Sidelined by Mercy Celeste Read Free Book Online Page A

hope you have a good season.” Silent and composed, the man rose to his feet again and started for the door. The one standing wide open so that anyone could hear their conversation.
    “Dammit, Brody, fight back. Tell me to go fuck myself. Punch me. Do something.” Irrational anger burned in the pit of his stomach. Who the fuck did this asshole think he was?
    “What purpose would that serve? It would solidify what you think of me. Some egotistical jerk who has nothing better to do than throw his weight around. Or maybe you’d like to file assault charges. I don’t know you. I don’t know what you want from me. Whatever that is, I can’t give it. I’ll be sure to catch the first home game.” Fire burned in the golden depths when Brody looked at him this time. Impotent rage brewed under the unnaturally placid face. He could see the set of Brody’s jaw, the flex of the scraped knuckles against his thigh.
    “Close the door,” Tracy moved quickly from behind his desk before Brody could leave. He pounded the door hard at the same time he dragged Brody inside, pushing him against the now closed panel. Brody had to look up a couple of inches to meet his gaze. Anger burned bright in his eyes. “I don’t know what I think of you. I know what I see on TV. And the drunk, grieving man who kissed me Friday night. Other than that, I don’t know you at all.”
    “What do you want from me?” Brody leaned against the door, shoulders tense, indecision clear in his eyes. He didn’t trust him, that was clear. But then Tracy hadn’t given him anything to trust.
    “I need a quarterback coach. These boys are going to tear this team apart with their petty fighting. I’ve got two seniors who deserve the starter position. One from here and one from Hillsborough and I can’t referee them long enough to turn them into a functioning squad. Any of them. And as far as I can see, the single most over-qualified person for that job is you.” He placed his hands on the door on either side of Brody’s head, blocking him in. He leaned in so damned close he could feel Brody’s breath without actually touching him. And damn, he wanted to touch. He wanted to do more than touch.
    “As much as it pains you, I’m guessing. Listen, Coach, I don’t know what I can do. I started PT down in Mobile this morning. I have a session Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Mornings only. I can be here in the afternoons. Jude didn’t take that into account when he offered my services. And my arm is pretty much dead. I can give pointers, but that’s about it. I came to find out exactly what Jude had promised. Explain my situation. See if there was something we could do with the time I have.” Brody seemed to relax as he talked, maybe it was because Tracy decided to listen.
    “I can work with that. With the rain coming in the mornings lately, we’ve been in the weight room at the high school. Not much to do until it stops pouring.” He should step away now. He told himself to move, to stand up, to walk back to his desk, to get his body under control. But Brody’s smile and the way he seemed to be enjoying tormenting Tracy made him stay exactly where he was. Leaning against the door, holding Levi Brody captive and…God, the man smelled delicious.
    “Well, since that is settled, was there something else I could help you with, Coach?” Brody tilted his head back just a fraction, his lips forming a delicate pout.
    Tracy didn’t stop to think where they were, or that he really didn’t know the man, besides the one night that should never have happened. He leaned over and tasted the pout right off Levi’s mouth. A flick of his tongue across the seam was all it took for Levi to open for him. A whispered sigh escaped his mouth before their lips fused together. Levi rose on his toes to level the playing field, his arms twining behind Tracy’s neck, one hand in his hair, the other limp against his nape.
    Body to body now, Tracy growled into Levi’s mouth.