“You know it will be much more than that but if that’s what you need to tell yourself then fine. Friends.” He sneered the word out, mocking me.
“I could say no,” I stated.
“But you won’t.” His jaw clenched and I could tell he was on edge. He was right. I couldn’t say no. I wanted answers.
“Let’s do it.”
*
I was growing frustrated but I refused to quit. Quitting would only mean he would win by default and I wasn’t about to just hand my sanity over to him. I managed to score one shot so far but Keiran had already scored seven. At this rate he would surely win but the fat lady hadn’t sung yet. No way.
I figured if I stopped staring at his biceps long enough I could score a few more shots. He changed into a muscle shirt before we started playing and I’d been drooling ever since. After seeing the fierce way he played with Keenan and the skilled way he way he played at the game I knew he was taking it easy on me but I still couldn’t deliver.
“Foul!” I called after he slapped my ass and took a shot. Eight. He grinned and dribbled the ball between his legs watching me.
“Doesn’t that mean I get a free shot?”
“Nope. That just means you get the ball. He passed it to me and I quickly took a shot before he could try to steal it from me. It bounced off the rim and he was there to catch it, dunking the ball and scoring his ninth shot.
So much for taking it easy.
“Why are you toying with me?” I heard the whine in my voice and cursed. I sounded like the numerous bimbos at school. I always thought they were born like that but maybe it was just male attention that made them act like that.
“I’m not. You’re giving up.”
“And you’re cheating.”
“I’m fighting for what I want. Are you?” He raised an eyebrow and wiped the sweat off his forehead with his shirt.
I got a peek at his glistening abs and felt my own tummy flutter. I touched my stomach, feeling the soft skin. He was hard where I was soft. Sculpted where I was smooth. I longed to rub against him to compare the difference.
“I can always show you more. Just say the word.” Shit. He caught me staring. I dropped my hand and got my head back in the game.
I was dribbling the ball fighting to keep the ball as he kept guard on me. We were close. Real close. Our breath mingled and our bodies touched. I grew hotter from a different kind of heat when my hip lodged into his groin.
“You know what I think? I think what you really want is to give in but you want the decision to be taken away from you so you won’t feel so guilty.”
I faltered and lost the ball to him as he effortlessly took a shot. I heard the telltale swish of the net signaling that he’d just won out match. The world seemed to stop until it was only us as we stared at each other. He was gauging my reaction and I knew he saw my need when his eyes darkened with lust.
“I win,” he gloated. The only sound that could be heard was the basketball bouncing in the background until that too stopped.
Chapter Nineteen
He drove me home to shower and change with a promise that we could return to school for third period. I was upset that I’d already missed Volleyball. Willow had texted me, wondering where I was, and I sent her the condensed version of what happened in English.
I left Keiran downstairs and peeled off my sweaty clothes, checking the temperature of the water before stepping inside. Our match was stuck in my head along with his everything he’d said. Did I want him to take the decision away? I still hadn’t accepted the reality of losing our deal and what it meant.
I closed my eyes and tilted my head back to run water through my hair when I heard the curtain slide back. I opened my eyes and found Keiran in the shower with me.