Page 68 of Playing to Win
There’s no response to my knock and I pull out my phone, sending her a quick text.
Me:I’m here.
I rap on the glass again, a little harder this time, but still nothing. It’s kind of cold out here. Despite it being the beginning of September and late summer/early fall is notoriously still fairly warm in this part of the state, sometimes the nights can get cold.
Like tonight for instance.
I’m not really dressed for it either. I’ve got on black joggers and a light gray T-shirt with CU slides on my feet.
I send her another text.
Me:Ruby. I’m outside your window. Let me in before someone calls the cops and reports that I’m a stalker lurking around the place.
That gets her. Within seconds, the blinds shoot up, revealing Ruby standing there in—oh fuck me—a fitted black tank top and a pair of Christmas print flannel shorts. She leans forward, the neckline of her tank dipping down and offering me a glimpse of her tits, which I just had in my hands and mouth only last night.
My skin grows tight and I start to sweat despite the cool air outside. She’s got an amazing body and I swear to God, my fingers are literally itching to touch her again.
The window slides open and she’s within touching distance, smiling at me. “Sorry.”
She offers her hand and I take it, letting her guide me in while I hop over the sill and step into her room before I turn to the window and shut it for her and lock it.
“Is it safe for you to live on the first floor and not have a screen over your window?” I ask when I turn to face her, letting the concern show in my voice.
“When we moved in the screen wasn’t there. We’ve put in a request multiple times with maintenance to get it replaced, but they haven’t gotten around to it yet.” She shrugs, seemingly not worried, while all I can think about is some legitimate creeper-stalker type sneaking into her room and doing something fucking awful to her.
I focus on the window again, glaring at it. “I’ll talk to someone tomorrow and get this handled.”
She laughs, reaching around me to pull the string so the blinds drop back into place, covering her window. “What, are you going to tell them you’re my dad?”
“How would your dad feel if he knew this was an issue?” I glance down at her in time to see the guilt flicker in her eyes.
“He’d probably be pissed,” she admits.
“Yeah, well so am I.” I scrub my chin with my hand, fighting the urge to run to Walmart to purchase a screen. I think they sell them there and our local Walmart is open twenty-four hours.
“Hey.” She steps closer, smiling up at me. “I appreciate your concern. Really.”
I tell myself to shake it off and focus on the pretty woman standing in front of me, my gaze dropping to those Christmas print shorts. There are decorated trees, gingerbread men and Santa Claus faces all over the red shorts, and they’re pretty freaking cute. “I like your shorts.”
“Oh.” She drops her head, studying them for a second before she glances back up at me. “I’ve owned them forever. They’re so soft.”
“They’re cute.” Testing her, I reach out, brushing my fingers against the fabric right at her hip. “And they are soft.”
“My favorite shorts to sleep in.” Her smile is slow.
“Oh yeah? I usually sleep naked.” Why the fuck did I just say that?
“Not that I asked, but thanks for the info.” She laughs, shifting away from me and going to the bed, where she sits on the end of the mattress. Watching me with amusement still flickering in her gaze. “You mentioned that you had something to ask me?”
Oh right.
I did.
Glancing behind me, I lean against her desk, crossing my arms as I contemplate her. She looks ready for bed. Her face is scrubbed clean and a little dewy from what I assume must be her nightly skincare regimen or whatever it’s called. I see stuff on TikTok like that on occasion that I find myself watching for no good reason.
“You’re ready for bed,” I finally say.
She smiles. “I am.”
