Chapter 26: Chapter 26

AVERY

“Try to score on me,” he says in my ear.

“How? You’re like a giant compared to me,” I protest, trying to focus on the hoop and not his bare chest pressed against my back.

“Step into me. Try to push me over and take your shot,” he instructs, sliding his hand around my thigh and pulling it out so that I’m more balanced.

My heartbeat hammers in my ears. My fingers curl around the ball, holding it so tight that I think it might pop.

“Don’t be nervous,” he whispers.

“I’m not.”

I angle my shoulder down to drive him back, brushing up against his hard body as I raise my arms overhead to shoot. I hold my breath as the ball leaves my grip and watch as it flies toward the hoop. It hits the rim and bounces off.

Reed jogs to retrieve it.

“Nice try, Avery. I thought that was going to go in.” He takes position at the three-point line. “Now, it’s my turn. Keep me from scoring by any means necessary.”

~Any means necessary?~

Then it hits me. I make my move the next time the ball travels from one of his hands to the other, snatching it away and turning my back to him when he tries to get it.

“Nice move, Avery,” he praises, pressing into me from behind. “But now you’ve got to keep it away from me and score.”

Smiling, I arch my back, sticking my ass out so that it brushes against him. He groans and lets out a heated chuckle, wrapping his arms around me and trying to swat at the ball. His hips grind against my backside as we battle for control.

“I have to give it to you. I wasn’t expecting that,” he says as his large hands come to my waist, securing me like a vise to his hard body.

I bite my lip to suppress a moan as his intoxicating cologne engulfs me again.

~God, he smells so good. Like warm sandalwood and coconut drinks on the beach~.

I close my eyes and inhale the scent. Being wrapped up with him like this makes it hard to think straight. It’s like being drunk, except it’s not tequila that’s making my head dizzy. It’s Reed.

It’s the smell of him. The feel of him pressed so tightly against me, and the way his breath sounds in my ear just like I imagine it would if he slipped inside me. The thought sends a blast of heat straight to my legs, and my teeth find my lip again as my thighs ache.

It’s getting harder to pretend that my body isn’t reacting to him. Difficult to act nonchalant when his hands are on me and his groin is glued to the crack of my ass.

“Do you give up yet?” he murmurs, his voice like silk as he reaches down the front of me to grasp the ball.

My knees buckle when I feel his breath tickle the small hairs on my neck, my chest swelling and achy for something I know I shouldn’t want. The one thing I know I can never have.

~I should give up. Stop flirting with this line we both know we shouldn’t cross.~

But I can’t. And more than that, I don’t want to.

The logical part of me knows this is bad. But the newly awoken reckless part wants to keep going. Wants to keep moving against him and feel his bulge growing firmer against my ass. Wants to crank up the charge on this energy that zips and hums in the air and see if it finally combusts.

Reed presses himself impossibly closer when I don’t respond, and I can’t keep myself from reacting this time. My cheeks flare when I release a desperate moan into the room.

“Come on, Avery. Just give…in,” he croons, working a gasp from my mouth as his fingers slide along my skin.

I can’t stand it. I can’t stand how he seems to know exactly how to make my mind go blank. How my body responds to him even though it knows it shouldn’t. How my heart does a somersault when he looks at me like I’m the only woman he sees. The only woman he will ever want to see.

The feeling is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. It’s a terrifying, intense, all-consuming, and thrilling sensation that makes me feel like I can soar. Like our souls were separated in another lifetime, and we would swim through oceans, scale the highest mountains, or journey through fire just to be together again.

~Is this more than desire? More than attraction? Is this… No. It can’t be.~ ~It’s just the heat of the moment.~

Shaking my head, I abruptly back into the unsuspecting Reed, spinning around so I can dribble away and shoot.

~Swish.~

It goes in without touching the rim.

Stunned into silence, Reed takes a seat on the bench and pops open his water bottle. He takes a big gulp and then picks up a towel to wipe the sweat from his brow, drawing my eyes to the contours of his muscles.

“Nice move,” he chuckles in disbelief as he stands and pulls me in for a hug.

He pulls back and looks down at me, that familiar heat rising in his eyes. I want to hold him tighter, maybe lean closer, but his phone rings. He lets me go and rushes to answer it.

“Josh! What’s up, man?”

Naturally, my brother would choose this moment to call. I roll my eyes and step away, spotting a vending machine. I fish out a few dollar bills and purchase an electrolyte drink while Reed chats with Josh.

Reed catches up with me after they finish, my water bottle and towel in hand.

“Josh is heading out tomorrow, so he wants to do go-karts tonight. We need to get moving.”

“All right.” I nod, dabbing at my sweat-soaked skin with the towel.

We start heading for the stairs.

“Hey, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask,” he says, holding the door open for me.

“What’s that?”

“I’ve got a work gala the night before Halloween, and I need a date. Would you do me the honor?” He tries his best to look irresistibly charming.

~A date? No. This is a terrible idea.~

Sensing my hesitation, he sweetens the deal with a tempting offer he knows I won’t be able to resist. “You can show me how to be a gentleman in a formal setting. And my dream girl might be there…if she says yes.”

He’s got me there. I’ve been wanting to know who she was since he first mentioned her.

“All right, Reed. You’ve got yourself a deal.”

“Great. It’s a date then,” he teases.

REED

My phone rings as soon as I walk in the door the day before the gala.

I answer as I head to my room to lay out my suit and tie. “What’s up, man?”

“Hey, Reed. So, you showing up solo again tomorrow, or are you finally going to give Harper a chance and take her out?” My coworker, Harrison, jokes, hinting at the crush one of the women at our firm has on me.

I laugh. “Harper is nice, but I’ve told her before I’m not interested. Besides, I’m bringing someone. Someone very special to me.”

~Someone I’ve waited a long time to have a date with.~

I nearly jumped to the goddamn heavens when Avery agreed to be my date. It had been hard to keep my excitement contained while we were around Josh and Madison that night, but I managed. Barely.

Harrison lets out a surprised gasp. “You never bring a date to these things. Harper will be so disappointed. This girl must be something special if she’s caught your attention. I can’t wait to meet her.”

I grin. “She’s everything. You’ll see.”

I hang up and clip on Champ’s leash. All I can think about as we walk is having Avery all to myself tomorrow night. Imagining her on my arm under the glittering chandeliers sets my heart racing.

~Maybe I’ll even get the courage to tell her the truth.~