The red light on the camera goes out, and the room fills with the noise of the crew members shifting gears.
Sam unclips her mic, stands, and gives Aston a warm, brief hug. “You were great. Tell your parents I said hello.”
“Will do, Sam. Thanks.” He smiles.
“I’m going to take a quick break while we set for Brody Vaughn,” she says as she walks to me, leaning in closely. “His endurance on the field might be fine, Eva, but his focus during an interview is entirely dependent on where you’re standing.”
Before I can shoot back a response, she’s already out the door.
I unclip my headset, tossing it onto a cart, and sort the paperson my clipboard, trying to act like I’m not tracking his every move.
A shadow falls over me, his woodsy cologne filling my space. I look up and see him standing on the other side of the cart, his hands loosely tucked into the pockets of his pants.
“An ‘iron-fisted field producer,’ huh?” I ask, raising an eyebrow as I set the papers I need for the next interview on the cart. “I think you overestimate my authority, Fifty-Four.”
“Nah, I think I got it just right, Carrington,” he counters, a slow, flirty smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He steps around the cart, bringing him closer, his voice dropping in the way that makes my pulse spike. “You look good, Eva.”
“I look like I’ve been working since six a.m., Aston,” I say, trying to sound unaffected, but I’m sure I can’t hide the pink in my cheeks. “But thank you. You don’t look bad yourself. I’ll make sure the editors cut the parts where you looked shocked by Sam’s questions.”
“I wasn’t shocked, really. All in good fun,” he says softly, his eyes falling to my lips for a lingering second before moving back to mine. The teasing is gone, replaced by a hesitancy, like he had on the field a few weeks ago. “So, listen, I’m glad you were here today. I wasn’t sure if you would be or not.”
“Definitely here. Part of the job.” I smile softly this time. Damn his gorgeous face.
His jaw tightens a fraction, his eyes narrowing as he assesses my demeanor.
“Right,” he says. “Part of the job.”
“Yep.” I smile and set my clipboard down.
“Okay then.” He leans in closer, the flirty charm sliding back into place. “Since we’re both adults and you’re completely unbothered by the mistake I made a few months ago, let me take you to lunch. There’s a little diner about five minutes from here. No cameras or people that’ll bother us. I’d really like a chance to talk to you alone.”
My stomach flips, but I force a cool smile. “I can’t. I have toget Sam through the interview with Brody, then review the footage with the editing team and set up the production schedule for the next segment this afternoon.”
Aston lets out a low, disappointed sigh, but the smirk on his face tells me he’s not about to give up. “Another time then?”
I take a step toward the door, my eyes locked on his as I let a wicked smile spread across my face. I tilt my head, letting the silence stretch between us.
“Maybe.” I flirt back in challenge. “If you’re lucky.”
Aston’s eyes flare, a grin breaking across his face. “You know, Carrington, I’ve always been pretty lucky.”
“We’ll see,” I call over my shoulder as I walk out of the room. But the minute I round the corner, my shoulders drop. I lean my back against the wall, letting out a long, shaky breath I didn’t realize I was holding. My heart is hammering, and my skin feels hot.
This is what this man does to me. I know I won’t be able to say no the next time he asks me out.
I close my eyes for a second and see his stupid, hot face in my head. Six more games on his sidelines.
My head is still spinning when I push off the wall and make my way to the restroom to splash some water on my face.
I’m playing a dangerous game with a man who could very easily devour me whole and make me lose all sense.
And I think I’ll love every minute of it.
Fuck.
CHAPTER FIVE
ASTON
