Page 131 of Ignition

Must be nice…

The scoreboard flashed and beeped at my strike, and then it was Mia’s turn once more.

She stepped up to the approach, rolling her shoulders and whispering something to herself—or to the ball—as her hand boldly went for one of the heavier ones again, yellow this time.

Her ponytail swayed to the side, and I caught a sliver of pale neck peeking out of her soft sweater, before she pulled her hair over one shoulder and my mouth went dry.

She bent a little to line up her shot, and though I braced myself, it still hit like a punch to the gut. If I’d been dragged in for questioning, I wouldn’t have been able to say what colour anything was.

My eyes followed the line of her thighs as she twisted a little and sent the ball rolling and I tried—and failed—not to picture them clenching around my face.

Pri coughed pointedly, and I nearly jolted, caught red-handed, and snapped my features into composure once more. I knew without turning that she was giving me the side-eye.

But try as I might, my attention swung back to her, like a compass needle rocking back and forth, before aligning with true north.

“This is as good as won,” I chuckled as she only managed to hit three pins. She whirled on me, glowering in that way of hers that made my blood run hot.

“Shut up, I’m… warming up.”

Pri stifled a giggle in her palm, and Mark mumbled something half-hearted but reassuring, and I bit down on a chuckle that would’ve surely sealed my death.

“Still? The match is almost over.”

She scrunched up her nose at me and glared in a way that said I was in trouble, then turned back and picked up another, lighter ball.

Smart girl.

I focused on her hands, which was a mistake.

Pale, delicate fingers gripped the ball, and all I could think about was how they’d feel wrapping around my—

God, I’m an ass.

I studied the scoreboard—which wasn’t likely to turn me on further—as she made her shot, but it must have gone wide, judging by the loud womp womp.

As one, Pri and Mark sucked in a sharp little breath.

Her shoulders sagged as she turned back to us, like a puppy with its tail between its legs, and before my mind could protest, I pulled her into a half-hug, arm wrapping around her shoulder as her side pressed into my chest.

She stammered something incoherent, eyes rounded up at me.

“Should I teach you?” I murmured close to her ear, my voice a little hoarse, though mostly devoid of the condescending tone she’d probably expected.

“Get lost.” She huffed, recovering fast and setting her jaw, before disentangling herself from me. She busied herself taking a sip of her drink, the reddish tips to her ears the only sign she’d been affected.

Pri chuckled, a little too brightly, and Mark pulled her close, grinning into her face. “Should we up the PDA, babe? We can’t let the newbies beat us.”

As he leaned in for a kiss, and her hands wrapped around him, I scoffed and rolled my eyes, though it was mostly put on.

My chest pinched in until my ribs groaned.

My gaze wouldn’t snap away.

Then it slid sideways to Mia, and my heart stuttered, skipping several beats. She was watching them, eyes sparkling, crinkled at the corners with a little smile.

The purple neon lights played over her face, flashing over her nose and blurring the freckles, igniting a glint I’d never seen behind her lashes—or maybe that came from the inside, I couldn’t tell. My breath hitched audibly, drawing her gaze to mine.

Something raw flashed across her features.