Page 79 of The Tip-Off
I turn the engine off and press my head against the steering wheel. The reprieve is short-lived as the sweltering heat beats down on the car without the AC running. I double check the address and look up at the tall building across the street.
“This is it,” I say to no one.
I grab my phone and purse and walk toward the building. Sweat trickles down my back and I think I might be hyperventilating. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. Perhaps I should go back. All it takes to keep me moving forward is remembering the look on Zeke’s face when I told him I wouldn’t go with him.
The doorman eyes me suspiciously. I can’t blame him; I probably look sketchy all strung out on emotions and sweating profusely.
“Can I help you, miss?”
“I’m visiting a friend. Apartment 303, Zeke Sweets.”
I try and look sweet and innocent as he takes me in. “Elevators are to the left.” He waves a gloved hand in that direction and I wonder if he’s sweating his ass off in his formal uniform of all black from head to toe. I focus on that, on trying to imagine alternate uniforms if I had my own building with doormen, instead of the fact I’m about to come face to face with Zeke.
I’ve got it narrowed down to all white with a black bow tie or swimsuit attire when the elevator arrives at the third floor. I’m certain my throbbing pulse is visible as I knock on the door.
There’s no answer, but I can hear the faint sound of music from inside, so I press my ear to the door in time to hear a laugh that isn’t the deep chuckle I know as Zeke’s. I’m ready to retreat to my car and call off operation girlfriend when the door flies open.
My gaze travels up to the top of the doorframe and Kevin O’Stark, the Suns’ star player and leading scorer, looks down at me with intrigue and confusion. I’ve done my research on Zeke’s new teammates, but now I wish I hadn’t because I’d love to be blissfully unaware that I’m standing in front of an NBA All Sar.
“I’m sorry, I think I have the wrong apartment.”
O’Stark opens the door wide and calls out, “Yo, Superstar, you got a visitor.” Then he extends a hand. “Kevin, nice to meet you.”
“Gabby,” I say meekly as I shake his giant paw.
“Gabby?” Zeke’s surprised voice draws my attention to where he stands in the living room.
I enter the apartment and walk past basically the entire Suns’ roster. The room has gone quiet and I can feel their eyes bounce between me and Zeke.
“Hi.” I give him a small awkward wave as he crosses the room to meet me.
Some of my nerves fall away as he wraps his arms around me and pulls me tight against him. “What are you doing here?”
“I, uh, made you a playlist.”
His hand goes to the back of my head and then smooths down my hair. I hear him chuckle softly. “You came all this way to give me a new playlist?”
“Did she say playlist?” someone asks and then another voice adds, “Speak up, we can’t hear you.”
Zeke’s laughter vibrates against my chest. “Guys, this is Gabby. Gabby, these assholes are my new teammates.”
I brave a glance around the room and offer the guys a small smile. “You guys mind if I steal Zeke for a few minutes and, uh, maybe change the music?”
They don’t answer, just grin like idiots, until one of the guys unfolds himself from the couch and grabs his phone and the speaker pumping out music. He looks at Zeke with a teasing smile before setting the speaker on the counter. “Speaker name is Harris Jams.”
Zeke pulls me by the hand to his room. He closes the door and presses me against it. “God, I missed you,” he says just before his mouth descends on mine. His lips are soft but demanding as he kisses me like it’s been years instead of a few days.
I pull away just enough to speak. “Wait, I need to tell you something.”
“What’s that?” he asks and fuses his mouth to mine again.
His mixture of sweet and tender with hard and demanding makes the world stop. It’s just me and him and everything else that I thought mattered just doesn’t. I told him once that it was the moments spent with other people that mattered and I was right, but the people you give your time to matter more. A million nights with people who only know me from the surface are worth so much less than one night with Zeke who sees me for everything I am and everything I am not.
“What did you want to tell me?”
“Hmmm?” I’m still lost in his kiss when I realize his lips are no longer on mine.
I open my eyes to find his golden browns smiling at my love-drunk face. The words are stuck in my throat, so I pull out my phone and connect to Harris Jams. We sit on the edge of the bed and as Beyoncé starts singing Zeke cocks a brow. “I dig Beyoncé.”
