kade

  I run the damn play until the coach’s whistle stops us in our tracks.

  “Dammit, Brooks! What the hell are you doing? Daydreaming? You should have already had that pass in the damn air! Get your head out of your ass and concentrate on the fucking play!”

  I pull to a stop and huff out a breath, leaning down to rest for a second. I can feel my back protesting and I groan under my breath. My teammates study me and I know the younger ones are looking for a chink in my armor. They’re looking to get my job. Especially Kennedy.

  The younger man eyes me with a smirk and a vicious light in his cold eyes. “Ya good there, old man?” he questions me.

  I stand and eye him with a sneer. “I’m good, Kennedy. Why don’t you just worry about your own problems and leave mine alone?”

  He stalks up to me and pushes me in the chest and I immediately feel my temper rising. I shove it down but it’s there, boiling just under the surface.

  “Your problems are our problems, man. You and your broken-down old body are about to take this team down and I don’t feel like I should have to stand on the sidelines with my thumb up my ass when I should be taking over. I’d take us to the playoffs for sure.” His burning gaze runs up and down my body. “You’re just a fucking anchor to the champions that this team could be with me.”

  I stalk up to him and my furious stare turns razor-sharp. “Until I get dragged out of here I’m in charge of this fucking team, Kennedy. I don’t need some little twit who’s barely done with his mommy wiping his ass trying to tell me what I need to do for this team! I’ve taking us to the championships, asshole. You haven’t done shit to prove yourself yet! So back the fuck off!”

  Coach hollers from across the field. “You two get lined up! What the fuck are you doing out there?”

  I glance over and that’s when I see movement out of the corner of my eye. I duck just as Kennedy’s fist flies over my right shoulder, whizzing past my ear uselessly.

  I whip around and growl, “You son of a bitch! You like to sucker-punch, huh? Well, let’s see if you can take it as well as you can dish it out!” And then my fist hits him square in the jaw and I hear the satisfying crunch.

  He staggers back, his hand clutching his face. “Shit! What the hell was that for, dickhead?”

  He moves his hand and I see the blood coming out of his mouth as he spits out a tooth that’s been broken. I swear to god I’ve never been happier.

  I point at him. “You got what you deserved! Keep your fucking shit to yourself!”

  “Brooks! What the fuck is going on with you? Get your ass off the field! Both of you! Kennedy, go to medical and get that taken care of! Brooks, I want to talk to you!”

  I sigh and stomp off the field, my temper still barely leashed even though I know I need to get myself under control before I talk to coach.

  I head for him and stand in front of him, my arms crossed over my chest, a mulish look on my face.

  “Wipe that look off your face, Brooks! You can’t put your own teammates in the damn hospital! Head to the locker room. And then come to my office.”

  Shit, shit, shit! I fucked up and I know it. I whirl around and head inside. A long, hot shower later and I feel more controlled. But at the same time, I know I’ve really messed up now. My pulse races when I step inside the coach’s office and I see our PR rep standing there. She shoots me a glare that should freeze me in my tracks.

  I step inside and sit in one of the seats in front of coach’s desk. He growls, “You took your sweet time, Brooks.”

  “I just took a normal shower, coach.” I want to add more. Some snarky damn comment that I know would get me benched. But I don’t. I can feel the hammer on my career ready to drop and I’m not ready to be done yet.

  Humph!” he grumbles, pointing at Sharon. “Well, you tell him what you need to.”

  She turns and glares at me, her blue eyes like ice. She’s actually really freaking attractive and normally I’d notice that but not now. She’s about to say something I’m not gonna like and I pull my shoulders back, clearing up my face so no one can see the nervous anxiety on my face.

  Her pouty red lips open and she says, “We don’t need any more behavior like this, Brooks. Upper management has already talked after your last little stunt and we made a decision at that point in time that if anything else happens you’re to be benched until you complete some intense therapy with a therapist of our choice.”

  “What!” I lurch to my feet, bitterly angry. “Why wasn’t this ever mentioned to me?”

  “Why?” she smirks. “Were you going to make sure you play nice with all your teammates if we told you that?” She snorts. “You’re an adult. We shouldn’t have to threaten or bribe you. You should just be an adult out there and quit throwing fucking tantrums.”

  “I’m not throwing tantrums,” I growl. But I flush, knowing they kinda have a point. I should have been able to keep my cool with Kennedy even if he does push all my buttons.

  “Yeah, right. Well now we’ve got you lined up with a therapist that one of the owners has checked out and likes. So you’ll meet with her tomorrow night. She will be given all the information she needs to figure out what your major malfunction is lately and hopefully address it quickly. Because you’re not going out on that field again until you’re okayed.”

  “Who’s going to take my place until I come back?” I ask, dreading yet knowing the answer.

