Page 293 of Well Played

Nando looked up, startled by the soft feminine voice. “Huh?”

“My station’s open if you’re ready.”

Five foot three-ish, with black hair and brown eyes, like his mother. But that’s where the comparison ended. She was slim,but not like those underwear models. More like a dancer or a swimmer, with strong legs and arms. Probably a runner or one of those hard-core yoga ladies. Curvy where a woman should be curvy, with a dimple when she smiled.

Nando gave her a cocky smile in return and nodded. “Lead on.”

She turned, walking over to the table. Patting the cushion, she said, “Hop on up.”

He pulled himself onto the bed and turned, trying to get comfortable. He took a deep breath, trying to slow his heart rate. She must have noticed something because she gave him another look. “You ok?”

“Yeah,” he said, a bit too quickly.

“You sure?” she asked. “It’s ok if you don’t want to do this.”

Across the room, Jake Francis, one of the football players, nodded to him and smiled. He gave him a shaky thumbs up. “Nah, I’m good.”

Her hands were gentle as she took his, turning his wrist face-up before running her fingers up his arm. Her eyes turned back to his. “Have you donated before?”

“Nah, it’s my first time.” Her soft giggle made his cheeks heat up and he wished he could eat his words. “I mean--”

She had a soft throaty laugh. “Don’t worry. I’ll be gentle.” Focused on the bend of his elbow, she ran her fingers over the crease and the veins she found. “I’m Lila.”

Feeling himself begin to relax, “Nando.”

“What position do you play?” she asked, pulling over her supply tray.

“Catcher.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Don’t you watch the games?”

“Sometimes,” she replied, swabbing his arm with iodine. “You’re new to the team, aren’t you?”

“Got called up in April.”

“You were probably over the moon…” The tourniquet wound tightly around his bicep.

“Yeah,” he said, thinking back. “Probably the best day of my life.” He watched her prepare the blood bag, tubes and other things and he tensed up again.

She looked up at him again. “Hey, you sure you want to do this?”

“Yeah,” he said quietly, glancing over at Nate. His blond was smiling at whatever he was saying. Nate looked over and gave him a questioning look. Nando turned back to Lila. “Let’s just get it over with.”

Lila studied him for a moment. “Is it the blood?”

Nando looked over at Nate again and gave him a half smile and a nod. “It’s the needle.”

Her laugh made his cheeks warm again. “I saw your tattoo, Nando. How can it be the needle?”

His expression was sheepish. “That’s like a little tiny needle and it’s not like I can see it when they do it. This one is huge, and I can see it go in.”

“Not that huge,” Lila said. “Besides if I used a smaller one, it would take a lot longer.”

“How much longer?” he asked.

“Tell you what,” she whispered. “I promise you’ll be out of here in less than ten minutes. A quick pinch, a few minutes, and done.”

He looked at her, doubt very evident, then saw Brooks watching him from his own bed. Taking a deep breath, he nodded quickly, then flinched again when she swabbed his arm again. “Sorry.”

“Nando, it’ll be fine. Just relax.” Giving him a wicked smile. “I haven’t had a virgin in a while.”

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