Full Court Press (28 page)

She caught his steel-gray gaze before closing her eyes, still trying to catch her breath.

She felt the slight rumble in his chest when he laughed quietly. “Whatcha closing your eyes for?”

She sighed because she knew she wouldn’t be able to explain it to him. After a moment, she opened her eyes. “Why do you do this?”

“What?”

“This. Touch me, talk to me, treat me…like this?”

“You mean all demanding and stuff?”

She nodded, squirming a little since her wrists were still in his possession.

He shrugged. “Because I know it gets you hot...really hot.”

“Okay...that’s true but...that can’t be the only reason.”

His hand curved around her throat to stroke it lightly. Carmondy recognized it as a move of hesitation, trying to distract her while he decided on something to say, which was fine with her.

“I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t get off on it too. Fact is...I like playing it that way. It makes sex interesting. I have a feeling not a lot of girls are down for it, but since you are, and you obviously get off on it as well...” He slid his hand down to her chest to touch her possessively. “I’m going to take full advantage of it.”

She nodded slowly, hoping he would continue.

“I like that it lets us get...into it, without getting too personal outside of the bedroom or car, as the case may be.”

She nodded in agreement. “So...I think this is a good time to come to an agreement.”

Beck looked suspicious right away. “What kind of agreement?”

“Just that it’ll be understood that we can... go there—”

“There, as in kinky sex and dirty talk?”

“Yes. We can go there and you can keep doing what you’re doing, boss me around, talk dirty and...”

He leaned down to nip at her ear. “Tie you up.”

She took a deep breath. “Yes, that especially, but the important part is I don’t want that to be anywhere that it doesn’t belong. Meaning, anywhere not in the bedroom.”

“And cars.”

“And cars, and...okay, this could get really complicated. Let’s just say I don’t want you treating me that way when there are other people around. I don’t care if you pull me into an empty classroom, whatever, I just don’t want...”

“Anyone to know?” he suggested.

“Pretty much,” she confessed.

“So it’s safe to say that when we’re alone.” His hand trailed down her body to rest between her legs. “This belongs to me.”

She bit her lip and wished desperately that they didn’t have practice. Instead, she just nodded.

“And everything else, what I say and do...you’ve been cool with all that? Nothing crossed the line?”

She was a little surprised at his concern, but hid it and smirked instead. “You haven’t even approached the line,” she said seductively, pushing her hips up off the seat to press against him.

She saw an interested glint in his eye before he used his hand to push her hips back down.

“No? We’ll see how you feel about that tonight.”

She forced the smirk to remain and decided she liked the idea of provoking him. “You’ve already strapped me down and had your way with me. What more could you possibly throw at me? Nothing,”

He laughed. “You really shouldn’t have said that. You’re going to pay for it tonight, you know that, right?”

She shrugged, knowing she was bluffing. “We’ll see what you’ve got.”

He just shook his head and let go of her before opening her door and getting out. Before stepping away from the Jeep, he turned and leaned back in. “After practice, you have two hours to shower, eat, whatever, then get your ass to my place.”

She nodded as she slid out of the Jeep, purposely doing so when he was still close so that her body would have to press against his.

She heard him laugh quietly and before she could pass by him, he pushed her against the Jeep and used a leg to split her thighs, his knee pressing against her core.

“Don’t think for a second that you’re getting away with things like that. You’re not only going to be punished for it, you’re going to have to beg for your punishment.” He looked thoughtful. “How’d you like to serve your penance on your knees?” he asked, his stare boring into her eyes.

“I—”

“Hey, guys!” Torie’s cheery voice caused Beck to step away and Carmondy attempt to mask the look she imagined she had on her face right now.

They looked up to see Torie and Kendall coming toward them on their way to the school. Kendall gave a small smile and looked between them. “We didn’t mean to interrupt anything. Nice sex hair, Beck.”

Beck played the part beautifully. He scoffed and walked away, leaving Carmondy to do damage control.

A
t practice, Carmondy kicked ass in sprints, like always. She was starting to get pretty good during scrimmage, too. The boys were along the sidelines, doing lunges and pushups while the girls had the court. She liked scrimmage because it let her show her full talents, using her speed and strength to steal the ball. She wasn’t afraid to get physical or dive on the ground for the ball, which she proved a couple times.

She had a couple run-ins with Beck. One was when she flew out of bounds for a save and ran into him. The next was when she started to wheeze from asthma and he yanked her off the court and over to her inhaler before she could protest.

He grabbed her inhaler out of her bag and pressed it into her hand. She waved him away while bringing it to her lips to take a puff.

When she could talk again she tried to push him away. “Go on, I’m fine.”

“Take another puff.”

“I know, thank you. I don’t need you to babysit me,” she snapped.

“What the fuck is your problem?”

She frowned. “Sorry, I just don’t want the coach or the team thinking that this asthma thing is a weakness and that I need to be looked after.”

“Yeah, well deal with it because until you have decided that you want to be responsible and know when to take a break, I’m not going to let up. So either pull yourself out of the game when you know you should or deal with me doing it for you. Got it?”

“I said I don’t need to be babysat.”

He leaned forward. “Do I need to remind you that you almost died? And don’t try to tell me that you’re not worried about it anymore because I know that you still are, hence the nightmares.”

“How’d you know that I had another nightmare?”

Beck shrugged. “Wasn’t hard to figure out. You came in the middle of the night looking all scared. You just needed someone to be in the room with you.”

“You were awake?”

He ignored the question. “Just take another puff so I can get back to practice.”

