Page 28 of A Follow-Through in Faking

Catalina

Sage, Charlie, Matteo, Santi, Manuela, and I are having dinner together.

The tournament officially started yesterday, and my back has been feeling better, even if it’s still a bit stiff.

Santi’s and my first match is tomorrow, so we’re enjoying one last quiet evening before we’re going to rip each other’s heads off during the match.

As soon as I think the words, I know I’m wrong.

He’s not going to fight with me about silly things anymore. He wants me. He wants me so badly, he’s willing to do just about anything to get me. Part of me wants to tell him to get on his knees and beg because I know he would look so pretty doing exactly that.

And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tired of fighting this attraction between us, too.

I’ve kissed him twice now.

Both times were too short, leaving me needing more, but I know as soon as we do more than kiss, as soon as we make each other come, there will be no turning back.

And I’m not entirely sure I’d want to. One taste of Santi wasn’t nearly enough, and that was just a kiss.

If all it takes to unravel me are his lips on mine, I’m scared to find out what he’ll do to me with the rest of his magnificent body.

“I’m bored,” Matteo says, one of his arms casually draped around Manuela, who is grinning up at his exasperated expression.

“We finished eating twenty seconds ago. Can’t you at least wait until the food has left Charlie’s mouth before complaining?” Santi interrupts, making my coach and trainer cover their mouth to not spit out their food.

“Charlie, I love you, you know that, but if you don’t hurry the fuck up, I might die of boredom.”

“You are so dramatic,” I tell the Italian, rolling my eyes at him.

“You could make me less bored, Lina. We could ditch all of them and go have fun in my room,” he offers, making me snort at him.

Matteo has been flirting with me for years. There’s nothing new about it, nothing that makes me uncomfortable—it’s almost like flirting is his love language—but the way Santiago looks at his best friend?

I shiver from the threat in his gaze.

“I could also take this knife and stab you with it, but there are simply some things people aren’t allowed to do,” Santi replies, but Matteo chuckles at his best friend’s words.

“Relax, Santi, everyone here knows you’re faking it. There’s no need to keep up the pretense,” he says, pure mischief in his brown eyes. He’s provoking him, knowing full well Santiago has feelings for me.

“Matteo, if I were you, I’d shut the fuck up before Santi turns green and smashes you to pieces,” I chime in, but I should have been paying attention to Charlie because they’ve taken a big sip of water that goes all over the table as they burst into laughter.

Then they start coughing, the water clearly having gone down the wrong pipe.

“This isn’t what I meant when I said I’m bored and hoped for something else to do,” Matteo says as he cleans up the water, Charlie still clearing their throat.

“I have an idea,” Sage says, jumping to her feet and running toward the room in her suite.

She invited all of us over, even ordered food and drinks. When I asked if I could chip in, she swatted my money away and told me to shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. I was too busy laughing to keep arguing.

Santi simply put some money under her purse in the entrance, but when I tried to do the same, he snatched it from my hands, placed it in my pocket, and mumbled something about buying myself some more books because he gave enough to cover both our meals.

Sage might be pissed when she finds the money later, but Santi was too cute for me to argue with his stern expression and the way he mentioned one of my favorite hobbies.

“Manu, are you okay?” I ask when I realize she’s been sitting across from me without saying anything for… well, most of the meal.

“Yeah, I haven’t been sleeping well, that’s all. Alessandra and I have been training nonstop, so combined with not sleeping, I just feel a bit drained,” she says and fakes a smile, staring down at her phone a second later.

I shoot Santi a look, but he’s paying me no attention. He looks at his sister with worry and sympathy, clearly aware of what is bothering her. He also looks lost on how to help her, not that I think anyone but Manu can help Manu.

When he catches me staring at him, he brings a small smile to his face. I don’t manage to return it because I’m too lost studying his face to remember to smile. Only once I’ve appreciated his full lips, chiseled face, and strong features, do I bring my attention back to his eyes.

Fourteen heartbeats pass while we stare at each other.

Fourteen.

I know because my heart is thumping against my ribcage.

When Santi looks at me this way, like there is no one else in the world but me, I can’t help but feel the same happening to me. Everything and everyone else drifts away. There is only him and me, and this heat between us that has my cheeks burning and my stomach flipping.

His eyes drop to my lips, and he licks his as he slowly drags his gaze up again. I press my legs together, biting down on my bottom lip to keep from saying things I’ll regret.

Kiss me.

Touch me.

Fuck me.

None of these words are appropriate to say during a dinner with our closest friends.

Charlie clears their throat beside me, still fighting to get the water out of the wrong pipe, breaking the moment between Santi and me.

I look away immediately, reaching for my glass of white wine to give myself something to do instead of focusing on Charlie, Matteo, and Manu having witnessed yet another moment between Santi and me.

“Who’s down for some tennis?” Sage asks as she joins us again, holding up her Nintendo Switch.

“Sure, but only if we make this interesting,” Matteo chimes in, catching my attention.

“How?” I ask, taking another sip of my wine.

“Whoever wins gets to choose a punishment for the losers,” he says, and I look at Manu, who is finally smiling, a challenge sparkling in her eyes.

