Page 2 of Caught Looking

“Then you’re forgiven.” And just like that, it was as if no time had passed at all. She wrapped one arm around my waist and leaned into my side. Into her spot. We watched as Seth stumbled, out of breath and sweating so much his shirt was soaked through. “Welp, it’s official. You may have had the yips, but Butler’s a damn mess.”

My arm on her shoulder felt right. Like no time had passed at all. “I’m worried about him.”

Seth collapsed onto his back, gasping for air as Annalise effortlessly hopped over him. Seth glared but instead of getting mad or stalking off the field in a huff, he slammed his palms down into the turf and shot up, fire in his eyes.

“Don’t be.” Willa shook her head. “That one,” she pointed at Annalise, “she’s got his number.”

“That’s Annalise Ryan. Rhett’s cousin,” I explained as I watched the old Seth return. The fire, the drive, thesmile.The man he’d twisted himself into since college was nowhere to be seen as he took off after the ball, even if he did need a few weeks in the gym.

Willa giggled. “I hope Annalise Ryan knows what she just did.”

Willa’s laugh loosened something in my chest. Something unfamiliar but nice. Warm. Sweet, even.Huh.I shook it off. “You mean unleashing the beast?” The old Seth, the guy I knew was still in there, was tenacious. There wasn’t a challenge he didn’t rise to, a thing he wouldn’t do for his friends.

“It’s good to see the spark again,” Willa sighed wistfully. “In both of you.” Then she grinned up at me and my heart stopped.

Willa Cooper was gorgeous.

That feeling in my chest sparked again, then roared to life, freezing me where I stood.Willa is beautiful.That was not a thought I’d ever had for my best friend before. Why would I think such a thing? Willa was…Willa.

But before I could analyze this sudden new information, Seth barreled into us, wrapping us up in a sweaty hug. “The three amigos are back!” he howled, leaving a sloppy kiss on my cheek, then the top of Willa’s head.

Jealousy roared through me.What the fuck?

“Having a little trouble out there?” Willa laughed as she pulled away, wiping down her clothes.

My cock twitched when her hands moved over her breasts, waist, and hips.Fucking hell.I wasattractedto her? No…this couldn’t be happening.

Not Willa.Yes, Willa.

“No trouble at all.” Seth puffed up his chest and threw her a wink.

I’ll kill him.

“Just waking up from a long slumber is all.” Seth’s eyes weren’t on Willa. They were on Annalise.

“Someonegiving you a reason to pull your head out of your ass?” Willa poked Seth in the ribs like she always did. We were all handsy with each other. It never meant anything because we were friends. We tickled and wrestled and teased.

So why did I want to rip Butler’s head off and throw Willa over my shoulder?

Seth shrugged, more light in his eyes than I’d seen in years. “Maybe.” He glanced over his shoulder at me. “You coming?”

“Naw, I’m keeping Willa company. Go run some more of that sleep off.” I jutted my chin towards the field.

“You know, I think I will.” Seth shot us both a grin and jogged back to Annalise, who was waiting with a smirk and a smile.

Good luck, Annalise. You’re going to need it with that one.

Willa slotted right back into my side, only this time my entire body was aware of every inch of hers. Her hand on my hip, her thigh pressed into mine, her lips a mere fraction of an inch from my chest.

I gulped. We might all be back together but nothing was the same. Seth might have put down the asshole sword and shield he’d been hiding behind, but was older, wiser, more weathered than the boy he’d been.

And I might have escaped the yips, but I was about to ruin everything all over again.

1

ANNALISE

Fireworks exploded in the sky above me. The Florida humidity left me sticky even at night, but then again, it was July. The fancy party was being thrown by Bancroft Sports, my agency, so I was surrounded by professional athletes, sports agents, and smattering of famous and Very Important People.

---