Page 165 of Falling Offsides

It’s overwhelming how good it feels that he’s taking an interest in something I love. I don’t know much about men and relationships, but I know that not all show interest in their lover’s hobbies.

“Where you at?” I ask, raking my nails along his short, prickly beard.

“Your favorite part,” he retorts with a devious grin, brow cocked and loaded with innuendo.

“What’s that?”

Auguste brings his iPad closer, showing me the header of the chapter:Run, Pet. Run.

“That’s definitely one of my top three moments.”

“If you had a safeword, what would it be?”

“A safeword?”

“Yeah, Court, your safeword. What is it?”

“Umm… cake.” Because nobody has gone out of their way to bake me breakfast every morning.

That morning when he showed up at my door with Samson and his home baked cake, I was hooked.

“Cake?”

“Can’t have your cake and eat it, right?”

Green eyes glow with mischief as he settles back with a chuckle. One arm cradling me with his hand flat on my belly, thumb rubbing endless circles while he reads and I attempt to get into my book. It’s impossible though. I’m too aware of the way his body reacts to what he’s reading. His breaths shallow and his pulse hammers louder into my ear.

I don’t know when I fall asleep, but I wake up with Auguste taking my kindle from my hand and putting it down along with his iPad. Pressing a kiss to my temple, he pulls his oversized hoodie over me and we both drift off together.

We nappedfor almost as long as the twins, and I feel better for it when we sit for dinner, a picnic type spread of finger food. Every single thing is more delicious than the last. I can’t get over how thoughtful Marley was to make sure that everything is milk free so I don’t feel left out. More than that, I can’t get over how easy these people are to be around.

It takes me back to Auguste’s remark earlier—you belong here.

“Are you guys ready for the start of the season?” Eddie asks, taking a small bit of tomato from his bruschetta and giving it to one of the twins sitting between him and Rina.

“Sure,” Auguste and Étienne reply in unison.

“How does the shoulder feel?” Rina asks Auguste.

“Fine, I’ve been working with the team therapists and trainers to keep it loose. It feels good.”

“So it was a good decision to come back early after all,” his dad says.

Auguste’s hand rests on my thigh, tugging my leg flush to his. “Definitely.”

“He needs all the practice he can get. We’re gonna grind your asses so hard this season,” Étienne teases.

“Maybe try a different resolution this season… one you can stick to cause it’s starting to look bad how fast you fail.”

“No, we are not starting the trash talk this early,” Rina groans before focusing on me. “How about you, Courtney, you looking forward to the hustle and bustle?”

Oh.

I open my mouth to speak but suddenly all eyes are trained on me and after the conversation Étienne and I had, I don’t know what to say.

“Actually, Court has a job lined up with the Crescents football team in New Orleans this year.” Auguste’s hand grips my thigh tighter as he leans in and kisses the top of my head, lingering a beat longer while he breathes me in. “She spent the summer with the marketing and PR teams here for experience.”

Hugging his arm I scoot as close as I can get to him. This is why getting involved with him and spending time with his family was risky. Now they’re all staring at us like we’re aliens and hearing Auguste talk about me leaving is crushing me from the inside out.

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