Patton Cooper won three national championships as the starting quarterback for the Los Angeles Marauders, but that didn’t stop them from trading him to Phoenix without so much as a warning. At thirty-two, he finds himself weighed down by old injuries and forced to start over again as a backup quarterback for an untried rookie. Deeply hurt by the betrayal of both his team and his ex-lover, Patton keeps to himself and takes what solace he can in football.<br><br>Cornerback DeShawn Jones has loved two things in his life -- football and Patton Cooper. It seems like his dreams have come true when he’s drafted to play for the Phoenix Wildcats, until he realizes the coach has no intention of letting him start, and his childhood hero is a withdrawn, wary man. But DeShawn refuses to give up on his dreams of playing, or his hope of reaching Patton.<br><br>A tentative connection forms between the two men, but the pressures of the game may be too much for the relationship to withstand. Especially when DeShawn is given the chance of a lifetime while Patton struggles not to relive the mistakes from his past.

Mr. November

Patton did eventually sleep. When DeShawn was sure he wouldn’t startle awake, he tilted his head and kissed the patch of skin just beneath Patton’s ear.


When Patton woke, he felt like an axe had split his skull open, his hand throbbed like it was missing a chunk of flesh, and something wonderfully warm and perfect pressed against his side. He didn’t move, partially because he thought his head might fall off, partially because he didn’t want to lose that heat.


“Is it just me or is this the ugliest room ever?” DeShawn asked, chest rumbling. Patton closed his eyes against the hideous room and decided to just be still for a bit longer. “I know you’re awake.”


Chapter 25