Page 49 of Scoring Lessons

Her almond-shaped eyes stared at mine, and I’d bet every single penny I had to my name that a part of her wanted me to kiss her, too.

Like we were both about to stumble on the edge of something neither of us was willing to admit yet.

“We should have dinner,” I blurted, hoping that if I said enough words out loud, I could push the need I had to taste her to the side.

Her smile turned blinding. “Sure.”

Okay, enough, Wesley. Knock it the hell off. You’re getting greedy now.

It took every ounce of power in me to take a sudden step back.

“And scene,” I said quickly. “Not bad, right?” A short, breathless laugh escaped me as I grabbed the keys from her hands and opened the door in record time, letting her stride in before me so I could shut my eyes and take a deep, calming breath.

“You were great. I think you missed your life’s calling.”

“My acting skills are pretty nice,” I admitted. “It’s how I got your brother to adopt Captain Sushi.”

It’s that what we’re calling it? Acting? Pft, my brain mocked.

She narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”

I laughed. “I’m going to let your brother tell you that story.”

“I knew he was tricked into adopting him!” She gasped. “Does Kennedy know?”

“I don’t think so. He’d probably be dead if she did.”

Her smile turned wicked. “You’ve given me some good blackmail material. I bet I can get him to do anything now.”

Our chuckles were low, and when they died off as we strode deeper into the apartment, the air lingering between us turned thick and made each breath I took more difficult than the last, like it was desperate for an escape that wasn’t coming any time soon.

I leaned against my door, letting the side of my head rest against it. She did the same.

The only sounds filling the space were the low hum of the AC and our synced breaths. The lights of the bustling city filtered through the floor-to-ceiling window and glowed against her milky, freckled skin.

She was so painfully beautiful, it took the air straight out of my lungs.

Her gaze lingered on mine. “Have a good night, Wesley.”

Blood thrummed beneath my skin, making it buzz. God, I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to kiss her too badly for my own good.

“You, too, Livvie girl,” I said instead of doing something reckless.

Without another word, she slipped inside her room and shut the door with a slow click—a sound that practically mocked me for letting an opportunity I never thought I would ever want pass with a blink of an eye.

My mattress dipped when I rolled around to grab my phone from the nightstand to check the time.

Three a.m., and there I was, wide awake.

I considered going to the gym to let out some of this pent-up energy, but I knew better than to try. It wasn’t like doing some cardio and lifting weights was going to distract my mind from what—who—I wanted.

My gaze drifted to the shared wall, as if it held the answers I was desperate for.

I shifted and draped my hands behind my head as I stared at the ceiling, replaying our fake date—or practice date? I didn’t even know what to call it—like the memories were trying to hunt me down and shake some sense into me.

Vivid images of her filtered through my mind. The way her jeans hugged the shape of her ass. Her burgundy lipstick that I would have loved nothing more than to ruin. Her goddamn smile that was bright, like she was actually having a nice time—with me.

My cock swelled at the thought, and when I gripped it through the fabric of my boxers to try to soothe the ache, I let out a low, “Shit,” at how sensitive I was.