Page 53 of Play For Me

“CeCe!” Jay calls when he sees me. “You look hot, girl.”

“Thanks buddy.” I ended up dressing the way I normally do, but I did pick my nicest, tightest pair of jeans, and a blue tank top instead of my normal black. And I may have let Violet do a little more to my makeup than I’m used to.

I’m not really looking at Jay as he moves in to hug me. Not when Solomon is standing behind him, looking stiff and uncomfortable but so ridiculously gorgeous. I’d gotten used tohim wearing athletic clothes around the soccer field so the sight of him in dark jeans and a soft grey henley is both welcome and surprising. And he’s wearing his glasses tonight, and that’s just…man. Why are they so hot on him?

“I take it Jay already indulged in some of the beer?” I ask Sol, hoping to lighten him up a little. When his lips curve in response, I feel the most ridiculous surge of triumph.

“Nah. He just naturally has the personality of a drunk idiot.”

“Hey!” Jay gives me a pouty look. “You see what I have to put up with?”

“How do you think I feel? I have to put up withbothof you,” a dry voice says, and I realize, for the first time, that a third person came in with Sol and Jay.

“Emery,” I say, trying to hide my surprise. Though I’d invited her, I hadn’t really expected her to show up. She doesn’t make a habit of hanging out with the soccer team after last year’s debacle with our goalkeeper. “It’s nice to see you.”

Her eyebrow arches up, just a bit, and I get the feeling she’s not buying my welcome. I’m just relieved that Jenny is on a date tonight so there’s no chance of ex-girlfriend drama.

I make the mistake of looking up to catch Solomon’s eye. There’s a hint of amusement in his gaze, probably remembering our conversation during stretching, and I can’t help the smile that tugs on my lips.

“Well, then,” Jay says loudly, and I tear my attention from Solomon to see his best friend grinning, eyes darting back and forth between the two of us. He looks positively gleeful, and I wonder how long we were actually looking at each other. Heat comes to my face.

And it gets worse when I realize Emery is looking between the two of us as well. But she doesn’t seem nearly as pleased by whatever she sees. In fact, she’s downright scowling.

“You guys want something to drink? Or eat? We have tons of snacks.” I say it too quickly, my voice too loud, and Jay’s grin grows even bigger.

Someone save me,I think to myself. I obviously can’t be within ten feet of Solomon Barnes without giving myself away.

“Hey!” a bright voice calls, and relief crashes through me when I see that Vega has come to join us. Vega is just who you want at your side during a potentially awkward moment. She’s so bright and engaging it’s hard to feel anything but comfortable—if slightly overwhelmed—in her presence.

Tonight is no exception. Within ninety seconds she’s introduced herself, complimented Emery’s leather jacket and smokey eyeshadow technique, gushed over Jay for bringing beer, and hauled both of them into the kitchen to sample the cookies she made for the party, talking a mile a minute the whole time.

And leaving me alone in the entry hallway with Solomon.

“She can be kind of a lot,” I say, not meeting his eyes. “But, um, I’m glad you came.”

God, I sound ridiculous. Who is this person that’s taken control of my body today? I was awkward when I invited him and beyond ridiculous when getting ready earlier.

But then Solomon does something that both calms and sets me a light at the same time.

“Thanks for inviting me, Cecelia,” he says plainly, reaching out and lightly touching my elbow.

It’s not a big deal, not really. He touches me all the time during training—it’s literally his job. And a simple elbow graze is nothing. Casual. The kind of thing you’d do to any platonic friend.

So why does it feel like all the air in the room got sucked up the second his skin brushed mine? Why is there heat shooting upmy arm from where he made contact? Why is my chest suddenly all warm and gooey?

“You okay?” he asks.

Great. My bonkers behavior is apparently no secret. I force myself to look up and meet his eyes and just like that, everything in me calms. He’s looking down at me with that now familiar steady gaze, dark eyes warm and unjudging. I’m not sure what he sees in my expression, but his features soften even more.

“I’m okay,” I confirm, even managing to smile. It almost looks like his breath catches, just for a second. “You want a beer?”

“That sounds great.”

He follows me to the kitchen. Several people call out to him—most of my teammates are here and they all know Sol by this point. I expect him to stop and chat but he merely waves in greeting and stays by my side.

And I don’t feel smugly pleased about that at all.

In the kitchen, I show him the beer options in the cooler then gesture him over to the fridge where I open the vegetable crisper. “Don’t rat me out, but Cade hides all his craft brews in here during parties so the guests don’t drink it all.”