Page 57 of Pressure Point

“Please tell me it’s just a sprain, and our hotshot midfielder isn’t down for the count,” Cowboy said, rushing into the room, Liam hot on his heels. “Fucking Theo Kappas is already emailing me asking about it. Like he wasn’t in the press conference just now. One day, I will figure out which one of them he is, and we’re gonna have words.”

“You don’t know who Theo Kappas is?” Avery asked, confused by Cowboy’s use of “he.” Everyone around here knew who she was. Even if you didn’t watch Sports Down South, which Theo hosted every week, she was all over social media.

“I hate reporters,” he answered. “Nothing good has ever come from a reporter being involved. So I don’t bother putting names to faces if I can help it.”

Avery nodded, still a little perplexed. Wasn’t part of his job dealing with the media?

“Tiago’s off for an MRI. Avery thinks it could be his ACL,” Gunnar said, bringing her thoughts back to the matter at hand.

“Fuck me.”

“You’re not my type,” Gunnar quipped.

Liam dropped down into the chair that was next to Avery, whipping off his jersey. Avery’s attention immediately flew to his bare chest, glistening with sweat and looking absolutely perfect. Gunnar and Cowboy’s conversation faded into the background as she got lost in the sight of Liam’s bulging pecs and perfect abs. She had to fight the urge to run her finger along the ridges of his muscles—after all, they were at work and had an audience. Had he always been this hot? She felt like she should know, she had slept with him. Recently at that. But something about him right now was igniting something in her all over again.

“Shoulder still bothering you? Seemed like you landed on it pretty good there during that save.”

“Yeah,” he said, craning his neck. “Mind looking at it?”

“Of course not. That’s why they keep me around.”

“Not why I keep you around.”

Avery giggled, turning her focus to Liam’s shoulder, hoping no one saw her blush. She wished she had some equally flirty and fun comeback, but her mind was blank as she worked her fingers over his warm skin. Stepping around to the front of him, she positioned herself between his knees, and Liam let out a long, low groan as she ran her fingers over his clavicle. Her eyes flew to his lips, wanting so badly to lean down and kiss him. She could feel the pull of his mouth drawing her closer and closer, telling her it was okay to give in.

“You don’t have any idea how cute you are when you do that, do you?” he asked in a voice so low only she could hear.

“There is nothing cute about me working,” she whispered back, not believing a word he said.

“Except there is,” he said, placing his hand over hers and stopping her. “When you’re concentrating really hard, you do this little squinty thing with just your left eye, while sucking on your bottom lip. It’s adorable.”

A flush crept up the back of her neck, and Avery turned to see that the bosses had wandered off somewhere. Liam’s hand moved from hers, snaking around her waist and pulling her close to him. The heat radiating off of his body made her want to curl into him and just stay there forever. She shouldn’t be feeling this way about him—they were just friends—but that didn’t make her body want it any less.

“Liam! Team huddle!” Gunnar’s voice called.

“Coming!” Liam called back, letting her go. He pushed up from the chair, and Avery stepped back, instantly missing the contact.

“Talk after?” he asked.

“I’ll be here!” she said, her voice sounding overly chipper.

Trying to think of anything but how much I want to climb you like a tree…

Chapter Twenty

"Just promise you won’t laugh at me,” Avery said, sitting down on the edge of the couch cushion.

She watched as Liam gently placed the pizza box down on the coffee table, two paper plates sliding across the top, threatening to fall off. The smell of cheese and garlic wafted toward her, and she inhaled deeply, excited to dive in.

“When have I ever laughed at you?”

“Quite a bit, actually. Just this afternoon when I sent you back out on the field after the half.”

Liam furrowed his brow, a look of concern taking over his features. Flopping down next to her on the couch, he reached out and pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding on tight. A rush of giddiness flowed through her as their bodies met, making her want to melt into him. He placed a soft kiss on the very tip of her nose, and then gazed up into her eyes.

“That wasn’t me laughing at you, love, that was you making me laugh. There’s a difference,” he said, his face so genuine it made her heart ache. “If I’ve ever made you feel that I was laughing at you, then I’m sorry. Because I promise, when I do it, it’s because you’re making me happy.”

Avery opened her mouth to respond but couldn’t. She was pretty sure she’d just melted inside. She made him happy? Well, she certainly liked the sound of that.