  Her lips twist. “Who do you think? Kennedy. He’ll love this. And maybe you’ll think about this next time you let your fucking temper take over and make you do something stupid.”

  She nods to coach and stalks out the door, slamming it behind her.

  He nods to the chair. “Sit back down. We need to talk and I don’t want to get a crick in my neck looking up at your ass.”

  I slump into the chair, my body numb.

  “This is a fucking disaster, Brooks. I’ve been trying to keep a lid on your temper but you just can’t be trusted out on that field right now.”

  I eye him uncertainly. “Maybe you could talk to the guys upstairs and vouch for me?”

  He sighs and I feel my heart sink. My hands start to sweat.

  “I can’t do that. I don’t know what’s going on out there but right now I don’t trust you. So I damn sure can’t vouch for you.”

  Ouch! That fucking hurt. I wince.

  He nods. “Yeah. I know you’re nearing your retirement. I know you think you’ve got years left to play but we both know your knees have been acting up and your back’s a damn wreck. The physical therapist told me that she has to work on it twice as long as the rest of the guys. Your muscles can’t take this much longer. But I’d hate to see you go out like this.”

  I nod, my head whirling. I knew that the therapist was probably talking to coach but I hoped that he still believed in me.

  Now I know that he believes I’m nearing my expiration. Rage flares up in me and my hands clench.

  I’m not ready to be done.

  But I’ve got to learn to play the game or I’m gonna find myself benched way before I’m ready.

  I nod. “I’ll take what was said seriously, coach.”

  He eyes me skeptically, his dark eyes shrewd. “I sure as hell hope so, Brooks. I like you. You know that. You’re one of the best that I’ve coached. But the body you have now is not gonna win you a spot on the team forever, especially if that temper starts to rule your head.”

  I stand up. “Got it. I’ll work on it, coach.”

  “See that you do.” He nods to the door and I stalk out of it, closing it carefully behind me. Like it could break, like my damn heart right now. Because if I don’t have football. I really don’t have anything. No family, no friends beyond football players and Sebastian. No woman to warm my bed for more than one night.

  And even that’s rare anymore. I just don’t want to put the effort into something that I know is going to go south in less than a few hours.

  I pack up and head out to my car, sighing when I throw my junk in the back.

  I slide behind the wheel and then slam a fist into it, growling angrily but barely feeling the pain when I hit a bruise from punching Kennedy.

  I’m not sure I’m ever going to feel anything again.

  Chapter 2

  Alexandra

  I shut the door a

nd smile as I see my secretary sitting there already waiting for me to come in.

  “Hey, Grey. How’s it going?”

  He smiles up at me with a wince. “Could you take it down a little bit, doc?”

  I throw my head back, laughing. “Had too much fun at the play last night, did you?”

  He covers his ears and groans. “Please…I’m begging you.”

  “Take some painkillers and drink plenty of water. We’ve only got a few patients today so as soon as we get the first two taken care of you can go home early and sleep it off. But…” And I point a finger at him. “Just don’t make a habit out of it, my friend.”

  He crosses his heart. “Swear on my favorite brown plaid jacket.”

  Scrunching my nose, I walk into my office. “I hate that jacket. Make sure I don’t get it!”

  He laughs as I close the door behind him. “Gotcha, doc.”

  I sigh deeply and stroll across my office, my eyes once again caught by the magnificent view outside of my office windows. The mountain range outside the window looms in the distance, peaked with snow at this time of year. A heavy snowfall hit a little early and topped my favorite view with sparkling white that the sunrise colors with golden peach and ivory gold, lavender blue and red. My breath hitches in my throat.

  Lord, what a sight. I never get tired of it.

  I turn back to my stainless steel desk topped with my computer and files for the day. I flop into the creamy white leather chair and boot up the computer, fidgeting when it feels like it takes too long.

  When it finally comes up, I quickly access my files and jot notes on some of my cases from yesterday. I feel like I’ve made a breakthrough with one of my patients. She’s finally admitted to me that her boyfriend has been abusing her for the last year and I’ve tried to get her to understand it’s not her fault and there’s so much more out there for her than what he’s giving her. Bruises and busted-up lips, broken bones. None of that stuff should be normal for anyone unless you’re a professional boxer. Or mixed martial arts. Not from the one who claims to love you.

  This case has had me on edge because I’ve seen that it looks like things are escalating and I’m worried about her safety but I can’t say anything unless I feel like she’s in imminent danger.

  So I just keep encouraging her, working with her and hoping that she realizes that life shouldn’t be like this.

  I hear my first patient come in and talk to Grey and his laughing response.

