Set against the backdrop of exhilarating matches and glittering stadium lights, Offside Temptation is a sultry exploration of love, loss, lust, and second chances. As Lauren and Trent face the pressures of their public lives, will they score the ult...
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After seeing the picture Trent posted on Instagram from his morning workout with the team and receiving his message that he was on his way to London, Lauren made a conscious effort to keep the excitement that bubbled inside of her in check.
"Why are you acting like you're not happy as fuck?" Ashley teased knowingly.
"Because I'm not," Lauren pouted, taking a sip from her coffee as she sat in a beautiful cafe only a stone thrown from her hotel on FaceTime to her best friend.
"Trent is driving over three hours to see you and whatever you've got between your legs that has him hooked, don't act brand new," Ashley smirked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You know he's into you, right? You can't pretend you're not excited about this."
Lauren rolled her eyes, trying to maintain her composure. "I'm not about to get my hopes up or clutch at things that aren't there. We have great sex, and I don't want to read too much into it."
Ashley leaned closer to the screen, her expression turning serious. "But what if it's more than that? He wouldn't drive all that way and plan to stay in London for a few days just for casual sex. He clearly wants to see you."
Lauren sighed, stirring her coffee absentmindedly. "I know, I want to see him too, but it doesn't really mean anything."
"You mean your scary ass doesn't want it to," Ash shot back, her tone teasing but with an undercurrent of sincerity. "You're so afraid of getting hurt that you're pushing away something that could be really good for you."
"Maybe," Lauren admitted, her voice softening. "But you haven't even taken my career into consideration, I can't be fucking the athletes I'm supposed to sit on television and analyze."
Ashley raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Oh please, Lauren. You're not some tabloid headline waiting to happen. You're a professional, and you can separate your personal life from your career. Besides, it's not like you're dating him publicly. You're just... enjoying each other's company."
"Enjoying each other's company?" Lauren echoed, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "That's one way to put it. But what if it gets complicated?"
"Then you have an honest conversation," Ashley replied, her tone firm. "You're both adults. You can set boundaries. But don't let fear dictate your happiness. You've spent far too long doing it; you deserve to have fun."
Lauren took a deep breath, feeling the weight of Ashley's words.
She knew she was right.
There was no denying that Lauren was hard on herself, a mentality she developed on the soccer field and hadn't been able to let go of even after retiring two years ago.
The pressure to maintain a professional image had always been a part of her life, and it was hard to shake off the instinct to keep her personal and professional worlds separate. But as she sat in the café, watching the world go by, she couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope. Maybe it was time to let go of some of that control.
