14. Brooke
”Ican’t believe you came!” Nova gushes as she runs across the parking garage toward me, her sister, Mari, on her heels.
“What do you mean?” I prompt when she releases me from a hug.
“You haven’t been to a game since finals.”
I’m here because Miles and I are taking pics after, but I was happy I said yes the moment I texted Nova to see if she was going.
It’s been a busy week without much friend time since the café.
My excitement has nothing to do with my fake boyfriend inspiring a very real, very all-star-worthy orgasm, or that I’d like to watch him play in person.
When we get inside the building, it’s energetic chaos.
I forgot how intense the fan base is. BEARFORCE shirts are everywhere, the team’s purple-and-gold colors painted across everything from faces to flags to gear.
We strip off our jackets. Nova’s wearing Clay’s jersey. It’s cute, her pink hair skimming along the purple fabric and brushing the “WADE” in capital letters along the back.
”You”re not wearing a jersey,” I tell Mari as we walk the private hallways toward the team VIP box.
”Harlan doesn”t have one,” she says.
“The GM should get a number,” Nova decides as we head into the box.
I’ve watched games from here, and by watched, I mean worked on my phone or flirted with bartenders, with the exception of the finals last year when I genuinely paid a little attention.
Nova and Mari go out front to the seats and I follow.
The arena is packed. The roar of the crowd surges as another wave of Kodiaks fans flow into their rows.
We”re there in time for the player announcements, and I watch the starters run out.
It”s dark in the stands. No one can see me, so I let my gaze run over Miles. My eyes linger on his body, shown off to perfection in that uniform.
The guy works on his body as a full-time job. I’m simply acknowledging it with my respectful ogling, as his very temporary, very fake, very serious girlfriend.
”There a reason you’re eye-fucking him more than normal?” Nova asks innocently.
”Hmm?” I ask as I sip my wine. “We’re practicing. I’m bringing him to the sorority thing as my date. Fake date.”
My friend grabs my arm, fingers digging into my flesh. “I knew something was up. I leave for a few days and everything is upside down.” She sighs. “This is how it starts.”
“Nothing starts. It’s all for show to help me land this brand deal with Elise.”
”So, you can”t picture climbing him like a redwood?”
Heat starts low in my spine. A warmth I can”t entirely pin on the excitement from the game has my lips and fingertips humming.
“His gorgeous eyes? That mouth? The messy hair?” Nova says each word as though she’s building a tantalizing fire of reasons, one log at a time.
“You’re married, Mrs. Wade,” I remind her with a laugh.
“I’m just saying. He’s charming, charismatic. I wouldn’t blame you for wondering. And you’ll be with him the entire weekend. Talking. Flirting. Dancing. Tell me there’ll be dancing…”
“This weekend is about the girls,” I say, trying to steer the conversation away from Miles. “Not the guys.”
”Well, he’s watching you too,” she says sweetly.
My head snaps toward the court. His gaze locks on mine, and I feel the air flow from my lungs. He tilts his chin in my direction, and the corners of his lips lift into a little smirk.
Gah. I’m so screwed.
The first quarter starts, and the competition comes out strong, taking it down the court to the basket, playing hard. The Kodiaks are a step slow by comparison.
Mari”s not as into it as Nova, who mutters on every play.
”Come on, Clay.” Her hand grips mine.
“How”s his knee?” I ask Nova.
”Good so far this season. But it”s early.”
Clay”s an all-star, but he”s had some serious injuries in the past—ones that cost him professionally and personally.
I squeeze her hand.
It”s back and forth, the Kodiaks falling behind by a basket. Then two. Then another.
Nova and I exchange worried looks.
”Come on, Kodiaks!” Nova cheers, jumping up and down.
My eyes sweep over the crowd. Almost all of them are on their feet, screaming. I glance back at the court. The team is getting frustrated.
I stand and holler, ”Come on, Kodiaks!”
Miles’s attention cuts toward me, brows lifting in surprise.
”Good job, Kodashian,” Nova whispers.
Jay brings the ball up the court, passes it to Clay. He cuts into the paint, then turns and fires it out to Miles, who”s along the baseline, but the defense is there, guarding him.
My breath catches.
”Shoot over him,” I mutter.
”Miles won”t make it,” Nova worries. ”You know how many blocks the other guy has?”
The shot clock ticks down. It would be so easy to release the ball, to get desperate and fire. Miles rises up to shoot.
I”m already dreading it. Except…
It”s not a shot. It”s a pump fake designed to make the defender lunge for him.
Only when the defender crashes into Miles does he put the shot up. The whistle shrills. Foul.
