Page 37 of Dangerous Play

My eyes took a lazy route, watching her long legs extend on my bed as she wrapped her arm around her exposed midriff. Tiny goosebumps dotted her skin, and I immediately slipped out of my hoodie and offered it to her.

“You seem cold, take it.”

Ivy’s hand paused for a split second as she reached for it.

“I’m boiling up,” I said, which was true. Being this close to her, plus the anger simmering in me did help me run hot. “You look like you need it.”

“Thank you,” she said, but I had a feeling there was so much more she wanted to say. “I picked a comedy,” she told me as she slipped into my hoodie, her face buried into the soft material for a second before her head popped up, her braids intact. My hoodie covered her up and she even pulled her legs, slipping them under it.

The sight of her wearing my clothes eased some of the tension in my chest and flooded me with warmth.

I wondered if I sweated in it or if it still smelled like my soap and perfume. I wondered if she liked the smell.

From that moment, I forgot about the game, and Ivy occupied my thoughts.

CHAPTER TEN

IVY

My knee bounced nervouslyas we drove toward my home. It was my mother’s birthday weekend and both Daisy and I promised we would come to celebrate. San Diego was just little over two hours from San Matjo.

Max offered to drive and I was grateful for that, considering it was going to be the first time I was facing my parents post break-up when Ander was clearly dating my sister. It was going to be a shit show.

At least I didn’t need to struggle through the looks of pity as I had a hot and smart boyfriend of my own.

“Fair warning, my parents love Ander,” I muttered as I stared at the passing cars. “They are obsessed with him and he can do no wrong in their eyes. They didn’t even care about the whole sister switch. They said at least he remained in the family.”

“Great, can’t wait to meet them.”

The smell of flowers was overpowering, as Max convinced me that buying a gift of expensive jewelry for my mother was not enough, and he stopped to get her flowers and a bottle ofwhiskey for my dad. I had no clue how he remembered when I mentioned it in passing, but he got the flower and the drink right.

His attention to detail was superb.

“Why don’t you play a bit?” Max pulled out his Nintendo Switch from the middle console and handed it to me.

I immediately turned it on, feeling grateful he brough it even though I wasn’t sure when he thought he would have time to play. “How do you even play FIFA?”

“It’s more the strategy part of it, selling and buying players, making the best team,” he explained as the screen loaded. The rest of his explanation was lost on me as the home screen showed another game next to his beloved FIFA.

Minecraft.

“You...” I stared at him, tears burning my eyes. He clearly told me he never played.

“I think it’s installed and loaded,” he said, not even acknowledging my wave of emotions. “I wanted you to have your comfort game with you in case the weekend got too much.”

“Gosh,” I sniffled as a tear rolled down my cheek. I was ridiculous. One small act of kindness was making me all emotional. “Thank you... it’s really thoughtful. Incredibly. Really.”

“It’s okay. I’m happy if it makes you happy.”

And that was why Maximilian Aarons was the best boyfriend ever.

Bestfakeboyfriend ever.

The rest of the trip I spent my time playing Minecraft listening to some country music I have never heard in my life but apparently Max loved it. It was weird to see this new side of him and to explore who he really was outside of his soccer playing persona.

I barely noticed that we arrived into San Diego, as we turned onto the street where I grew up and I recognized the palm trees and the houses.

“You can park on the driveway,” I offered as he pulled to stop in front of our picture-perfect white house with white picket fence. Ander’s Mercedes was already parked next to my Dad’s BMW, and Max carefully reversed back to park his car in front of theirs.

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