The Player and the Pixie
by L.H. Cosway and Penny Reid
Publication Date: April 12, 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Sports, Humor
Excerpt
*Sean*
I didn’t know
what I was doing.
Requests, things I wanted, words I would
never speak or allow myself to think were now uncontainable.
It’s
the sex, I reiterated. Again. I’d used this
explanation, now on repeat, as a simple justification for the complex cacophony
of my mind.
“Be with you?” Her long, dark lashes
fluttered, beating like distressed butterfly wings against warming pink cheeks.
I licked my lips, tasting her there. “Yes.”
She stared at me, confused. I was also confused.
And oddly frightened.
Because it wasn’t the sex.
Several seconds ticked on as we studied each
other in breathless silence. She found her voice before I did. “What does
that—”
“Lucy?” Annie’s voice was paired with a soft
knock on the bathroom door. “Are you okay?”
I opened my mouth to whisper a clarification
to the question Lucy hadn’t quite posed, because I was compelled to tell her it
wasn’t the sex. We didn’t have to have sex. We could just . . . talk. Or play
cards. Or touch. Or look at each other from across the room.
We could merely be together.
But she covered my mouth with her hand. Her
features arrested with unmistakable panic.
“Yes. I’m fine! I just . . . started my
period is all. Made a mess in my jeans, like a crime scene.” Lucy hollered in
response then grimaced. She immediately mouthed I’m sorry to me. Her cheeks flushed red.
I lifted an eyebrow. She rolled her eyes,
ducking her head with obvious embarrassment. I pressed my lips together so I
wouldn’t laugh.
Issuing me a quelling look, Lucy released me
and skittered out of the stall, whispering, “Stay here and count to three
hundred.”
“Oh! Do you need anything?” Annie’s voice was
less muffled and I surmised she’d opened the bathroom door.
“Ah, no. Have it all sorted now. Thank God
Tom has these nice absorbent napkins instead of those troublesome hand driers.
Although I feel like I’m wearing a nappy. They’re bad for the environment, so I
should talk to him about replacing the napkins. Maybe make a few available for
emergencies . . .”
Lucy’s anxiety-riddled chatter faded as the
bathroom door clicked shut.
I released an audible exhale. My heart was
beating as though it might leap from my chest. I needed to catch my breath.
Neither had anything to do with being caught.
What
the fuck were you doing?
It
was the sex. She’s phenomenal in bed. You’ve never had that before. It was just
sex.
I nodded, reiterating the logic of my
justification for the uncharacteristic behavior. If I repeated it enough,
perhaps I would believe it.
I didn’t count to three hundred as
instructed. I counted to one hundred and twenty-three, then realized what I was
doing.
“You’re mad, Sean,” I muttered, shaking
myself and promptly leaving the ladies’ room. I checked the cufflinks on my
dress shirt—a nervous habit—and strolled back to the table, eyeing the
assortment of eejits gathered.
The Player and the Pixie is comic genius! Lucy and Sean have some great banter, and classic funny moments, but they also have real chemistry and an oddly deep connection neither expected.
Sean is the hated man on the team, he's loathed by many and promotes this loathing by being the biggest jerk he can be. He's been told so many times, he's cold and awful, so obviously this must be true. But really, Sean is different, he just needs a chance to prove it. Discovering feelings for Lucy give him such an opportunity, but can he do it?
Lucy has been stuck in her brother's shadow forever, and she's been listening to her mother complain about her hair, her life choices, and everything in between. It drives her crazy, to the point she does stupid things in retaliation that really don't affect anyone but herself. When she's busted by Sean on one such occasion, Lucy gives in and agrees to go out with him, which leads to more.
I loved these two together, they found something in the other that they had never experienced before and that they hadn't expected. Their antics and banter just build up the story because even while laughing, you can see closer bonds forming between them and see they are growing together. The story though was about more than romantic feelings, and humorous moments, it was about these two people discovering something about theirselves, learning that they had something in them that others hadn't seen or couldn't see before.
Sean and Lucy are on an emotional journey together, learning about themselves and each other and finding that they simply work together, they can be their selves when they are with each other and its a beautiful thing.
The Player and The Pixie is a great read that balances emotions with humor, and sucks you into the developing love story. The writing is flawless and beautiful making you not only feel the story, but see the places in your mind.
L.H. Cosway
L.H. Cosway has a BA in English Literature and Greek and Roman Civilisation, and an MA in Postcolonial Literature. She lives in Dublin city. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favorite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books. She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories.Penny Reid
SEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-6, girl-4 as of this writing). By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their stories.
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