“No,” Santi replies. “I’m not doing that shit with you again. Last time, you made me dance naked on top of a table at one of your parties.”

My jaw falls open without permission before I burst into laughter, too amused by the visual to hold it back.

But amusement quickly turns into heat pooling low in my stomach and my laughter fading as I think about Santi’s glorious body without a single piece of fabric covering him.

“Let’s do it,” I blurt out, making everyone turn to me. Realizing what the fuck I just said after Santi’s admission, I attempt to backtrack. “Or not. Whatever is fine with me.”

I want to slap myself with the palm of my hand.

“Yeah, let’s play. I’ll team up with Sage.

Matteo and Manu can play together, and Santi and Catalina can be a team.

Practice for tomorrow and what not,” Charlie says, throwing a wink my way before standing up and walking toward Sage.

They grab her hand and press a kiss to the back of it, smirking until my friend blushes violently.

“After you,” they add, gesturing for Sage to go first.

I smile at both of them, ignoring the way Santi is currently watching me.

He always does that. As soon as a smile touches my lips, his eyes glue themselves to my mouth.

Manu and Matteo move toward where the television is in the suite, but I take my time sipping my wine because Santi also hasn’t moved yet.

“Please look at me, Cata,” he says softly when I put my glass down, and I reluctantly do as I’m told.

He’s grinning, and I hate that I want to grin back.

“We’re going to win, but even when we do, feel free to give me any punishment you’d like,” he adds, standing and walking toward me. “I’d very much like that.”

“How about getting naked again, but this time in a room full of bees?”

He chuckles, his breath coasting my ear when he moves behind my chair and lowers his head. His lips are centimeters from my ear as he replies.

“Yes to the first part, but we don’t have to play for that to happen. You can have me naked any time you want, carino .” He brushes his lips over the shell of my ear, sending delicious shivers down my spine.

“You’re so sure you’d be able to handle me, but what if I’d tie you up, overstimulate you, and make you come so hard, you’ll never want to fuck anyone else?

” I stand up and spin on my heels, approaching him.

I would have expected his eyes to have widened, but Santi looks as interested in my proposal as I feel.

“Do it. Ruin me for everyone else, Cata.” I push at his chest, guiding him toward where our friends are.

“Haven’t I already?”

He doesn’t get the chance to respond because Matteo wraps an arm around his best friend, dragging him away from me.

But his smile speaks louder than any words.

My stomach starts cramping from how much I’m laughing.

Playing tennis on the Switch is obviously galaxies different from playing real tennis, but I’m having more fun with Matteo, Sage, Charlie, Manu, and Santi in this hotel room than I’ve ever had on the court.

It’s carefree, and we can yell out any curse or complaint we want.

That’s especially important for me when Santi misses yet another ball.

“Santi, you were lucky enough to be given the ability to see. Use it!” I say, pointing at the screen. Matteo falls off the couch as he bursts into laughter, Manuela joining him a second later.

Sage and Charlie are bent over at the waist, laughing too, and Santi gives me a look of utter shock.

“Me? You should have gotten that one,” he says, pointing at the screen right as they replay the point there.

He missed it at the net, and my little character didn’t run to it fast enough, so really, it was Santi’s fault.

“Get your shit together,” I say, mostly laughing, before we go back to our game.

Despite Santi’s lack of skill, we win everything.

Every game. But I’m too busy feeling the burn in my face from smiling so much to care.

Tomorrow I can go back to worrying about everything, to doubting myself and my ability to be successful in my career.

For now, I soak up this carefreeness. I soak up the love in this room.

The way Manu and Matteo are whispering to each other, sharing secret words.

The way Sage and Charlie are bickering. The way Santi put my legs on his lap and is currently massaging my sore feet without me having told him to do it.

I have a big family. With three siblings, a dad who loves me more than life—like he loves all his children—four grandparents, and lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins, I have more family members than I have fingers and toes.

But this? This friendship which makes me feel like the weight of the world lifts off my shoulders?

I’m going to do my best to keep them all close.

Even Santi.

Especially Santi , my subconscious chimes in, but I ignore that asshole.

As if he heard my thoughts, he leans toward me, pressing the sweetest kiss to my cheek and playing with the necklace Mamá gave me.

“So, what are you both going to make our punishment?” Matteo asks, clearly irritated with the whole thing. I look at Santi, who turns his head my way too.

“I think the only one who should get punished is Matteo, considering it was his idea and all,” I say, and Santiago nods in approval.

“And I think Santi should get his revenge and choose the punishment.” Santi squeezes my feet once, probably to show his gratitude, before leaning forward and grinning at his friend.

“Take it easy on me, man,” Matteo says, but Santi lets out a laugh that even makes me grin.

“Clothes off, Matteo. There’s a perfectly good table in here.” He points at the one in front of the couch, and I burst into laughter when he adds, “Cover your eyes, carino .”

Minutes later, Matteo is dancing buck ass naked on the coffee table to ‘Low’ by Florida, but I don’t get to see a thing because Santi covers my eyes, which is fine with me. With my eyes covered, I can simply think about Santi dancing naked on the table again, and I prefer that.