Page 28 of Racing Heat (The Forbidden Heat #2)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

~CASSIE~

The whole team is in the theater room, as I like to call it.

It reminds me of a movie theater. August must have had so much fun when he designed this training facility and stadium.

There are so many things about it that are over the top, this room being one of them.

The chairs remind me of individual movie theater seats, except they don’t recline.

But they are plush, with cupholders and side tables that pop up to hold our lunches.

Coach Watts must have asked Mac for a lunch recommendation, because I recognize the food from her favorite taco spot.

I’m starving. After Jase dropped me off, I had just enough time to change, take my supplements, and head to the stadium.

I could get used to mornings like this—no food, just a bit of Jase.

“Where were you this morning?” Mac asks from her seat beside me. “I came by your place to see if you wanted to walk for protein coffees, but you didn’t answer.”

“I was there. I might not have heard you. I took a really long shower and sort of had a slow, lazy morning.” I try to keep my face neutral and hope she can’t sense the panic running through my head.

“Okay. I just haven’t seen you much lately.”

“You were at Danny’s yesterday, spending time with him. We can hang out today if you want, after practice or something.”

“I have to run to Target to get some groceries and stuff. Want to come with?”

I nod. “Yeah, that would be great. I need a few things too.”

“Great. We should see if Amelia or Hendrix need anything too.” Mac looks around like she’s trying to find them.

Hendrix is holding her plate, talking with Jase.

He looks casual and calm, but I consider whether or not his insides are churning, wondering if anyone can tell what’s happening in his head the way I am.

I try not to let my gaze linger too long, but it’s long enough that our eyes meet.

I look away immediately, hoping no one notices.

“There she is,” Mac says, and I jump out of my seat. “Are you okay?” Mac is looking at me with concern, her hand resting on mine. “I didn’t mean to scare you. Why are you so jumpy?”

“Yeah, sorry. I think I need some caffeine,” I lie easily. I wish I would have heard you knock for that coffee.”

“You do look tired. Did you not get a lot of sleep last night?”

“I didn’t, no. Not sure why I couldn’t sleep.

” I clench my thighs thinking of all the deliciously dirty things he did to me and how I’d love to relive every single second.

But not in this room, because I worry that someone other than Jase will be able to tell what I’m thinking and just how turned on I am.

“I didn’t get much sleep last night either, but that’s because of Danny. I swear the man couldn’t get enough. But then again, neither could I.” She flushes at her words.

“I’m happy for you, Mac. It’s so nice to see things going so well for the two of you,” I tell her, and I mean it.

If anyone deserves some happiness in the love department, it’s her.

It’s nice to see her embrace it too. I was worried that eventually the pressures of being a captain would get to her, and she’d toss him aside.

Not that Danny would have gone willingly; he’s totally smitten with her.

The same way you are with Jase, the voice in my head says. I grin.

“What?” she asks. “What was that look for?”

“Nothing,” I say, shrugging it off.

“Is there someone?”

I don’t get the chance to answer her, though, because Coach Watts is clapping his hands at the front of the room.

“Alright, ladies, everyone has some food, now let’s find a seat.

I’d like to go over the game footage from the Courage’s last game.

They played San Diego, and as you know, they gave us some trouble last time.

I want you all to pay attention to the formations they’re using.

Watch how far the keeper comes out of her box and look at the distance the defense provides.

Because it ain’t much.” That causes the room to chuckle.

“But it’s okay. We’ve dealt with it before.

We can handle it again. I know you’re eating, and I want you to enjoy your food. But I need you to focus.”

Everyone nods in agreement. My eyes are focused on the screen.

The first half will mostly be filled with silence.

He wants us to watch and learn. The footage may be paused to point out unique things; however, for the most part, it will just play.

The second half is when the majority of the talking and instruction will come in.

I pull out my notebook and begin to take notes, marking the positioning on the field.

I’ve been doing this since college. It helps me visualize it later.

I draw out the field and place little x’s where the midfielders are marking from in the box, on corners, and how far up they take their runs.

It gives me a good idea of the type of game I’ll need to play.

If I’m going to hang out high and help the offense, or if I’ll be pushing back with the defense.

With this team, I think the goal would be offense, but I watch to see if I’m right.

The first half plays with no interruptions from the coaching staff, until there’s about thirty seconds left in the game.

Jase takes the remote and hits the pause button.

All eyes snap to him, ready to learn whatever it is he’s seen.

Frankly, I’m curious. I lean forward in my seat.

Nothing that I just saw made me think this was critical, but he saw something.

