A swoony sports romance from USA Today Bestselling Author J.H. Croix! A slow-burn, emotionally charged romance with the kind of love that breaks all the rules.

One taste. One night. I've been losing sleep ever since.

Harper's the only woman who's ever gotten past my defenses. I don't even know how she did it.

Nothing gets to me. Not the pressure. Not the press. I've spent my career as a world-class footballer keeping my cool—on and off the pitch.

Until Harper.

She's brilliant, beautiful, and completely unimpressed by me. She doesn't care about money or status. She's so guarded, she becomes the challenge I have to win. She's also running from something.

I know how to play the long game. This isn't just about winning her. It's about proving to her that what we have is real. Protecting the goal is what I do.

Protecting her? That's personal.

A sizzling sports romance with a broody British footballer, a brilliant heroine with secrets to protect, and a slow-burn love story that hits all the emotional highs.

Tropes you'll love:

⚽ Sports Romance

🇬🇧 British Hero

🧠 Smart, Sassy Heroine

🏥 Wounded Hearts, Healing Love

🔥 Slow Burn, High Heat

🥶 Grumpy x Guarded

💘 Protective Hero

😢 Emotional Angst

*A full-length standalone romance.