Page 62 of Play to Win

Théo’s greeting to Chelsea is as reserved as hers, and I’m picking up all kinds of weird signals between them.Between everyone in this room, honestly.I don’t know if I’ve ever been to a gathering with as many undercurrents of uneasiness and tension, despite the smiles and chatter.

I’m happy when Aline hands me a glass of champagne so I have something to hold on to, and I keep my smile pasted firmly on my face as Théo’s dad makes a toast to us.Théo slides his arm around my waist and gives me an affectionate smile as we clink our glasses together then sip the bubbly wine.

I’m going to need a few glasses of this stuff.

I don’t usually have problems meeting people or making conversation.People are fascinating.But tonight, I want to stick close to Théo and be more of an observer.Because this whole family is intriguing.

Maybe I’d be more freaked out if I was actually going to be part of it.

I get the animosity between Théo and JP.The reason is standing beside JP, looking at Théo like ...like she’s a lion and he’s a zebra she wants to attack and devour.

Lion and zebra?Whatever.She’s got a hungry, longing look in her eyes and it’s pissing me off.

I slide my gaze over to JP to see if he’s noticed.He’s talking to Riley and her dad, Mark.Riley, by the way, looks nothing like Théo, although she is tall, with long dark hair and a slender build.

Aware of Emma watching, I move closer to Théo, go onto my toes, and whisper in his ear, “Look at me like you want to bang my brains out.”

14

LACEY

I feelThéo’s startled twitch, but he smiles and turns his gaze on me.And oh my Gaga, hedoeslook like he wants to bang my brains out.The heat in his eyes and the sexy curve of his mouth make my belly flutter.He lifts a hand and cups my cheek so gently, his thumb brushing at the corner of my mouth.“Did I tell you how beautiful you look?”

“Um, sort of.”I flutter my eyelashes at him, our gazes connected.Heat expands around us.

It’s not a pretense.Except neither of us is going to act on the lust blazing up inside us.

He slides his hand around to the back of my neck, pulls me closer, and kisses my forehead, and I melt even more inside.Gah.

Get a grip, girl.

I don’t look directly at Emma, but I know she’s still watching us and I can feel her displeasure.Good.

Gazing around the room, I see that the conversational groups are along family lines—Théo and I are talking to his mom and dad, JP and Emma are talking to Mark and Riley, and a small group has formed of Bob and Chelsea and their four kids, and the girlfriend who’s with one of the boys ...Harrison, I think.

As if she’s noticed too, Aline steps away and moves over next to Chelsea with a smile.

Théo follows his mom’s lead, whether consciously or not I don’t know, but I stick with him as he approaches Asher.

“Hey, man.I was reading your article today about the Condors.”

Asher lifts a brow.He has the same Wynn bone structure in his face and build, his hair a lighter brown, cut short.“Don’t punch me.”

Théo laughs and claps a hand on his ...um, his uncle’s shoulder.“Not gonna.It was good stuff.I mean, it was bad, but honest.I make a point of reading your articles.”

“Thanks.”

“Why would you waste your time reading that?”Harrison says with a sardonic grin at Asher.

Asher shakes his head.“Asshole,” he mutters to his brother.

“What do you get if you cross a sportsreporter with a vegetable?”Théo asks.After a beat, he says, “A common tater.”

Everyone groans.I laugh, though, ’cause it’s dorky but kind of funny.Théo shoots me a grin.

“That’s whyhe’sthe writer, dude,” Harrison says, earning laughs from all.

“Writer,” scoffs Noah, Asher’s other brother.“What kind of job is that?He watches sports all day in his underwear, then writes a blog post about what he watched.”

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