She frowned at his evasiveness but took the puff anyway. Beck nodded once before returning to his team to lead them in a round of sit-ups.

After she assured the coach she was okay, he let her join practice again. The girls didn’t seem to mind her brief absence and worked her into the drill like she’d been there the whole time.

Once both practices were finished, Carmondy couldn’t wait to go home and shower and then do whatever was gonna go down with Beck. Some of the players were hanging around, shooting hoops or chatting. Carmondy started to make her way to Kendall and Anderson, who were standing at center court.

The coach intercepted her though, stepping into her path. “Ms. Hamilton, do you have time for a short chat before you leave for the day?”

“Of course,” she said, following him to the bleachers to sit down.

“I’d like to talk to you about our first game.”

Carmondy nodded. “This Tuesday, right?”

“That’s right. Now, I have been watching you progress over the past week or so. I’ve also asked Kendall, as team captain, to keep an eye out as well as Mr. Tomlinson, the boys’ head coach. All three of us have noted your exceptional speed and endurance, which we spoke about before. But also, we have all agreed that your teamwork has improved tremendously.”

Carmondy’s heart leapt. He was going to keep her on varsity. He had to.

“And I think you’ll agree that I see a bond between you and the girls who have been here for four years. The other girls still know each other’s playing styles better but that can only come with real game experience, which brings me to my next point. I have been working out the starting lineup for our first game and hopefully continuing through the season; Kendall at point, Alli at guard, Sydney and Torie as posts and you as power forward.”

She couldn’t help but break into a grin. “That would be awesome.”

“I’d hoped you feel that way. Now I know that this new asthma thing has had you worrying, but I want you to know it’s not a problem for me. This is high school basketball. You play for fun and because you want to improve. If you find you need your inhaler in the middle of the play, feel free to call a time out. If it’s not bad and you can wait through the play, that’s fine too. Just come straight to the bench and I can throw Kylie in while you get what you need. I want you to know it’s not going to affect your playing time at all. I don’t believe in that kind of stuff. You are going to get the playing time you deserve, which could change, depending on what kind of team we face, and that applies to everyone, not just you. Understand?”

“Definitely.”

“Good, then we’re settled? You’re in the starting lineup, and depending on how you do, could be there throughout the season.”

“It sounds great.” She tried to control herself.

The coach nodded and dismissed her before heading to his office. Carmondy skipped, literally, over to the group of people still congregated in the gym.

She grabbed Kendall’s arm and smiled brightly. “Guess what!”

Kendall smiled. “Hmm, let me guess. Coach told you that you’re gonna be on the starting lineup?”

Carmondy blinked. “How’d you know?”

“He told me this morning,” she said. “Before you got here. We’ve been talking about you quite a bit actually.”

“Oh...well you could have at least acted surprised.”

“O-M-G! That’s amazing!” Anderson blurted before he picked her up around the waist to spin her around.

“Anderson!” Carmondy squealed, clutching him around the neck as she spun her. “Put me down.”

“Nope.” He hitched her up higher and walked out of the gym with her. Kendall followed in her line of vision, teasing her.

“Anderson,” she whined, trying to kick free. “Put me down.”

He patted her ass. “Just a minute, baby. And stop wiggling, you’re turning me on.”

She froze. “Put me down, stupid. Where are you taking me?”

“Special delivery!” Anderson heaved her off his own body and she squeaked in alarm before a strong pair of arms caught her around the waist.

“Thanks,” Beck mumbled, sliding her down his body until her feet touched the floor before releasing her. His hair was damp from a shower and he smelled nice, like some sort of citrus soap.

“No problemo, Capitano,” Andy said brightly with a mock salute.

“For future reference though, I didn’t literally mean in my arms.”

Anderson rolled his eyes. “Well, be more specific next time. You said to deliver your little homework-helper. That’s what I did. I gotta get to gettin’ though. You two be good little study buddies.”

Beck nodded and looked down at her as Anderson and Kendall walked away, Kendall with a small wink. “Ready?”

Carmondy glanced around to make sure no one was around. “I thought you said I had two hours.”

He shrugged. “I changed my mind. We’ll both drive to your apartment. You can change or whatever, then I’ll take us to my place.” His tone was confident, and she didn’t have a reason to say no.

She licked her lips. “Okay...sure, um, let’s go then?”

Beck followed her to her apartment like he said. He was acting a little odd, quieter than normal.

“You told Anderson we were doing homework, right?”

He nodded and waited for her to open the door. They stepped in and Carmondy dropped her keys and bag near the table and headed to her bedroom for a shower, Beck still following her closely.

“Uhh...Beck? I’m gonna shower.”

“Don’t bother.”

“What?”

Beck grabbed her and pushed her face forward against the wall, his hips trapping hers.

She was turned on right away. His need was obvious since it pressed against her lower back. Then his hands were on the waistband of her shorts, prepping to tug them down.

“Wait!”

He stopped and waited.

“I thought we were going to go to your place and...you know.”

“We are, but I don’t feel like waiting right now.” He pushed her shorts down to her feet, and she automatically stepped out of them. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to let you get any satisfaction. This is for me. You’re going to have to wait.”

A quickie was fine with her. She didn’t mind giving him a little something to hold him off for later. Besides, she knew if he got off now he would be able to wait much longer for when they got into it later, which would only increase her experience.

He had the button of his jeans undone when she tried to pull away. “Wait,” she said again.

He stopped but didn’t release her.

“Let go. I’m just going to—”

“What was that?” Beck cut her off, his fingers tight on her ribs.