Page 19 of Kicking It with the Point Guard

I don’t immediately head back to my dorm, though. I need to get a few shots in before I call this workout complete.

I stride past Coach’s office, and he nods at me, pleased to see me working so hard. The first game of the season is just a couple of weeks away. He told me when the semester started that even if they don’t act like it to my face, the rest of the team regards me as a leader. So if I work hard, the others will follow suit.

He wasn’t wrong. Several of the guys who were in the gym with me follow me to the basketball gym.

Dino Ariti, a strong power forward and the closest thing to a friend I have on the team, grabs a couple of balls and tosses one to me. I dribble a few laps around the court, and the guys follow suit.

I line up at the free-throw line, and Dino sets his ball down, standing under the basket to rebound for me.

I take my time shooting. Free-throws can win or lose games. Every coach I’ve ever had has stressed that to me. So I’ve made it my mission to not be a liability at the free-throw line.

One hundred shots later, Dino and I switch places. He shoots his hundred, missing a handful more than I do, but still proving why he’s one of our star players.

I spend another thirty minutes shooting around before I decide to call it a day, waving at the guys, enough of the whom have shown up now that they’ve started up a scrimmage game.

Now, time for a long shower to wash away the stink of my workout before figuring out where Violet has hidden away so I can return her math book.

Violet

I emailed my professor for my pedagogy class to let her know that I’d be absent today, but I sent in an update on my project.

After that, I stripped out of my anger outfit and put on a comfortable oversized t-shirt and some shorty shorts. I stayed in the room for the rest of the day, depleting Mia’s and my snack stash and binging an entire season of some home renovation show.

My stomach rumbles, the snack stash long gone. But I’m not quite ready to venture back out into the world. I needed a day like this, I guess.

I flop back onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling.

Cameron Jones. Well, now at least I know his name and can call him something other than Study Buddy or Library Hottie.

I can’t believe that guy is going to be my tutor. Now that I’ve had a chance to cool off and really think about it, embarrassment hits me full force.

I cover my face with my hands and sigh. I always seem to make the biggest fool of myself around him. There’s something about him that brings out the fighter in me.

It’s not like he antagonizes me, either. If I really think about it, he’s barely spoken to me. He’s either asking if I need help or saying nothing, really.

Closing my eyes, I allow my mind to wander.

Cameron is showing me how to do a particularly difficult equation, and instead of sitting beside me, he’s standing behind me. His warm breath tickles my neck. I shiver, and he leans down, his mouth just a hair’s breadth away from my ear.

His voice is low. “This particular type of equation is all about balance. What you do to one side…” He pauses, the tip of his tongue running lightly up the shell of my ear. “You must do to the other side.” He leans to the other side of me, repeating the action on my other ear.

I turn to look at him, my breath catching in my throat as he caresses my face. All thoughts of what we were working on flee my mind as I’m consumed by him. He leans toward me, and my mouth parts in anticipation of what’s to come. His lips brush against mine, and I sit up quickly in the bed.

What the actual fuck?

Where did that even come from?

That’s it. I’ve been cooped up in the room for too long. I’ve gotta get out of here and get some dinner. Maybe food will clear my mind of this ridiculous smut.

Because that’s what that was. Maybe I should cut back on the romance novels.

I pull a sweatshirt on over my giant t-shirt, switch my shorty shorts out for a pair of cropped leggings, and slip on some flip-flops. I’ll catch a chill if I stay out long, but I don’t plan on being outside much, especially after what happened last night.

As a precaution, I send Mia a text to let her know that I’ll be in the cafeteria if she gets back before I do. Then I grab my keys and my student ID and head out.

I make an uneventful trip to the cafeteria. It’s nacho night in the main line, which I’m pumped for. I go through the line twice, getting corn chips and warm melty cheese and all the delectable toppings I can fit on my plate.

I down a couple bottles of water with my dinner and grab an extra-large iced coffee on my way out of the cafeteria. I’m gonna be up all night trying to figure out how to finish my homework since I walked out of our tutoring session early.

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