Page 39 of Playing Dirty (Leighton U #4)

I sigh, feeling equally exasperated and disheartened.

“Of course I do, Theo. You were there at the party last month when everyone was talking shit—myself included. You’ve seen it every time we’re on opposite sides of the diamond.

I give my all every game, but especially the ones against Leighton.

And as for the Penny Play, if I didn’t buy in, then I wouldn’t have crashed your raid to begin with. ”

His gaze bores into mine as he takes a tentative step toward me, then another, until he’s standing between my legs. My hands wrap around the backs of his thighs instinctively, and the heat of his skin through the fabric is enough to ground me.

Reaching up, he sinks his fingers into the hair on the back of my head before prompting me to continue with a single word.

“But?”

“But I also think it’s a lot more nuanced than everyone makes it out to be,” I reason, searching his eyes for any sign he may understand where I’m coming from.

“Two things can be true, even if they’re contradictory.

I can be loyal and dedicated to my team, my school, the rivalry we’ve built for over a century, but still remove myself from it enough to want you. ”

God, the only thing that’s ever come close to holding me back is my mom. And even she wasn’t enough.

Surprise briefly flashes across his features, and I’m not sure if it’s from the blasphemy I just spoke or the little slip I made about wanting him. Honestly, I don’t really care. It’s all true, and neither bit of information is something I’ve tried to hide.

He might be the most infuriating person I’ve ever met, but God, do I want him.

Even if I shouldn’t.

The blunt ends of his fingers scrape over my scalp, right where the base of my skull meets my spine, and he whispers, “Do you still want me enough to stay here tonight?”

“That’s not even a question,” I murmur without missing a beat. “And it was never off the table unless you wanted me to go.”

He shakes his head before dropping his lips to mine.

My grip on his legs tightens, as do his fingers knotting in my hair while our tongues flick and roll together in a slow, seductive dance.

We stay like that for I don’t know how long, molding our mouths together and stealing the breath from each other’s lungs, before he finally breaks the kiss.

A soft laugh leaves him, and he shakes his head while staring down at me. “How the hell did they let you be captain?”

“Because I’m on my way to becoming a two-time All-American,” I murmur, shooting him a wry grin. “And because I’m awesome, obviously.”

“Oh, yeah. And don’t forget humble,” he mocks with an eye roll.

“Or sexy as hell.” I lick a line up his abs. “Extremely good in bed.” Bite his nipple. “An excellent kisser.” Then finally pull him back down for another kiss. The only difference is that, this time, I drag him all the way to the bed with me, not stopping until his body is layered over mine.

Of course, I don’t let him stay in that position of control for long, quickly rolling him to his back and wedging myself between his thighs. His dick is already hard, tenting his sweats as I grind my own thickening cock against him.

I don’t understand how we went for hours earlier, covering each other in cum, only for me to want him again so soon. But I do.

I crave him down to the marrow of my bones, the ends of the earth.

To the edge of my fucking sanity.

So this is what addiction feels like.

I’m the first to break the kiss, moving to lick a path down his throat while my mind runs with possibilities—planning out all the ways I can keep him up and panting beneath me until dawn breaks.

And, boy, do I have plenty of ideas. But the second Theo’s mouth isn’t busy being devoured by mine, he starts talking again.

“Okay, but can we pause for like five seconds? Because I really can’t believe your teammates wouldn’t care if they found out we were hooking up.”

And here we go again.

I sigh and fall to my back, my dick already deflating. “I’m sure some of them would, but I don’t really give a shit about what they’d have to say about it.”

“ How? ” he asks, propping himself up on one elbow.

“Blackmore and the rivalry and everything else…it’s all temporary.

Sure, it’s good and fun to feed into and honor the history behind it, but it’s not like it’s going to matter once we leave this place.

” I shrug before adding, “If everything lines up and I get drafted, there’s a chance I’ll be playing alongside some Leighton alum. ”

He purses his lips, then says, “I guess I never really looked at it like that.”

It’s the only way I’ve ever really looked at it, but maybe that’s what being serious about the MLB does; it forces me to push everything aside and focus on the bigger picture.

But to some extent, I get where his head is at too.

I might not necessarily agree with it, but I can acknowledge the importance it plays for him.

I just wish I could let him see it doesn’t have to be like that.

But then I realize I have the perfect opportunity to try. Or at least take a few baby steps in that direction.

Shifting to mirror his position, I use my free hand to brush a few stray strands of hair from his forehead.

“Listen, I don’t want to put any pressure on you, but we’re having a game night this weekend after I get back from our away series.

I think you should come for it,” I offer, doing my best to make it as encouraging and non-threatening as possible.

“You can meet the guys, and maybe it’ll… I dunno. Ease your mind, or something.”

His eyes widen comically. “You want me to have a game night with your teammates?”

“No, just some friends and my roommate,” I correct, with a laugh. “You’ve already kinda met two of them. And I can promise you one thing: No one’s gonna care that you’re a Timberwolf besides you.”

Expression relaxing slightly, Theo mulls the idea over. It’s obvious he’s torn, fighting the instinctive response to reject anything to do with Blackmore on principle. I’m prepared for it, honestly, but then he surprises me when he finally concedes.

“Okay,” he says slowly. “But what game is it?”

“Catan, why? Would the game choice change your answer?”

His head bobs back and forth before murmuring, “No, but I’m also too competitive to walk into this blind. And I’m sure as hell not making an ass of myself in front of your best friends.”

I laugh. “Yeah, well. At least they aren’t gonna see your ass naked.”