Page 45 of Off Court Fix

I’m met with his hand cupping my cheek first, followed immediately by his lips.

I’m not surprised by the quick, effortless kiss. What I’m surprised by is how Crosby’s hand lingers, his thumb gracing my lips, and I’m all the things at once—hypnotized by the soft sweeping of his finger, entranced by his eyes behind his glasses, squinting just enough, not from the sun, but so he can focus on me. Even though there’s space between us, I’m held by the power of Crosby’s gaze and it leaves my body shivering. And then I’m annoyed because he’s swept my body in a cool sheet of goosebumps and I just shaved my legs.

“Good morning.”

Actually, I don’t mind the goosebumps or that Crosby has his hands on me when we’re out in the open, even if it is—for the moment— an abandoned beach. I only care that his hands are on me, the one on my face, the other at my waist, creeping beneath the sweater I threw on with the morning chill. But it doesn’t matter now because my body is about to burst with heat, and I’m torn between wanting more kindling and finding an extinguisher.

Crosby happens to have the power to be both.

I kiss him, and I don’t hold back. I know Crosby hears the whimper flee my mouth above the roaring waves yards away because he smiles when he pulls away and I tip forward in search—in need—of more of him.

“We’ve got to have a little bit of a guard up. Anyone could see.”

I think I’m dizzy. “Who?” I ask, my voice dripping with sarcasm salty from the ocean air. “The fish?”

Suddenly I’m on my back, and now I’m definitely dizzy. But Crosby hovering above me is the only thing that comes into clear, sharp focus.

“You know what I think about?” he asks me.

His glasses are slipping so I push them back up his nose. He catches my finger in his mouth as I lower it.

My hips flex up involuntarily, but he’s holding himself out of reach. “The car?”

He bites gently on the tip of my index finger before softening it with his lips. I don’t even have the strength to hold my hand up when he releases it. It falls to the blanket, dead by delicious contact.

“Besidesthat.” I wait for him to continue. “What you said in the hotel in Palm Springs.”

I frown.

He lowers his face closer to mine, and I hold my breath. “This might not end well for either of us.”

Relaxing my face, I nod.

“Especially for you, you’re right.”

I frown again.

“After you left my place the other night, I stayed up thinking it would be smart of you to stay away from me. You made your point. And you’ll never see me in the chair on your court again, I can assure you that.”

I frown harder.

Crosby swallows so hard his Adam’s apple bobs forward, and if the conversation hadn’t taken such a turn, I’d be tempted to reach out and suck on it.

I take a second to find my voice. “What if I don’t want to stay away?”

“It won’t end well.”

I sigh. “You said that already.”

His lips sulk into a thin, unhappy line. “I want you to really understand what that might mean.”

Taking a deep breath, I press my palms into his chest, against the slick material of his workout shirt. “Don’t you think I understand? I was the one who toldyouwhat it means.”

I fully understand, yet all the repercussions somehow make me want Crosby more.

“I decided that night in the church I was going after what I want.”

Crosby’s tongue peeks out of his mouth, wetting his lips. “What do you want, Maxine?”

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