The more, the better. Maybe a few additional truths would help them make wiser decisions about one another.
Once more, he didn’t have to pause to formulate his question. “What did you think of me when we met?”
Easy-peasy.
“I thought you were a cocky bro, too handsome and flirty for your own good.” Her lips curved, despite her best efforts. “I also thought you felt amazing between my thighs.”
He promptly shanked his shot, and the ball bounced into another court.
She watched the ball roll into a dark corner. “Maybe I shouldn’t share how my nipples reacted to your back. I don’t want to endanger tourists on the other side of the island.”
A sort of choked cough racked his tall frame. “I assumed you were cold.”
“Pressed up against you? Please.” A laughable idea, particularly given the amount of heat his big body gave off. “Truth or dare?”
“Dare.” His voice had turned raspy. Hot.
She tilted her head. Considered him. Considered what he’d told her earlier. “I dare you to tell me five things you’re good at other than tennis.”
He stared at her for a moment before heaving an exaggerated sigh.
“I was hoping for something more sexual,” he said.
“I’ll bet.”
When she didn’t back down and change her dare, he eventually began fiddling with the strings on his racket, speaking without looking at her. “Uh…I’m decent at basketball, I guess.”
Yeah, he still wasn’t getting her point, but he would. Eventually.
His eyes flicked up, and those dimples appeared alongside his flirty, concealing grin. “And of course, you wouldn’tbelievehow good I am with my tongue.”
“Yes, yes, you’re a sexual dynamo. I look forward to experiencing the wonder of it all later tonight.” She waved her free hand dismissively. “But right now, I want to know what you’re good at that doesn’t involve your body, and I want you to tell me.”
His grin promptly disappeared. “You didn’t specify that in your dare.”
“You’re going to make me use another turn to get what I want?” Once more, she employed her single-brow intimidation technique, which had served her well throughout her teaching and administrative career. “Interesting.”
He tapped his racket against his outer thigh, agitation in every movement. “No, of course not. I just…”
Dammit. The way he saw himself was slowly becoming clear to her. Too clear. And in her sorrow and frustration—her innate desire to fix everything,now—she was pushing him too hard.
She walked up to the net again. Gentled her voice. “Lucas, I’ve had two and a half tennis lessons with you, at least one of which actually involved tennis, rather than shouting or service motions demonstrated solely for my sexual gratification.”
There. That got a half-smile out of him.
“I also observed you with that couple the other day,” she continued. “So I know at least some of your non-physical strengths. I’m just wondering if you know them too.”
His chin dropped to his chest, which rose and fell once. Again.
Then he backed away, retrieved a ball from his pocket, and bounced it on the court. “Let’s play as I answer your question. It’ll make thinking easier for me.”
“Sure.” She stepped back a few feet and waited.
After an easy shot to her forehand, he cleared his throat. Started speaking, his cadence calm and even once more. “I know a lot about tennis. Proper form. Match strategies. Training techniques. My clients seem to think I do a decent job explaining those things to them.”
“That’s two strengths.” When he hit the ball to her again, this time to her backhand, she connected at a weird angle. The shot flew high but not far, landing only inches past the net. “And as one of your clients, I can confirm how knowledgeable you are and how well you explain and share that knowledge. What else? I need three more strengths.”
With a flick of his wrist, he directed the ball back to her forehand. “I’m never late for a lesson. I always have a plan in place to maximize our given time.”
