Playing for Keeps: San Antonio Outlaws Book 1

Dylan Thompson thought she’d left her childhood crush behind when Dean Smith, her brother’s best friend, left for college and the NFL six years ago. A college graduate and ready to start a new chapter, she’s determined to focus on her career—not the man who broke her heart from afar. Following his rise as a star player for the Chicago Chillers was a bittersweet habit she eventually gave up, unable to watch him move through a parade of women she could never compete with.

Dean Smith has it all: talent, fame, and the kind of lifestyle most men dream of. But none of it compares to the girl he left behind. Traded to San Antonio’s brand-new NFL team, Dean jumps at the chance to return home and fix the biggest regret of his life—walking away from Dylan Thompson, the only girl who ever mattered.

When fate throws them back into each other’s lives, their chemistry reignites like no time has passed. But old wounds and unspoken feelings complicate their reunion. For Dean, breaking the unspoken rule about dating his best friend’s little sister could destroy his lifelong friendship. For Dylan, trusting the man who shattered her heart once already feels like the ultimate risk.

As Dean tackles the pressures of leading a fledgling team and Dylan faces her own challenges in carving out her place in the world, they’ll have to decide if love is worth the gamble. Can they overcome the obstacles that stand between them, or are some lines meant to stay unbroken?

Playing for Keeps is a heartwarming and steamy second-chance romance about love, loyalty, and risking it all for the one who got away.