Page 55 of The Baller

Even before she’d finished asking the question, my mind flicked to Lux and what it would be like to kiss him. What it would be like to feel his lips on mine… whether he really did taste like ripe strawberries, and what else his mouth could do. I’d thought so much about it, my body was running a permanent temperature.

I wasn’t sure if it made it worse that I knew he wanted it, too.

I’d see it in his eyes every time he looked at me, like I was the only person on earth. The way his gaze darkened and dropped to my lips every couple of seconds; the way he stayed close whenever we were together, somehow managing to let me have my own space while also never letting go of me.

He was waiting for me to tell him it was okay, and I was finding it harder to come up with reasons why it shouldn’t happen; why I didn’t want it… because I did.

I knew it.

Kissing Lux Weston had moved to the top of the list of things I wanted to happen. If last night’s dream was anything to go by, it needed to happen soon.

“Yes.”

Millie let out a loud whoop which had everyone at the surrounding tables turn around, which meant they’d look at me for a second – or five – longer than they needed to. But this morning, I found that I didn’t care quite so much, and noticed that neither did they. I no longer seemed to be a novelty.

“Hallelujah!” she cried louder, still not caring she was causing a scene.

“Are you done?”

“Not even close, but I’ll save it for later,” she grinned. “I’m so happy, Rad. This is amazing news!”

“It’s just a guy. It’s just a kiss. It’s not a big deal.” I cringed, even though I couldn’t stop the smile bursting across my face. Millie knew as much.

“It’s not just a kiss.”

I pushed my empty plate aside and leaned forward with a whisper, because now I had a new problem to solve. “I don’t know how I’m going to do it.”

“How you’re gonna jump his bones?”

I dropped my head. “Mills…”

“You don’t need a plan; you just kiss him when you see him next.”

“That’s easy for you to say.” I leaned back into the soft leather padding of the booth, and folded my arms.

“When are you seeing him next?”

“Tomorrow.” I glanced up to catch Millie’s face light up like a Christmas tree; a tree with waggling eyebrows and a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Shut up.”

She dug her fork into the final strawberry from her granola, and sunk her teeth into it. “Where are you going?”

“The gym. He said he’d take me to the Lions facility,” I replied, holding a palm in her face. “Before you say anything…”

“Hey, I wasn’t going to say a thing.”

I raised an eyebrow, questioningly. “Nothing about getting all hot and sweaty?”

She held her index finger up, looking at me like she’d just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “Okay, I was going to say one thing. One. That’s super cute he’s taking you…” she smiled and her nose wrinkled before her brown eyes flared wide and a second finger was held up. “Oh, whoops, would you look at that, two things. I bet he looks good all hot and sweaty.”

All at once, a heavy thud pulsed between my legs and my core tightened so quickly it pushed the oxygen from my lungs.SweatyandLuxwere two words that went together very well.

I knew; I’d seen it.

I also had a plethora of images to conjure; perspiration rolling down his damp skin, beads of sweat dripping down his heavily muscled biceps as he pushed his body to the max, or glistening across his chest. While I could only guess to what he looked like naked – God-like was my assumption – I did know he was the owner of one impressive set of abs. At the end of our run two days ago, he’d lifted his shirt to wipe his face and I’d nearly tripped from the distraction.

I hadn’t been able to look him in the eye as he said goodbye to me, but those abs had been all I’d thought about for the rest of the day.

“Radley, you need to get a room with that fantasy of yours,” Millie teased, and flashed what I assumed was meant to be a supportive smile, and drained the rest of her coffee. “We need to head to class, you want another coffee to-go?”

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