  Clicking out of the files, I stand up and pick up the other patient’s files, putting them in the bottom drawer of my desk. I have to make sure that I keep everyone’s files as well-guarded as I can. Doctor-patient confidentiality is of utmost importance in my business. I take it damn seriously.

  I walk slowly to the door and tug my skirt back into place, sighing. My lush curves don’t necessarily like to stay locked in the fitted pencil skirts that I favor for work. But I like the look and I tolerate the constant tug and pull to keep them skating over my wide hips and thick thighs.

  Throwing the door open, I smile widely and hold my hand out to Edgar. “Great to see you, Edgar. How are you feeling today?”

  He follows me inside and I shut the door, waving him over to the couch that he usually favors instead of one of the plush armchairs that flanks it on both sides. The thick navajo rug muffles both of our steps and I follow him, settling in my chair across from him, grabbing my notepad from the side table.

  “Alright, Edgar. Let’s go back to the first time you felt that nauseous feeling when you thought about going home.”

  I let him go, smiling and nodding, jotting down a few notes and making noncommittal sounds of sympathy. Sometimes that’s all a patient requires. But some of them take a lot of work to get through to them. To let them know that this is a safe space and they’re free to tell me anything and I won’t judge them. I’m just here to help them.

  We finish up and I see that Cynthia’s outside and ready to go. I shake Edgar’s hand and he smiles.

  “Thanks, doc. I really appreciate your insight.”

  I smile, nodding, knowing I didn’t provide anything for him today but someone to listen to him.

  “I’m so happy I can help. Make sure and set up your next appointment with Grey. He nods and walks over to Grey’s desk and I let Cynthia in the door, closing it softly behind her. She jumps anyway.

  “I’m so sorry, Cynthia. I didn’t mean to spook you like that. Why don’t you go ahead and take a seat and we’ll get started.” I sit down and pull out my notebook. “Have you had any more of those dreams?”

  She nods, her teeth nibbling her lips. “Yeah. Almost the same. And there’s a man that keeps showing up in them over and over. I know I know him but I don’t know where from and I wake up and miss him. It’s so painful, it’s almost real.”

  “Well, have you seen his face? They usually say that you don’t make up faces so if you saw this guy, you most likely know him or have met him somewhere.”

  And the next hour passes with Cynthia delving into his description and trying to figure out what the dreams mean and who this man is.

  “I’m so sorry, Cynthia, but our time is up.” She stands up and smiles.

  “Thank you, doctor. I know we didn’t figure it all out but I always feel better just talking to you about this.”

  I smile and take her hand, shaking it. Then I lead her to the door. “I think we’re making excellent progress on this. I feel like it’s someone you know from when you were a child, maybe. I still think there is every possibility we’ll figure this out.”

  “Thank you. I’ve been sleeping much better. I practice the breathing exercises that you taught me. It definitely helps and I keep the journal you told me to so I can remember what happened in the dreams.”

  “That’s terrific! And you feel like it’s helping?”

  “Absolutely.”

  We shake hands at the door and I remind her to make her appointment with Grey then I close the door and open up the app on the computer to make notes on the patient’s permanent records.

  Grey opens the door and smiles at me. “Don’t tell me, let me guess. You can’t find your glasses.”

  I growl and pull them off my head. “I told you that I’ve been managing quite well lately. I’ve only lost two pairs in the last month.”

  “You’re lucky those are just cheap readers. You’d owe thousands on glasses if you kept that up with real glasses.”

  “I know. I’m endlessly grateful. Was that our last patient of the morning?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well then, you can go on home and nurse your sore head.”

  He cocks his head at me. “Are you sure?” A lock of black hair falls in his dark eyes. “I feel much better. I think I can make it to the end of the day. You’ve got a new client coming in this afternoon. I want to make sure that they get the full experience. You know, doctor, secretary, thriving practice. Instead of you barely noticing someone walking in the door like you usually do if I’m gone.”

  “It will be fine,” I huff out. “I promise I’ll leave the door open and I won’t forget that I’m supposed to be working and waiting on this…Kade Brooks,” I read the name off the file.

  His eyebrows shoot up into his hairline. “Are you kidding? Are you talking about the football player for the Cheyenne Stallions? The best minor league around here?”

  I chuckle and slap the folder against my thigh. “I’m gonna guess you’re a fan.”

  “Since he got bumped down from the NFL. He’s like the best in the business. The only reason he got bumped down from the pros was because he is thirty-three. He’s getting up there and the team decided that they wanted to give some young quarterback a break. But he immediately got snapped up by Cheyenne.”

  “Yeah, well. I’m sure that’s all well and good but I really don’t like sports guys. They tend to act like they’re too good for therapy.”

  He nods and a smile tugs at his firm lips. “Yeah. Good luck. I heard he got suspended after he punched one of his teammates on the field.”

 

1 2 3 4 5 6