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Skylar
In the dressing room, Lana leaned into me. Her sweat and grass scent filled my nose. “I’ve got some takers on the bet. Marie, Jess, Shannon, and Carmel are all in.”
“What bet?”
“Who can get there first with the hot doctor. We’ve got a hundred quid in the pot.”
Irritation made my throat close up. Was she still banging that drum? I pulled my filthy t-shirt over my head. My legs burned with exhaustion from training and wet mud clung to every inch of my body. I had no time for bullshit. I just wanted to get in the shower.
“It’s a stupid idea. Completely unprofessional. It needs to stop. He’s nice. Leave him alone.”
A teasing smile flitted across Lana’s lips. “Nice? Is the bet won already? Poor Sean. Does he know?”
The back of my neck heated. “This is so unprofessional. You should be focusing on the pitch. You know this is sexual harassment? He’s here to do a job. If Claire or Gabe knew…”
She waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t be a spoilsport. It’s just a bit of fun. Everyone is stressed and wound up about the match tomorrow. We’re just blowing off steam. Anyway, I’m sure he’d be up for it. Look what I found…”
Lana pulled out her phone and scrolled to a dating app. She held the phone low, shielding the screen with her hand. She swiped through a couple of photos of a ripped guy working out at the gym. A black t-shirt clung to his tall, muscular frame and his dark hair was damp with sweat and gloriously disheveled as he lifted weights in front of a mirror.
“Dr. Straitlace is looking for a hookup.” Lana rose an amused eyebrow and tapped a fingernail on the screen. “He claims to be a geek in the streets and a freak in the sheets.”
My brain made the connection. This was Reece? I hadn’t recognized him without his glasses. I put a hand over my mouth to smother my startled chuckle. What the hell was this? No strings fun? A love doctor here to set hearts pumping? I’d never have expected him to have such a ridiculous dating profile. My gaze drifted back down to his muscular biceps and his strong, toned legs in shorts. He might have looked buttoned up at work, but he had a banging body under all that tweed. My neck flashed hot.
The door swung open and Claire entered, followed by Reece. Reece’s smooth face flashed with momentary horror as he took in the dressing room stuffed with chattering, mud-encrusted women in various states of undress. He dropped his gaze to the floor and stood stiff and upright in the corner.
Claire blew her whistle and silence fell. “Good training session, girls. We have our penultimate game tomorrow, and I know the night before a game can be stressful. Dr. Forster is here to do a quick post-training mindfulness exercise to help you with focus tomorrow.”
She inclined her head toward Reece and flashed a tight smile. “I’ll leave you to it. I have a few… things to take care of.”
Claire dashed out. I didn’t blame her. Claire wasn’t the type to be interested in anything like this. She probably hated meditation as much as I did. The moment Claire stepped out of the door, raucous chatter and laughter broke out again.
Reece cleared his throat. “Could we have some quiet please?”
Nobody seemed to notice him apart from me. He’d need to speak up if he wanted to be heard above this restless rabble. He scanned us, smoothing his immaculate blazer, waiting for silence. He’d have his work cut out. The girls had been wild and revved up in training tonight. Nerves were high about tomorrow.
I couldn’t stop my gaze from roving over Reece’s handsome face as he tried in vain to gain some control over the team. Was he getting flustered? Why did I find the prospect so appealing? His hand had brushed mine when I’d left his office and it had made my insides flip. He was always so poised and civilized. What would he look like sweaty and breathing hard? What noises did a man so starchy make when he unraveled?
Reece cleared his throat and spoke again in his quiet, composed way. “Could everybody settle down, please?”
Nobody heard him or paid any attention. Even Gabe would have struggled to get the team’s attention after a practice session like we’d just had. He’d need some help. I leaped up onto the bench in front of the row of lockers and clapped my hands. I couldn’t watch him suffer anymore.
I yelled to be heard above the din. “Hey! You lot! Shut the fuck up, will you? Dr. Forster wants to talk to us. Give him some respect.”
The noise died down and people swiveled on the benches, turning their attention to the front of the dressing room.
Reece shot me a grateful glance. We shared a smile and I sat back down.
Lana’s mocking gaze roved over me. She leaned in and whispered, “Freak in the sheets.”
“Shut up.”
“We’re going to do a mindfulness exercise,” Reece said.
A couple of people groaned. I suppressed my eye roll. I’d tried meditation before. I hated it. It just made me angry. It would be impossible to relax in this state. The pressure of tomorrow’s match pressed heavy on my shoulders. Only a win would do. My legs jiggled up and down and my heart pounded in anticipation.
Although he addressed everyone, Reece’s gaze clung to mine, his voice low and soothing. “We’re going to take deep breaths together. We’ll breathe in to the count of four, hold for four, then release for four, slowly.”
I couldn’t tear my gaze from his mouth as his full lips parted to inhale and exhale in deliberate breaths. “Imagine you’re blowing out candles on a birthday cake. I’m going to count for you.”
