Page 162 of Ruthless Court

“I meant intellectually.”

“Sure.”

“I did.”

My skin feels overheated despite the rain cooling my clothes.

Then I become painfully aware of my body.

My lips still tingle.

My pulse hasn’t settled.

And beneath my sweater, my nipples are tight enough to betray every argument I’m trying to make.

I fold my arms across my chest.

“I need this like I need a hole in my head.”

Lila collapses backward across my bed, laughing.

Noor remains serious.

“What did he say after?”

“That he wanted to kiss me.”

“That’s promising,” Lila says.

“I accused him of trying to seduce me for basketball advice.”

Her laughter stops.

“You said what?”

“It made sense at the time.”

“No,” Noor says. “It made sense based on your history.”

The room quiets.

I stare at the rain streaking the window.

Kane said he wanted to kiss me in the library.

Before he saw the team.

Before he knew what I could do for his game.

I still didn’t believe him.

Maybe I didn’t want to.

Believing Kane wants me creates more problems than assuming he wants information.

Lila sits up.

“You need to play this carefully.”