Page 26

I stuffed my shirt inside of my shorts as I strolled into the rectangle. My eyes scanned the crowd, weary of my efforts to locate a very particular, very impressive face in the crowd. Empty seats twelve people to the left of Aliza remained empty as I took my position.

I planted my feet on the court as I waited for the referee to toss the ball upward. From my peripheral, movement near the seats designated for my incredibly special guest garnered my attention. My chest swelled with pride as my line of vision cleared.

Denim on denim.

Dark skin.

Natural hair that hung down her back.

Gold, dainty pieces of jewelry.

Rings on every finger.

Bracelets that raced up the left and right arms.

Radiant white teeth.

And an aura that wasn’t to be mistaken.

So soft. So angelic. Yet, so profound .

Instinctively, my hands gripped the ball as it flew past my opponent. DJ’s massive wingspan secured almost every ball at tip off. The nigga was good for something, even on the nights when he was off his game and in his head.

Too slow, buddy.

I hit Chambers with the fake out, leaving him and his ankles near the black lines as I planted my feet and flicked my wrist. At the three point line, I aimed for the basket.

Swoosh.

The crowd roared. Before the third second in the game, three points were on the board.

“Fucking right,” DJ slapped my chest. “Fucking right, my nigga.”

My eyes shifted, finding Rome on the sidelines. Her face was cold. Her posture was perfect. She was poised. Confident. Collected. Unmoved. Unimpressed. But, locked in.

Easy, baby .

Her eyes found mine. Beside her were two women that almost shared the same face with her. Beside them was one of the men hired to protect her.

There was an arena full of people chanting my name. Yet, the one with her lips sealed and her face unchanging is who I couldn’t get past. She was entrancing.

Hello . I mouthed.

She softened, instantly. Her spine curled slightly. Her eyes brightened and rolled upward as her head moved from one side to the other. Those fluffy cheeks of hers fattened.

Is she blushing? I questioned, unsure. When her hand pressed against her forehead, I was provided with evidence.

She’s definitely fucking blushing.

She was so damn beautiful with batting eyelashes and a smile that stretched across her face.

Just like that .

That’s exactly how I wanted her all night. By the time she got home, I prayed her mouth was sore from the unusual exercise.

Let’s motherfucking go!

I’d already made it up in my mind that we were winning this game tonight. But, I had so much more to win, including the heart of the woman feet away. I was going to win the game tonight. I didn’t give a fuck if my team participated.

I clutched the plate of post-game food, swatting away Long’s hand.

“Move around before I break every finger on your fucking hand.”

“Nigga so serious,” he complained.

“I’m a grown ass man, Long. Don’t ever attempt to stick your dick beaters in my food. I don’t give a fuck how serious you think I am.”

“Boy, that W getting to your head.”

“And, that bench getting to yours. Get out of my way unless you need a valid reason not to touch the ball during the season,” I said, pushing past him before he had the chance to move.

Completely disgusted by his lack of respect for my meal, I tossed it in the trash as I exited the tunnel and entered the garage.

No fucking hometraining .

I tapped the fob on my keyring, starting the engine of my whip. The roaring assured me I was well within range.

“Good game, De Bacco.”

I nodded, acknowledging Susan, the security guard that worked the metal detectors that led to the tunnel.

“See you next week.”

I raised a hand to my forehead, saluting as I passed her up. The pathway was cleared as I continued. My car appeared behind the stragglers, friends, family, and spouses of my teammates.

There was ruckus in my chest. My pants grew tighter around my dick as a chuckle fell from my lips. My legs never stopped moving. My thoughts never stopped circulating. My heart never stopped pounding. Not even when I’d reached my destination.

Clap.

Clap.

Clap.

Clap .

A pleasant surprise awaited me. Rome’s hands collided and separated four times, beckoning for every inch of me. She had my attention. My undivided attention.

Silently, I studied her. She was a ravishing mystery.

So graceful.

