Page 6 of Jockstraps & Newspapers
A shot through the heart.It went right through his chest like a highspeed arrow.“Why we would play?Ouch, Cassie.”
“What?Oh, I didn’t mean that insultingly, I swear.I just, what’s the point?I mean you score points and toss people around.It just seems…barbaric.”She finished the words in a hush, staring at him with pain pinching her pretty features.
“Barbaric?I mean, for starters, it’s fun.”He jabbed a finger in the air.
“Fun?You get paid for fun?”She raised both her brows incredulously.
“You don’t think writing is fun?”he retorted with a snort.
“Itcanbe, but writing is my job.Being a journalist is my job.”She tossed her hands out to her side.
“Well, leading that team ismyjob.”He shrugged, plopping down onto his butt.
“And you lead that team to, what?Toss people about, wrestle them into a goal post?”She eyed the golden posts at the ends of the fields.
“Pretty much, yeah!”He beamed, nodding along with her points.
“Interesting.”The tone in her voice told him she did not, in fact, find it interesting.
His face fell, dropping his hands into his lap.“You said you didn’t mean it insultingly, but it’s sounding pretty insulting.”
She returned that stunning golden gaze back to him.“I’m sorry, maybe it just doesn’t make sense to me.What’s the point?”
“Whats the point of journalism?”He cocked his head.
She scoffed, “To inform the people of the news, to tell stories that wouldn’t normally be told, to entertain the masses.”
“There,” He pointed at her, “That last one.”
“But how is this entertaining?All you do is throw people about?”
He blinked, staring at her blankly.They sat in quiet for a long moment, only the chant of ‘up’ and ‘down’ filling in the space.Then, without mercy, he confessed.“You don’t like fun, do you.”
“What!”She barked.
“You hate fun, it’s okay, you can say it.”
“I don’thate fun!” She lurched forward.
“It’s okay, fun haters gonna hate, I get it.”He climbed to his hooves, nodding his head.Smugness oozed out of his pores and soaked in with his sweaty fur.
“I’m not a fun hater!”She struggled to her feet, arms flailing.
Elliot didn’t even hesitate.She toppled backward and his arms jerked out around her.Cassiopeia gasped, fingers burrowing in his fur for support.His arms wrapped around her waist and held her dipped for a solid three seconds.Slowly, hyper aware of where her toes would land, he eased her onto her feet fully.
“I know fashion is like, your personal brand and all.But, you’re in danger of a broken ankle in that skirt and heels.There’s professional…and then there’s nursing a twist.”He slipped his arms from her, raking his gaze over her again.
Cassie was quiet, working her hands out of his fur and flattening her skirt against her legs.Frowning, her face softened from its previous pinched expression.With a wobbling voice, she spoke, “I wanted to make a good impression.”
“I mean, you impressed the heck out of me.”Elliot clapped his hands to his sides.Cassie glanced up at him sharply, eyebrows furrowed.He flashed her a smile before glancing back at the team.It was time for the next set of exercises.He needed to get back.Elliot jogged backward, away from her.“I gotta get back in there, but we can talk about how to cure your fun hating later.”
“I.Don’t.Hate.Fun!”she roared after him as he booked it back to his team.A smile was plastered to his lips.
Chapter four
Going home only to go to work
Cassiopeia
