Page 13 of Racing Heat (The Forbidden Heat #2)

Chapter Thirteen

~JASE~

Anight with the boys seems to be just what the doctor ordered.

My thoughts are all jumbled up, thinking about a certain midfielder.

It’s unprofessional and it shouldn’t be happening.

The Blaze has a very strict no fraternization rule.

I’m sure the Cromwell’s won’t be bending it just for me.

Even if August and I have formed some sort of a friendship.

I look around the bar, seeing how crowded it is tonight.

There are a few Blaze players here, but not the one I’m hoping to see.

She’s at home. Our schedule has been grueling lately—a lot of running and workouts for the girls.

We’ve almost secured a spot in the playoffs, which would be amazing for a brand-new team.

It’s early yet—only June—and the season can run until September, but we’re setting a good pace with our wins versus our losses.

“What’s on your mind tonight?” Danny says, pulling me out of my thoughts.

August, however, is texting. Typical August—probably looking for his latest hookup. I swear that man can’t go two days without getting some pussy. I, on the other hand, haven’t gotten any in a few weeks. Mentioning this to any of them would just involve them playing the Let’s Get Jase Laid game.

If a certain pair of blue eyes weren’t haunting me, I might be all for it, but not with the way she watched me when we talked at lunch today.

Or the sweet, adorable way she helped me when my car broke down.

The kiss we shared hasn’t left my mind. It shouldn’t have happened, but that hasn’t stopped our gazes from lingering longer than they should.

And from my mind wondering about how she would feel in my arms again. Or how soft her skin is.

I’m so fucked.

“Jase, man, you good?” Danny is eyeing me carefully.

August is looking at me now too. Great. He’s not shy about saying something when he thinks he knows something. Danny just watches; you can tell when he’s onto something, but he has the good sense to keep it to himself.

“What’s on your mind tonight?” August asks, putting his phone down and taking a sip of his Scotch.

“Nothing. I don’t know. Just a little tired is all.” I shrug it off.

“Are they working you pretty hard over there, preparing for playoffs?” Danny asks.

“No, we’re not preparing yet,” August answers for me. “We’re just hoping to get in. It’s looking good, though.”

“It is,” I agree with him, hoping that we’re not counting our chickens too early.

It was always a superstition for me when I played.

Not looking too far ahead. Not thinking about playoffs before we were actually there.

It was different with Manchester because we were awesome.

While the Blaze isn’t terrible, they are a young team, and you can see it sometimes in the way they play.

I don’t bother to mention that to August. He doesn’t like to be told hard truths.

He likes the warm and bubbly surface stuff.

Mostly because this team is supposed to be left to him.

His father puts a ton of pressure on him to make sure it’s successful before he’ll give August some breathing room and let him be.

That kind of pressure cannot be easy. You can see the stress on him most nights, which is why he’s always on the prowl for something to help take his mind off it.

“Should we get you laid tonight instead of me?” August chuckles as he looks around the bar. “I mean, there’s some quality talent in here tonight.”

I nod. He’s not wrong. The women in this bar are very attractive. It’s not like what we see at The Backwoods. It’s always a sausage fest other than the team, and someone always realizes who August is and asks him questions about the team or angles for a job. That’s not happening here, though.

“Nah, we’re not doing that,” I tell him before taking a swig of my drink.

“You dating someone?” he asks me.

I shake my head. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and dread fills my stomach. Is he figuring something out? I mean, there’s nothing to figure out. It was just a kiss, and I’m beginning to think it was a mistake.

But it didn’t feel like one.

“I’m not dating anyone. Just super tired and I don’t feel like putting in the effort tonight,” I admit with a shrug.

“Well, then you need a super easy one who doesn’t mind doing all the work.” He picks up his phone and starts scrolling through it. “I have some suggestions that I could offer you. What do you like? Tell me your type.”

Danny snickers. “You’re shameful, man.”

August laughs and claps him on the back. “You’re only saying that because you have some steady pussy at home.”

Danny shakes his head. “No, that’s not it. But we love your whoring ass anyway.”

“Your fucking accent has to be chick bait,” August tells me for what feels like the fiftieth time. I swear he brings it up way more than anyone ever has.

“Yeah, it helps.”

“I’m sure it does. Probably even better than having money.”

I nod. I have both but I say nothing. Soccer players are viewed so differently over here in the US. In England, we’re paid so well, but it’s the wrong kind of football that’s rewarded over here.

“Let’s order some shots,” August says, dropping the subject of pussy and moving on to his other favorite game—getting us all shit-faced. It’s a game I don’t mind, though. Tonight, I could use some liquid oblivion.

“Yeah, why the hell not,” I reply.

“Thank fuck, man. You were starting to kill my buzz.”

“I can’t get too shit-faced. I’ve gotta make it home to Mac tonight,” Danny says with a grin.

“That’s what they make Ubers for,” August says, flagging down the waitress.

“What can I get for you, sugar?” she asks him, batting those wide blue eyes at August.

He eats it fucking up and grins just as wide as she is, leaning in as if the drink order is a secret that only she can hear.

“We’ll take three shots of tequila, please.” He hits her with a panty-dropping smile, and she giggles. “And if you’re allowed to have one, that would be great.”

“Sure thing, handsome. Is there anything else you gentlemen need?”

