Page 44 of The Wrong Game

You’re still in control, Gemma,I tried to tell myself.It was just a little kiss.

I glanced at Zach out of the corner of my eye, and my stomach flipped again, hands itching to run through his stupid, messy hair — the way they had one week ago.

Totally in control.

This time, I laughed out loud.

Zach

Okay, maybe the kiss was too far.

I was man enough to admit when I was wrong, and while in the moment it seemed like a romantic, hero-like thing to do, I realized after that it was a little over the line. She was here with another guy, and I’d embarrassed them both.

Though, I really felt like it washimI’d mostly shamed. If anything, it would have been worse for Gemma if I had just sat back and let her get rejected — for asecondtime. The crowd ate it up, me stealing Ben’s kiss.

But Gemma, on the other hand…

She sat beside me with her arms crossed after Ben went up to get more beer, breathing like a dragon as she watched the field. She hadn’t reacted to the last few plays, so I wasn’t sure she was even watching at all. She was just staring.

And probably thinking of all the ways she could murder me.

To an extent, my plan was working. I’d thrown her when I showed up, and even with her best attempts to ignore me and prove a point that she was here with Ben, I knew I was getting under her skin.

She liked me.

She might not want to admit it, and she clearly didn’t want to submit to it. But, I wasn’t alone in my feelings for her.

Still, I’d crossed a line, and I wasn’t sure where I was anymore. Was I still in the persistent, flirty gray area I’d aimed for? Playing her own game against her, trying to get another date?

Or had I crossed over into Creepersville, not taking her clues to leave her the hell alone?

Sighing, I shifted my weight until I was leaning toward her. Gemma moved to rest on the opposite side of her chair, and I let out another deep sigh.

“Look, I’m sorry.”

“Sure you are.”

“No,” I said, reaching out to squeeze her knee. She glared at that hand like she could set it on fire with her gaze before she finally looked at me. “I’m serious, Gemma. I really am sorry. That crossed a line.”

She watched me, eyes flicking back and forth between mine suspiciously. But, she must have seen the sincerity there, because she let out a long breath, shoulders rounding forward.

“Yeah. You really did.”

“Look, I realize now that what I did, buying these tickets… well, it might have been a little crazy.”

“You think?”

I gave her a pointed look. “But at the time, I just wanted another shot with you.”

She tossed her hands up with a dramatic eye roll. “It’s like I’m talking to a brick wall. Did you not hear anything I said when I explained what my plan for the season was, or did you just choose to ignore it all?”

“I heard every word, okay?” I shook my head. “I just thought after last week, after the night we had, that maybe you’d change your mind.”

Gemma didn’t respond to that.

“I can leave,” I offered. “If you really want me to. I’ll go right now.”

“No,” Gemma said on a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. “No, you bought the tickets, you should stay and enjoy them. Just,” she said, holding up one finger. “Don’t pull that again. Deal?”