I walked alongside him, feeling as good as I had that one time I’d sneaked a few sips of my mom’s champagne. I was drunk off Tobias’s proximity, and I never wanted the feeling to end.

  As he opened the passenger door of his truck to let me in, I turned around and tilted my chin up to look him directly in the eyes and said exactly what I was thinking in that moment.

  “Maybe this was a bad idea.”

  He nodded, his eyes smoldering like they were burning their way right through me. “I tried to warn you, Birthday Girl. No turning back now.”

  CHAPTER 8

  Tobias

  She’s my little sister’s best friend. That mental reminder should have stopped my raging hard-on in its tracks by the time we arrived back on the lot. But knowing how wrong my feelings were only made me want her more.

  The resistance I’d felt when she had first asked to come on the trip hit me hard when I started setting up the bed of my pickup for us to sleep. Sure, we’d managed to spend an entire night together in a hotel room without anything happening, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want anything to happen.

  The gray and red tent was almost as tall as me and customized to fit the back of my truck. The mattress was firm, fitting snugly against the walls around us. Between all the blankets Amelia had brought and all the pillows I had brought, our sleeping area looked like a legit porno shoot.

  On second thought, my mind had possibly gone to “porno shoot” after seeing Amelia’s sleeping attire.

  She walked out of the big tent wearing shorts and a tank top. The outfit was hardly porno material, but when she crawled onto the bed of my truck, I may have had a dirty thought or twenty.

  She wasn’t wearing a bra, not that I was trying to notice. I wasn’t. But it was a little difficult not to when she walked into our sleep space with the heat lamp directly over her tight white tank, calling attention to her tits like a fucking lighthouse.

  I need to get my head out of the gutter.

  “I need to buy a sweater tomorrow,” she said. “I didn’t realize how cold it would get up here.”

  Don’t look. Don’t look.

  “We can go first thing.”

  “Thanks,” she said with a sigh. Then she pointed to the bed. “Which side is yours?”

  I bit the inside of my lip to keep from smiling. “I sleep in the middle, usually, so either side is fine.”

  She quirked a brow, and I already knew where the conversation was headed. “Really, so you’ve never brought a girl out here?”

  I ground my teeth at the reminder. “Nah. You’re the first stubborn one who wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

  She returned my asshole comment with a glare. “Too bad.” She nodded toward the bed. “This is, like, the optimal sex pad.”

  Something about how nonchalantly she said “sex pad” tensed my shoulders. “I didn’t realize you were so experienced.”

  Her blush deepened. “I’m not. But a guy like you—”

  I put my palm in the air, facing her. “I’m going to stop you there before that mouth of yours says something you’ll regret. You did a stellar job of not pissing me off today, and I might actually enjoy having you around. So can you get into this bed and shut the hell up?”

  She let out a small breath before narrowing her eyes. “What makes you think I’d respond to that kind of request?”

  I batted my eyes at her. My chest was on the verge of exploding from the pressure. “Please.”

  A half growl, half scream slipped past her lips before she pushed past me toward the bed.

  I followed her lead, crawling under the beige comforter and turning to the opposite side so our asses were facing each other. I couldn’t risk accidently rubbing against her when just her presence made me spring to life like a prepubescent boy.

  “I wasn’t going to say anything bad.”

  “Huh?” I grumbled, confused by what she was talking about.

  “When I said ‘a guy like you,’ I didn’t mean it in a bad way.”

  “Then how did you mean it?”

  “It’s just… I remember how popular you were in high school. It’s not like you had trouble with the ladies. I mean, I wouldn’t have called you a player or anyth—”

  “I’m not a player. Never was.”

  Her head snapped to find my eyes over her shoulder. “Th-that’s what I said.”

  She was right, but something about her words—just the fact that she’d thought about me being a player or not—pissed me the hell off.

  If I’m angry, then why am I sporting a boner the size of Texas?

  Amelia was nothing like anyone I’d ever dated before. She was young. She was good. And I wasn’t the kind of guy who did “good” well.

  “You should probably stop talking before that mouth of yours gets you in trouble.”

  She laughed softly. “Damn, okay, but only after you tell me why you haven’t brought anyone else here.”

  I wasn’t about to let her be the only one to ask questions.

  “Sure,” I finally said. “But then you have to answer a question for me.”

  “Deal.”

  I smiled at the ease with which she agreed, and a sick part of me wanted to see how far I could push it. I wouldn’t, though. I stood by what I’d told her. Just because I’d been a bit of a flirt in high school didn’t mean I had dated every chick who’d walked by me. A few girls stuck out in my mind, but none of them had ever lasted more than a few months. And that wasn’t because I’d gotten bored and tossed them, or cheated, or done any of that shit. It was because basketball had always come first, and no one had understood that except me.

  “Contrary to what most people believe, I didn’t date much in high school or even college. I was focused on basketball, and that didn’t leave much time for girls. And this past year has been about other things. No chicks allowed.”

  “I’m a chick.”

  I bit my lip to keep from laughing. I didn’t want Amelia to know just how much I was enjoying her company. “Yeah, well. You don’t count. You’re safe.”

