AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hi.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you. It was fun.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were a basketball prodigy?”
She chuckled. “Prodigy is a bit of an exaggeration. And I told you I played.”
“Mmm-hmm. No, not like that you didn’t. I asked if you played in school.”
“And I said no. Because I didn’t.”
“Yeah, so I assumed—”
She interrupted, “You have an assuming problem, are you aware of that?”
He scratched his chin, looking uncomfortable, which made her laugh.
“We have a basketball court in my village. I didn’t have a television or video games or a screen of any kind. Not until I was a teenager, and then the computer was only for learning. Basketball was what I did for fun.”
“Wow. Flynn knew, didn’t he?”
“Yep. We used to play when he’d visit. And he stayed with us for a couple of summers when he was in high school to study with my grandpa.”
“I’m impressed. And I’m not often impressed by someone else’s skills. It’s your strategy, too.”
“Well, strategy is vital when you have a distinct and fixed disadvantage, right? All great military leaders know that no matter how great a weakness you have, if you can turn it to your advantage, you’ve got a chance.” “I have bad news, though.”
“What’s that?”
“Now we have to get married for real.”
“What?” She laughed.
He was grinning. “I’ve always made this joke to my family that if I ever found a woman who could beat me at basketball I’d marry her. You’re undoubtedly gonna hear some jokes about it, too, so I thought I better tell you.”
“I heard one already, but I didn’t get it.”
“Although…” Leaning back, he stretched one leg out and Ally admired its lean, muscled length.
“Although?” she said without bothering to look away. But she didn’t immediately meet his gaze, either. Instead, she let her eyes inch slowly up, pausing briefly on his mouth. Smiling slowly, she watched his eyes darken as his gaze flickered to her mouth and away again.
He blinked, nostrils flaring, chest expanding as he slowly inhaled a deep breath. Ha. His smoldering gaze landed on hers again like…like he couldn’t help himself? Or didn’t want to help himself? She waited, wondering if he was going to see past the years between them and acknowledge the attraction simmering here.
“I suppose I could adopt you, instead. You’re a sweet kid.”
A loud sigh accompanied her eye roll while he sat there looking satisfied with his stupid joke.
“Are you…serious with this?” Slipping an arm behind him to grip the back of the bench, she inched toward him, studying his reaction. “Do you really not…?”
She scooted closer. Desire and terror looked to be at war on his face. He stared at her lips and leaned away from her at the same time. She would have laughed if it wasn’t so exasperating.
“Not what?” The question sounded strained. He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat.
Ally planned every beat of her next move because she wanted to catch him off guard, wanted to see the heat flare in his eyes, wanted to elicit a reaction without giving him time to think.
Crooking a finger as if she was going to tell him a secret, she whispered, “I’m confused, and I need to tell you…”
He leaned in. She went closer. And closer still, exhaling softly near his ear. When she heard the sharp exhale of his breath, a spike of joy shot through her because it helped cement the truth of what she was about to say.
“You don’t look at me like you think I’m a kid.” Then she kissed him.
* * *
THE WORDS SHE spoke didn’t even penetrate Tag’s brain, or maybe he wouldn’t let them. But that thought would only occur to him later, because the sweetest lips he’d ever tasted were moving over his and he couldn’t think past how incredibly good it felt. And right and… He twined one hand into her hair right next to her scalp, the other he curled around her shoulder so he could deepen the kiss.
He coaxed her lips apart, and she seemed to melt into him, her fingers digging into his shoulders. He groaned. She responded with a soft little moan of her own, unleashing a not-quite-identifiable emotion inside him. Almost like fury, but not quite, because while the air was charged around them, there was a lightness inside his chest. And he realized that he never wanted to let go. Pulling her closer, adjusting so that more of her body pressed against his, he moved his mouth over hers, fitting it closer because he couldn’t seem to get enough…