“Alright, look at the goalie. Look how she’s coming out here and becoming part of the backs. Do you see how she’s cutting off all the angles? They aren’t worried about having no keeper in the box, because everyone is marked and everyone is covered. Who would bother to even shoot?”

“Someone from the eighteen,” I offer without thinking.

“Really? You think you could get one by her, Cas?”

His brown eyes are fixed on me. He’s challenging me. It makes me sit up a little straighter, ready to take this challenge on. He did say he’d make me beg, right?

“Where on the eighteen would you shoot from?” he asks. “Come up here and show me.”

I rise and stroll to him on wobbly legs. He hands me the laser pointer that he was just using to mark things on the screen. Our fingers brush as I take it. I feel the jolt of electricity from just that small touch.

“Sure, I’ll show you,” I say, facing the screen.

I look at my options and then realize I might not have seen what I thought I did.

I might be eating some crow here. Then it hits me.

I see the spot and look over at him, smiling triumphantly.

“I would shoot from here.” I point to the corner of the screen, just outside the eighteen.

“If you can get some air on the ball, it should sail in. And if I use my speed, I might be able to get a shot off without getting marked first. What do you think?”

A ghost of a smile dances on his face. There’s pride in those eyes.

But he shakes his head. “Let’s look at this a little closer.

Sure, you can sprint here to the edge and get your shot off but look at the position of this left back.

You don’t think she’s going to rush forward and foil your plan?

You’re fast, Cas, but you’re not that fast. That wouldn’t work.

There’s no shot here.” He hands the pointer back to Coach Watts.

“You can take your seat now, Simmons.” He says my name like he wasn’t just moaning it hours ago.

I stare at him, chin jutted out in defiance. He doesn’t have to give me special treatment, but he’s not going to be hard on me for no reason. “There’s a shot there. Maybe someone who plays a field position should look at it.”

I hear several gasps from around the room. I know I’ve gone too far. Normally, I wouldn’t. Normally, I’m meek and mild. But for whatever reason, him telling me I was wrong got under my skin more than it should have. I look at his face and see the anger, the fire in his now molten eyes.

“I think you might want to run some laps afterward, Cassie,” Coach Watts chimes in, “because that is not how we speak to Coach Ford.”

“I think it could work,” Andie chimes in, “but I’m not sure we’d have the timing. It might be worth running in practice.”

Yes! Girl power, I think to myself. Someone who’s willing to stand up to him with me.

“Thank you.” I grin at her. I address Coach Watts and Jase next. “I’ll run if you want me to, but I think it could work. I think if we want to beat them, we’ll have to make some gutsy moves.”

“Not that gutsy,” Jase argues.

I don’t say another word. I flop down in my seat and scowl at the screen.

“Easy there, killer,” Mac says, patting me on the back. “Since when do you give the coaches hell?”

I shrug. “He’s lacking some vision here, Mac. Can’t you see it?”

“Enough,” Coach Watts says sternly. “There’s no shot. Thanks for pointing out that coverage, Jase. Now, on to the next play.”

The film is resumed, and I don’t say another word the whole time. Andie takes her turn giving her thoughts on how we should play this, as does Coach Watts, and finally, Jase rounds it out with some goalie advice.

“Keepers, come on up here. I want to show you something that she’s doing well. We’ve worked on cutting them off during corners like this, but I want you to see another example of it.” Hendrix, Miranda, and Kate make their way to the front.

Jase talks quietly, showing them what he’s talking about. I can hear Hendrix speaking, but I can’t make out what she’s saying.

“I’d like to practice that,” Kate says.

“Me too,” Hendrix agrees readily.

“Great. We’ll work on it at the next practice. Thanks for indulging me, Coach Watts. The floor is yours again, Nate.” Jase moves to sit by Andie.

He’s seated right across from me, his eyes boring into mine.

It takes every ounce of strength I have for me to not look at him.

I almost make it, but I get weak and look over.

He’s watching me so intently. Same stoic expression from earlier.

I give up and go back to listening to Coach Watts.

If Jase’s not careful, someone is going to notice.

As soon as we’re dismissed, my phone beeps.

Jase: Not cool. You can’t do that.

I roll my eyes, shoving the phone back into my pocket.

I could do it, and I did because I was right.

I leave the training facility quickly, without really saying goodbye to anyone.

My high from earlier is gone. Instead, it feels like he singled me out and was harder on me than he would have been on anyone else.

If he was worried we were going to get caught, he went about it the wrong way.

That might have drawn just as much attention as if he had winked at me or even brushed up against me.