Page 2 of Unrivaled

I shrug one shoulder, tilting my head and dragging my fingers across the low scoop neck of my top, drawing his eyes to the movement. “Good sportsmanship was drummed into me from a young age. You played well. It was a hard-won victory. You deserve the win. Good luck with the championship.”

His brown eyes light up when they come back to mine, his smile turning more sincere and losing some of its arrogance. “Thank you. Your team played well too. And I saw some of those tricks your squad pulled off. You guys are really good.”

My cheeks warm from the compliment. “Thanks.”

We stare at each other for a long moment, apparently having exhausted the available topics of conversation. But since I haven’t really flirted with a guy in so long, I’m not about to let this opportunity slip through my fingers.

I wonder what Maddy decided between making sure Carter sees me with Grayson Kilpatrick or keeping him away …

Because I honestly wouldn’t mind if Carter saw me making out with his biggest rival. No one else is willing to step on his toes, but Grayson clearly doesn’t care a bit about Carter’s feelings.

Perfect.

Finishing my drink, I set it down and reach for Grayson’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go downstairs and dance.”

He drags his gaze over me again and bites his lower lip. “Sounds good.”

Tangling my fingers with his, I tow him to the staircase. When I glance at him over my shoulder, he gives me a sexy, heavy lidded smile.

Yeah, Grayson’s presence is offsetting my irritation with Carter nicely.

The music grows louder as we descend the stairs, the low pulse turning into a booming thump. I pull Grayson to the middle of the basement where there’s a clear space full of couples and groups dancing.

Without an ounce of shyness, he hooks an arm around my waist and pulls me close as we begin moving together to the music. We dance through two song changes without speaking—and without interruption from a certain jealous ex. When the next song starts, he leans in close, and I think he might kiss me, but instead his warm breath fans over my ear, making me shiver.

“Weren’t you dating Carter Vandermeer?”

Ah. Right. Apparently our reputation as the golden couple extends beyond the halls of Eastwood High School. With a shrug and what I hope is a convincing laugh, I wave that away. “Oh, yeah. Him. We were. We broke up. And what about you? Isn’t there a hot girlfriend waiting to celebrate with you?”

Grayson’s eyebrows jump up his forehead, a smile stretching his lips as he shakes his head in a quick negative. “Who broke up with who?”

“Can we not talk about Carter and me? It’s not exactly a fun story.”

He examines me, and understanding slowly dawns on his face. It makes me really uncomfortable, because I don’t know what he could possibly have put together from such innocuous statements. People break up all the time, especially in high school. It really shouldn’t be that big of a deal.

“Gotcha,” he says at last, pulling me close again, his hands moving my hips against his, letting me feel the effect my proximity is having on him.

And wow. Is this an offer? Is he wanting to hook up? Do I want that? I was just thinking dancing and making out, but …

Biting my lip, I look up into his face. His eyelids lower to half mast as he stares at my mouth and licks his lips.

He lifts one hand, smoothing his thumb over my lip and freeing it from between my teeth, then lowers his head and brushes his lips across mine. At my gasp, he does it again, this time sliding his tongue into my mouth.

Are we still dancing? I’m not sure, because all my attention is on kissing this guy. His fingers flex on my hips, moving farther back like he wants to grab my ass but doesn’t. I rub against him as much as I can, grateful when he shoves his thigh between mine, giving me something more to rub against.

When I groan softly into his mouth, he tears his lips from mine, his eyes intent and searching as he looks at me. “You want to find somewhere more private to continue this? Or do you like putting on a show?”

My cheeks heat at the idea of putting on a show. “Somewhere more private,” I answer quietly.

Lifting his head, he looks around, and apparently finds exactly what he’s looking for, because seconds later he spins me in front of him and guides me through the crowd toward a door in the back corner of the basement.

He closes the door behind him and flips on the light, revealing a small bedroom with a window high on the wall covered by light blue curtains and only a full size bed, a dresser, and a side table inside it. It doesn’t look like it’s used regularly judging by the nearly empty closet standing open next to the dresser.

Grayson sits on the foot of the bed and pulls me close by our joined hands, urging me into his lap. I follow his lead, straddling him and resting my weight on his muscular thighs.

When he spreads his legs, mine go wider too, my skirt hiking up indecently high.

He makes a sound of satisfaction, his hand cupping my head under the fall of my curls and bringing my mouth to his again.

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