Page 68 of Courtside

In that moment, months of wanting came to a head, and waiting and holding herself back felt like the silliest idea in the world.

So she drew back from his grip just enough that she could look up at him. When she saw the same wanting reflected in his eyes, she let her hands slide around to his front before running them up his chest and curling them around the back of his neck.

Fuck waiting. She was going to do it.

Sage pulled his head down. The first brush of her lips against his was tentative, contrary to the confidence she’d summoned when she pulled him to her. All of her awareness narrowed to the nerve endings where their lips met, and as soon as she registered the warmth and softness of his mouth she fell head-first into him.

A tortured moan tore from David’s throat as he responded to her. His lips parted and she tasted him — honey and herbs from the lozenge she’d given him after the game. He licked into her mouth, slowly, decadently, like she was something sweet. Something worth tasting again and again.

Suddenly they were moving. David’s hands had come up at some point to cradle her face, keeping them connected as he pressed her back against a wall. She refused to break the kiss, pouring every bit of pent-up desire into this connection between their bodies. But then he pushed his hips into hers, and there was no ignoring the hard length of him that met her lower stomach.

David swallowed her whimper, nipping at her lower lip before tearing his mouth away.

Sage stood there, panting as she tried to catch her breath. David lowered his forehead to rest against hers, his breathing equally ragged.

“Damnit, Lefty,” he growled.

Her body fuckingachedfor him. Arousal curled in her stomach, tightened her nipples, and her movements were frantic as her hands went to the front of his shirt.

She managed to undo three buttons before his hands covered hers, gripping her with enough strength to halt her progress. “Just once,” she pleaded, the throbbing between her legs driving her to roll her hips against him. “Please, David.”

David’s breath somehow grew harsher, like each exhale was punched from his chest. “No,” he rasped, his hold on her hands unrelenting. His head shook. “Fuck, I want to, but no.”

Her eyes closed. She swallowed. “Because of the rules,” she whispered.

“No, Sage.” His hands returned to cup her jaw, and he lowered himself so that his face was the only thing she could see. “Not the rules.” His thumbs brushed over her cheeks, his eyes leaving hers for a moment to trace the movement. His mouth, swollen and red from kissing, curved up into a soft smile. “If we do this, it won’t just be once. It won’t just be some hook-up you can walk away from. It sure as fuck won’t bemediocre. If we do this it’ll be real. I’m talking dating, Lefty. You and me together, okay?”

Sage thought about Maggie, about not needing anyone, but still choosing someone if they made life a little better. She thought about David in her apartment, David on the court, David with his perfect shot and big hands and the way that kindness poured from him like a spring.

Life with him could be good. So fucking good.

“Okay.”

David looked as surprised as she felt. “After the season?” he asked tentatively.

Sage nodded.Yes. Whatever this attraction was between them, Sage had no doubt that they were in it together. That therehadto be a future where they got to work through whatever seemed to be alive between their bodies.

After the season,she repeated to herself silently.

And, as she hugged him one last time and left him standing there, wild eyed and tenting his slacks, she turned back to give him one last glance, adding, “See you in the morning for breakfast, Hughes.”

It wasn’t a question.

CHAPTER18

UNBOTHERED

DAVID

Sage had kissed him.

Even weeks later, he still burned with the memory of her commanding him with soft hands wrapped around his neck. The way she’d taken what she wanted, confident and beautiful andgoddamnithe was hard again. His body didn’t give a shit that they’d agreed that while there was no shortage of want between them, they wouldn’t do it again. At least, they wouldn’t do anything until after the season. After the season they would…well, they would try.

All he knew was that the next morning he’d gone over to her place and she’d greeted him with her lopsided smile and made him breakfast, just like she’d done every day since the break began. Almost like nothing had happened.

It was just a minor inconvenience that every time he was around her he had to shove aside the almost crippling urge to push her up against the closest surface and peel away every stitch of clothing that she wore. The fact that he was almost constantly battling more and more elaborate fantasies about Sage Fogerty — her long body stretched out under him, her nipples hot against his tongue — meant that he was spending a concerning amount of time with his hard-on straining against his briefs.

Damn blondes who never wore bras at home.

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