Page 34 of Take Her On

“Yeah. My ankle is fine.” They followed the rest of the team to the changing rooms, walking in silence for a bit until Jamie cleared her throat. “Can we just have fifteen minutes where we talk, and you don’t bite my head off?”

They walked for a bit more, until Maya sighed. “Fine. Where do you want to go?”

The first win of the season must have softened her. Jamie would take whatever she could get.

“You need a lift home?” she asked.

Maya glanced at her as they stepped inside the corridor to the changing rooms, and victory music to the sound of Dua Lipa started pumping from the home end. “Okay, fine. But fifteen minutes is all you get.”

Jamie smiled. “Deal.”

Chapter Ten

Maya

After showering—at opposite ends of the cubicles, while Maya rolled her eyes through the group rendition of “Reach For The Stars” by S-Club 7—she and Jamie were the last people left in the changing rooms.

To say Maya was nervous was an understatement. She hadn’t expected to have this conversation today.

Hadn’t wanted to, at least.

You’re a coward, Maya.

Jamie was right, she’d been avoiding her, and it had worked great until now. Maya had actually managed to study for her January exams, and then, when her eyes were sore, she’d run until her body was.

Anything to stop her from thinking about that kiss.

Except all she’d done was think about it. And now she needed to sort this out. It was part of her responsibilities as captain. Lead by example. Always be encouraging. Don’t get involved in messy love triangles that could affect the team’s ability to play football.

It hadn’t dawned on Maya until she’d stepped back into the main room at Rosie’s, and Leah had welcomed Jamie back to the group with a warm hug, that she’d severely fucked up with that last one.

What the hell had she been thinking? What the hell was Jamie playing at? And why, oh why, was the feel of her mouth on hers still playing on a loop in her mind?

Curse this woman. Curse her to the ends of the earth.

Jamie had no right to be playing the guilt-trip card. Not when she was stringing Leah along, too. The last thing Maya wanted to do was get involved with one of her silly games.

Maybe that’s the reason she left the Harriers in the first place. For sleeping around and causing too many team dramas. Someone like Jamie probably thrived off the attention.

That might be a bit harsh. Maya didn’t really know her. But she could still make her sweep.

Jamie bent over, grunting as she reached for a Starburst wrapper with a broom. It wasn’t a sight Maya had expected to see today, but surprisingly, it did make her feel better. Jamie had offered to help so many times that, in the end, Maya just gave her the brush to do it herself while she checked the Millton City women’s score on her phone.

She just needed to stop thinking about Jamie’s hands gripping her face, and her tongue sliding in her mouth.

Or the other reaction it flared up, low and dangerous in her stomach.

Had seducing Maya been part of her plan all along? God dammit.

She cleared her throat, hoping Jamie wouldn’t see her blush. “Uh, ready to go?”

They walked side-by-side down the squeaky hall.

Be cool and casual. Have a clear head, nip this in the bud, then get back home to help Grandma.

“I just gotta drop the kit bag by the washer, and then we can go,” Maya said.

“I didn’t know they had washing-machines here.” Jamie held the door for her, and Maya gave her a tight smile as she hurried through.