AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jude palmed a basketball and held it out to me. “You’re on my team, PoJo. Apparently we show up late to shit too often, and now these two have decided that we’re the tardy twins.”
That was good. If I was on his team, that meant I wouldn’t be guarding him and touching him. “Fine by me. It’s their game they’re killing.”
Sam scoffed. “Yeah, right. I can speak for both Cyrus and myself when I say that we’re not the least bit worried.”
“Obviously, we’re skins.” Cyrus gripped the bottom of his shirt and started to lift it, but I knew I couldn’t see all three of them shirtless right then.
My hormones had to be out of alignment, or something. My body already felt too aware of each of them. I couldn’t handle them all shirtless. “Wait! That’s sexist. You guys always take skins. Women can play skins too.”
They all looked back at me like I’d grown an extra nose on my forehead. Sam and Cyrus shook their heads while Jude just stared at me.
“I’m playing skins. I’m tired of always sweating halfway to death because you three don’t think a woman can play skins.” I yanked my shirt over my head and grabbed the ball from Jude. “Plus, Jude already had his shirt off. I’d hate for him to have to go through the trouble of putting it back on.”
I didn’t look at them as I dribbled the ball toward the basket. I couldn’t. They hadn’t seen me without my shirt on since puberty. With the exception of Jude. I didn’t want to know what they were thinking. My sports bra did good work at keeping the girls contained, but I’d worn shorter athletic shorts because of the heat. I was almost as exposed as I’d been in front of Jude.
Sam coughed behind me and then cleared his throat. “Alright then. Let’s do this thing.”
The first game to twenty-one went fast to Jude and me. Sam and Cyrus were too afraid to get close to me, and when I tried to guard them they just threw the ball to each other until Jude or I got it away from them. They were so careful around me that they’d lost fabulously. Even though I knew it’d been an unfair game, I still rubbed it in their faces.
“You guys suck. Do you remember the game? You’re supposed to get your ball into the net. Should we go over the rules?” I taunted them while feeling untouchable. An easy win had inflated my ego. “Should we play Horse? Would that be easier?”
Cyrus stared at me for a long moment before grunting. “Alright, big shot. The next game isn’t going to be so easy for you.”
Sam looked at his teammate and they shared a silent look. “Alright then. Let’s go.”
I glanced over at Jude and saw him trying to hide a laugh behind his hand. I knew I’d screwed up when he shook his head at me and held up his hands. I’d asked for whatever whupping Cyrus and Sam were about to give me.
12
***Cyrus***
IwrappedmyselfaroundPoppy’s body and blocked her from doing anything with the basketball. It wasn’t a fair matchup with me being nearly a foot taller than her, but the moment she’d taken off her shirt she was playing unfair. I was pressed fully against her back—her sweat made her skin slick. I slapped the basketball from her hands. Sam caught it and immediately shot a three-pointer.
Poppy spun around to face me with a red face and shoved me with her small hands planted on my chest. “You big bully!”
I held up my hands as I backed away. “Where’s all your shit-talking now?”
She seethed as she hurried to Jude’s side and said something to him. I was sure she was trying to come up with a plan to make me pay. She was always a spitfire, but I was having a damn good time riling her up.
Sam stopped next to me and we both watched as she wiped her sweat off her face and glared at us. “I’m starting to see why you like pissing her off so much. This is fun.”
I was opening my mouth to respond when Poppy took her water bottle and drank a mouthful before pouring the rest over her chest and shoulders. My words dried up as fast as my dick stirred to life. Spinning around to face anything else, I clenched my jaw hard enough to hear it crack.
Sam made a choking sound, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see him staring up at the sky. Probably staring straight into the bright sun if he was having the same thoughts I was. Burning my retinas seemed like a good place to start forgetting the sight of Poppy acting like a music video vixen.
“What the hell are you guys doing? Are we playing or what?” Poppy jogged a circle around us and slapped my chest with the back of her hand. “I’m not letting you run over me again.”
The challenge in her eyes wasn’t different from any other time she wanted to beat me at something, but there was a different energy between us. I was more aware of her body and the way she moved, and I could see the way her eyes trailed over my arms and chest. That fucking kiss had changed things. That alone was enough to piss me off.
Doing my best to keep my eyes off her tits, I shook my head. “You’re punching above your weight, kid.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I’m ten months younger than you. Hardly a kid.”
“Maybe I was talking about maturity.” I watched her skin flush red and stole a glance at her chest rising and falling faster.
“You’re going down, Cyrus.” She tried to shoulder check me as she walked past but she just bounced off of me and growled. “Stop being so damn big!”
A few minutes later, I dribbled the basketball toward the basket with renewed focus. Sam was being blocked by Jude, but I was free and clear. I was just wondering where the hell she was when Poppy appeared in front of me, standing absolutely still and right in my path. I swore as I crashed into her and barely had time to catch her before she slammed to the ground. We both ended up on the ground, but I’d spun us around and managed to cushion her landing.
