Page 172 of The Truth & Lies Duet
“Fuck,” I grumble, pulling the elastic out of my hair and scraping it together into another ponytail. As if that’ll help.
Holden grins, spinning the ball on one finger.
I push him toward the center court line. “Stop gloating and start playing.”
“Thatwas a foul. You’re not going to call yourself?”
“You told me I couldn’t be ref,” I remind him.
Holden rolls his eyes but dribbles back to the line.
He shoots from there this time, not even taking one step forward. I turn to watch it sink in, sighing when it does.
“What’s the score, ref?”
I groan. “We’re not calling fouls.”
Holden would never hurt me. Physically. He’s inflicted plenty of emotional scars, some on this very court.
And he’s right, I’m not above blurring the lines a little bit.
He smirks, then goes to retrieve the ball.
I rush him as soon as he’s back into position, deliberately colliding our bodies together.
Holden holds the ball above his head, out of my reach.
“Whatcha doing, flower?”
I want to kiss him.
His skin is hard and hot against mine. His smirk is teasing me. Daring me.
“Playing basketball.”
“Not baseball? Because this feels like second base.”
I make a desperate grab for the ball.
He chuckles as he spins around me, wrapping an arm around my waist to hold me away while he shoots one-handed.
It goes in. He hasn’t missed a single shot yet.
And I’m running out of swear words.
Holden’s hand is still wrapped around me, spread across my stomach and searing my skin.
I step back into him. Grind my ass against his crotch.
“This is cheating,” he says. “Illegal interference.”
His breathing is fast beside my ear and I take a lot of pleasure out of that. Either I challenged him to exerting himself some or he’s affected by my proximity.
“Cassia.” There’s a warning in his voice as I continue to circle my hips.
I eye the basketball where it landed beneath the hoop, then lean back so he’s supporting all of my weight.
Fuck it.
