❝ if I knew that i'd end up with you then I would've been pretended we were together. ❞ She stares at me, all the air in my lungs stuck in my throat. I'm making sure i'm not wasting one second of the life I have . . . / 𝑷𝑨𝑰𝑮𝑬 𝑩𝑼𝑬𝑪𝑲𝑬𝑹𝑺 © skullhoe

In the blistering heat of a Texas summer and the ever-demanding grind of pro sports, two worlds collide under the bright stadium lights - one of polished court dominance, the other of glittering performance perfection. Paige Bueckers, the golden girl of professional basketball, is used to pressure. She thrives in it. As the newly minted star of the Dallas Wings, she's expected to carry the franchise on her shoulders - all eyes watching, all bets placed. But off the court, Paige is more than just a sharpshooter. She's quietly lonely, privately soft, and increasingly distracted by the woman who dances at halftime with effortless grace and a smile that makes her forget the score. Shayne Miller, a third year Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, knows how to keep things presentable. Always polished, always poised - it's what Judy demands, and it's what Shayne's learned to survive on. There's no room for messy feelings, no space for slip-ups or scandal. Fraternizing with players is off-limits. And catching feelings for a WNBA star with sky-blue eyes and a crooked little grin? Completely out of the question. Until it's not. A chance encounter at a joint team event - a stumble, a waist grab, and one blush too deep - sets everything into motion. What starts as a harmless DM from Paige asking for a "bar recommendation" quickly spirals into late-night texts, rooftop meetups, and an undeniable tension neither of them can laugh off anymore. Paige, the lovesick basketball player who doesn't know how to play it cool, and Shayne, the random girl from the south who happened to play a Dallas sport with walls too high and a heart too guarded, find themselves caught between the spotlight and the quiet pull of something real. But under the weight of public image, personal boundaries, and unspoken rules, falling in love isn't just risky - it's damn near dangerous. Especially when the world is watching.