Page 36 of The Hot Shot

Violent heat suffuses my cheeks. The photo is unedited; I haven’t had time to crop out certain things. It doesn’t take a genius to know Dani is staring at Finn’s cock, hanging low, the wide tip just touching the floor.

“Ah...” Meghan, huffs out a sound. “Is he... Um?”

The heat in me churns, pushing at my skin and clogging my throat. Finn’s cock isn’t hanging limp but is at half-mast, thickand curving a bit as if it’s about to get a whole lot thicker. God, I hadn’t even noticed at the time. And now? I am painfully aware that two other women are looking at it; violating Finn’s privacy.

“He’s getting there,” Dani whispers.

The heat in me boils over into something vengeful and dark that feels like possession but is stronger. It crashes over me, followed by a punch of recrimination and shame. I put this picture up without checking. I let them see this. Instantly, I shift the image toward his torso, zooming in on it so that his lower half is out of view.

Somehow, I find my voice, but it sounds halting to my ears. “It happens sometimes when the guys don’t have clothes on.” I don’t know if I’m defending Finn or myself. Neither of us has any reason to be ashamed, but I don’t want these women assuming the worst. I push on before they can answer, as if the subject of Finn and his dick is nothing more than a blip. “We’d do something more like this.”

“Too bad,” Dani murmurs, but then says in a stronger, more professional tone, “I think we should at least bring it down to his hips. Although I’m happy to Photoshop it, if you want to go lower, Meghan.”

No fucking way. You don’t get him.

“I edit my own work,” I say tightly. “You can crop the picture however you think best after that.”

Fuck. I don’t even want her manipulating Finn’s image. I don’t want anyone looking at it again.

“Okay, sure,” she says, clearly trying to bring things back to the light and easy level we’d been on before.

I need to get ahold of myself.

On my second monitor, I pick out a shot of Rolondo laughing as he holds a football over his crotch. I move the image over so that it shows up in our chat room. “This is a good one for publicity,” I offer. “Rolondo’s smile is infectious, and he’s playing really well right now.”

Thank you, James, for your constant football prattle.

“Love it,” Meghan says. “But back to Manny’s shot. Maybe we should lead with that one.”

I’m not bringing it back on-screen. No one else is seeing the unedited version again.

I shake off the possessive feeling that’s clinging to my neck.

“It’s up to you, obviously, but I think it’d work much better as a surprise. Everyone is going to want to see Mannus. He’s your star quarterback and team leader. Keep him under wraps, and you feed the need.”

Part of me is internally laughing at all the bullshit I’m spewing, and wonders if they’ll see right through me. The other part hates that I’m even in a conversation that revolves around how to best use Finn’s fame.

But Megan makes an agreeable noise over the phone. “I like it. Let’s go with Dex and Rolondo for now.”

“I can send them over in about an hour,” I promise. “I’m just going to touch up a few shadows.” Shadows being a set of balls, but she doesn’t need to hear that.

“Great. I’ll plan to get them out with a press release today.”

Thankfully, the call finishes quickly. As soon as I hang up, I let out a breath and hold my head in my hands. What the fuck is wrong with me? I just hissed and swiped over Finn like some territorial she-beast. I have the horrible suspicion that, if I had been in the room with Dani and Meghan at the time, I’d have bared my teeth at them.

Total she-beast.

Finn isn’t mine, and he can take care of himself. Then again, he didn’t want to be seen as some piece of man-meat. You were right to protect him.

Running my fingers through my hair, I flip the heavy mass back over my shoulder and take a long, cleansing breath. I have work to do. Thinking about Finn Mannus isn’t part of that job. The sooner I remember that, the better off I’ll be.

The thought barely settles when my phone dings, and mystupid heart gives a happy leap. It’s embarrassing how fast I grab for the phone. Maybe even more so when my grin wavers, as I see that it isn’t Finn but James.

JamesTTwerk:You almost done for the day?

CC:Just finishing up

JamesTTwerk:Cool. You want me to pick you up on Friday?