Page 47 of Scoring Chances

Libby’s words from earlier pop into my head. You’re in control here.

“No it’s not,” I say. His eyes meet mine and I shove him.

“What the hell, Cassidy?”

“Kiss me, like you mean it, Joshua. Kiss me like you would’ve when that guy was watching.”

His jaw ticks. And he moves to me. Grabbing my hips and lifting me to him. I wrap my legs around his waist and he backs me up to the side of the building, claiming my mouth and making it his.

He tastes me like I’m something he’s wanted all of his life. His tongue splits my lips open and I welcome it. He pushes in, drinking me in. And I try not to rock against his body pressed against me. Failing miserably.

All I want is to feel him closer. Pushing further. Erasing the feeling of the nameless dude who claimed my first kiss.

His hand slips behind my neck and holds me even closer. Moving his lips over mine, tugging my bottom lip into his mouth. We don’t breathe, except for each other. His hand slides up my back and my skin sets on fire from his touch. Neither one of us wants to break this up.

Unfortunately, we don’t have to.

“Uh… sorry to interrupt.”

In a flash, Joshua sets me down on my feet and moves away from me, reaching for the back of his neck like a kid caught doing something bad.

Fergie steps out. “Keelan just threw up on the bar. He’s getting kicked out.”

“Fuck,” Joshua sighs out, glancing over at me.

“We should go,” I say through a gulp.

“Yeah,” he agrees.

Michael holds back a grin but nods as he disappears inside.

We both look at each other but don’t say a word. I don’t know what would’ve happened if Fergie hadn’t interrupted us.

Would I have stopped it from going further than a kiss? I don’t know.

Back inside, Ryker and Zane are holding up Keelan and walking him to the exit.

Keelan’s singing Every Rose Has It’s Thorn out loud and the guy who kissed me says, “Get that loser outta here!” His friends laugh.

Joshua stills next to me. “Wait a second,” he says, stalking off toward the guy.

Before I can stop him, his fist goes flying into the guys face. The guy stumbles back and Joshua shakes his hand like it hurt but turns back to me.

One of the guy’s friends lunges for Joshua and I scream for him to turn around. He does, but the other guys’ fist lands a blow to his cheek.

The Heatwave players abandon Keelan with Rina and Kesley and go to help Joshua. Rina motions for me to follow them out.

Ryker grabs a guy by the t-shirt shoving him off of Joshua. “Go,” he says to me.

“I should be in there,” Keelan says, pointing back to the bar.

“No, you really shouldn’t,” Rina says.

“What, you don’t think I can take him? I can take him,” he slurs.

“I’m sure you can, slugger.” Rina sets him against a palm tree.

It’s only a few seconds later when the door slams open and Ryker, Zane, Michael and Joshua all come pouring out.

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