Page 27 of Anti Player

I nod. “I see.”

We stare at each other as the silence stretches before us.

“Did something happen today?” I finally ask, rocking back on my heels.

Maddie licks those luscious heart-shaped lips of hers.

“She told you?” she replies, and I hear the surprise in her tone.

“Not exactly, she assumed you told me. I don’t know what’s going on, other than I was on a really weird date with a crazy girl.”

“I’m sorry,” she replies.

“You shouldn’t be,” I state the obvious.

“But it still sucks.”

“It does,” I agree, and our eyes lock again. This feeling fills my chest as we stare at each other. It’s the same feeling I had at seventeen and at nineteen and so on. “Want to tell me what happened?”

“Not really.” She smirks. “But I will.”

“Want to come to my place for a beer?” I offer because I need a beer, and just a way to shake off all the tension this night has brought.

“I’d love a beer.” Maddie grins. She stands and that’s when I know I am in big, big trouble. She’s wearing thin, light-gray cotton shorts and a white tank top. Her white bra strap peeks from beneath the shoulder strap. She’s wearing a pair of slides, and we walk quietly to my apartment.

When I open the door, it’s pitch dark and all I can imagine is pinning her to the door and kissing the hell out of her. This is what passion and attraction feel like.

I flick on the switch and watch her throat bob. It’s a sexy throat. I try not to let my gaze run lower, even though it begs to.

“Come in,” I say, swallowing past the lump in my throat.

“Thanks,” she says, pinching her lips.

I turn on more lights as we make it deeper into the apartment.

“Nice place, it’s very neat,” she notices.

“I have a cleaner. It’s not me.” I laugh.

“Oh, I know. I was in your room when we were younger, remember?”

Her words cause the memory to come tumbling back. The year I was drafted I went back home with Brett. Mom was out of town. I went back to my house to grab some clothes. Henry and Maddie came along to intervene, just in case mom cameback unexpectedly. Henry went to grab some Xbox games from my basement and Maddie said she wanted to see my room. She started looking at my trophies and pictures I had on my wall next to my desk. I had walked up to her when she asked about one of the pictures, and then we had a moment. She was looking at my lips and I was fixated on hers. Henry came into the room and said he had the games and we quickly turned away from each other.

I blink. It was one stupid moment that didn’t mean anything.

“Since you like views we can have the beer on the balcony, if you want,” I offer.

“Sounds nice but won’t it be windy up here?”

“I can grab you a hoodie.” I need her covered if I am not going to lose my mind.

“Thanks,” she says so I saunter to my room and grab the first hoodie I see. Then I head back to the main room. I pass her the hoodie, but not before my eyes rake up and down that glorious body of hers. Brett would have my neck if he knew how I was feeling right now.

“I’ll grab some beers.”

I head to the kitchen and grab two beers from the fridge. Then I use the bottle opener to open them.

“Nice place, Kaleb. I love this kitchen. You’ve done well for yourself,” she says.

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