Page 51 of Game On

“I saw the way he was looking at you the whole workout. I’ve also heard him and Dempsey talk. Plus, I’m a guy. I know exactly what they’re thinking.”

I drop my head to the side and blink. “Are you serious? I came all over your friend yesterday with his fingers inside me, do you really think I’m going to say yes when Shawn asks me out?”

Sloan rips his sunglasses off. They fall to pieces on the ground, but then he’s on me. His hand comes up to cradle the back of my head as his lips claim mine. He urges and urges until I open for him, stealing my breath. For a moment, I settle into his kiss, enjoying the sensations that spark inside me until I realize I’m kissing Sloan Ivy in full view of everyone coming into school. Also, I’m kissing Sloan Ivy.What am I doing?

I rip away from him, his teeth catching my lip a little. My hand flies to my mouth. I bring my fingers away to see a smear of blood. “I’m sorry,” Sloan says immediately. He stares at my lips, the circles around his eyes much darker than they were even just before. I turn and run toward the school with a chorus of laughter following me the entire way. That is, until I hear Sloan telling them all to shut the fuck up.

I run straight for the backdoor to the girls’ locker room. Once in there, I can breathe a little without Sloan’s overwhelming scent. I jump in the shower, my fingers coming up to trail over my lips as the water pelts me. Sighing, I finish, and then hurry and dress in the extra clothes I brought with me. When I step out into the locker room, Ryan Linc is sitting on the closest bench. His gaze drags down me, and I almost yelp at the surprise of seeing him there. Then, I just push forward until I find an open mirror and take out my foundation. I normally wouldn’t be caught dead doing this in front of him, but I’m at my wit’s end with the Ballers about how. Well, most of them anyway.

“I heard about what happened with Sloan.”

“And Alec, no doubt.”

I can see him in the reflection, nodding. “We’ve talked about it.” I glare at him through the mirror. They talked about me, without me even there. He meets my gaze unapologetically. “I’m sure it hasn’t escaped your notice that your relationships with Sloan and Alec could fuck up the team dynamics. I don’t know how it’s going to work.”

“I haven’t even made the team yet.”

“True,” he says. “If you don’t, then we’ll have nothing to worry about.”

I rub the rest of my foundation in and then turn. “I’m making the team.”

“Exactly what I thought you would say, which is why I’m here.” He stands, placing his arms over his chest. “We’re putting the word out today that you’re one of ours. That way Alec and Sloan can calm the fuck down and won’t have to worry about other guys.”

“I’m one of yours?” I ask, almost incredulously. “And you think that’s going to stop people from doing what they want?”

“It usually does.”

“Of course, because you’re the Ballers. You can do whatever the hell you want.”

Ryan moves closer until he stops a foot away from me. I’m already pressed against the sink with nowhere to escape. “Is this not what you want, Tessa?” He steps forward again, and my breath rattles around in my chest. “I know how you react to me. If it’s the same for Alec and Sloan, why wouldn’t you let us claim you?”

“Because you can’t claim a person, Ryan. That’s not real life.”

“Do you want me to tell Ivy and Christopoulos that you don’t want them?”

Dread slices through my chest. “No!”

He takes another step closer, his gaze fixated in my hair. “Then let me do this. You can focus on basketball. No one will bully you anymore. Hell, people won’t even want to look at you anymore. If they do…” He trails off with the threat. “I just need you to make me a promise.”

My throat is suddenly dry. I swallow. “What’s that?”

“This won’t affect the team. Period. You and I both have aspirations, and I won’t have anything fucking them up.”

I stand taller. “You know how important basketball is to me. I won’t let it screw anything up.”

He nods, then lifts his hand to filter his fingers through my hair. My breath catches. He used to do that all the time that summer at camp. “I like the new length, by the way.” With that, he turns and exits into a busy hallway.

I sit on the bench he just vacated. It takes me a minute to understand what he meant by my length, but then it hits me. I cut my hair before the school year. My hair was a lot longer that year at camp, but it’s just a little past shoulder-length now. I sit there and think until the bell brings me to my senses. Then, I grab my shit and get to class.

26

Ryan wasn’t kidding when he said they were going to put the word out that I was theirs. I hear it so many times just walking the hallway that I don’t know whether to be proud or think I’ve made a huge mistake. When I leave the class right before lunch, I hear, “Don’t be mad.”

I look up and right into Sloan’s bloodshot eyes. He looks like he’s high, but I know he’s not. He wouldn’t dare. He’s just tired. People are giving us a wide berth in the hall, but they’re also staring at us like they want the next headline to read,Senator’s Son and Basketball Princess Ignite.I walk toward him. “Are you okay, Sloan? You don’t look so good.”

His lips turn up. “You’re talking to me, so that’s good.”

“You’re so tired. You look like you could fall asleep right here.”

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