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Chapter forty-one

Mia

The scoreboard beeped loudly, the animated sticky figure throwing confetti and announcing their overwhelming victory as I gritted my teeth and clapped in perfunctory congratulations. I’d never actually bowled before—not that I told anyone. Growing up, bowling had just been too expensive compared to the arcade.

Still, the bitter taste of defeat clung to my tongue, and I rolled my eyes as the neon purple and pink lights played over Josh’s infuriating grin, while I pouted like a child.

By the time the guys returned, carrying a plateful of nachos with extra cheese—a consolation prize for us—the scowl had dampened into a curl to my lip, and my nose wrinkled at the plate, though the smell of melted cheese tempted me.

God, I’m pathetic.

I shoved some in my mouth, nachos crunching in my ears, eyes trained on the group in the next alley over. The teenagers had shuffled away, and two couples of a similar age to us had taken their place, their PDA giving Mark and Pri a run for their money.

Then, Mark said “Couple versus couple,” and I could hear his smile.

Mouth full, I turned to face Pri’s delighted, Cheshire cat grin.

“All right,” Josh drawled, rolling his shoulders like he was preparing for battle. “But fair warning. Mia and I will wipe the floor with you.”

My stomach dropped to my feet.

Did he just…?

His gaze flicked to mine, then settled, a challenge or an invitation glinting behind his lashes.

I washed down the nachos and cheese with a fizzy drink, barely feeling the carbonation popping on my tongue. Before I could protest, the scoring board beeped, announcing the change: my name next to his. My pulse skipped several beats, and I tried to ignore the knowing looks Pri shot me or the heat flaring in my cheeks.

The laces hissed as I tightened them a touch, buying for time and hyper-aware of him standing by the ball return, head cocked to the side, arms crossed over his chest, the dark ribbed henley stretching and clinging to his frame in a way it had no business doing.

I shuffled over to him, shoes still feeling a little loose, and mirrored him, hugging my arms around me.

“All right, first lesson: pick the one you can swing comfortably.” A half-smile played on his lips as he gestured to the ball return, where my orange ball was spinning lazily.

“But not too light,” he warned, tossing and catching one of the lighter ones.

Show off.

Still, my eyes betrayed me, tracking the flex of his forearms, the veins popping on the back of his hand.

Mouth desert dry, I swallowed.

The sides of my neck burned as I yanked my gaze away and picked up a ball at random, trying to focus on Mark, cracking a stupid joke to our right, and on Pri’s infectious laughter. I tested the weight, nearly dropping the ball when a squeal rang out from the group to our left.

My head whipped around, only to see one of the guys nuzzling his girlfriend’s neck.

My teeth ground together harder for some reason, but then he stepped closer, and everything else fell away. His warmth brushed over my back, and his smell washed over me as his chest nearly grazed my shoulder blades.

“Now… You paying attention?”

His voice was a low murmur hooking into my ears and making my muscles stiffen and loosen at the same time. The whoops and groans of the crowd, the electronic little beeps, the cashier shouting an order number from the food area—it all dimmed into static as his breath brushed over the side of my neck, kicking up frantic goosebumps.

My throat bobbed as I nodded, peering at him over my shoulder to find his eyes on mine, patient and intent in equal measure. His hand came up to rest on my hip, while the other covered my right hand as he explained what I’d been doing wrong and what I was supposed to do instead, nudging my hip into a little half-twist and guiding my wrist to the correct movement.

The cold plastic warmed under my fingers, and still he lingered, though I barely registered his words. All I heard was the low rumble of his voice and the thumping of my blood in my ears as his warmth seeped into my skin. I never wanted the lesson to end and craved air and distance so I wouldn’t melt into a boneless puddle.

Soon, too soon, cool air rushed in where his body had been, and through the garbled mess in my head, I heard something like, “Show me.”

Right. I was definitely paying attention.