Page 122 of Playing to Win
We have sex without condoms most of the time, and if that isn’t a big commitment, I don’t know what is.
“I want everyone to know too, but your job—”
“I know, I know.” She cuts me off, sounding miserable. We’ve gone over this before. We know what’s at stake.
“Hey.” I touch her face, my fingers drifting across her cheek, thumb pressing against the corner of her mouth. “I hate seeing you down.”
“I don’t know why I’m so emotional,” she practically whines.
“What’ll make you feel better, baby?” I dip my head, brush my lips against hers. A spark ignites between us, encouraging me to kiss her again. One more time.
And again.
“Can you answer one more question for me?” she murmurs against my lips.
“What is it?”
“What are you hoping to win?” she asks, her tone cautious.
I go with my gut and answer her.
“I’ve already told you this before, Ruby. I’m in it to winyou.” Which is the truth. I’m fucking obsessed with this woman. She’s all I think about. All I want.
“You really want to be with me?” Her voice is so soft, I almost don’t hear her.
“Are you serious?” I pull away, so I can stare into her eyes. “It’s only been you since school started. You’re all I think about. You’re the only one I want.”
Her eyes shine. Fuck, is she crying? She wasn’t lying when she said she’s extra emotional. “You’re the only one I want too.”
I crush her lips with mine, cupping her face, communicating without words that she’s it for me.
I don’t know when this happened. When I realized that I’m halfway in love with this woman, but here I am. A complete goner for Ruby Maguire.
Wait, there’s no halfway in love with her. I am in love with her. How do I tell her? How do we make this work without her having to give something up?
Life is really fucking unfair sometimes, I swear.
THIRTY-EIGHT
RUBY
“Oh, your apartment is so cute.”Mom enters my place ahead of Dad, stopping in the living room and slowly looking around, her hands resting on her hips. Her gaze lands on me and she smiles. “I love it.”
I return the smile. “Thanks, Mom. We like it too.”
“Where is Natalie?”
“She had to work but she’ll be at the game and she’s going to sit with you guys,” I answer, my gaze tracking my father’s every move.
He’s currently examining the window that overlooks the parking lot, a faint frown on his face. “This window doesn’t look that secure.”
Always watching out for my safety. I love that about him.
I go to where he’s standing and pull on the cord that lifts the blinds, showing him the stick that sits in the sill, preventing the window from opening beyond a tiny crack. “We’re safe, Dad. Every window in the apartment has these.”
Ace made sure of it after his climbing through my bedroom window incident. He installed a new screen on my window the very next day and had these rods made for all of our windows, even Natalie’s because he’s just that great.
Ugh, sometimes I can’t stand how great he is. Especially when I can’t publicly share his greatness.
