“About . . . all of that.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” I say, batting my eyelashes.
“You . . . you . . . acted like, you know . . .”
“I really don’t. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a job to get done.” I move past him, making sure to brush my shoulder along his, a smile passing over my lips.
When the other guys walk into the media room, I give them all hugs and joke and tease with them. The entire time, Eli stands off to the side, arms crossed, watching my every move. And I can’t help but revel in his stare because, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say he’s . . . jealous.
Just what I was looking for.
“Are you going to wait for Hornsby?” Blakely asks as we move through the hallways of the arena.
“Yeah, but not really wait for him, if you know what I mean.”
“Make him think you’re doing something else, and he just runs into you.”
“Exactly.” I pull on the ties of the shirt I’m wearing. “How do I look?”
“Honestly . . . really hot.”
“Yeah?” I give a turn and say, “Does my stomach show too much?”
Blakely shakes her head. “Not too much. You’re good. This was a great idea. A change of outfit. And that push-up bra we got today? Seriously, I need to get one for myself.”
“I feel like my boobs are tickling my chin.”
She laughs. “They’re not, but getting close, and Hornsby might die when he sees you wearing his name on the back of your shirt.”
“That’s the plan.”
Before the game started, I changed out of my dress and into a pair of black maternity leggings, black booties, and a purple Agitators shirt that dips quite low in the front. And of course, it has Hornsby’s name on the back. I considered wearing a different name, maybe Posey, just to grate on his nerves, but I thought having his name on my back would make him think of claiming me, so . . . here’s hoping.
“Oh, look, they’re starting to come out of the locker room.” Blakely nods toward their locker room door.
I turn toward her. “Everything in place?”
She gives me a quick once-over and then nods. “Yes. And you smell amazing.”
“Perfect.” I give her a wink and then head over to the wall that’s across the locker room and lean against it, one foot propped against the brick.
Eli’s usually one of the first guys to walk out, so I hope I don’t have to wait here much longer.
The boys won tonight, thank goodness. We needed the win badly, which means they will be in Washington on my birthday. I’m a little sad about it, but I’m also hoping Eli being away works to my advantage.
The door to the locker room opens, and just as I look up, I’m greeted by the smooth swagger of Eli Hornsby. Decked out in a deep purple three-piece suit and black button-up, forgoing the tie to pop the top few buttons of his shirt, showing off his beautifully muscular chest.
He’s the only man I know who can literally steal the breath from my lungs.
He’s adjusting a cuff under the sleeve of his jacket when he glances up and makes eye contact with me. He pauses mid-stride, and like he did earlier, his eyes scan me up and down before he says, “Hey.”
I push off the wall. “Just the man I was looking for. Was hoping for a quote I could use for a post about the win. Think you can help a girl out?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Thank you,” I say. “Can you just text me one on your way out to your car? I have some things to finish up quickly, and then the girls and I are headed out.”
He frowns, his brows pulling together. “Headed out where?”
I smile. “To celebrate, of course. Agitators are coming back.” And then, I turn away from him and start walking away. If only I had a camera on him to see his reaction to my shirt. I give it a few seconds, and then I glance over my shoulder to see a stunned Eli, his hand dragging over his mouth. “See you at home,” I say.
Smiling to myself, I take off, quickly walking toward my office where I’ll hang out and watch Bridgerton until I’ve wasted enough time making him even more jealous.
Part of me deeply hopes that he won’t resist me for much longer. Not just because I’m incredibly horny and want Eli something terrible. But because of what I didn’t show Blakely and Winnie. If he does reject me again, if this isn’t just about what Pacey says, I don’t know what I’ll do with that. I’m fairly sure it will rip a tiny piece of my heart out, though.