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13
NOVA
“Ohhhhh, that’s a miss.” Brooke groans next to me on the couch. She slaps her controller in frustration. “Dammit, I still need practice before I can kick Jay’s ass. Let’s change up the teams.”
Brooke wanted to hang out and get the scoop on LA, so I came over the day after I got back. She was playing Pro Ball NOW when I arrived, and I asked if I could try it.
It’s strangely addictive.
She resets the game to the main screen, flipping through eligible players to add to her team.
“Miles know you play him?” I ask.
“Never. And you won’t say a word. How’s your team?”
I bite my lip and go back to the choices.
At first, I picked people I knew, including a few Kodiaks like Jay and some other big names. I steered clear of Clay because he’s on my mind enough without him taking up the screen in front of me, but now I add him.
“Nice addition,” Brooke comments. “You’re missing a little grumpy tattooed hottie in your heart?”
“No.”
“In your pants?”
I hit her on the arm and she laughs.
“He wished me luck and we talked after the show.”
“And?”
“And I might have had one dream about him,” I mumble.
“This dream in which you were both fully clothed and talking about the weather.”
I shift down lower against the couch.
In my dream, I was still in LA the night of the premiere. After hanging up the phone, I walked to the end of the alley, and Clay was there in a dress shirt and jeans.
He backed me up against the wall and kissed me, reaching under my skirt to touch me until I was writhing against him.
“I know you miss me, Pink,” he murmured against my ear. “I know you miss this.”
I woke up sweaty and tangled in my sheets.
“I think he’s working on himself. And I’m working on me. And right now, that’s what we both need,” I decide.
Still, it does strange, not unpleasant things to my insides to be playing a game with Clay’s avatar.
What I appreciate most about him isn’t about basketball, and it isn’t only about our chemistry. I miss his quiet, growly presence. The secret smiles for me and only me.
The knock at the door has me rising to answer.
When I pull it wide, my breath sticks in my throat.
Clay’s on the other side, looking gorgeous and freshly showered, his hair sticking up in every direction and his hoodie shoved up to his elbows.
“Nova.” He says my name as if he’s every bit as surprised as I am.
