Just The Way You Are(51)

"She's helping her defense."

"But she'll get too tired if she runs the whole field. All right, that's the way." She clapped as Megan's team took the ball down the field and Megan took a shot at the goal. In her excitement, Alli grabbed Sam's arm. Unfortunately, the ball just missed. "Oh, darn, she was so close."

"She'll get the next one," he said.

"Hey, come on," Alli yelled as Megan went down on the ground, tangled up with another girl.

"She's okay," Sam told her.

"You think everyone is okay," she snapped. "Megan looks like she's crying. That girl tripped her."

"It's the way the game is played."

Maybe it was, but Alli didn't like it. And the tension of the game only seemed to increase the tension within her body. Concentrate on the game, she told herself again.

"Oh, my God," she cried, as a little girl on the opposing team gave Megan a shove that sent her flying head over heels. "She can't do that, Ref. Come on."

"Alli, let it go," Sam said.

But Alli's eyes were on Megan, who was slowly getting up off the ground, wiping tears from her eyes.

"She shoved her," Alli told the referee, who was standing just a few feet away from her and happened to be a guy she'd gone to school with. "Come on, Larry, that happened right in front of you. Are you blind?"

Larry shook a finger at her. "They were both going for the ball. They just collided."

"No way."

"That's enough, Alli," Larry said. "If you can't keep your mouth shut, leave."

"I'm not going to leave when some kid is deliberately trying to hurt my daughter."

"That's it, you're out of here."

"What?" she asked in amazement.

"Hey, you can't throw her out," Sam interrupted. "She's just concerned about her kid."

"You're out, too, Sam," the ref said.

"Me, what did I do?"

"You're both out. Parking lot now, or your kid's team forfeits the game."

Alli barely heard the murmurs of protest from the parents behind her. "You are such a power freak, Larry. These are eight-year-old girls."

"Last warning. Leave or the game is over." Sam clapped a hand over her mouth and dragged her away from the field. He didn't release her until they reached the parking lot. She stared at him, her chest heaving, her breathing ragged. "I can't believe he did that."#p#分页标题#e#

"I can't believe you did that."

She was somewhat surprised by the unexpected gleam in his eyes. "You're not mad at me?"

"Mad? No." He shook his head in amazement. "You, Alli, are a piece of work. You went after Larry like a mother bear protecting her cub. I thought you were going to rip his head off."

"I would have liked to do just that. I swear, he's been mad at me since I wouldn't let him cheat off my paper in the sixth grade." She paused. "Do you think I overreacted?"

"I think you always overreact."

"So what was your excuse? You yelled at him, too."

"I didn't like the way he was talking to you."

"Really? Then thank you."

"No, thank you." He put his hands on her waist and looked down into her eyes. "For reminding me that caring a lot about someone isn't a crime and doesn't deserve to be punished."

She was confused by his cryptic words, but he was standing so close to her she was too distracted to ask him to explain. In fact, all she could do was look at him, feeling once again hopelessly, helplessly in love.

"This has to stop," she whispered, feeling the undeniable pull of attraction.

"Later. We'll stop later."

"Okay," she tried to say, but her response was cut off by the descent of his mouth on hers.

One kiss wasn't enough, or another. She was addicted to this man, plain and simple. She loved his mouth, loved his body, loved the way he took control, the way he made her feel like the sexiest female on the planet.

"We were always pretty good at this," she breathed when they finally came up for air.

"Better than good."

He lowered his mouth for another taste when Megan's shrill voice interrupted them.

"Mommy, what are you doing?" she demanded. Alli and Sam broke apart to see Megan and half her teammates in the parking lot for halftime.

"Uh, we were just discussing the game," Sam said.

"You were kissing," Megan said, obviously embarrassed—but also somewhat delighted, judging by the look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, honey," Alli said immediately, deciding a change of subject was definitely in order. "I shouldn't have yelled at the referee, even though he was wrong."