Page 73 of Siren's Game

"You did amazing, Sweetheart," Asher says, his voice full of pride. He's wearing his team’s shirt with the shoulder pads, and it makes him look even more giant and way bigger than he actually is. Wider shoulders definitely suit him.

"Thank you,Honey," I say sweetly and narrow my eyes at him, but I don't dare give my voice quite the sarcastic undertone I want to. Not on camera.

I step up to his outstretched arms and he doesn't hesitate to lay his hand at the small of my back and lean down for a kiss.

With both of us sweaty, he from the match, me from my performance, still trying to catch my breath, our tongues dance with each other as we try to convince the world that this is real.

It's not our first kiss, not by far. But it's definitely one of the hottest, only beat by the one he gave me as both of us reached our orgasms. And that one is pretty hard to beat.

My heart drops as my thoughts wander to our future.

The match is almost over now, only half to go. Then the only thing left is his parents' charity dinner and a few more weeks of accidental paparazzi sightings so it's not too obvious that this whole relationship was a farce.

Then it's over.

Just like that.

So why am I sad about it? I should be thrilled, jumping in excitement, right along Millie, and shouting from the rooftops that this clusterfuck is going to be over soon and I’ll never see Asher again. Well, maybe not ‘ever’ with both of our best friends dating, but definitely less.

Yet I’m not happy at all. And I know exactly why, I just don’t dare entertain that I might actually have feelings for Asher.

"Is everything okay?" Asher whispers against my lips. “You’re suddenly all tense.”

I keep my eyes closed and gulp before I give him the slightest nod.

"Yeah," I answer softly and when I finally blink my eyes open, I can see anger in his.

"That's bullshit and you know it." His voice is quiet but not any less angry, his hand on the small of my back flexing as he pulls me closer to him, his mouth now right next to my ear. "You'll tell me after the match."

I swallow past the emotion in my throat. I want to give him a sassy answer and ask him where he takes the audacity from to order me to talk to him, but all I can do is nod.

"Where are you watching the rest of the match?"

"Millie's parents are in a VIP booth, we're changing and then going there," I mumble, blinking away the sting behind my eyes.

I don't even know what's going on. I've just played the biggest show of my career; there’s not a rational thought going through my head and my emotions are all over the goddamn place.

"Mine and Luca's parents are in 6-12 if you'd prefer to watch there."

I raise my eyebrow at him. In what world would I want to hang out with his parents alone? Then it dawns on me that he probably means for Millieandme to go there to watch as a way for her to meet his parents, maybe. I shake my head.

"Nah, I'll hang out with them. I haven't seen them in a while."

Suddenly someone shouts for Luca and Asher from somewhere behind me and he shoots me a sheepish smile.

"Gotta go, girlfriend. See you later." He leans down and smushes another kiss against my lips before he runs off.

"The stars of the day!" Millie's mom gushes as we walk into their VIP box. Millie and I have pulled on some jeans and jerseys that Naroa handed us, both of them of course with our 'boyfriends' numbers and names plastered across the back, still wearing the body suits underneath.

I’m just mad that nobody warned us before the show that we wouldn’t be able to jump into a quick shower afterwards.

I feel disgusting. There’s still sweaty makeup on my face, hanging by a thread, and my hair is full of hairspray.

Once again, I wish I could just wear it natural without having it fried straight, but oh God, the way waves in my hair would destroy our 'entirely opposites' image. The horror.

Millie steps into her mom's hug and I stand back to watch them.

My family was never warm. With my parents always busy with work and my brother somehow always being the one everyone fawned over, I can't remember the last time my mom even gave me a hug, much less my dad.

---