Physical trainer Sunni Richardson has built her career on control—keeping players healthy, maintaining professional boundaries, and never letting anyone get too close. After a relationship that left her feeling small and not enough, she's learned to protect herself. But when Dallas Lonestar Outlaws cornerback Malik Watson looks at her like she's the only person in the room, every carefully constructed wall starts to crumble.
Malik Watson knows what he wants—and he's wanted Sunni for a year. The brilliant, sharp-tongued trainer who sees past the NFL star to the man underneath has been off-limits for too long. But training camp comes with rules, and fraternization between staff and players is strictly forbidden. That doesn't stop the tension building every time they're in the same room, every accidental touch, every heated glance across the cafeteria.
When a late-night encounter at the training facility pool shatters the distance they've been trying to maintain, the truth becomes impossible to deny. The chemistry between them isn't going away. The question is whether they can wait until camp ends to do something about it—or if the fire burning between them will consume them both first.
As Sunni battles her ex's poisonous texts and the voice in her head saying she's not good enough, Malik shows her exactly what she a man who sees her brilliance, her fire, and her worth. But falling for each other is the easy part. Navigating team politics, professional boundaries, and their own fears will test everything they're building.
In a game where one wrong move can cost you everything, sometimes the biggest risk is letting someone see who you really are. And sometimes, the only way to win is to break coverage and go after what you want.
Vonda Howard is a native Washingtonian and lives with her family in Northern Alabama. She has two young adult children and a cute little yorkie named Popcorn. She loves crochet, smutty books, Chipotle and all things pink.