Page 74 of Beautiful Broken Love

His smile was smug. “Good to know. And even if you are, I’ve got your number.” He winked.

I unlocked my car and climbed inside, and he bent down to get eye level with me. “I’m gonna hold you to that trip.”

I bit back a smile. “I know you are.”

He stroked my chin with his thumb and forefinger, sending another wave of pleasure through me. I could smell myself on his fingers. I wanted to pounce on him like a jaguar, but the first time couldn’t happen here. Not in a parking deck.

With one last kiss, he pulled away and said, “Text me when you want more brunch.” Then he winked before standing tall again, closing my door, and walking away.

I took a second to snap out of my lustful haze, then started the car and put it in reverse. Deke was close to his lit-up Ferrari as I drove toward the exit, and when he heard my car coming, he peered over his shoulder with a smug smile.

All the blood crept up from my neck to my face as I drove past and threw a quick wave at him, but before I could fully get away, he yelled, “You’re blushing, D!”

THIRTY-NINE

DEKE

“So what you’re saying is y’all went on a date?” EJ threw the ball at the goal and made the net swish. He didn’t watch the rock sink in, though. He was too busy staring at me and waiting for an answer.

I met with him and Javier the morning after having brunch with Davina. We were at Element and did a quick workout before a few guys from the team swung by for a practice scrimmage. They’d all left by now, but the three of us stuck around to go over a few drills.

EJ didn’t usually tag along with us, but he claimed he wanted to take his career more seriously. Though he was a goof who loved partying, drinking, and sleeping with any woman who blinked at him, the kid could hoop.

“I guess you could call it that,” I said, referring to his date question as I dribbled a ball between my legs.

“Hold on.” EJ planted his hands on his waist. “Don’t tell me you stopped fucking with Giselle for Davina?”

I frowned at him. “Me and Giselle were done a long time ago. And even if I did, so fucking what?”

“No wonder she’s been talking shit about you.” EJ shook his head and walked toward the towel rack.

“I think it is nice. You two seem to have a connection,” Javier said from where he stood. “Arealconnection, not any of that forced bullshit you were involved with before.”

“I guess it doesn’t matter.” EJ shrugged as he went for a water bottle. “Both of them are sexy as fuck.” I lifted my ball and chucked it at EJ, making the water bottle fall out of his hands. “’Ey, man! What’s wrong with you?”

I raised a brow, looking him over. He could talk about Giselle all he wanted, but Davina was out of the question.

EJ sucked his teeth, staring at me as I met him at the water station. “You really not gonna apologize for that?”

“Hell no.” I sat on one of the chairs, lifting my bottle and taking a swig. EJ claimed a chair a few seats away from me as Javier picked up a ball, bouncing it from hand to hand.

“How did you get her to fold, anyway?” Javier asked. “She was glaring daggers at you at the Miami lunch—and I don’t blame her. You might as well have been dragging her through the mud.”

“I don’t know.” I laughed. “But I will say if she hadn’t come to that man Chester’s party, we probably wouldn’t be talking right now.”

“So you two did something at the party?” Javier’s bushy brows inclined. “I was wondering why you had disappeared.”

I hid a smirk as I took another drink of water. “I don’t kiss and tell like EJ,” I said after a wet gasp.

EJ poured some water into his hand and flung it at me.

“Can’t believe you left me alone with her sister.” Javier tossed the ball at the net but missed. He wasn’t the best shooter. Best on the defensive end, though.

“Man, just admit you like her and stop beating around the bush.” I hopped up and grabbed the ball he’d thrown, dribbling my way back to him.

“What the hell are you talking about?” His eyebrows bunched together as he tossed his hands in the air. “I don’t like her.”

“You keep talking about her.” I stood at the three-point line and aimed for the goal. The ball sank in with hardly a shift in the net. “Must mean something, right?” I cut my eyes to his, and he still had his arms out with an incredulous look on his face.

---