Page 6 of Stick Games
I crane my neck and spot Braxton standing by the edge of the room, his eyes locked on us. “The one and only,” I murmur.
Gabe raises an eyebrow and wags them playfully, making me laugh despite myself. “He looks pissed.”
I shrug, the weight of Braxton’s stare rolling right off me. Honestly, I don’t care if Braxton’s happy or pissed. I don’t care much about Braxton at all. He was just a guy I was seeing, a guy who was supposed to take me to prom. When he broke things off earlier today, it didn’t hurt me. It embarrassed me, sure, but that’s all it was.
The song shifts to a faster tempo, and I begin to pull away from Gabe, ready to step out of his embrace. But then his hands slide down my back, slow and deliberate, and a soft moan escapes my lips before I can stop it. His touch sets my skin on fire, and for a second, everything stills. His hands freeze in place, and I’m not sure he’s even breathing.
Okay, something is definitely happening here…
Someone taps me on the shoulder, breaking the moment. I turn to see Braxton standing there, his expression unreadable. “Can we talk?” he asks, his voice sharp.
Before I can answer, Gabe steps forward, placing himself between us. “She’s with me, dude,” he says, his voice low and firm. I reach out, placing my hand on his back, feeling the tension ripple through his muscles beneath my fingers. He’s ready to defend me, and that small gesture sends a wave of warmth through my chest.
Braxton hesitates for a moment, like he’s weighing his options, but eventually, his shoulders sag and he walks away, defeated. Probably a smart move, considering Gabe towers over him. Gabe turns back to me, his hands settling on my shoulders, and the heat from his touch sends shivers down my spine. My breath quickens as his eyes search mine.
“You didn’t want to talk to him, did you?” he asks softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
“No,” I say, shaking my head, my heart racing.
His jaw clenches, his eyes darkening with a protective edge. “I still kind of wanted to give him a black eye… maybe two.”
I swallow hard, my throat tightening as he studies me, the intensity in his gaze almost too much to bear. “I’ll get us another drink,” he says, his voice softening as he lets his hands fall away and disappears into the crowd.
As he walks off, I head toward a nearby table, needing a moment to collect myself. But before I can get there, Braxton steps in front of me again, anger simmering in his eyes. “What the fuck, Emilia?” he snaps. “What are you doing with him?”
I meet his glare, my voice steady but firm. “He’s my date, Braxton.”
His lips curl into a sneer. “You trying to make me jealous or something?”
I shake my head, exasperated. “I’m with Gabe now, and whether you’re jealous or not doesn’t matter to me.”
But then Braxton’s gaze shifts over my shoulder, something catching his attention, and a grin tugs at the corner of his mouth. I turn slowly, dread filling my chest, and my stomach drops when I see what he’s looking at.
Gabe, standing near the drink table, with Jenny Garrity pressed up against him, her tongue halfway down his throat.
The world tilts, and everything narrows into that one image. My heart constricts, my breath catching painfully in my chest.
Braxton snorts, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction. “What kind of game are you two playing, Emilia?”
3
Emilia
Present Day
All Star Weekend:
* * *
I lift my face to the Caribbean sun as I make my way to my lounge chair near the majestic emerald waters. With everyone else off on a catamaran boat ride on this glorious Saturday morning, I get to spend my birthday soaking up the sun, and reading this month’s book club pick—a steamy romance novel.
I give a happy sigh. A full day to myself on the most romantic island in the Caribbean. What more could a girl want…
Although, reading a smoking hot book might not be my brightest idea. Yeah, getting all hot and bothered under the Caribbean sun, when you don’t have a man to crawl into bed with, is probably not my smartest move. Then again, I’ve done a few things that weren’t smart in the last few years, like agreeing to go to prom with Gabe, and taking a coaching job with the Boston Bucks where I’m forced to see his stupid face every day.
I glance around at the men milling about around me. I’m sure a few of them are single, and I could probably hook up with one or two—never to see them again—but I’m not really into fast flings with strangers.
Oh, and why is that, Emilia?
