Page 70 of Scoring Eden

My cheeks flame to the point of pain, and my stomach roils with embarrassment. Regardless of the fact that I’ve never had the good fortune of pulling his hair myself, Jacqueline, and the rest of the goddamn team, are under the impression that I do it regularly. And that makes me want to die.

Alex, however, doesn’t seem to be experiencing the inner turmoil that I am. In fact, he appears more proud than ashamed. “So you agree that this is a moment worthy of celebration.”

Who’s responsible for the audacity in this man?

Jacqueline tuts, turning her back on us. And without a word of goodbye, she glides away, the clicking of her six-inch Louboutin heels echoing around us like a warning.

“Well?” Alex grins.

“Well?”

“Get down here and celebrate with me.”

I shake my head. How he isn’t as rattled as I am is lost on me. Jacqueline has stained the winter air with an edge of foreboding that chills me to my bones. “Are you not worried at all about what just happened?”

“With Jacqueline?” He laughs. “She hates everyone. I wouldn’t take it personally.”

I want to ask him if he thinks she’s onto us, talk to him about the suspicious way she looks at me, as if she already knows the truth.

But I can’t. Not here, with Coach Carter watching us with moon eyes from farther down the pitch.

“Come on, Eden.” His voice takes on a whine that I wish I found irritating. “Stop making me wait, and get your ass down here so I can celebrate my win properly.”

“And how exactly are you wanting to celebrate?”

“With a kiss.” He gives me a wide, boyish grin. “Obviously.”

Before I know it, he’s reaching for me and hauling me over the barrier. My legs wrap around his waist on instinct, his strong hands gripping my thighs.

And then his lips are on mine.

They’re as devastating in their softness as they have been on the two other occasions I’ve felt them. Maybe I should be used to it by now, but I still gasp from the sweetness of his tongue as it slips into my mouth, still twist my fingers into his hair from the shock of heat between my legs.

He’s a good kisser, I tell myself. Any woman would react the same.

Finally, he sets me back on my feet to the chorus of his teammates’ hollering.

“Wait for me in the stands while I grab my stuff. I won’t be long.”

Then he slaps my ass.

He. Slaps. My. Ass.

“Dude, what the fuck?”

“What?” He flashes me his dimples. “You said I could grab your ass if the situation called for it.”

“The situation didn’t call for it.”

“Meh.” He shrugs. “The rules were ambiguous.”

TEXT THREAD BETWEEN ALEX AND OLIVER CAMERON, ESQ.

Oliver: I have good news and bad news.

Alex: Hit me.

Oliver: The good news is no pictures of the boy’s face will be released.