Page 46 of Half-Court Heat

“Satisfied?” I asked.

She pursed her lips. “Almost.”

I tossed the ball to her. “Watch out for my comeback.”

Eva bent to dribble—maybe to hide her grin—and I was rewarded with a perfect view of her lower back where her leggings dipped, revealing just a sliver of skin I was now obsessed with.

She missed her next shot, and I pounced. I drained a jump shot from the wing. Her own attempt came up short.

“Leggings,” I said.

She hesitated, just long enough to be dramatic, before sliding the stretchy material down her hips and thighs in one smooth motion.

We were now both in just sports bras, standing at center court like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I made a layup with a weird spin. She matched it. She did a bank shot off the glass. I matched that, too. Her brow furrowed like she was thinking hard, probably plotting some wicked behind-the-back nonsense to trip me up.

That was when the door creaked open.

Both of us froze.

From the far end of the gym, a yellow janitorial cart appeared, pushed by a gray-haired custodian in headphones, his mop trailing behind him. He hadn’t looked up yet.

“Shit!” I hissed, lunging for my shorts on the floor.

Eva scrambled for her leggings, giggling as she yanked them on. “He didn’t see us, he didn’t see us?—”

“Ladies?” the custodian called out.

Shit. Hedidsee us.

I pulled my tank top over my head and waved awkwardly. “Oh, hey!”

“Didn’t know anyone was still here,” he said, pulling off one side of his headphones. “Need me to keep the lights on?”

“Nope!” I denied. “We were just leaving!”

Eva, now semi-put-together, grabbed my hand and we took off at a jog toward the exit, both of us laughing so hard I nearly tripped over my own feet.

We burst through the side door into the warm night air, breathless and dizzy.

“That was so stupid,” I gasped, bending over with my hands on my knees.

“But so worth it,” Eva said, leaning against the brick wall. Her eyes were bright, features invigorated from nearly getting caught.

My heart was still pounding, but not just from the close call. It was her. The way she smiled at me like I was the best part of her day. The way her laugh curled in my chest.

“Rematch?” I grinned.

Eva reached for my hand and threaded our fingers together. “Obviously. We can’t just end it with a tie.”

I kissed her before I could come up with a snappy reply. I’d played hundreds of games of horse. But this one? This one, I’d remember forever.

Eva kissed me back like the adrenaline from nearly getting caught had her just as keyed up as I was. Her mouth opened against mine and I felt her fingers slip under the hem of my tank top.

“Apartment?” she whispered against my lips.

“Locker room,” I breathed. “It’s closer.”