Page 71 of Play Dirty

“I did.”

Another beat. Longer this time. Even so, his gaze never left mine.

“You believe that?” Grayson asked me.

I shook my head, once. “No.”

That seemed to surprise him.

“But I don’t believe your version either,” I added.

I stepped back, breaking the space between us.

“You don’t trust me,” I said. “That’s fine. But you might want to start asking why nobody else trusts you either.”

I turned before he could respond. Before I could step away, however, I felt a strong but gentle hand on my arm.

His touch stopped me cold.

“Haven…”

I spun back, and Grayson was all but on me. We were toe to toe, chest to chest. He bent slightly at the waist, so that his face hovered tantalizingly near mine.

“I… I just…”

His shower-fresh body radiated a warmth that was drawing me in. Soap. Deodorant. All things clean. These scents washed over me, as I felt the heat of his breath.

“I want you to trust me,” he said, quieter now.

I reached up without thinking, and lightly brushed the backs of my fingers against his face. It would’ve been so easy to kiss him. So simple to draw him in, and press my lips against that perfect, handsome mouth.

Instead, I patted his stubbled cheek twice.

“Then stop treating me like I’m playing against you,” I sighed, before spinning away.

~ 25 ~

HAVEN

The house was loud again. Not party loud, just— full.

Voices overlapping in the kitchen. Someone arguing about a missed pass. The low hum of a television, no one was really watching. Boots thudding on the stairs, as doors opened and closed throughout all three floors.

I stood at the counter, tablet open, pretending to review clips from practice. Pretending only, because I’d already reviewed them. Twice.

I just couldn’t focus on them, because my mind was… elsewhere.

“Spreadsheet.”

I glanced up to find Ares leaning into the doorway. He had his arms crossed, shoulders filling the entire frame like the house had been built around him.

I hadn’t heard him come in, which wasn’t all that surprising. He moved like that. Quiet… until he wasn’t.

“What do you want?” I asked, going back to my tablet.

“Talk.”

He grunted the word like a caveman.