Learning Curves(5)

Heart racing, Lauren shook her head then slapped away a few tendrils of hair that slipped from her bun.

“Nothing,” she said quickly. “We just…I…”

Linc gestured toward the ice. “We had a friendly bet on the outcome of the game.”

“Really?” Kelli dabbed mustard from her bottom lip and handed Linc his footlong. “It’s not like you to gamble.” She eyed Lauren. “So, I take it you lost.”

Oozing confidence, Linc leaned in, and her gaze flashed to his. “I wouldn’t exactly say that.” His voice was powerful and rough, a clue to the kind of sex he liked.

God, it’s crazy how he makes me feel so…needy.

A small, blissful noise escaped Lauren’s throat as she worked to speak, but since she couldn’t seem to form a coherent sentence, she shut her mouth.

“I don’t understand. Who won?” When they remained silent, Kelli bit into her hot dog, her brow furrowed. She chewed, swallowed, then asked, “What the hell is going on between you two?”

“We…” Linc began, but then someone from the other side of the room called out to him. Linc shifted his focus and nodded to Michael as the Rays’ owner sauntered their way. He turned back to them. “I need to speak with Michael.” He turned to Lauren, his grin cocky, hot as a Miami summer. Her pulse leaped as he dipped his head, his mouth inches from her ear. “And for the record, Lauren. I’d like to think we both won.”

She was pretty sure she won, but what about him? She had no idea how to please a guy like Linc. “I’m pretty sure it’s your loss,” she mumbled without thinking, her gaze going to her feet.

His head jerked back. “What are—?”

“Linc,” Michael said, stepping up to him and giving him a friendly pat to the shoulder. “Lauren, Kelli,” he said, greeting them as well.

They exchanged pleasantries then Kelli said, “If you’ll excuse us.” She shoved her arm through Lauren’s and dragged her to a private spot in the corner. Lauren blindly followed, her legs as shaky as her brain.

Kelli lowered her voice and asked, “What the hell is going on?”

She snuck a glance at Linc and found him watching her—a stare that was dark, explicit and promised no reprieve. Arousal flashed, and she fought off the urge to run to the bathroom to touch herself. She breathed deep, let it out slowly.

“I don’t know,” she said to Kelli. “It all happened so fast. One minute we were watching the game and the next thing I know we were betting on it. Now he won me for the weekend.”

Kelli hissed in a breath, her dark eyes saucer-wide. “Won you?”

“Yeah. Then I think we agreed on seven o’clock, and there was something about sushi, and me packing a bag.”

“Ohmigod, are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

She folded her arms and leaned against the wall for support. “I don’t know what I’m saying.”

“Lauren…he wants you. In his bed.” With a wicked, “I told you so” grin, she clapped her hands. Lauren grabbed her arms and lowered them.

“Stop it. He’s watching us.”

“Yeah, I know. Jesus, look at the way he’s staring at you. He’s going to straight up nasty fuck you.” Kelli winked. “Be sure to take your vitamins and get your protein. I think it’s going to be a long, hard weekend sex-a-thon.”

She was sure it was going to be long and hard. And she could pretty much bet he took his woman rough and left her limp. No permission. No forgiveness.

Her pulse leaped with anticipation. “I can’t have sex with him,” she whispered.

“Why the hell not?” she asked, her voice a little too loud.

“Shh…”

Kelli threw her hands out, palms up. “Look, you’re consenting adults, and you need to get laid. So what’s the problem here?”

Oh, just that Linc probably fucks like a god. Wait. What was the problem again? Her glance briefly flitted to Linc’s. Blue eyes met hers, and she tore her gaze away. Oh yeah, right. He was out of her league. How humiliating would it be to bore a guy like Linc. “I just…can’t.”

“Okay, how about this. I dare you.”

“You dare me? What are you, twelve?”

“No, I’m twenty-six, and so are you. And if you don’t do this, you’re going to be brushing cobwebs from between your legs when your next birthday rolls around.”

“That’s disgusting.”

“Exactly. And wear that sexy panty set I got you for your last birthday. I bet you haven’t even taken it out of the box. Have you?”