Hell yes.
Miles sinks all three from the free-throw line. I feel each of them as if I’m putting up the shots myself.
On the third shot, he looks up at me with a wink.
I bite my lip.
When the whistle blows to signal halftime, the Kodiaks lead by one.
“I’m going up to see Harlan,” Mari says, rising.
“Do they bang on his desk at the break?” I ask Nova.
“Probably. She leaves every time.” She shifts forward, eyes dancing with mischief. “So, how exactly does this fake date thing work? You sleep in the same bed, slather on the PDA for your adoring public, and make up nicknames for each other?”
“I’ve requested two beds, the goal is adoring looks and the occasional forehead kiss, and technically, he already has a nickname for me,” I state, and Nova gasps.
“What does he call you?”
“Princess. It’s bullshit, and I’m going for snacks,” I add before she can comment.
I leave the box and find myself wandering into the main hallway packed with fans.
Normally, I don’t notice what everyone is wearing—it’s a sea of purple and yellow—but tonight, it’s as if all I see are Miles jerseys.
Especially on women, I notice as I head toward the concession stands.
I find myself in line behind a group of women a few years older.
“Who’s the hottest?” one says to another.
”Clay.”
”No way. It”s Miles. I’d bang him any day.”
I stare holes in the back of her jersey as the girls order their food and head toward their seats.
I order a beer and two bags of popcorn, which I have to juggle on the way back. The Kodiaks store is in my peripheral vision, my attention lingering on his jersey, displayed front and center.
“Ooh, what did you buy?” Nova asks when I reappear next to her, dropping into the seat with my snacks.
The second half starts, and Miles is fire. I love it when he gets what he wants.
They squeak out the win, and the building goes crazy.
I go a little crazy too.
* * *
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The notification from Elise’s company account pops up as I’m heading down to find Miles.
My pulse accelerates.
It’s confirmation that she’s looking for a partnership, but it means everyone else will be applying too.
I need to stay focused on my mission.
When I get to the hallway outside the locker room, Miles is leaning against the wall, checking his phone. He’s freshly showered, hair falling across his forehead, dark lashes over lowered eyes as he scans the screen.
It’s worth the crowd of admirers I had to battle just to get to security and wave my VIP pass.
He straightens the moment he spots me.
“You didn”t get distracted and hook up with anyone after the game?” I ask, shoving my hands in the pockets of my coat.
He lifts a shoulder. “You either.”
I glance around. “I don’t see a line of people who want to fuck me tonight.”
“Because I got rid of them.”
“You wouldn’t.” I can’t stop the laughter that bubbles up.
His gaze flicks over me, his smug mouth lifting at the corner. “Careful, Princess. I will obliterate the competition for your fake heart.”
Before I can process the words, Nova comes up behind me.
“Hey, you. I’m the designated photographer for this evening.”
Miles looks between us, and for a second, I think he’s disappointed.
“I told Nova about our plan,” I supply.
“Right.” He shakes his head and hitches a thumb down the hall. “I had a place in mind.”
He leads the way out a side door and into the street. We walk a few blocks, blending in with the little bit of foot traffic remaining more than an hour after the game.
Nova’s smiling as she trails just behind, texting Clay to let him know she’ll meet him later to blow his grumpy dick or whatever they’re into.
We get to a restaurant, and he shows us up the side steps, waiting for Nova and me to go first. The door opens out onto a rooftop with fairy lights strewn all around.
“Pretend I’m not even here,” Nova says as she steps a few feet away, finding her favorite lighting.
“Right.” Miles rocks on his heels as if he’s on edge.
Unlikely. Nothing freaks this guy out.
“If we’re going to sell that we’re dating seriously, we should discuss things we”d know about one another,” he says.
“Such as?” I’m surprised he came this prepared, especially when he reaches into his pocket for a folded piece of paper.
“I have a list of questions.”
“You printed that out from the internet.”
“Yup. What’s your biggest dream?”
Click.The camera phone goes off. I’m aware of Nova moving around us.
“Pass.”
“You can’t pass on the first question.” He laughs.
“Sure I can. How many real couples know what the other person’s biggest dream is? What you truly want is like a big flashing light pointing to your motivations and your weaknesses.”
“Never thought about it like that.” He turns it over. “My dream is to play on the USA men’s basketball team.”
“Why?” His answer surprises me. “You don’t even get paid to do it.”
Click. Click.
“That’s exactly why. You’re playing for pride with the best guys in the country. You do it because you love it. It’s hard as hell to get a spot.”
Click. Click.
“You want to be the best, then.”
