Page 26 of Falling Offsides

She laughs softly at something he says, tilting the screen toward him a tad more. That’s it. I’m done watching this bullshit.

I stop a few feet away.

My stomach knots.

“Jealous?” Jayden croons in my ear, moving swiftly when I hook my fist over my shoulder. His hazel eyes are bright with mischief as he saunters backward into Eli, and the two of them leave, chuckling to each other.

It’s not jealousy. It’s not. I am not damn jealous of fucking Jordan.

I’m just watching.

Making sure everything’s professional. Above board. The last thing the team needs is some sexual harassment scandal…

Bullshit.

Jordan’s hand brushes Courtney’s shoulder and all my muscles stiffen. Rooting me to the spot, arms folded, jaw tight, until he finally gives her a wink and saunters off.

Courtney takes a beat, fussing with her camera before she turns my way— bright and distracted.

“Ready?” She fucking beams.

Courtney doesn’t wait for me to reply. Fluffing her hair, she flicks it to the side, covering the injury I gave her as she waltzes back into the adjoining room.

When I walk in behind her, she’s rearranging the backdrop and moving a stool in front of it.

“I want to do a few sitting first, allow you to get used to the set… get your bearings and… yeah… then we can do some shots standing. I want to make sure we get a variety so the marketing team has a decent pool to choose from.”

I sit down in front of the backdrop. “Whatever.”

I sound like a jackass, and the way she hesitates has a knot forming in my stomach.

“Okay…” The camera clicks a couple times before she checks the shots. “Just making sure the lighting agrees with your skin tone and… and… yeah…”

I stare straight ahead while Courtney continues snapping photos. Every flash makes my pulse spike. Every time she smiles at me tentatively, my mouth dries.

Something heavy settles in my gut when she sighs, “Let’s try standing. Maybe that’ll be better.”

“Sure.”

I cross my arms over my chest and allow her to carry on snapping.

“Okay, let’s try a different pose. Something more relaxed?”

That gets a laugh from me.Relaxed?

It’s like the total opposite of what I am. What she’s made me. I can still hear her laughter with fucking PT Jordan. The image of him loitering over her is burning in my thoughts.

“Can you angle your chin just a bit?—”

I crack my neck and angle my chin, keeping my eyes on the wall above her head..

Courtney chuffs. “Auguste.”

“What?”

“You’re being difficult. Why? What’s going on? I thought… I…” She’s looking at me confused. Looking at me like I’ve drowned her kittens or something.

I meet her eyes. Cold. Detached. Because I cannot care about her. I cannot risk my place in her father’s team on his roster.

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