Page 24 of Beneath the Stands (Sugarlake 2)

“So, what do you do for a living?” I ask.

She smiles, taking a sip of wine and crossing her legs. “I’m a physical therapist. Specializing in sports therapy, actually.”

My eyebrows raise. “No shit? I could have used you back when I got injured. My therapist was an asshole. You’d be much easier to work with.”

She giggles and the sound makes me smile.

“Well, maybe you can give me some pointers on how to keep my clients happy.” Her cheeks flush with her words.

Is she flirting?

I take a sip of my beer, considering whether I want to encourage her. She’s sweet. Docile, even. And while that should be a breath of fresh air, I find myself wishing she’d have just a little bit of bite. But she gets my mind off the redheaded curls that cloud my vision, and that’s enough for now.

I shouldn’t lust for things I can’t have. Sarah is right in front of me, and she doesn’t make me feel like my soul is crawling out of my skin whenever she’s near. It’s nice, feeling in control again.

So when she leaves at the end of the night, I take her number. I convince myself she might be just what I need, even if my heart isn’t in it.

13

Becca

I haven’t seen Eli since Wednesday. Coach Andrews has had me in the office helping him prepare for next week’s preseason, so our “basketball lessons” have been cut prematurely. I’m relieved. Eli makes me want to know him, and that is not something I’ll entertain.

Emotional connections are fleeting. They whisper like the devil in your ear, telling you to take a bite of apple. I have no interest in falling for the lies. Better to keep our interaction in public places where entire teams surround us.

I’m thankful it’s Friday night, and I don’t have to worry about running into him at all. I’m finally dragging Jeremy to a club—payment for introducing him to Eli before the season starts. My plan is to relieve this tension that’s been twisting inside me since the moment I face-planted into Eli’s chest.

When we walk inside the club, we head straight to the bar. The music is loud and the crowd is thick, so it’s useless to try and hold a conversation. I order us a round of tequila shots, we throw them back and then head to the dance floor.

I’m not much of a dancer, but the liquor loosens my limbs enough to move with the bass as it thumps. I should probably care that Jeremy’s up against my back—it’s not like I can have him take me home, but I’m having too much fun to tell him to stop, so instead, I reach my arms back and around his neck, swinging my hips harder.

His head dips. “If I were into girls, you’d be giving me a hell of a show right now.”

I smirk. “Just doin’ my duty of bein’ your beard.”

He chuckles, his hands wrapping my hips, helping us move to the beat. My eyes scan the area, and suddenly my body jerks out of rhythm, heart stuttering in my chest.

Eli and Connor are standing across the room. Eli’s leaning against the bar, his attention on some strawberry-blonde girl next to him. My stomach squeezes tight when she throws her head back, laughing at something he said.

He ain’t that funny.

My movements are out of sync with Jeremy’s, but he doesn’t notice. There’s an unfamiliar feeling rising inside me. I can’t stand Eli giving that girl his attention. I know how it feels to have those baby blues locked on you like you’re the only thing that matters, and irritation licks up my spine that someone else is getting to feel it. But for the life of me, I can’t look away.

Like he can sense my stare, Eli’s gaze searches the room until it locks with mine, his eyes widening as they burn a trail along my body. The girl next to him says something, but he pays her no mind.

My stomach flutters.

His posture stiffens as he spots Jeremy, his gaze growing cold. The ice in his eyes does nothing but spark a fire in mine. My body moves with intent, wanting, needing him to feel the same stifling grip that chokes my insides knowing he’s here with someone else.

Knowing I shouldn’t give a damn.

Jeremy plays his part without realizing, spinning me around, dipping us down and bringing our bodies flush as we rise back up. I glance over my shoulder, unable to keep my eyes away, but Eli’s not looking anymore. His focus is back on the strawberry-blonde.

The fire sizzles out, and I’m left feeling cold.

I pull out of Jeremy’s arms, motioning to the bar. I order a shot as soon as I get there, the burn helping to numb the ache in my chest. Slamming the empty shot glass on the bar, I head down a long hallway to find the ladies’ room. There’s no line, which is surprising, since it’s a one-person bathroom.

I’ve just turned around to close the door when a hand slips between the crack and shoves it open. I gasp, the force pushing me away. Eli stalks in the small room and reaches behind him, shutting the door and flipping the lock.

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