Page 24 of The Off-Limits Play

We could fuck in the bathroom… or there’s that little alley out back, which I’ve used in the past.

Her eyes heat like she knows what I’m thinking and I glance away, quickly finishing my beer before making my move.

And that’s when I see the one person on this planet who could stop me in a heartbeat.

She’s a brown-eyed troublemaker who is determined to screw me over without even knowing it.

Are you fucking kidding?

Weeks of never seeing her, and now she’s everywhere.

I should be pissed. That’s what I want to be. I’m trying to avoid this chick, and now she’s standing at the pool table with some dickhead, laughing as she lines up her next shot and nails it. The guy puts on a show of being gutted that she’s beating him, but it’s just some lame flirt tactic. He’s probably putting in the work so he can get into her pants later.

Okay,thatis really pissing me off.

Seeing her kind of makes me feel… I don’t know what the fuck it is, but I like it—and that is dangerous.

I spin away, my leg starting to twitch as I make an effort to ignore her.

But I can’t fucking do it.

Grady’s beside me, scrolling through his phone. I pull out mine, figuring that’s a great distraction, but before I can even unlock the screen, my traitorous eyes glance toward that pool table again, and thank fuck they did.

Nylah’s eyeing up the table, figuring out her next shot, and Mr. Flirty is stepping it up a notch. His hand brushes down her arm. She smiles, shrugging him off.

Get the fucking hint, asshole.

But he doesn’t. He leans in, pointing over her shoulder like he’s trying to help her analyze angles, but it’s just an excuse to press his body against hers.

Her smile dims slightly and she steps away from him, moving around the table to take the shot from a different angle.

And he fucking follows her.

She’s now bending over the table, about to take her shot, when the guy who obviously doesn’t value his life decides to palm her ass.

Slamming my beer bottle down, I ping straight with a growl at the same time Nylah shoots up and turns to glare at the guy. Pushing him back with a hand to his chest, she says something I can’t hear.

The guy laughs and moves in to rest his hands on her hips, and she shoves him back again. I’m already walking toward her, my eyes zoned in on this scene as she drops the pool cue on the table and tries to leave. But he won’t fucking let her.

Big mistake, dickhead.

CHAPTER9

NYLAH

Shit. Why is this guy being such an asshole?

I thought we were having some flirty fun. Playing a little pool, laughing together. But of course he has to step it up, and I’m so not into it.

He’s not my type. I was just being friendly.

Why can’t a girl just be friendly without feeling like she’s gonna get mauled? I just wanted to play a little pool with someone!

I came out here to prove I don’t need the sheltered life my parents are insisting on. That I don’t have to keep hiding away in my room.

And now this happens.

“Move.” I try again, but this tree is as stubborn as he is stupid.

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