Page 10 of The Baller

I shook my head. No. No way. I’d definitely remember, but before I could stop it, my blood hit a low boil.

“Wait. Please tell me none of you dickheads has?” My voice was more of a snarl.

I forced out an exhale as they all shook their heads, and ignored the amusement on their faces.

“She’s popular though… look at the guys near her table, they’re all watching. Her friend’s hot too. Very hot.”

Ace and Tanner turned around again. Now the four of us were watching the show, watching what Parker had noticed. He was right. Every guy in here was staring, some more subtly than others, definitely more subtle than the dipshit taking a selfie with her in the background.

EvenIcould see his screen.

I didn’t like it, didn’t like it one bit. A dark, heavy thud in my chest confirmed it.

Is this what cavemen felt like?

Fuck, I’d spoken two words to her, spent barely five minutes in her presence, and here I was, ready to fight every guy in here – especially the one staring at her ass as she bent over for the next shot.

Je-zus. The curves on her should be illegal. I didn’t even know an ass could look like that in jeans – peachy, grabbable, supple enough for me to sink my fingers into. It deserved to be on a pedestal. In fact, the second I got home I was going to build one and place her on top, seeing as she was coming with me.

From this angle I couldn’t see her play, but from the expression on the other girl’s face, and the way she dropped her head with a slow shake, I’d say she made it. And won.

Game over.

The two of them moved to the bar, and the heads of nearly everyone followed their path. I noticed a couple nudging each other, but if the girls saw, they didn’t let on.

“How do you know her?”

My head snapped back to Ace. “What d’you say?”

He chuckled, his mouth holding onto a smirk. “How do you know her? I’ve seen her before, I’m sure of it.”

“I don’t. I met her for the first time this afternoon, but I know what you mean. She does seem familiar.” I picked up my beer again, searching the bar until I found her standing near the end of it. “Don’t you think it’s weird I’ve seen her and that guy twice today in the same place? I thought he was with her in Brown’s, yet it doesn’t seem like they even know each other in here.”

In fact, the more I thought about it, the deeper my brows knotted. Itwasweird, and I didn’t believe in coincidences. There he was, still standing in the corner, face like he’d stepped in shit.

Parker, Tanner, and Ace all swiveled around in the direction of the weirdo again, all subtle as a sledgehammer, while I found her in the crowds, right as her friend walked off toward the bathrooms. She was alone, and based on the two guys inching their way toward her, I wasn’t the only one who’d noticed.

Fuck it.

“I’ll be back.”

Tanner yelled something after me, but I was already too far away to hear it. I slowed my approach and watched her. Something had happened since I’d left the table; the girl who’d been playing pool and smiling with her friend five minutes ago was gone; in her place was one with her head down, twisting her hands together and staring at her nails in that way like you wanted to appear carefree, but your insides were doing the exact opposite.

I knew the feeling well.

By the time she’d decided her nails weren’t that interesting and looked up, I was in front of her. This afternoon she’d come up to my shoulder standing on her stool, now she barely came up to my chest.

It did nothing to quiet the caveman inside me.

Her neck jerked back. Bright amber eyes flashed wide under a thick fan of black lashes, a split second before confusion fogged her features and she let out a small gasp.

I gave her my best smile, the one I knew got the most likes on social media. “Hello, again.”

An entire story played out in her expression; her nosescrunched causing the smattering of freckles to almost vanish, a tiny crease appeared in the center of her cheekbone, like a dimple which hadn’t fully formed, and two straight lines ran between her brows as they dropped. Whatever the story was, I desperately wanted to read it. I’d stay up all night.

I didn’t notice it earlier because I was likely too distracted by the way her eyes widened as she peered up at me, but she smelled fuckingamazing. Not florally or sugary like some girls did; she smelled like fall or a new bucket of balls – eucalyptus, leather, and spice, with a hint of citrus.

It was making my head spin.

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