Page 7 of Ace My Heart

As I had expected, Pete beat Donatello in straight sets. He hardly even looked puffed at the end of it. I found my cheeks warming as I thought gratefully that he’d have plenty of puff left for me.

Steve got up and stretched. “Well, I’m turning in for the night. Don’t stay up too late please, Mel. You need your rest.”

I sighed shakily. Could I be experiencing a little pre-coital stage fright? It was a new sensation for me. Joel cocked an eyebrow at me. I stuck my tongue out at him.

As Steve clumped off down the hallway, I stood and paced the kitchen. My hands were sweating. I wiped them on my pants.

I needed something else to focus on, otherwise I was going to wind myself up so tight I’d be the worst lay Pete Levine ever had.

Normally I treated myself to Caramellos only on match days, but desperate times… I snatched another from the cupboard and tore the wrapper off with gusto, sinking my teeth into the feet, savouring the chocolatey goodness as I chomped my way up the tiny koala. I moaned when the caramel hit my palate.

“Christ Stink, are you eating that thing, or fellating it?” Joel said. I narrowed my eyes. He was leaning on the kitchen bench, staring with avid amusement.

I popped the head into my mouth, sucking it slowly, throwing my head back and making a sex sound. Joel watched, eyes glinting.

I swallowed the last bit of deliciousness and smiled at him.

“Bet you enjoyed watching my foodgasm!” I spun on my heel and headed down the hallway. Joel’s chuckle followed me, leaving my skin tingling in irritation. Why couldn’t I get under his skin the way he did mine?

I turned into the bathroom I would now have to share with Joel for the rest of our stay. I ran the shower cold – I needed to calm down. I soaped myself up, washed my long, chestnut brown hair and blow-dried it straight.

I studied myself in the mirror. My skin was nicely tanned from the summer, my brown eyes warm. Ever since I’d gone through puberty, I’d had boys … and men … telling me that I was gorgeous, but I’d never really paid my looks much mind. As long as my body did what I wanted it to – win me matches – I was happy. But I couldn’t help wondering what Pete would think of it. Would he like the sleek line of muscle in my thighs? Would he appreciate my breasts, a decent handful, but nothing to really write home about?

Shaking my head, I wrapped the towel around myself and sneaked across the hallway to my bedroom. I wasn’t sure what I should wear down to Pete’s room. I settled on a pair of cropped denim shorts and a singlet; cute and comfortable. It was also not too hard to get out of. My face heated up again at that thought.

Dressed, I sat on the edge of my bed and tapped my feet on the floor, glancing every few moments at the clock. I didn’t know how long it would be before Pete would be back in his room.

It was close to eleven when I decided I’d given him enough time. I opened my bedroom door quietly and crept down the hallway. The TV was on, volume low. Joel was still up. Oh great. Well, I wasn’t going to let that scare me back to bed.

Taking a deep, fortifying breath, I walked out like it was perfectly okay for me to be sneaking off in the middle of the night on the eve of my Australian Open semi-final.

“Where’re you going, Mel?” Joel asked quietly from the lounge. I turned to look at him from the door.

“None of your business,” I hissed. I put my hand on the door handle, ready to open it and make my escape.

Jesus, he moved fast! He was standing next to me in less than a second, leaning against the door so I couldn’t open it.

“Well, you’ve made an effort for someone, haven’t you?” He looked me up and down, reaching out to run long fingers through my shiny, straight hair. I smacked his hand away.

“Like I said, it’s none of your business. Now let me out!”

“Not until you tell me who you’re meeting.”

I rolled my eyes. “Why do you care? I can go meet whoever I want!”

Joel stared at me expectantly. But I wasn’t giving in. I wasn’t telling him anything.

“Well, I thought it might have been Lover Boy Brad, but you’re not wearing any shoes, so it’s someone in this building.”

I snorted at him. “Brad isnotmy Lover Boy, he’s my friend. I know you’ve never been able to have a platonic relationship with a member of the opposite sex, butsurprise,it’s possible.”

Joel gazed down at me, that familiar sardonic grin on his face. “I have a platonic relationship with you, Stinky. Although I guess I’d be willing to change that.” He very obviously looked down at my cleavage. “But you still haven’t told me who you’re meeting.”

I was very close to blowing my stack. “Okay, let’s just get one thing straight. Whatever you consider a platonic friendship, this” – I gestured wildly from him to me – “isn’t it.” I tried to push past him, but he wasn’t budging.

“It’s Pete Levine, isn’t it? You were practically panting earlier when we were watching him play. Honestly, I didn’t realise you were into the Snuffy look.”

“The … what?” I asked.

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