Hard Hitter - Audiobook with BONUS SCENE

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Hard Hitter 

“Where are we going?” I dragged my gaze away from Chloe’s perfect ass as she led me out into the cold night. 

She nodded at the apartment she shared with Eva. “I have a small problem in my bedroom.”

I frowned at her. “Chloe…”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not trying to trick you into bed. Eva’s staying the night elsewhere, and I can’t handle this on my own. I’d hoped the problem would be resolved by the time I finished cleaning, but…” She trailed off with a shrug.

Guilt pricked at the thought of her picking up the huge mess we’d left in their apartment. I’d assumed Eva would hire a cleaning crew like she usually did.

I couldn’t imagine Chloe picking up trash in the tiny dress she was still wearing. Why wouldn’t she change? Her massive wardrobe had to include something more comfortable than sequins. I didn’t understand Chloe on the best of days, so I had no hope of keeping up while sleep-deprived and horny.

Goosebumps raised on my arms as the cold night air hit my skin. I was a furnace most of the time, so if I was cold, Chloe had to be freezing. Despite the frigid January temps, she hesitated outside her door.

 “What’s going on, Chloe?”

She huffed out a breath. “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.”

The guilt solidified into a hard knot in my stomach. My life would be a lot easier if I could write her off as a silly party girl, but I’d seen the parts of her she only let out when she thought no one was looking. When it came to Chloe, I was always looking.

“You came to me,” I reminded her.

The edge of her lips quirked up, and she tilted her head in assent.

She led me through the dark apartment to her room. I expected a spider or broken furniture, but when she flipped on the light, my brows rose. Fury ignited, hot and fast.

A lanky guy with an unfortunate target tattoo on his back lay face down in Chloe’s bed. Naked.

I almost turned around and went right back home. “You want me to get rid of your hookup?”

She groaned. “He’s not my hookup.”

I didn’t want the details. The football season may be over, but I was pretty sure Coach would still make me run until I puked if I beat the shit out of a random dude in Eva’s apartment. Don’t ask me how, but Coach had a soft spot for Eva. Her influence was everywhere.

Despite my irrational rage at the guy, I tempered my voice for Chloe. “Need me to move him over so you have space?”

“Dammit, Noah. It’s not like that. I don’t know this guy, and I definitely didn’t invite him into my bed. All I want to do is sleep, but I’m not about to lock myself in the apartment with a random drunk dude who may or may not murder me before morning.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to offer her my bed for the rest of the night. Talk about bad decisions. Her eyes sharpened like she’d read my mind, or maybe my face, but even I wasn’t that stupid.

I rubbed the back of my neck, markedly calmer knowing she didn’t want the guy in her room. “Eva’s not here?”

She sagged in relief. “No. Mysterious booty call. Can you please use your giant muscles to get rid of this guy?”

My jaw clenched, really unhappy with my role, but I moved toward the bed anyway.

What was I supposed to do with him? We couldn’t leave him outside to freeze his balls off, and I definitely wasn’t bringing him into our apartment with Mac’s mystery girl and RJ there.

With some effort, I hauled the guy up by his armpits, trying my best to ignore the full frontal on display. He grumbled something about trolls, and his breath knocked me back a step. Once I blinked away the acrid tears, I got a good look at his face.

Thank fuck, I recognized him. Miller something. Second string kicker. Not really a surprise he was a football player considering Eva’s social circle. He was a freshman, so he’d be living in the athlete dorm. I could drop him off in the lobby with a spare blanket.

Chloe held the doors for me as I muscled him out of her apartment and across the parking lot to my car. He didn’t stir as I heaved him into my passenger seat, and I made a mental note to scrub down the leather tomorrow.

As soon as the door closed, he slumped against it, snoring lightly. Chloe followed me around to the driver’s side, pulling me to a stop before I could climb inside. She searched my face, and my stupid heart took off at her close proximity.

“What are you going to do with him?”

I raised a brow. “Worried about him now?”

“D would never forgive me if you murdered someone on my behalf.”

“Bold of you to assume they’d find the body.”

She scowled at me, and I relented.

“He’s a freshman football player. I’m going to return him to the athlete dorm where he can sleep off his bad decisions in public.”

The breeze picked up, and she shivered. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“No. Go back inside, put on something warm, change your sheets, and get some sleep.”

Chloe wrapped her arms around herself, shifting her weight from foot to foot, finally gracing me with the wicked smile I expected. “Always a pleasure watching you manhandle another guy.”

“Chloe,” I growled, now completely sure she remembered the night with the hockey asshole.

I may have given him a helping hand out of his car when I spotted him in the parking lot with another girl. Not my fault he tripped and fell face first onto the asphalt with his pants around his ankles.

Chloe patted my chest. “If you ever need help in the bedroom department, give me a call.”

My dick went from half-hard to rock solid in the span of a breath. Thank god the dark parking lot didn’t reveal many details.

“Not interested,” I lied.

“You made that very clear when you turned me down the first time. In this case, I meant if you ever need help removing a lady from your bed, I’m your girl.”

I grunted, forcing myself to climb into my car instead of leaving her unwanted visitor here and taking his place. “Get inside before you freeze.”

She gave me a finger wave and hurried back to her apartment. Alone. I’d give my left nut to be the one keeping her warm, but a relationship between me and Chloe would never work. She wanted a temporary fun time, and I wasn’t built that way.

I suffered in silence because I wouldn’t disrespect D’s sister by treating her like a disposable party favor. I wouldn’t treat any woman that way, but especially not Chloe. D was closer to me than my family, and he’d trusted me with his sister.

Chloe was off limits, and I’d kick the ass of anyone who touched her.

Continue reading Hard Hitter if you like:

✔️ Brother's best friend
✔️ Grumpy sunshine
✔️ He falls first
✔️ Spicy banter
✔️ Strong heroines
✔️ Protective MMCs
✔️ Team found family
✔️ Duck shenanigans
✔️ College football
✔️ No 3rd act breakup

 

“Seriously if you love college football romances and need something spicy in your life pick this book up you won’t regret it!” — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader

“An addictive brand of steamy and swoon-worthy, a powerful story of passion and love with brilliant writing, heart-aching and beautiful.” — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader

“A well written slow burn story, which combustible chemistry, family, humor, witty banter, emotions, grief, loss, healing, and love, which leads to an entertaining and compelling page turner.” — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader