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.

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