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My own competitiveness kicked up. And then when she twisted her practice sticks around one of mine and yanked it out of my hand, it went into an entirely different gear.

After a good series of blocks, I managed to lock her up, twisting her around so that I had her arms pinned to her side with my forearm banded around her chest.

Her body lined up with mine perfectly, her head hitting my shoulder and my hips resting right above her ass. That also came with the very serious, very immediate realization that I had the most beautiful, most frustrating woman I knew pressed up against me.

Right as my cock was hardening in my pants, Daphne butted me away with her hips, twisting out of my hold and stepping away.

That only made the issue worse. The Fates had me in their favor because the zipper of my pants was hard enough to prevent a visible issue.

I laughed as Daphne heaved in a breath, her cheeks painted a pretty pink. “You’re doing well."

Her eyes shot open, her hands flying outwards in frustration. “Not well enough! You got three shots in.”

I shrugged, lifting up the hem of my shirt to wipe sweat off my face. “I’m good at this.”

I dropped my shirt to find Daphne turned away from me. “I’m better,” she protested.

“At blocking. At strategy, sure,” I said, pulling on her shoulder so that she faced me. She turned with the effort of someone wading through quicksand. “But if we only used our hands, I’d win every time.”

It was risky and overtly flirtatious, but dammit, that was what she pulled out of me.

Daphne raised her eyebrow. “Isn’t the point to make the other personwin?”

“Smart girl,” I said, my voice dropping. “You’d lap me twice before I ever crossed the finish line.” It sounded like a promise, and it was. If she ever let me put my hands on her again, she’d come twice before I ever thought about myself.

Daphne’s eyes narrowed and I almost begged her to challenge me. To acknowledge what had happened instead of dancing around it.

“Ugh, you’re such a man,” Daphne said, deflecting. She tried to look disgusted, she really did. But I knew her better than that.

“And here I was thinking that was an attractive trait.”

Daphne stepped toward me, her chin lifting like it was begging for me to put my finger there. “On other people, maybe.”

“Yeah?” I hooked my finger and brought it to her chin. Her head pressed down slightly, pushing into my skin. “And who would those men be?” I asked. Even though it was probably smarter if I didn’t know their names.

Daphne’s eyes narrowed. “I was speaking generally. You should know that,fiancée.”

“Ah, so youdoremember that we’re engaged.”

Daphne laughed incredulously, the sound vibrating from her throat and grazing my hand. “Same goes for you, you know.”

I was very,verythankful that Daphne’s attention was focused on my face. If she looked down, there would be no denying that her being a smartass was fucking hot. “Oh, really?”

“No other women.” There was venom in that statement. Jealous venom.

I wasn’t going to be the one to tell her she had nothing to worry about. That wasn’t something I’d thought about in over three years. There was only her.

“I’ll see what I can get from you, first,” I said, flicking her chin. Because maybe she deserved to be jealous. It was payback.

And because I was a selfish man who craved the fire in her eyes, I dropped my voice low as I asked, “Want to go again?”

The heat in her gaze snapped like a solar flare, threatening to burn me to a crisp. “You’re on one today.”

“I always am, you just forgot.”

Daphne swallowed and a wind fanned the fire into a deadly blaze. “Fine, let’s go again.”

Her foot hooked around my knee, knocking me onto my back. She came down on top of me, planting her hands on either side of my head.