Chapter 14 #2
August’s eyes found mine, his lashes darkened by sweat and his hair a deeper red from where it had been trapped under his helmet. I swallowed hard, my mind flashing back to the feel of his lips on mine, the possessive way he’d held me, tasted me.
I snapped out of the daydream when Eliza’s brother nudged me.
“Introduce us,” he hissed and I coughed to hide a laugh.
“August!” I called out, like his attention wasn’t already burning through me as he approached. “There’s someone here who wants to meet you. This is Eliza and her brother…”
“Thomas,” the little boy supplied, puffing his chest out proudly.
August squatted down so he was closer to the kid’s height and offered him a fist bump. “Thanks for coming, little man. You having fun?”
Thomas lit up, launching into a big speech about the game so far, while Eliza hid behind me, peeking out at August every now and then.
I knew he’d spotted her when he took a selfie with Thomas and then straightened up to standing to approach us.
“Hi,” he said, the words soft, his breath a gentle caress barely there against my mouth as he kissed my cheek. “Who’s your friend again?”
“Eliza,” I said, nudging the little girl out from behind me and giggling when she turned bright red.
“Sienna is my second favorite singer,” Eliza blurted and August raised his eyebrows.
“She’s one of my favorites too,” he teased, crouching down to offer her his hand to shake. “Pleased to meet you.”
The sight of her much-smaller hand in his made something in me melt and I had to turn away, blinking furiously as my ovaries tried to combust.
This was… not ideal. Looking at August from a distance was one thing, but having him here, in my personal space, when I didn’t know what that kiss meant or why he’d left so suddenly or whether he wanted to do it again—
“I like this,” a deep voice said in my ear, tugging gently on the hem of the jersey I’d forgotten I was still wearing.
I forced myself to remain calm as I glanced up and found August there, watching me intently. “Thanks, I like it too. Team spirit and all that.”
“If you fancy sharing the love, I’m sure I can rustle up a number sixteen for you, Sienna.”
I glanced up and bit my lip to stop my laugh as a face I’d only seen in pictures smirked at me.
“Brock Ford. I’m familiar with your work.
” I grinned at August, thinking he’d find my reference to the team’s nude charity calendar amusing.
Instead, his jaw was tight and his eyes shadowed as he watched Brock and me intently.
Brock took a step closer. “Flattered, I’m sure.
” He flicked a look at August, who had moved at the same time Brock did until he stood nearly between us.
“Well, you just let me know about that jersey,” he continued, amusement lining his face as he watched August but directed his words to me as he made to move closer.
“She’s good,” August growled, folding his arms and stepping more fully between us. “She already has a jersey — mine.”
Was–Was August jealous?
Surely not. Despite our kiss yesterday, this was a fake relationship. How could he feel possessive over something that wasn’t really his? Or was this all for show?
Brock chuckled but raised his hands as he backed away. “Never hurts to know your options.”
“It might,” August muttered and I inhaled so quickly I choked as Brock laughed again and turned to sign a jersey for a kid waiting patiently to one side.
Louise waggled her eyebrows at me when I caught her eye and I narrowed my gaze, walking away from August and dropping back into my seat. I was only a little surprised when he followed, but when he bent down unexpectedly I couldn’t help the gasp that left me as his lips found my cheek.
“Enjoy the rest of the game,” he said and I just stared up at him, shocked into silence and not trusting what I might say to him if I opened my mouth while I could still feel the heat from his kiss on my skin. “I’ll see you after we win.”
His grin was cocky and nearly distracted me from what he’d said.
“Wait. After?”
“Family dinner. You didn’t think you could publicly be my girlfriend, come to my football game, and I wouldn’t bring you home to meet my mother?” The flash of his smile was self-assured and I didn’t get to reply before he was jogging away, back to the match.
My head snapped towards Louise and she had one hand pressed against her mouth, like she wasn’t sure if I could handle her laughter right then. “This is supposed to be fake,” I whispered to her, leaning in close, and she patted my cheek lightly. “That wasn’t in the contract.”
“Well, I guess if you want to keep up the ruse, you’ll have to meet his mom.”
But did I really need to keep up the ruse that badly? It was one thing to lie to the faceless public, but his mother?
“What’s worrying you more?” Louise continued. “Keeping the act up? Or the possibility that it’s not an act at all?”
I didn’t dignify that with a response, just shot my best friend a look that I hoped conveyed how dare you know me so well and simultaneously let me have my denial as I turned my attention back to the game resuming down below.