Page 46 of Double Play

ARIZONA

The headlines this morning all readLaid Out by Layton. I can’t deny taking a little pleasure in that. Marc is probably humiliated. He had his ass kicked on national television and it’s being replayed over and over again. There are hundreds of funny memes of him going down. The ones of Layton dropping the ball on his chest are my favorite. The intensity on Layton’s face almost brings me to my knees.

Today is ourSports Illustratedshoot. I’m a mixed bag of emotions over Layton Lancaster. He’s not what I thought he’d be. He’s attentive and caring. Sweet and sincere. Kind and even humble most of the time. A few weeks ago, I would have used none of those words to describe him.

I’m in my dressing room, looking at myself in the mirror. I’m wearing dark-blue lace panties and a matching bra that practically has my boobs pouring out of it. I’ve never wished for smaller boobs more than I do right now. The only otherarticle of clothing I have on is a Cougars button-down white-and-blue pinstripe jersey.

How did I get here? I’m in a fake relationship with the famous Layton Lancaster, and we’re about to do a half-naked photoshoot. Our faces are plastered on every website and gossip magazine, but now we’re about to be featured in the number one sports magazine in the world as a couple. The craziest part? I think I have feelings for him, and I think he has feelings for me too. What they are, I don’t know. What does it mean? I haven’t got a clue.

What Idoknow is that I’m going to have his hands all over my half-naked body all day long. This is going to be an exercise in restraint.

I take several deep breaths. I’m doing this for my team, for my league, for young girls aspiring to be softball players. I keep repeating all this over and over in my head, hoping to keep the nerves at bay. It’s not working.

As I’m finishing the buttons on the jersey, I hear a knock on my dressing room door. I shout, “Come in.”

Much to my relief, it’s LeRond. He gasps as he clutches his chest. “Oh my lawd, you look beautiful. I brought you a little something to help.”

He holds up and wiggles two mini bottles of tequila in my face.

“Oh god, thank you.” I reach out my hands and wiggle my fingers. “Gimme, gimme.”

He chuckles as he hands them to me. I quickly open one and down it immediately. As it makes its way through my body, I let out a deep breath, finally feeling my body relax a bit.

“Do you feel better, foxy lady?”

“Much better. Thank you.”

I hand him the second bottle. “Can you hold this in case I need it later? I don’t have…umm…any pockets in this.” I run my hands down my body. “Quite the outfit selection. I assume I have you to thank.”

He smiles. “That’s what they want you wearing. I see you went with the dark-blue undies.”

I nod. There were two sets for me to choose from. One in the Cougars darker blue and one in the Anacondas lighter blue. I figured I should match Layton’s uniform top that I’m wearing. “I did. Does it look okay?”

“Okay? Way more than okay. You might be the first woman to turn me on in…well…ever.”

I giggle. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You should. Try to stay calm. There are worse things than being half naked with one of the hottest men on earth.”

Please just let me make it through this unscathed.

LeRond offers me his arm. “Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

We walk out of the dressing room and into the studio. There must be ten people working on all the equipment. I didn’t realize so many people would be here. That makes it more embarrassing. All these people looking at me, nearly naked, while Layton’s hands are all over my body.

LeRond whispers, “Relax. Pretend you’re at a pool in a bathing suit.”

“Millions of people don’t see me in a bathing suit.”

He mumbles, “They will soon.”

Before I can respond, a man with a camera around his neck makes his way over to me and holds out his hand. In heavily French-accented English, he says, “You must be Arizona.” He pronounces itAir-eee-zo-nah. “I’m Francois.”

I shake his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Francois.”

A younger, small man who already looks exhausted, is trailing behind him with five more cameras around hisneck. Francois motions toward him. “This is my assistant, Raphael. If you need anything, ask him.”

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