the training ground had transformed into a kind of ritual less about victory and more about the unspoken dialogue they exchanged with every pass

ugh her usual recovery stretches. Her right knee that had once betrayed her in the worst way throbb

-perceptive sports psychologist, sat near

cam

dding against the tiled floor. He looked like a man wrestlin

erling?" Dr. Sharma asked,

han rough, Anya. It was sloppy." He exhaled s

tain, Maya paused mid-stretch, her ears pricking at the rawness in his tone. This wasn't the golden boy leader the wor

f carrying his family name while trying to forge a path of his own. It was the firs

r, it was Maya'

boost her vertical agility, when a bad landing sent pain up he

ups nearby, noticed. His

asked, voice uncharacteristical

ly, forcing a grin. "Fi

ight, compensating. He didn't push, didn't press but his silence spoke volumes. He sa

h each intimate moment like this causing crack

oticed t

u do with defenders," Chloe Miller teased one afte

"We don't argue. We

sexual tension these days?" Chloe

on her wat

oking and the way you watch him when you think no one's looking.

Because Chloe wasn't entirely wrong. Leo did get under h

r, Leo's longtime teammate a

d lately, Captain," Ben said du

up. "Just focuse

he women's team's training sessions has nothing t

d up. "What are y

duels' look a lot like foreplay. And for the record?

is mouth, and the way he suddenly got very focused on

rew more intimate, outside f

t, made a sudden reappearance armed with charm, strategy, and

amp, Scarlett approached M

ala incident," she cooed. "Those photos with Leo Sterling caused

focus on football, S

ar. It's just such a shame when... distractions interfer

isibly flirtatious conversation, laughing a little too loudly, touching hi

way, pretendi

she

thing deeper. Territorial, almost. Whatever was build

at too long. Every quip carried weight beneath its bite. Compliments were masked as mo

them as competitor

acade was cracking revealing s

r more