Page 104 of Becoming Selfish

“One more question.” I hold the ball in my hands, standing under the net. “Would he have liked me?”

Her expression softens as she cocks her head to look at me.

“He would’ve loved you, baby.”

A proud grin spread across my lips as I walk up to her, holding the basketball. I stand directly in front of her, between her and the hoop, as I place the ball in her hands.

“How about a little one on one?” I ask my pretty girl.

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Hell yeah, I’m sure. And I’m planning to kick your ass.”

She laughs. “That’s cute, baby. Game to ten, play by ones?”

Hearing her talk shit while she effortlessly crosses the ball over behind her back is seriously one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen. I love that she’s an athlete, and a damn good one at that. I’ve only ever played basketball for fun, but I’m a division one athlete. I can handle a little one on one with my girl.

“Sounds good. Ladies first.” I nod towards the ball in her hands, lowering myself into a defensive position. She leans down with the ball at her hip, a huge smile dancing across her lips. She seems so light and happy here with a basketball in her hands. She looks like she’s home.

Logan takes a few dribbles to her right, but I stay with her until she crosses the ball over quickly and smoothly, catching me off balance. She steps back and takes a jump shot from around the free-throw line. Unsurprisingly, she sinks it.

“One-Oh,” she says in an arrogant tone as she turns and heads back to the top of the key, expecting me to chase down her rebound, which of course, I do. She’s very rarely conceited. In fact, most of the time, she lacks well-deserved confidence. But right now, she’s being cocky with her talent, and I fucking love seeing her this way.

I walk right up to her and place the ball in her hands. I don’t give her any space as I get into my defensive stance. She takes this as a prime opportunity to quickly blow past me, easily beating me to the hoop for a lay-up. Not just any lay-up, no that would be too easy. She does a reverse lay-up, just because she beat me so badly and has enough space to do so, just because she can.

I can’t help but laugh as I watch her kick my ass.

“Two-Oh, baby.” She walks past me and slaps my ass as she continues to the top of the key.

I fucking love this.

I’m athletic, and I don’t mean I’m athletic enough that I can get by. I mean, I’m a potential professional athlete level of athletic, and right now, Logan is giving me a run for my money on who is more so.

We continue playing, and Logan doesn’t let up. She’s fucking amazing. She’s up 9-4, and she’s about to win it right here, and trust me, it’s not because I’m letting her. No, I’m fully sweating and short of breath, trying to keep up with her.

I give her the ball for the last play of the game. I know I can’t beat her, so I decide just to foul her instead. At least if I’m going to lose, I’ll get to touch her this way.

She takes a dribble and a step forward, trying to pass me, but I put my body in her way and wrap my arms around her, holding her back to my chest.

“Foul!” she yells between laughing breaths.

“Cheater!” she adds when I don’t release her from my grip, sucking in air as she giggles in my embrace.

Holding her up in my arms, I swing her around in a circle while she holds the ball. When I put her down, we’re both out of breath, partly from the game we just played and partly from the laughing fit we’re in the middle of.

I bend over, still chuckling as I try to catch my breath, sucking in a deep inhale with a smile across my lips. When I stand up, Logan drops the ball to the ground and swings her arms around my neck.

“Thank you,” she sweetly says into my chest.

Fuck. I love this girl.

Wrapping my arms around her lower back, I place my chin on the top of her head as she rests her cheek on my chest. I quickly bend down to kiss her collarbone before asking the question I’ve needed to ask for a while now.

“I know I couldn’t meet him, but he did a really good job raising you.” Logan melts into my body, tightening her grip. “And I know I’m not able to ask his permission to date his daughter.” I pull her face away from my chest so that I can look into her green eyes. “But I’m hoping this was enough that I can ask if you’d be my girlfriend?”

She drops her forehead into my chest with her arms still draped around my neck. Logan doesn’t say anything. She just leans into me.

I’m still waiting for her answer, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling anxious by her lack of a response. I didn’t think I would ever ask someone to be my girlfriend, but I figured I’d get an automatic ‘yes’ if I did.

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