Page 237 of Scoring the Player
Turnsout being horny as fuck gives you a power boost. We clutched the dub, and I hit a season high of assists, blocks, and rebounds.
After I get through on-court interviews and head back to the locker room, I reach for my phone to check the Royals’ final score. Their tipoff was an hour before ours.
I see a text from Blue.
I pop in my headphones even though the cover shot of the video shows him dressed in a beanie and long-sleeved denim button-down shirt.
I hit play.He flashes me a sweet grin. It looks like he’s leaving the Royals’ arena.
Grr. Why couldn’t I have a game closer to LA than Phoenix?
“Congrats on the win,” someone says.
“Thanks,” he replies over his shoulder.
His gaze returns to the camera. “Bring it.” His eyes soften. “I love you. Hurry home.”
The video ends.
I stow away my phone and race to the shower.
Arnaz
The dinner I ordered for us before I left the arena is waiting in front of my door when I get home. Taking a few bites, I save the rest to eat with Salem late tonight. I head upstairs to shower and prep, then turn on the TV in my bedroom and pull up highlights of Salem’s game.
The third highlight shows Phoenix’s point guard driving hard toward the basket with a clear path to the rim. In what looks like a split-second decision, Salem steps into the lane, planting his feet. Running full speed with no time to brake, the guard’s chest slams into him with a force that makes my neck snap back. Salem’s arms spread wide—heels sliding—as he crashes to the floor.
A whistle blows. Offensive foul!
Yeah, boi!
Salem’s up on his feet, fisting the air. He grins at the guard, who’s whining to the ref about the call before he races away.
I hit rewind.
Brows drawn together, chest erect, fists planted to his sides—he doesn’t even blink as the guard barrels toward him.
Fuck, he’s fearless.
I pause and swipe up my phone.
Me
This is what you do to me 20 seconds into your highlights
I send him a picture of the bulge in my briefs.
His FaceTime call comes in.
“Why am I seeing sky when you’re supposed to be on a jet?” I complain.
“Yeah, there’s a delay due to a mechanical issue.”
I tense. “What kind of mechanical issue?”
“Not sure. They said it should be fixed soon. The engineer’s already working on it.”
“Should you be boarding it? Maybe a commercial plane is safer?”
