Game We Played: a small town sports romance

The plan was simple - fake date the NFL bad boy. Falling for him was never part of the game.

Tanner Long is the NFL's favorite disaster. Charming. Cocky. A highlight-reel wide receiver with a playboy reputation who's one scandal away from destroying his career.

Unfortunately for me, he's also the hottest man I've ever met. Tousled brown hair I want to run my hands through. Sparkling green eyes I could drown in. And strong arms that make me wonder what it would feel like to be carried away by him.

But when Tanner asks me out, I say no. I'm trying to build a serious journalism career - not become another woman linked to football's biggest flirt. Besides, my small-town newspaper is barely hanging on by a thread, and I can't afford distractions.

Then Tanner offers me a deal.

He needs a fake girlfriend to repair his reputation. I need an opportunity to prove I'm more than a small-town gossip columnist.

Simple.

We date publicly for the summer. He convinces the world he's finally settled down. I get closer to the Steel City Seals organization and the chance to build my career.

Everybody wins.

There's just one problem. Tanner Long is nothing like I expected.

Behind the goofy charm and reckless reputation is a man who loves deeply, hides his scars well, and makes me laugh when I least want to smile. The more time we spend together, the harder it becomes to remember this is supposed to be just a game we're playing.

Because the rules were simple.

Fake date the football player.

Don't fall in love with him.

The Game We Played is a spicy small-town sports romance featuring fake dating, football chaos, meddling teammates, a fiercely independent heroine, a wide receiver with a reputation for trouble, and a hero who falls so hard he throws a public groveling party to win his girl back.

Training camp brings all the Steel City Seals to Smuggler's Hideaway at once, which means overlapping timelines, familiar faces, and football-player chaos. Read in any order.