Page 61 of Beautiful Storm

She’s laughing at something her assistant is saying, her face lit up in clear amusement, and as much as it pains me, I have to admit, it makes me smile. She’s happy. It suits her.

If she’d been this happy during high school, my mind would have immediately conjured up ways to bring her down. I’m not proud of it, but she brought out that guy in me. Now, it’s strangely different. And I don’t know how I feel about that.

I continue to watch her as she flits around the room, smiling as she chats with my teammates, not even blushing when she finds them in a state of undress. But when she gets to me she pauses, unsure how to act, so I help her out a little. “I’m ready for my close-up, oh wise director. Where do you want me?”

The way I see it, I need to compartmentalize. I need to put Amelia in two different baskets. Amelia the mother of my child and future wife…and Amelia the director.ThisAmelia. The Amelia I’ve known since I was a kid. The Amelia that used togloat when she got an award I thought I deserved. The Amelia that threw me under a bus with the fire. This is the Amelia I despise.

The other Amelia, the mother of my child, is different. She has to be. Otherwise it’s going to get weird.

Director Amelia laughs as her eye line drops to my exposed briefs. “I hope you’re talking about your face?” she sasses, and with her straight face, I have to wonder if she’s taking the same approach I am, separating me into two Lukes. The cocky football player and the baby daddy. That, or she’s really good at putting on a front. Either way, I’ll take it.

“My face is best, because where you’re gawking might be too much for the average viewer.”

“You’re right.” She leans in close so no one else can hear. “That’s best reserved for a different kind of show.”

“Oh yeah?” I grin, betting she thinks about my cock on a regular basis.

“Yeah.” She pulls back to meet my gaze. “When plastic surgery goes wrong.”

I huff out a laugh and consider asking her why she kept that joke to herself—the guys would have loved it—but to everyone else, it could be considered a lawsuit waiting to happen and I’m not that mean.

Since we’ve caught the attention of a few of my teammates, I laugh again before turning to face them. “Amelia was just saying that she’d love a few close-ups of me, but didn’t want to leave the rest of you out.”

“Ha,” Amelia fakes a laugh. “I was actually telling him that it’s not that kind of show. I just didn’t want to embarrass him in front of you all.”

Reed snorts from beside us as he throws his clothes into his locker. “It would take a lot to embarrass Luke. We’ve all tried.”

I shake my head as I finally continue dressing, pulling on my pants as Amelia’s eyes stay firmly locked on Reed.

“Good to know, Reed. I’m always interested in new information about the team.” Amelia grins before waving a hand around the room, her gaze briefly scanning my now-naked chest before she turns. “I better get moving. We’ll be filming as soon as you’re all ready.”

She takes a few steps away before turning to face me, a wide sassy grin in place.“ Actually, you know what?” All eyes around me flash her way. “A close-up is a great idea.”

I bounce my shoulders as I stand tall, hitting her with my cockiest smirk. “Anything for you,” I say, reminding her that I promised to do as asked if she didn’t mention the fire.

Amelia ignores me, and instead focuses on Reed where he’s sitting in front of his things, his tattooed body on full display. “Reed, can I borrow you?”

I burst out laughing before giving her a nod and graciously accepting all the teasing from my teammates.

Amelia: one, Me: zero. Well played. I could wipe that smile off her face in a heartbeat by telling her about the car, but I’m not going to do that. It’ll happen on its own soon enough.

Amelia holds back her smile until she turns away, but I don’t miss the way it lights up her face, right before she steps out of view.

Reed stands up, eyebrows raised. “Should I follow her? This is my moment.” He flexes his muscles as he bounces on his toes until I give him a friendly shove.

“Sit the fuck down. It’s time to get serious.”

“Says you.”

“Yep. I’m always serious.”

He rolls his eyes as Keeley calls attention to the room, giving us another speech about appropriate behavior on camera before it’s time for practice.

Coach is wound up when we run onto the field, and I hold my breath, silently praying that Amelia doesn’t ask us to try that again because I can’t imagine that will go over well.

It’s been a couple of weeks since the TV show was dumped on us, and while a lot of people aren’t happy about it, they’ve at least made their opinions known. Coach Pierce, on the other hand, has never shared his feelings on the topic. But while he does everything they ask, he’s clearly pissed about it all.

And it makes me think there has to be a reason behind that.

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