Page 25 of The Linebacker

“Gah!”

“You all right, Diana?”

She glanced up at Dante, who had managed to walk all the way down that long hall toward her without her even realizing he was there. Man, Amil really threw her off her game. She was beginning to think she ought to just sleep with him again so she could get her equilibrium back.

“I’m fine,” she promised him. “Just a lot on my mind. Have a good practice.” She turned on her heel and strode to her office.

Time to get to work.

Time to turn off thoughts about Amil.

If that was even possible.

It was all coming together. Well, not all, but bringing Emma on to work as the team’s photographer looked like it was going to happen.

Apparently, her ability to catch some amazing shots of a cheetah mid-sprint was enough to convince Jeff that she could shoot a professional football game.

She’d then returned to LA because she had to photograph a wedding on Friday evening.

So here they were on Saturday afternoon, tailgating at the University of Oregon game, because Morgan had invited the Mountain Lions players and friends to come out and cheer on the team her father coached.

Allison had invited Emma to stay with her and Dante until she figured out her own living arrangements, and yet Diana was surprised when Allison and Dante showed up with Emma to the tailgate.

“What happened to house hunting all weekend?” she asked after a round of hugs.

“I have fantastic news,” Allison practically shouted, her hands gripping Diana’s biceps and shaking her. The way Emma was grinning said she’d already heard this news, and it was clearly good.

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense,” Diana chided.

“We don’t have to move!” Allison announced.

Dante, who had collected drinks for all of them, began doling them out.

Diana took a gulp of a seltzer that tasted like mint and lavender. “That’s great.”

Although she felt bad for Amil, who she knew really liked their house and still needed to find a permanent residence. “What happened to change your mind?”

“The winery is opening a tasting room in downtown Portland, and they want me to manage it!”

“Oh my gosh, that’s fantastic,” Diana enthused, pulling her bestie in for another hug.

“Sounds like I still need your services after all,” Amil drawled from her left.

She jumped like she’d touched a live wire. She felt like she had, too. Just being this near to him overheated her skin, her senses. She took a gulp of liquid courage before turning to face him. “What are you doing here?”

He lifted the can in his hand in toast. “Got my very own invite from Royce.”

“Oh, look at you, growing up and starting to fit in,” she teased.

He smirked, and she felt that livewire sensation again. She hated it as much as she reveled in it. The idea that they had been so freaking good together.

The idea that they could be again.

That they got along when sex wasn’t on the table. Just as well as they did with him standing in the middle of the room, clutching her ass while she clung to him and bounced on—gah!

“You look flush,” Amil noted. “Are you too warm?” His eyes told her he knew exactly why she was flushed.

Damn it.