  The silence that came next felt far too heavy. Maybe I should have quit while I was ahead.

  “Good to know.” She flipped her body so her back was facing me. “Well, thank you for letting me crash your trip.” Her tone was quieter, almost apologetic.

  I frowned. “Hey.” There was a tightening in my chest. I should have never told her she didn’t count or that she was safe, because neither of those things was true.

  When she didn’t turn back around or speak, I slid closer, until my lips could reach her ear. I felt her entire body tense beside mine. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you were my first.”

  Light laughter floated from Amelia’s throat. Her body shook slightly, and my mouth pulled into a slow smile. I could get used to that sound, to the way her body moved, to her warmth, to this feeling.

  I felt myself start to doze off when the sleep-filled rasp of her voice shocked me completely still.

  “You say that like maybe I’m not so safe after all.”

  If I hadn’t considered Amelia dangerous before, I certainly did then. She wasn’t anything like I’d expected. Even after all these years—of living so close to her, of hearing her giggle with my sister in the bedroom next to mine, of ignoring her as she chased my sister around the pool in her tiny red bikini—I hadn’t given much thought to my sister’s best friend. But in the span of one week, everything had changed.

  Everything.

  CHAPTER 9

  Amelia

  “Do you see yourself playing basketball again?”

  We were sitting on a set of chairs near the edge of the bluff while eating our breakfast when I decided to ask the question I’d feared asking yesterday. If there was one thing I understood about Tobias, it was the level of commitment he had for basketball. But more than that, I understood his passion. He carried a basketball the way I executed a jazz walk, with enough confidence to intimidate most.

  “Didn’t we talk about this yesterday? I messed up, remember?”

  “Jeez, Tobias. You took a year off. You’re only nineteen. It’s not like you’re forty.”

  “You don’t get it. Abandoning my team doesn’t exactly help my chances. I didn’t even defer school or anything. I just quit.”

  He’d given up before he’d even really tried.

  “So that’s it? No more basketball? Ever?” I didn’t care how incredulous my tone sounded. He should know how ridiculous he was being. “You don’t just give up on your dreams, Tobias. Not when you’ve worked your entire life. And not when you’re as talented as you are. You have a gift most wish they had even a smidge of. Don’t waste it.”

  “Well, thanks, but it’s not that simple. I don’t even remember what it’s like to hold a ball.”

  “I don’t believe that.”

  “It doesn’t matter, Amelia. I’d be rusty as hell and in need of some serious training before even considering it.”

  “Then pick up a damn ball.”

  He chuckled in a way that weighed heavily in my chest. I wouldn’t let him give up on himself. I couldn’t. But I didn’t understand why Tobias had to be so stubborn. What would it take for him to remember what it felt like to fly down that court and take that buzzer shot from the fifty just in time to break the tie and win the game?

  Maybe this was my purpose in Tobias’s life—and my reason for going on this trip—to help him rekindle his love for the game and to somehow get him to hold a ball in his hands again.

  “You’re cute when you’re angry. You know that?”

  My entire body heated at his words, and I just knew my face had turned red. “Don’t change the subject. You don’t get to avoid this.” My eyes caught on his truck, and an idea sparked. “Tell me you have a ball with you.”

  He hesitated, and I knew the answer before he even responded.

  I smiled, my lips spreading wide. “Let’s go to a court today. I’m sure there’s one nearby.”

  “You’re serious?”

  “Dead serious.”

  He sighed, and his head lolled behind him before straightening again. “All right, Birthday Girl. Your wish is my command. But you’ll need to do something for me in return.”

  I squealed and jumped in my chair, feeling the cold splash of milk and cereal hit my chest and drip between my breasts. “Shit.” I reached for a napkin just as Tobias handed one to me.

  His eyes connected with mine. “You need to dance for me.”

  “What?”

  He laughed and shrugged. “If I’m going to play ball, then you’re going to dance.”

  As we drove off in the truck to find a basketball court, I had to fight hard with myself to ignore how tired and achy I was from a restless sleep. But by the sound of Tobias’s breathing during the night, I was certain he’d had just as much trouble as me.

  We passed through the ranger station, and he paid them at the entrance, then we drove in about a mile until we reached a sandy clearing that overlooked the ocean.

  “Here it is. And we can shower when we’re done.” He pulled on his door handle to get out of the truck. “Don’t worry. There’s hot water.”

  That’s a relief.

  He pointed to a small fenced-in area with a showerhead looming over the top of it, but I only glanced at it before my eye caught on Tobias spinning the basketball on his middle finger. He was standing just outside the driver’s side, and his eyes were directly on me, brows perked. “You ready?”

  I turned toward my door before he could see my smile. “As I’ll ever be.”

  Tobias led the way, and I couldn’t help but run my eyes down his frame. He was so tall and defined. The year off hadn’t hurt him in that department. And I doubted it had hurt him in any other department either. It would just take getting him on the court to show him. Because if he were anything like me, the moment he got a taste of what he’d been missing, he would want more of it.

  There was a fine line between passion and obsession. Tobias and I—we had both.

  “So, what are we doing, Birthday Girl? A game of Horse? Pig? Around the World? You name it.”

