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I yelp, completely thrown off guard, and barely manage to catch the ball. “Seriously?” I glare at Quinn, but he just laughs.
“You caught it, didn’t you?” He moves closer and stands behind me. His arms wrap around my middle as he correctly places my hands on the ball and adjusts my stance.
“Widen your legs a little bit,” he whispers, his hot breath touching the skin of my neck and making me shiver. “Just like that. Okay, now lift your arms in the air and jump off the ground, letting the ball fly.”
Quinn lets his arms drop down, taking a step back. I miss his touch instantly, but I try to focus on the weight of the ball in my hands. I shift my weight like Quinn showed me and jump, throwing the ball. I watch it sail through the air and fall a good foot from the basket.
“I’m so bad at this.”
“This is just your first try.” Quinn runs and grabs the ball, bringing it to me at the three-point line. “You can do better. Try again.”
So I do. I try a few more times, but each time the ball either falls too short of the basket or it steers from the basket altogether.
I watch Quinn bend down once again, picking up the ball. He opens his mouth, but before he can say anything else, I run toward him and grab the ball from his hand.
“Hey!”
“I’m not throwing it from that damn line once again,” I protest as I start dribbling the ball closer to the basket. My movements aren’t nearly as flawless as Quinn’s, and I have to keep my attention on the damn thing, so I don’t miss it, but once I’m closer, I grab it and shoot.
This time the ball hits the rim. I watch it swirl round and round. I hold my breath, expecting it to fall out, ‘cause that would be just my luck, but it slips through the net.
The guys cheer as I pick up the ball and lift it in victory.
“See? I just needed to be closer.”
Quinn lifts his arms in defense. “Who am I to argue?”
I start to laugh just as the guys join us on the court. Nate jogs toward me. He grabs the ball out of my hands and spins it on his finger. “How about we play?”
“Sounds good. I’ll…”
But before Quinn can finish, Nate’s hand is around my shoulder. “Vanessa will be on my team.” He looks down at me with a smirk and winks. “You’ll be the one guarding Quinn.”
“Hey, that’s not fair,” Quinn protests.
“All’s fair in love and basketball,” Nate singsongs.
I slip from under Nate’s arm and go toward Quinn. “You afraid I’m going to beat you, McLannister?”
Quinn laughs. “As if that could happen.”
“How about a bet then?”
His eyes twinkle in amusement. “I’m listening.”
I move closer, tracing the tip of my finger over his chest. “If I win,” I say slowly, lowering my voice so only he can hear me. “I get to do whatever I want to you.”
His fingers wrap around my wrist, stopping me from moving. “And if I win, I get to do the same to you.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal, Mr. McLannister.”
CHAPTERTWELVE
QUINN
“This is a small town, and the community is really tight-knit.” The principal glances down at my resume. “But from what I see here, you’ve finished Blairwood University, so you’re already familiar with that.”
“Yes, sir,” I nod, making sure to meet every committee member’s eyes. “I just graduated from Blairwood this past spring. I have a major in physical education with a minor in physics.”
