Page 91 of Wildfire
Now that he’s playing for himself, he doesn’t need to hold back, and I don’t need to pretend I’m not staring at him because everyone else is, too.
Xander sits in the empty space beside me and I hear Emilia groan before he’s even opened his mouth. He looks around me to my best friend, scowling. “Next time you need something off a top shelf, don’t bother asking me for help. Try growing.”
Emilia cackles. “Ooh, someone’s feeling feisty.”
He ignores her, instead turning back to me. “Roberts, how do you feel about flashing?”
“Being flashed? Big no. Not a fan. Being the flasher? I ordinarily wouldn’t be against it if it’s for something important, like a summer camp amateur basketball tournament where there is no prize or real incentive to participate, but it isn’t possible with minors around. Sorry.”
He sighs. “That’s true. Damn kids. I wish Clay had a mascot you could steal.”
“I steal one pig a million years ago and suddenly I’m a risk to mascots.” I roll my eyes. As for my various reputations over the years, this is probably the most annoying one. “Would it help if I told you it’s not the winning that counts, it’s the taking part?”
Xander pins me with a look so icy it reminds me of my mom staring at my dad. “Grow up, Aurora.”
What feels like a dozen games later, it’s finally time for us to play Russ. I’ve been purposely avoiding him since this afternoon, instead sending him intimidating looks, occasionally dragging my finger across my neck when I catch him staring at me.
He approaches me as soon as we step onto the court, holding out his hand to shake mine. “Isn’t this the bit where you proposition me with something debased and scandalous to help you cheat?” I say quietly, trying to look casual given our huge audience.
“Sorry, Roberts. I don’t negotiate with my competition.” He lets go of my hand, moving on to shake everyone else’s so it doesn’t look weird.
Xander is at my side immediately. “What did he say?”
“He said he’d organize a threesome with someone on the hockey team if I help him cheat. I said no. Told him I’m committed to my team.”
“Okay, you could have picked something believable if you were going to lie to me.” Xander snorts, and it’s the most Xander he’s beenall day, which gives me hope this super intense version of him will pass. “That boy isn’t sharing you with anyone, ever. Is your head in the game?”
“My head is always in the game.”
The game starts, and in a very predictable turn of events, it’s the Xander-versus-Clay show. Emilia and I are jogging up and down the court trying to keep up, but they all have such long legs and everything moves so quickly. They battle for points, which is fine, until Clay and Russ find their rhythm, making it harder for Xander and the other people on our team to keep up. Harder, but not impossible.
We’re neck and neck, and honestly, I’m more than ready for this to be over.
“Roberts,” Xander hisses as he runs past me. “Distract him.”
I don’t need him to expand on who him is. Rolling my eyes, I move to the other side of the court, the side Russ seems to favor. The only good distraction methods I have involve nudity, and as previously established, I can’t do that here. He looks over his shoulder at me as I approach him, and I feel really freaking silly because there’s no way I can do what Xander wants.
I watch Clay battle with Xander, then turn, looking for Russ, and I realize it’s my shot. The ball is heading right for him and I get as close as I can. “Can we have a threesome?”
Russ’s head snaps to me instantly and the basketball hits him right in the stomach. He grunts, making me feel sort of bad.
Even in his winded state, he half lunges for the ball, but I’m quicker, and as soon as it’s in my hands I freeze.
Oh shit, I didn’t think beyond the distraction.
“Go,” about fifty people shout at me at once.
Bouncing a ball and moving my feet at the same time is not as easy as it looks, and somewhere in the distance I can hear Xander screaming at me to pass, but it’s too late, because there’s a body onmine. Russ being this close to me in front of so many people feels scandalous, but even with his heavy breath on my neck making my nipples go hard, he’s really freaking determined to get the ball back.
“We can both play dirty, sweetheart,” he huffs.
I’m surprised I can hear him, considering how loud the kids are being on the sidelines. The whistle blows and Russ takes an extra second to unwrap himself from around me. I tut at him, bouncing the ball once while our teammates argue over God knows what in the background. I can only assume what we just did breaks some kind of rule, but I’d be lying if I said I had any interest in finding out which one. “I have a proposition for you.”
“If it’s another threesome offer, I respectfully decline.”
I can’t help but snort. “If I pretend to hurt myself, wanna go find the dogs and drink hot chocolate?”
“Of course I want that. Basketball is shit.”
