Reid switched the ball to his other hand and then mimicked my movement. “Like that?”
“Yeah, except turn your arm a bit.” I reached for his wrist, felt the steady thrumming pulse beneath my fingertips, so much stronger than the last time I’d touched him that way, and then angled him the right way. When I looked up, Reid’s dark eyes were watching me with interest, and something in his expression made my heart skip a beat. “Try that,” I said softly, and then let go of him and backed away to watch.
Reid focused back on the lane and took his time lining himself up, and when he let go of the ball this time, it fell from his hands and smoothly rolled down the lane before knocking out over half the pins.
“Hell yes,” I said as Reid grinned. “So much better.”
“You’ve given up your secrets now. Just a matter of time until I overtake the master.”
Feel free to overtake me anytime,I thought. “Seven pins down and he turns cocky bastard.”
He laughed and retrieved his ball. “Now what do I do about the rest of these?”
I gasped. “You mean you don’t know?”
“Of course I do. I’m not some amateur. I’m just curious whatyouwould do.”
“Mhmm, sure,” I said, enjoying the tease as I once again directed him where to stand and where to aim to knock down the remaining pins. “All right, Bluebird. Show me what you got.”
I could’ve sworn I felt him tremble faintly beneath my hands before I let go, but I had to be imagining things.
He took an unsteady step forward but then recovered and sent the ball sailing down the lane. When he knocked down all the pins but one, he gave a loud whoop before spinning around and pointing at me.
“See that? I’m coming for you.”
I certainly hope so.“I do like a challenge. Bring it on.”
Reid laughed until his eyes shifted past me, and then his smile dimmed. I turned to see red-shirt guy standing by our chairs, his head cocked to the side as he gave me a not-subtle-at-all once-over.
“I hope you don’t mind,” he said, slowly bringing his gaze up to my face, “but I noticed you were giving your friend pointers, and I thought…maybe you could help me as well?”
Pointers?The only thing that guy wanted pointers on was the best way to suck me off.
“Actually, I’m a little busy?—”
“That’s okay. I’m a quick learner,” he said, a seductive edge to his voice. “It won’t take long.”
“I don’t think?—”
“You should go,” Reid said, and when I shot him a look, he gave me a tight smile. “It’s selfish to keep you all to myself when you could be helping someone else.”
So? Be selfish,I wanted to say, but when I started to protest, he inclined his head toward the concessions.
“I’m gonna grab some fries or something,” he said. “Take your time.”
“Reid—” I went to follow him, but red-shirt guy stepped in front of me.
“Where should we start? I think I might be using the wrong size ball. Maybe I could use yours instead?” He looked down at the zipper of my pants.
Jesus, really?I glanced over at Reid, standing alone in the concession line. I couldn’t think about some other guy, even an in-your-face guy like red shirt. Not when I could still feel the way Reid’s arm brushed against mine every time he moved past me or sat beside me, and not while the intoxicating cologne he wore filled my nose and made my head spin.
“Look,” I said, “I appreciate that you want my…help, but I’m not interested. Find someone else’s balls to play with.”
And before he could say another word, I hightailed it up to the concession stand just as Reid moved to the counter.
“I think I’m in the mood for nachos,” I said, sidling up next to him and scanning the menu.
Reid did a double take. “Where’d your new friend go?”