Page 32 of Dangerous Play

“I think we need to have a conversation about your data mining class. It seems fascinating.”

I leaned my head against the headrest and watched his profile—his sharp jawline and impossibly long lashes that fanned his chocolate eyes. “Data mining is fun, because it’s actually about analyzing a large batch of data and finding patterns from them and making predictions.”

Max blinked. “That sounds like us analyzing the other team’s footage and trying to predict what their strategy will be and how to best prepare to beat them.”

My jaw almost hit the floor at how quickly he got it and translated it down for himself to understand. There was no denying he was smart. “Something like that but with data.”

“Data can be anything,” he argued. “Depending on what you analyze.”

“Damn.” I grinned. “I wasn’t used to guys having a brain.”

“You mean, guys using their original brain?” He winked.

Heat flushed my cheeks, and I quickly shook my head. “How was your week?”

“Not too bad,” he admitted and proceeded to give me a short rundown on all the things he had done in school, his classes and practice. We were still borderline of being friends yet strangers, trying to talk about regular things with enough detail.

Max drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and bobbed his head to the rhythm. My heart did a little happy dance in my chest, watching him relax that way in my presence and being fully himself. I didn’t think twice before I lifted the phone and captured him in a short video.

“Give me your hand.” His sudden voice almost caused me to drop the phone, but I obeyed and watched as he took my hand in his and instead of lacing our fingers or kissing it, he placed it on his thigh. Slowly pulling his hand away, he left mine pressed to his leg, muscles flexing under my fingers, and he laid his own on top of mine. It was always the guy who placed a hand on the girl’s leg and everyone always took pictures like that. But this was new, different. Yet, it felt likeus, albeit fake. “Now, you can take a video.”

I was annoyed at how easily my body reacted to his. It wasn’t an intimate position yet the way I could imagine his manhood being close to me, all I had to do was extend my fingers and I could graze him made me flush.

I was never sex crazy, but my body had its own mind when it came to Maximilian Aarons. I just had to keep reminding it that it was all my idea. I got us into this mess, and I had to be the one keeping the boundaries intact.

For both of our sakes.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I squeaked as I looked around the huge arcade. A gaming arcade.

“Thought you might need to let out some steam. Plus, I heard you learn a lot about people when you see them lose.”

“You think you will beat me? Not a chance, bro.”

“Ouch.” Max laughed. “I’m not your bro, Blossom.”

That stupid nickname did something funny to my heart every time he said it.

“Let’s set some ground rules… we alternate picking games, and whoever wins the most games in total pays for dinner.”

“Thought this was a date… you should be paying dinner if this is a date.”

“I thought you never lose.” Max arched his brow. “If that’s true, I’m paying dinner anyway.”

I grimaced, but I couldn’t stay angry at him for long, because this was the sweetest fake date idea ever. I loved going to the arcade, which Ander knew about during freshman year, but him being a soccer sensation, going to places like this was below him. He called this childish and stupid.

“Ladies first.” He motioned to the big space in front of us. There were various video game machines lined up against the wall, couple sports ones mixed in between. A big pool table and air hockey took up the space at the front, and in the back, I saw some car racing, motorcycles and other interactive games. “There’s bowling, dodgem and other stuff on the level below as well.”

“We are starting with a classic.” I grabbed his hand and bounced toward the back.

“You’re joking…”

“Nope. Dance battle to warm up.”

Max groaned. “Fine… I can still win.”

“You think way too highly of yourself,” I cooed as we cut through the crowd of teenagers and some fleeing college students our age to get to the dance battle machine.

Max supplied the coins for us to start the game, and leaning against the machine, he patiently waited as I picked a song.

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