Page 159 of All at Once

Jasmine: Okay so I decided that I just want to talk about everything with you in person. Everything’s going well though!

Georgia: So you’re about to fuck or already have...

Jasmine: GEORGIA

Georgia: ;)

Before I even have a chance to reply, she adds:

Georgia: I can’t wait to hear all about it when you’re back. I. MISS. YOU.

Jasmine: I MISSYOU MORE!!!

_________

The only logical thing that’s left for Luca and me to do is play some football before I leave, so of course that’s exactly what we’re doing now. And of course I’m winning.

Just kidding.Not even close.

As I take a sip of my water, he manages to steal the ball from me. “It’s a shame,” he taunts. “You should have brought your glasses.”

I scoff. “Jokes on you since now I’m actually good at soccer.”

“Now you’re just calling it that to get under my skin,” he says while walking toward me.

I match his distance. “Is it working?”

“Never.”

Strategizing how I’m going to get the ball back, I coyly say, “I’ve been practicing a lot more recently.”

“Just like you’ve beenpracticingyour surfing?”

I give him a fake pout. “Hey! I thought you said my surfing improved?”

“It has.”

As he’s smiling naively, I take the opportunity to retrieve the ball and start dribbling it back and forth between my legs ahead of him. “Lesson number one, don’t get distracted.”

He raises his hands. “Okay. You had me there for a second. Let’s see what you got.”

Scrimmaging for a few feet that consists of both of us trying to predict the direction of the other’s next move only leads to the inevitable as we’re so focused on each other’s strategies that we shortly just tumble onto the grass.

“I see all that practicing has really been paying off.” Luca snorts from beneath me as I playfully nudge his shoulder, trying to avoid the sensation that this new angle’s giving me. It’s then when Irealize I’ve never really been on top of him like this.At least not yet…

He drags his fingers down my back. “So we’renotgonna wait until we get back?” His lips curve into a smug grin. “I can work with this.”

I roll my eyes while moving off him even though it’s the last thing I want to do right now. But I have a match towinhere.

As I reach my hand out to help him back up, he takes the ball from me right when he’s standing again, this time mocking, “Lesson number two, don’t fall for your own trick.”

“That doesn’t even make any sense,” I squeal as he runs toward the other side of the field, flashing yetanotherone of his hidden talents while I watch the ball hit the net in disbelief.

“I demand a rematch,” I declare with a growing heartbeat when he runs back with even more disheveled hair.

His eyes glimmer as he raises his brows. “Funny? I thought you wanted ice cream.”

“After I win.”

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