Page 53 of Scoring Chance

“Disregard,” Des tells Lulu. “Sometimes adults say silly things.”

He looks at me over Lulu and Dean and mouths “I’m sorry.” I don’t think I’ll ever be able to watch this movie in the same way again, but apology accepted.

Des’s face splits with a lazy smile that zaps me right in the belly. Then he reaches up, absentmindedly, and runs his fingers through my hair. My breath hitches.

“You’ve got popcorn in it,” he says softly.

“Oh.” My voice cracks. I clear my throat and look at the screen, trying not to think about how starved I’ve been for adult touch.

Des doesn’t stop. His rough fingers make circles in my hair. I sink into the bliss of his impromptu massage. I run my hand up his thick arm and begin rubbing his beefy shoulder. He lets out a low groan that I want to record and play on repeat until the end of time.

His fingers dip from my scalp down to my neck in an effortless move that lights me up. Back and forth he goes from my neck to my head, fingers slinking up and down, electrifying me. One finger caresses the top of my ear. How the heck is that an erogenous zone? One of the perks of playing the field is that Des is efficient when it comes to his hands. Or so I assume. I let it all happen—even lean into it.

I don’t know how long I sit there before I realize I’m getting hard.

Shit.

I shoot off the couch like it was on fire. “I’m gonna grab some water.”

Des blinks up at me. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Just...hydration. Important.”

I duck into the kitchen and lean on the counter, breathing hard. My heart is thudding like I’d just sprinted across the rink.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

Des is my best friend. We are playing house. There are rules. There are kids. This is a temporary fix, not a...a romance.

So why did my skin burn everywhere he touched? Why did my mouth ache with the need to kiss him?

I run a hand through my hair and force myself to breathe slower.

I can’t fall for him.

Even if I already am.

16

DES

Post-Wall-E, I help wrangle the kids to bed. My storytime skills are massively improving. I’ve ventured into doing voices when reading Lulu the latest Elephant & Piggie book. Her laughter is the greatest sound in the world.

Lena came home at 9:45 p.m. She went straight to her room without talking to me. I suppose I deserved that, although my suspicions about Matthias are still there. I just know it was him who gave Lena that vape pen. Sweater vest and volunteering, my ass.

The house is quiet now, that rare kind of quiet that only exists when four kids are finally asleep. The TV is off, the dishes are done, and no one needs anything from me. It’s a kind of earned silence I’m not used to, but I’m beginning to crave. It settles in around me like a soft blanket.

Tanner turns off the hallway light and gives me a sleepy smile as we head toward his bedroom. Our bedroom, I guess, for now. I’m still not used to that either.

“Long day,” he says, stretching as he walks. His T-shirt rides up a little, and I catch a glimpse of the taut skin at his waist. I look away.

“Yeah,” I say. “I think I pulled something trying to keep up with Davy in the driveway.”

He laughs under his breath, flipping the comforter back. “Kid’s a machine.”

“When’re his tryouts?”

“In a few weeks.”