Page 91 of Falling Offsides

Some dude—late twenties, clean-cut, fitted shirt stretched over gym-bro muscles—is leaning casually against the table, watching me.

Oh, God.

His eyes are locked on mine, smile a little too cocky, way too confident. His whole demeanor sends a shiver down my spine. Guys like him are the reason I don’t date. He has the same I-own-the-world attitude that my ex-and last-boyfriend had. The entitlement to do as and how he wants.

I’m not here for it.

I’m not here forthatguy.

Jayden leans in, eyes sparkling. “Okay…he’s not even trying to be subtle.”

I shake my head. “No, he’s not.”

With a quick cut glance across the table, he mutters, “Pretty sure his retinas are permanently glued to you.”

I look back to the podium—the dude is still there, watching like he’s waiting for a signal.

Erik snorts. “Looks like he wants a duet.”

“I’m betting he’s been rehearsingTotal Eclipseall night,” Jordan grumbles. “The sort of song assholes like that go for.”

“Dude’s been working out his eyes as hard as Thompson,” Matheo laughs under his breath.

I almost laugh—if I wasn’t all too aware of the daggers Auguste’s throwing between us and the stage.

“Damn, Bambi.” Ansel whistles. “You are making fans tonight.”

Even Cecelia giggles at that one, eyes flicking between me and the guy at the front. “He’s sort of cute…”

“Is he?” Jordan grumbles, throwing back a random shot from the tray in the middle of the table.

Not even close. That guy’s nowhere near Auguste’s league.

It’s at this point that I should shut down the voice in my head and focus on my drink. Better yet, I should nip this whole conversation in the bud before Auguste has an aneurysm. He looks set with the way his ears are glowing bright red. His nose is wrinkling in that off-key, sexy-as-hell way like when he’s picked his mark…

“Heiscute, right?” Cecelia asks.

“Not my type, so I can’t comment,” Jayden retorts, grabbing the napkin tucked under the drink that started all this and reading it out loud. “‘I’d kill to sing with you.Total Eclipse? You plus me?’ Aww… he even added a kiss.” He clutches his chest, pretending to swoon. “Ben’s going for it.”

Matheo lets out a low whistle. “Bold move.”

I glance instinctively at Auguste. His fingers are tight around his beer bottle. His jaw’s clenched so hard I can hear his teeth grind. And those eyes I can’t stop thinking about—green fire, burning a hole through Ben from across the room.

The tension rolls off him in waves.

And even though I shouldn’t, even though I know better…

I love it.

The way it makes me feel. Like I’m worth something. Or maybe like Imeansomething to him.

Cecelia elbows me lightly. “So? What do you say? You and Ben? Make his dreams come true?”

I shake my head quickly, gripping my drink tighter. “Not a chance.”

“You’re going to break his heart and ruin his night all in one swoop,” Matheo says.

“Poor bastard,” Ansel snickers at the same time as Jayden croons, “Brutal… I like it.”

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