August exudes money, and it’s like she knows a big tip is sure to be coming her way. But August doesn’t give a shit. He could easily nail her or pick up someone else, leaving her still smiling. That’s the skill I haven’t been able to master, but he sure as shit has.

“Nah, we’re good,” Danny tells her.

She places her hand on his shoulder. “You’re that swimmer, right? And your father played football?”

It’s more of a statement than a question. I can see his jaw tic. He’s probably fighting to keep a sarcastic comment from rolling off his lips. But he keeps it together. “Yeah, that’s me. Thanks for getting us our drinks,” he says in way of dismissing her.

“What about you, handsome?” She’s looking right at me when she says it. “Would you like to give me your phone number?”

I shake my head, thinking how I wish the woman hitting on me in the bar was Cassie. She’s not unattractive, but she’s not her. It confuses me and makes me curious if she’d ever feel the same way.

“No, thank you,” I reply, hoping that she goes away as quickly as she came over here.

But it doesn’t work. “I love your accent.”

“Most woman do. Now please go away,” I reply.

She opens and closes her mouth like she can’t quite figure out what to say.

“You can leave now,” I tell her again.

“Fuck off, prick,” she says before shooting me the finger.

August and I burst out laughing, while Danny’s quietly seething. His eyes remain on the table, his shoulders slumped and his genuine smile from earlier gone.

August notices immediately. “I’m so fucking sorry, bro.”

We both know how much he hates being reminded of his father.

It’s something I noticed about Danny the first time I met him.

He didn’t want to live in his father’s shadow, and that’s not a relationship that’s on good terms. We’ll never see the man at the Blaze stadium cheering on Mac.

In fact, he doesn’t even want to meet her, from what I’ve gathered from the few comments Danny has made about his father.

The shots come back, and August immediately adds another round to our tab.

“Come on, man,” I say. “We have a game coming up and I have to get Hendrix ready for it.”

“What’s wrong with Hendrix?” Danny asks.

I shake my head. “Nothing. She’s good. But she’s worried about the high kicks Kansas City can shoot. I think she’ll be fine, if she comes out far enough and cuts the angle, but she’s all in her head.”

“That woman scares me a bit,” August adds. “She always looks at him like she wants to level me.”

“She probably does. She does to half the population,” Danny says with a chuckle, spinning the empty shot glass in his fingers. “Don’t you two go way back or something?”

August bobs his head. “Yeah, I’ve known her for a while.”

“Any tips on getting her out of her head?” I ask.

August chokes on air and pats his chest, attempting to get whatever went down the wrong way out. “Why would I have any tips on working with her?”

I shrug. “Just thought I’d ask.”

“Why are you being weird?” Danny asks him.

The waitress shows up with more shots, and August is able to avoid the question. I make a mental note to talk with him more about that once he’s good and drunk.

That opportunity never comes, though. August manages to order another round of shots, and I can barely stand with all the alcohol coursing throughout my body right now.

“I need some fucking water,” I tell the boys.

August nods, bobbing his head slightly to the beat. “Do you think we should go dance with those women over there?” He points to a group of scantily clad women who look like they’re all freshly twenty-one.

“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Danny slurs. “I think I should try to get home to my girlfriend before she fucking disowns me.”

“This might be why she hates it when you go out with me.” August laughs.

I scoff. “I think that’s probably because you usually have bad ideas about dancing with women who are barely legal. She’s worried you’re going to get him into some serious trouble.”

“I’m a good boy,” Danny slurs.

“Sure, you are. Now get your ass home to your woman before things get weird.”

“I already called her,” Danny tells me.

“Good call.”

“She’s coming down here?” August asks. “Does she have any friends who aren’t players who she can bring?” August slurs his words so terribly that I doubt he even has the strength to seduce a woman.

“She does not,” Danny says, shaking his head.

“Alright, I’m here to collect you.”

We all turn to see Mac standing there with both hands on her hips.

“And I’ve had the bouncer out there call each of you a cab.” She raises her eyebrows. “I thought you weren’t getting shit-faced tonight.” She looks at August with disgust.

“We were all well-behaved,” I try to assure her. Her hard eyes level me, letting me know I’m not helping. I just grin and get off my stool, stumbling a bit.

“I knew I should have brought reinforcements,” she mutters as she moves to steady me.

“I’ll be alright,” I tell her. “Let’s go, buddy.” I help August make his way out of the bar. He’s doing a better job of balancing than I thought he would be. Thankfully for him, he’s in better shape than I am.

“Miss, here are your cabs,” a man at the curb says, pointing to the two waiting yellow cars.

“Thank you.” Mac places some money in his hand and begins to drag a drunken Danny to her car. “Have a good night, boys. Lots of water and maybe something to eat when you get home.”

We both yell a thank-you in her direction. She just shakes her hand and continues to lead Danny to her car.

I get into the cab and give him my address. He nods and we slowly pull away from the curb. I sit in the darkness as the cab makes its way into traffic. My phone comes out of my pocket.

I envy Danny; he’s heading home with his lady. I unlock my phone and hover over a contact I wish I could call right about now. I wonder what she’s doing tonight. Was she with Mac when Mac got called away? Or is she having a quiet night at home?

My finger no longer hovers. It hits the send button, and I listen to the ringing, noting the time is after one in the morning. There’s no telling if she’ll actually answer.