  I wrinkled my nose and shook my head. “None of the above. We’re playing a real game. Half court. You said you were rusty, which means I have a chance.”

  He laughed a boisterous laugh, one that reached my insides, slid down my core, and curled my toes. It had been a long time since I’d heard that laugh. I didn’t know it was possible to miss something I’d never even realized existed before.

  “All right.” He started a slow dribble, circling me as he did, watching me curiously. “We’ll play to twenty. And when it’s over, I want to see you dance. Full out. I’ll pick the song.”

  I rolled my eyes but shrugged, giving in to his demands. That was a challenge I had no problem accepting. “Let’s see your moves, hot shot.”

  He grinned so wide, I could see a sliver of gums around the bright white of his teeth. “You realize the guys I used to play with were over a foot taller than you, right? Your challenge is cute and all, but are you sure you want to do this?”

  His teasing lit a fire in me, one that made me smile back just as hard. “Maybe I should level the playing field.” My arms crossed at the hem of my tank top and grabbed the material at the bottom. With one pull, I whipped my shirt off and tossed it toward the sidelines, revealing my black sports bra. I brought my fists to my hips before glancing back at Tobias.

  His eyes were narrowed on mine. “Really?”

  My smile turned smug. “Yup.” I reached toward him, swiped the ball from his hold, and dribbled my way toward half court.

  He didn’t go easy on me, staying on my ass as I tried to take the ball toward the basket, stealing the ball at every opportunity, towering over me, and making it impossible for me to make a shot. But he didn’t play his hardest either. His three-pointers were effortless, barely ever touching the rim as they went down. He even gave me a good show by throwing in a few layups and dunks.

  Unfortunately, I was too impressed to be annoyed by his exhibition.

  “Twenty to zero. Time for that dance.” He held the ball in the air and sauntered to his truck.

  “You’re ten times my size, and you couldn’t even let me have one?” I’d known I wasn’t going to win, but the jerk hadn’t even taken pity on me. “That’s what some would call a bully.” I folded my arms across my chest and glared at him.

  He chuckled and stared at his phone as he scrolled through it. I didn’t know what he was doing until a song started streaming through his truck speakers. I was already covered in sweat. While he’d walked the entire game, I’d been running my ass off.

  “No whining, Birthday Girl. Besides, you still owe me an I-O-U.”

  I laughed. “I forgot about that.”

  When I recognized the song “Swish Swish” by Katy Perry, I folded my arms across my chest and glared. “Clever.”

  “No more sass from you,” he said with a snap of his fingers. “Dance, monkey.”

  I did my best to ignore his cocky grin and his bright grayish-blues that were locked on me as I transitioned my focus to the music. By the end of the second eight-count, I was completely in the zone.

  The tone of my every movement was filled with all the sass I felt inside me—some flowy steps followed by clean pops and quick footwork—all perfectly following the lyrics. The song was flirty, fun, and I was able to recover from my disastrous performance playing basketball. And Tobias wasn’t taking his eyes off me.

  I broke out of character about halfway through the song and jogged over to Tobias. Grabbing his hands, I tried to pull him to his feet, but he fought back, laughing. “What are you doing?”

  “I played ball with you, now you have to dance with me.”

  “Not even if hell freezes over. I don’t dance, Birthday Girl.”

  “C’mon. It’s just us out here. You owe me.”

  He shook his head and held his hands in the air. “I don’t owe you a thing. We made a deal, and we both honored that deal. I’m not dancing with you.”

  I pouted, but not even that could convince him. Instead, he hopped off the truck and handed me my small bag I’d brought for the shower. “Time to wash up. We’ll head back up for lunch. Maybe I’ll show you how to play cards next.”

  He was several strides ahead of me by the time I started moving. “How do you always do that?” I asked when I caught up to him.

  “Do what?”

  “Find a way to change the subject entirely. Coming here was about you remembering why you loved basketball.”

  He glanced at me, his brows pulled together. “I already remember why I loved shooting hoops. And I have to admit”—he tossed the ball from one hand to the other—“I miss holding the ball. I miss the rush of the game, the pandemonium in the crowds, and hearing my name being chanted by hundreds of fans. I miss winning. Hell, I even miss losing.”

  Something quickened in my chest when I thought that was all he was going to give me. “So then what’s the problem? Why not go for it again?”

  He sighed and dropped his head back. “A year in this game is a long time to be away from it.”

  “You’ve already given me that excuse,” I challenged.

  “I can’t just jump in like I never left.”

  My eyes narrowed. “Not good enough.”

  His expression softened. “I didn’t lose sight of my dreams, Amelia. Life got hard, and I quit. No one respects a quitter.”

  “See, that’s where you and I will continue to disagree. You didn’t quit, Tobias. Your focus was on basketball your entire life. Learning what you did…” I paused, afraid to continue and word things the wrong way. “I can’t imagine what you went through learning about your family like that. You did what you did for yourself because it was what you needed at the time. You took a break. There’s nothing wrong with taking a time out. Even the best players get benched. It doesn’t mean you give up. It means you go back out there and try harder.”

 

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