Page 76 of On Merit Alone
“Yeah…” he said, his eyes trailing over me as his words tapered off.
I smiled, leaning in at the waist as I whispered mockingly, “Now lose the shirt, King.”
He smiled too, and then he was suddenly shirtless, his long-sleeve fluttering off to the ground beside him in a heap. The only thing left on his torso was that small silver chain that glinted in the pointed court lights. I blinked, my vision suddenly full of smooth light brown skin and dense, sculpted muscles. A chest that was both lean and broad and shoulders that chorded in a way that choked me up.
He grinned. “What? You asked.”
“I didn’t think you would do it.”
“It was going to happen one way or another,” he shrugged. Then he looked pointedly at my sock clad feet. “And don’t even bother going for those socks next. They don’t count.”
“Whatever, just shoot,” I said.
He did. Another outside shot from the side of the court. And just as I went up to shoot my own, he asked, “Do you have a boyfriend?”
I coughed, my shot going wide of the hoop and singing through the air. “Why on earth would you need to know that?”
“Call it curiosity,” he said, eyes heavy.
I chewed my cheek. “No.”
“Do you want one?” he asked.
“No double questions,” I scolded.
“Well I don’t see any clothes coming off, so I better be getting something…”
I guffawed, and then I quickly slipped myself out of my athletic shorts. I had compression shorts on underneath, and my T-shirt was long enough that it draped down decently low over my front.
Still I felt utterly naked as Ira’s eyes ate up the sight of my legs, trailing up the length of them with a fire in his gaze. When he saw that I caught him staring, he just swallowed and asked again, “Are you dating, Six?”
“You already asked.”
“No, I asked if you had a boyfriend. But now, before we get any further, I want to know if other men are seeing you like this,” he said, eyes sweeping over my bare legs before they snapped back up to mine. “Talking to you like this.”
I cleared my throat yet my voice still came out funny. “And if I am?”
“I’d ask you to stop,” he answered, so matter of factly, it couldn't be mistaken for anything but the truth.
My entire chest seized with something that felt like a rocket launching into space. “And if I’m not?”
“Well then…” he paused as if he was just thinking about this for the first time. Then he shrugged like it didn’t bother him one bit. “I’ve pretty much shown my hand.”
I turned away from him quickly, lest he see the look of utter embarrassment on my face. Ducking my chin, I mumbled out a quick, “No, I’m not dating. I don’t see anyone but you.”
The low breath of relief he let out just made me cower in more embarrassment. “Ball.”
He passed me the ball and I made another shot. Lefty again, since it seemed to have worked. Only he made his shot after mine, so he didn’t have to lose his pants.
I crossed my arms. “Do I still get to ask a question?”
His teeth gleamed as he smiled. “Only because you’re cute when you pout.”
“Why Denver?” I asked.
“My family’s from here,” he said like it answered everything.
“Yeah, but there are better teams you could be playing for, no question,” I said. “Not that the Defenders haven’t gotten better. But you’ve had to work up to it for so long.”
