Never Say Never Series by Carina Rose

Pro quarterbacks regularly face tough linemen determined to knock them down—but for one hotshot athlete, it was an infuriating blonde who stood the best chance of laying him on his back.I was one of the top quarterbacks in the league, riding high after scoring a lucrative deal with the DC Rockets. Fans adored me, sponsors wanted me, and women, well, they were eager to date me. Except my life revolved around football, not falling in love.Until I saw her... morePro quarterbacks regularly face tough linemen determined to knock them down—but for one hotshot athlete, it was an infuriating blonde who stood the best chance of laying him on his back.I was one of the top quarterbacks in the league, riding high after scoring a lucrative deal with the DC Rockets. Fans adored me, sponsors wanted me, and women, well, they were eager to date me. Except my life revolved around football, not falling in love.Until I saw her.I’d just scored the winning touchdown, sending the Rockets into the playoffs and ending the Virginia Thunder’s season. I spiked the ball and basked in the fans’ cheers. I’d done it. But then I took off my helmet and locked eyes with a gorgeous blonde.She wasn’t cheering. Instead, she stood with her arms crossed, glaring at me. I smirked and winked, hoping to soften her murderous expression. Except it had the opposite effect. Rather than smiling back, she lifted her hand and extended her middle finger before disappearing into the crowd.That was unexpected.After my press conference, I couldn’t stop thinking about the woman in the stands. It didn’t help that social media had turned our interaction into a meme, and then I found out that the beauty was none other than Reese Parker, granddaughter of Charles Reese, owner of the Virginia Thunder. Which explained her reaction… sort of.I should have been preparing for the playoffs, but all I wanted to do was convince her I wasn’t enemy number one—and that scoring with me would be her best move. less

Listening time 5 hours 52 minutesThings I hadn’t expected to happen on my birthday . . .1. To go from brunette to orange when I was aiming for blonde.2. To run into my ex and his new girlfriend, who happened to be sweeter than my favorite candy bar.3. To literally collide with a wall of muscle belonging to Lucas Donovan, the extremely sexy cornerback on the Virginia Thunder. Did I say collide? No, I didn’t just collide, I lingered... moreListening time 5 hours 52 minutesThings I hadn’t expected to happen on my birthday . . .1. To go from brunette to orange when I was aiming for blonde.2. To run into my ex and his new girlfriend, who happened to be sweeter than my favorite candy bar.3. To literally collide with a wall of muscle belonging to Lucas Donovan, the extremely sexy cornerback on the Virginia Thunder. Did I say collide? No, I didn’t just collide, I lingered. How could I not? The man smelled like a dream, felt like heaven, and looked like a Greek god. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought my best friend wished him for me when she helped me blow out my candles. She was all about me finding Mr. Right, except I’d never been lucky in love . . . nor was I looking. And despite all of his wonderful attributes, Lucas wasn’t my type. So when he asked for my number, I declined. Why? Because I knew he had cleat chasers and numerous athletic supporters at his beck and call. Totally not my scene. Instead, I decided to chalk our encounter up to a perfect ending to a perfectly messed-up day.Thinking I’d never see him again, imagine my surprise when he popped into my store to ask me out on a date. To say I was thrown a bit off-kilter would be an understatement. Maybe that was why I eventually accepted. Or it could be because I knew my best friend would disown me if I kept turning him down. Not to mention, the man had enough charm to fill my boutique and then some. Finally happy, I figured my luck had changed. Maybe Lucas Donovan was my Mr. Right. But then my past slammed into my present. And all I wondered was what that meant for our future. less