Sensual Games (Novak Springs #3) by Dawn Brower Page B

I’ll call her that too.”
    “Ana it is,” Wes agreed.
    Emma sat and thought about her new niece. It naturally led her to thoughts of Colt and what they could have had. If he hadn’t messed up would this possibly be them? Could she be a mother by now? Of course not—they wouldn’t have rushed into being parents yet—they would have wanted to enjoy it being the two of them for a little while first. They were too young and had lots of time yet. They’d probably be just now getting married and enjoying a honeymoon. Emma sighed as misery filled her heart. There was no going back. She and Colt were over. Even if Melody had somehow set him up to fall and essentially broken them apart. They couldn’t go back—Colt moved on. He had Alison now, and Emma…was alone.
    She had other things to focus on. Miss Montana Noelle for one. She’d fill her heart to the brim loving her new little niece. If she was meant to find love again, she would. She’d be fine without Colt. Emma truly hoped he was happy with Alison.

Chapter Thirteen
    Colt wasn’t having a good day. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time he had a day even remotely first-rate. The quarterback coach had been working him hard ever since Paxton Kerry had been injured in the game against the Broncos. He understood the man was trying to prepare him to take over as the starting quarterback, but he was exhausted. All he wanted to do was crawl in bed and sleep for a week. First he needed to find the energy to walk to his car and drive home—an impossible feat looking at the exit from the bench inside the locker room. Colt sighed and pushed himself to his feet.
    “What are you still doing here?”
    Colt turned to see Paxton Kerry entering the locker room. Sweat was dripping down the sides of his face, his coffee-brown hair plastered to his head.
    Colt shrugged. “Bob wanted to go over a few things with me.”
    He didn’t want to go into it. Colt had no desire to rub in that he was the starting quarterback while Paxton was benched. The injury had to suck donkey balls.
    Paxton laughed. “Bob saying let’s go over a few things is like saying get ready to run a marathon without training for it. How are you surviving?”
    “Shouldn’t that be what I’m asking you?”
    “Maybe—I don’t want you to pity me. I’m fine.” Paxton grinned. “I get to work with that gorgeous physical trainer we have every day. I’d say that’s almost worth the injury alone.”
    Colt gritted his teeth and stopped short of punching Paxton in the face. It wasn’t his fault Emma broke up with him. No, he knew where the blame firmly landed for that blunder.
    “Yeah. How is Emma treating you?”
    “Great. She knows so much. We’ve been working for a couple of weeks now, and I’m already starting to feel some improvement.” Paxton did some slow movements of his shoulder. “If all goes well I should be able to play again.”
    “Good.” Colt nodded. “I’d hate to see you on the sidelines too long. You’re too good of a player to not be able to play again.”
    Colt meant the words. He wouldn’t wish a debilitating injury on anyone. Paxton was one of the best players he’d ever seen play the game. If he could get past the injury and play again, good for him—if he hit on Emma he might have to hurt him though.
    “Thanks. I would have thought you’d wish me to be gone for good. This is your chance to show them what you got.”
    “True enough,” Colt agreed. “I’d rather win the chance on my own merit though. It kind of loses some validity when you only have it because someone else was unlucky enough to get injured.”
    “Yeah, I can see your point,” Paxton agreed. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to hit the shower. I’m taking Emma to dinner tonight, and I don’t want to be a sweaty beast sitting across from her.”
    Colt’s mouth flew open as Paxton’s words managed to sink into his overworked brain. A silent scream filled his head. This couldn’t be