Page 69 of Love You, Mean It

“So…like this?” I tried to mirror what he’d done. Theo shook his head.

“Let me show you.” He moved up behind me, pressing himself along the length of my back. My breath caught in my throat at the sudden contact, pulse quickening traitorously. My brain could wrap itself around how wrong Theo and I were for each other, how little we had in common, but the hairs rising at the nape of my neck, andthe suddenly hypercharged surface of my skin, could only seem to focus on the feel of him, the memory of the carved muscles I could feel through the thin fabric between us, his body limned by firelight, poised over me, me arching up to urge him deeper inside…

He bent over my shoulder, speaking low in my ear.

“Hold it like this, the right grip is everything.” His breath skimmed across the soft skin of my cheek, sending a shiver through my entire body as he placed his hands over mine, shifted them into place, the quiet strength in his arms restrained but evident as they circled me. The hard planes of his chest pressed into my shoulders, and his faint piny scent wafted over me, the heat from his exercise-warmed skin turning it deeper, and somehow even more intoxicating.

“Okay,” I said, voice barely a whisper. Could he feel how hard my heart was pounding? See my pulse jumping? The image of him bending over the delicate skin between my jaw and my neck, pressing his lips to it, then along my throat, shot into my mind unbidden, and I had to physically restrain myself from tilting my head to present myself to him. When he spoke again, his voice was rougher.

“The whole swing has to come from your hips. Like this.”

One hand still over mine on the racket, he moved the other around to my front, pressing me back against him, swiveling my hips with his own as he moved my arm through space. Heat swirled through me, condensing between my legs in a throbbing ache.

“Am I doing it right?” I pressed back against him, rolling my hips ever so slightly, craving the friction. Theo made a low sound in his throat. I could feel him stiffening against my back. I swallowed hard, skin tingling everywhere his body touched mine.

“Yes,” he growled, hips pressing into me hard. “That’s perfect…”

“You think you’ve got it, Ellie? I wasn’t kidding about that ten o’clock,” Everett called out from across the court. I startled, suddenly remembering myself, and had to force myself not to spring away. It shouldn’t be strange for Theo to touch me, even intimately,even in public—Bella had made a point of mentioning his physicality, after all. Or it wouldn’t be strange if our relationship werereal.

God, how had that felt so real? I needed to get a fuckinggrip. And not just on my tennis racket.

“Yup!” I said, voice tight and high. “Or at least I’m not getting any better before the next point.”

I took a step away from Theo.

“Thanks for that.” His gaze locked onto mine, the fire I’d felt flaring between us still flickering in his eyes.

“We can have a private lesson later.” His sly smile promised so much more than study. I licked my lips and nodded once, not trusting myself with more words. When I looked at Sam, she was watching the two of us, face totally blank. I hurried back to the baseline.

But my nerves were still sparking crazily with pent-up desire. I managed to get my serve into the right section, but it was high and slow, and Everett slashed it to the far back corner of the court before I even realized what was happening.

“That’s game,” he said, grinning widely. “Sam, you want to serve first for us? I’m dying to see that killer instinct in action.”

The next three games were a blur of rocket-speed shots from Sam and Everett, valiant efforts by Theo to keep us competitive, and truly pitiful play on my part, which somehow still left me panting by the time Everett set up for his final serve. Sweat prickled my hairline, and the muscles in my legs were on fire from my mostly futile attempts to reach the balls that Sam and Everett—but mostly Sam, she clearly hadn’t been joking about exploiting me as the weak link—kept sending my way.Maybe she’s just pissed at you for turning this plan in entirely the wrong direction.

His serve shot over the net to Theo, who hit it right down the middle of the court. Everett made a show of just barely missing it with his outstretched racket. I could tell he was holding back, not that it did us much good; Everett half-trying was still twice the player I was. But Sam was already sprinting across the court behind him, arm back as she neared the ball. With a loudthwackshe connected, sending it just past me, my startled attempt to catch it witha backhand half a second too late. The ball soared over the adjoining court, thudding to a stop against the curves of the white domed wall.

“That’s set,” she said, the sweat glistening on her skin only highlighting her high cheekbones, the obvious triumph in her eyes mirroring their sparkle. “Good effort, guys, really,” she added, locking onto Theo.

“Next time, maybe we can focus a little less on the win and give Ellie a chance to learn the game,” he said as we all drifted back to the benches. “It doesn’talwayshave to be so competitive.”

“Sure, but that’s what makes it fun.” Sam’s tone was light, but I could see the hint of something darker tugging at the corners of her eyes.God, she must hate me.Which sucked on two levels; I didn’t just want her help with Mangia (though that washugelyimportant), I really just…liked her. Learning she was moving to Milborough had been unexpectedly exciting. She’d hardly make an effort at friendship if I actively salted her on this.

“Maybe for some people.” Theo turned to me as I tugged my sweatpants up. I couldn’t help but notice the full-on barrier of back he’d put between himself and Sam. Judging by her pained expression, she caught it too. “Do you mind if we head out, El? I need to squeeze in a shower before my first meeting, and the club locker rooms have terrible water pressure.”

“Sure. Of course.” I hoisted my bag onto my shoulder, and Theo moved with me, sliding his arm around my waist, pressing me against his hip. I tried to eye-apologize to Sam, but I wasn’t sure it transmitted right. “Thanks so much for putting up with me. Maybe next time you all should find a different fourth. At least until I can up my game a little.”

“It was fun,” Everett said, wiping his face with a towel and tossing it into his bag, grinning widely. “And why would we do that? Ilikewinning.”

“Well, glad I could help.” He laughed his warm, open laugh, leaning in to give me a quick back-patting hug. Then he turned to Sam, body going infinitesimally stiffer.

“I would love to do this again, though. Maybe a singles match? See who’s really carrying the team?”

Sam frowned, tearing her eyes away from Theo to flash Everett a weak smile.

“Absolutely. Beating you will be even more fun than playing with you.”

“Oh, it’son.”

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