Page 62 of Weak Side

“Oh my God, Theo. Put me down!”

“No.”

We were in the locker room entirely too soon, and I was forced to plop her on the bench, hating that I had to take a step away from her so that Zedd, our personal trainer, could look at her ankle. A raging jealousy simmered as I watched Zedd’s fingers gently press on Claire’s ankle, which was beyond shocking. I quickly tore my eyes from his grip on her leg and silently slapped myself for the hit on my character.

“Well, I don’t think it’s sprained.” Zedd turned over Claire’s slightly swollen ankle and turned it toward him with a creased brow. The locker room was quiet, and although our evening training sessions were starting soon, I knew no one would be here yet.

I was the only one who showed up early.

“I didn’t think so. I was leaning toward a strain?” Claire sucked her plump bottom lip into her mouth and peered up at Zedd with soft eyes. She looked so small and innocent as she sat on the bench smack dab in the middle of the locker room, waiting for Zedd to tell her what to do for her injury.

Zedd and I had a close, working relationship that was more like a friendship than anything. We’d been together since my freshman year, and he’d seen the way I’d built this team and had molded my teammates to persevere throughout rough games and even rougher injuries. I knew he’d be willing to meet me this afternoon, and although I left out the part that it was for Claire instead of me, he didn’t even bat an eye.

“That’s likely. You need to cool it on the…” He looked down at Claire, placing her foot back onto the cushioned bench. “What is it that you do?”

“Dance,” I answered for her. “She’s a dancer.”

“They don’t have their own athletic trainer?” he asked, clearly perturbed by that thought.

A soft laugh pulled my attention to Claire’s mouth again—something I couldn't stop looking at. “I’m not part of the dance team. I’m in performing arts. We’re considered a part of the athletics program but the lowest on the totem pole.”

Zedd ran a feeble hand down his face, scratching at his short beard. “That’s a shame.” He sighed as Claire swung her legs down to the ground. “You need to stay off it for a little while to let it heal. Actually, you should head over to the ice tub. Then continue to ice and rest.”

“Stay off of it?” Claire nearly came off the bench. “For how long?”

“At least a week.”

Claire’s mouth opened with protest, but Zedd put his hand up to stop her while looking over at me. “Tell her what I tell you.”

I half-laughed, glancing at Claire who was all but pouting, but respectfully so. “You’ll cause more problems if you don’t listen to him.”

“I can’t take a week off.”

Zedd snickered as he backed out of the locker room, throwing an ACE bandage at me. “Sounds like someone else I know. Bye, Claire.”

Her attention was pulled to him, and she rushed her words out. “Thank you! I appreciate you taking a look.”

His eyes slid to me. “No problem.”

The moment he was gone, I turned around and bent down to get on Claire’s level. “Hop on, roomie,” I said over my shoulder.

“Theo. I can walk.” Claire laughed softly, pushing at my shoulder. The touch of her palm did things to me that I wouldn’t admit aloud because I knew it was our antics clouding my head from earlier.

I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

And I couldn’t stop staring at her last night when she fell asleep beside me on my bed. I thought about just putting her in her own, but instead, I just lay there, looking up at the ceiling, wondering how I had gotten there.

The truth was, I liked her. I liked being around her. I liked watching her from afar. I liked that she was just as driven as me, and determined, and focused. I liked making her laugh, and I liked lying in my bed with her, watchingSupernatural. I just liked being with her.

I knew I needed to clear my head and get back to the reality of the situation, but instead of doing that, I was finding reasons to make her laugh and, even worse, finding reasons to touch her.

“Hop on, Bryant. Or I’ll put you over my shoulder.”

She sniggered under her breath as she stood up to walk, and the sound of her sarcastic laugh fueled me like no other.She thinks I’m kidding?I smirked, and she only took one step before I hauled her up over my shoulder and began walking toward the training room.

“Theo!” she squealed, banging her fists on my back. My arm around the back of her thighs tightened, and she wiggled, nearly pushing her ass into my face.

I shoved the ACE bandage in my pocket and turned my head to the left so she could hear my words clearly. “Keep it up and I’ll spank you, Bryant.”

---