So elegant.

So exquisite.

So winsome .

“Impressive win.”

She was fragrant, making me wonder what she’d spritzed on her hair and skin and clothes.

“Impressive,” I repeated, not bothering with the second word.

“You were.” She nodded.

“You are.”

Against the hood of the Bugatti, she rested. The car resembled a Honda Accord behind her. Her worth ascended the high-dollar whip I’d sold a left lung to acquire. I placed my food on the roof.

My limbs collaborated with my heart to take control of my actions. I moved closer to Rome, spreading her legs with my knee. She didn’t protest. She opened for me, inviting me into her space.

My hands lowered onto her legs. Slowly, they moved up her body, rounding it and nearly meeting behind her. I pulled her closer until her chest was against me. Involuntarily, my eyes closed as I took her in.

Storing every detail of her existence in my mental rolodex.

Savoring every second of our embrace.

Programming the feel of her subtle curves in my memory cortex.

All that was wrong was made right in an instant.

Boom. Boom.

Boom. Boom.

Boom. Boom.

I counted the beats of her heart.

Boom. Boom.

Boom. Boom.

Boom. Boom.

“Saint–” she whispered, reminding me we weren’t alone.

“I don’t give a fuck, Rome,” I clarified, just in case she hadn’t noticed.

Still, I reserved her sanity and pulled away. I stepped back, attempting to capture her entire frame. Her smile faded as her fingers laced in front of her. She was un-fucking-believable.

“Get in. You’re riding with me tonight.”

I headed toward the driver’s side. By the time I made it, I noticed Rome hadn’t budged. I halted, now facing her backside.

“Did you not hear me?”

“I heard you.” She sighed. “But I won’t be joining you tonight. I’m a woman of my word, Saint. I don’t bend. I don’t fold. I don’t settle. I wasn’t taught to. I won’t start now.”

I rounded the car. Her expression was unchanging. So was her position. She wasn’t the least bit tempted.

“Besides, my sisters are waiting for me.”

She nodded toward the Rolls Royce.

“Your sisters have had you all of your life. I’m sure they have no problem sharing you tonight.”

“Maybe they don’t but I do.”

I chuckled with a shake of my head.

“You’re a tough cookie, Rome.”

“There’s not a tough bone in my body, Saint. Haven’t you noticed?”

Admittedly, I had. Besides the work she did on stage, I could tell that Rome hadn’t seen a struggle a day in her life. Emotional, maybe. Physically, I highly doubted. Her words confirmed it.

“I have.”

“Can you maintain me?” She asked.

She was blunt. Straight to the point. Wasting time wasn’t in her plans. That was made very clear.

“I can.”

“Good, then.”

“Get in, Rome.”

“I won’t make this easy for you. I’ve said it twice and I won’t say it a third time. As tempting as your offer is tonight, make it the last offer you make.”

I held my hands in the air. “I don’t want no smoke with you, baby girl. I’m just not ready to let you out of my sight. I appreciate your energy. It brings me joy.”

She nodded. “When you give me a time and a date, I’m willing to make everyone wait. You won’t have to share me because you’ll have my undivided attention for the evening. An evening I look forward to.”

“So do I.”

She lifted her body from the car and closed the gap between us. I could smell her minty fresh breath. How someone could be so delicate and solid at once was baffling. Salty and sweet.

The perfect combination .

A walking contradiction .

“The chase has begun, Saint. Don’t disappoint.”

I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth as I turned, watching her walk away from me. Imagining those long legs wrapped around my head wasn’t enough. I needed to feel them motherfuckers– feel her . Lust lowered my eyelids, narrowing my vision. All I saw was her.

Before climbing into the SUV, she took a final look over her shoulder, disabling me completely.

Even when her whip burned rubber out of the tunnel’s garage, I was still immobile, wondering where the fuck she had been all of my life.

I’d imagined her being a sight to see, but I never imagined she was so fucking cold.