Crossing the Line(31)

Guilt pierced my glow from his praise. I was deceiving this man, going directly against his wishes. If he ever found out, I'd be out on my arse, killer game or not. But the only place I wanted to be right now was in Mia's arms so I'd continue to play it cool.

"Thanks. Appreciate you saying it." I hoisted my bag onto my shoulder. "See you later."

Another backslap and Dirk headed towards the clubhouse, where he'd start dissecting the games of every player. First time he'd done it I'd been appalled, especially as my intra-academy tournament had been a rout. The guys had given me shit for it too, making jibes like kangaroos couldn't hold a racket and I should stick to Australia's national sports, cricket or Aussie Rules.

It had bothered me at the time, having an icon of the game like Dirk pick apart my match and highlight every weakness. I wasn't a technical player. I didn't study the mechanics of shots, I just channeled my anger and hit the ball. Would be interesting to hear what he had to say today, considering every shot had felt like I was caressing the ball rather than slamming the crap out of it.

"Nice job, Sheldon." Pete loped toward me and I inadvertently stiffened. Just because I'd worked things out with Mia didn't mean I'd lost the urge to pummel the guy for coming onto her. "You can actually play."

I grunted a response and pushed past him, not expecting his hand to clamp on my bicep.

"Wait up."

When I glared at his hand, he got the message and released me. "What do you want?"

"A favor."

I didn't like his smarmy tone. "I don't do favors."

"Trust me. You'll like this one." He gestured at the stands where Mia and Dani were deep in conversation. "I need a wingman. Someone to entertain the slut in the micro mini while I have a real crack at Mia."

He elbowed me. "Double date. What do you say? Be a pal and give a guy a chance at sticking it to a fine piece of ass like Mia."

I saw red. Or black. Every fucking color under the rainbow as rage so strong I could taste it swamped me.

Not that I hadn't heard guys talk like this before. Hell, put a bunch of testosterone fuelled dickheads together in any sporting club and the trash talk was often punctuated with crap like what I'd just heard.

But this time was different. He was talking about the girl I l—liked.

I clenched and unclenched my hands several times, trying to release the fury tightening every muscle in my body, making me want to spring on Pete and pound him to a pulp.

When I didn't respond, Pete groaned. "Don't tell me you're a pillow-biter."

The fact he spoke as derogatorily about gays as he did women made me hate this prick all the more.

I needed to get away before I did something regrettable in front of the entire team. "But doesn't Dirk come down hard on any guy who goes near his daughter?"

"My dad played the circuit with Dirk so he’ll be cool." Pete grinned and my skin crawled. "I've been wanting to nail Mia for years."

I walked away. That, or stuff up my last chance at the academy, and before I'd had a chance to spend quality time with Mia.

"You're a soft-cock, Sheldon."

I ignored Pete's taunt and kept walking. Before I ensured that Pete the Prick had no cock at all.





Chapter 21




MIA





Kye had asked me out on a date.

A real, honest to goodness date: dinner, movie and a moonlit walk.

"Let's skip the movie," I said, bumping him with my hip. "I'd rather spend the next few hours talking with you than keeping my mouth shut."

"Who said it would be?" He stopped where Santa Monica Beach gave way to Venice Beach, and tugged me closer. "Movies can be fun. We could make out for the entire time?"

I laughed. "We can do that and more back at my villa."

"Later." He ducked his head to nip my earlobe and I squealed. "You're insatiable."

"Only for you." I pressed my lips against his, loving the feel of his arms wrapped around my waist.

When we broke apart, a small frown creased his brow. "Pete's going to ask you out."

I shrugged. "So? He's probably been doing that to anything in a skirt for years."

"He's a lowlife."

"Tell me something I don't know." I winced. "That wasn't my finest moment, using him to make you jealous."

"You got that right." He whacked me playfully on the arm. "You could've just tried talking to me."

I rolled my eyes. "I did and you didn't want to listen, remember? And you kept pushing me away." I made a chattering motion with my hand. "Constantly saying stuff like you weren't good for me. Blah, blah, blah."

He captured my hand, raised it to his lips and brushed a kiss across the back of it, a strangely old-fashioned gesture that made me swoon. "I'm not good enough for you. Not by a long shot. But for some unfathomable reason, you bring out the best in me and I like feeling this good."