“Nah. I want to be good enough to play side by side with the best.”
“That’s the same thing.”
“Is it?”
“Next question,” I say, still thinking about his answer.
“What’s one thing only your friends know about you.”
I take a breath. “I have a wild side.”
Miles leans in, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Tell me.”
“I’ve always been drawn to the danger and excitement of things like skydiving and bungee jumping.”
“Why?”
I turn it over. “Probably because Jay used to get lots of attention playing basketball. At first, I did it for the attention, and my mother was horrified. Eventually, I realized I liked it. I like being somewhere I’m free and feel alive.”
“Huh,” Miles says, his voice low with appreciation. “You’re even braver than I thought.”
The way he looks at me, with a mixture of admiration and something else, makes me feel like I could conquer the world.
“Ooh, that’s good,” Nova says. “Get closer. Miles, put your arms around her.”
Miles pulls me to him, his arms snaking around my waist. I feel his breath on my neck as he nuzzles into me. The warmth of his body against mine sends a shiver down my spine.
We go through the list as Nova takes picture after picture, our bodies pressed close together, our faces mere inches apart.
Is he as affected by this as I am?
We’re supposed to be building evidence for our fake relationship, but nothing about his touch feels forced.
“What’s your biggest fear?” I ask.
“Pass.”
“Really?” I cock my head. “You’re afraid it’ll come true if you say it out loud?”
“Something like that.” His lips curve.
I feel the heat of his breath on my lips, and I know I should pull away, but I can’t. I turn to say something, but his mouth is right fucking there.
I’m trying to keep focused, but it’s taking everything in me.
“I need to call Clay,” Nova says, reminding me we’re not alone. “See if he can pick me up.”
She waves and heads for the other side of the rooftop.
“You got us a chaperone?” Once she’s out of earshot, Miles’ voice, low and husky, makes me turn.
“A photographer,” I correct.
The sound he makes is somewhere between a groan and a laugh. “Because you don’t think you can keep your hands off me.”
I scoff. The ego on this man.
“Did you like watching me play?” Miles changes the subject.
“I like it better when you play the way you did tonight,” I reply. “You were good. You took no prisoners.”
He folds his arms, a slow grin spreading across his face.“You keep this up, you’re going to become a Kodashian. I’ll have to get you in my jersey.”
I mumble something.
“Didn’t catch that.”
I huff out a sigh. “I said I already have your jersey.”
Miles’s smug smile fades. His usual playfulness twists into a new intensity. “Where exactly is this jersey of mine that you own?”
“In my closet. Where the clothes live.”
“Interesting.” He draws out the word.
“There were hundreds—probably thousands—of women wearing your jersey tonight,” I say, pretending I’m not fascinated by the predatory way he stalks toward me.
“Only one I care about right now, Princess.”
My body responds to his closeness, my skin erupting in goosebumps. When his hand grabs my waist, my nipples harden.
“I’m going to need to see you in that.”
His thumb rubs a slow circle against my hip that makes me ache.
“You’re better at this than I thought,” I manage.
“At what?”
I slant him a look from under my lashes. “Pretending.”
His eyes are blue fire. “You have no idea how good I can be.”
Nova’s two dozen feet away, chatting with her husband, but it feels like just Miles and me here.
Damn, it would be so easy to admit how affected I am by his electric blue eyes, the humor he wears like a hoodie, the edge underneath that always seems to come out when I’m around.
“I’m glad I chose you for this,” I hear myself say.
Miles rubs a hand over his jaw. “You chose me, huh?”
“Yeah. Instead of one of the other guys I could have invited to this Kappa reunion.” I smile. “Because then it would’ve been more like an actual date,” I explain, “and it’s hard to find someone you can spend the weekend with who’ll act like a gentleman in front of your sorority sisters, and who you also want to fuck—or you don’t want to fuck, and they’re cool with that…”
Nova returns, saving me from whatever Miles’s reaction was. “Clay’s coming in ten. I have time for a few more, if you want?”
“I think we have lots,” I say at the same time Miles says, “What about dialing up the PDA?”
We both turn to him, surprised.
Nova’s tapping a finger against her chin. “I like it. Brooke?”
I lift a shoulder, as if the idea of us turning this up a notch doesn’t affect me.
“You were the one who wanted pics to prove we’re for real,” he says. “Let’s leave no question in their minds.”
But as Miles leans in, inching closer, my heart hammers. Nova says something, but I don’t hear her.
We’re so close. We’ve been a breath apart before, we’ve even touched in a casual way, but this is different.
He’s completely locked in. If my pulse skipped and my palms got sweaty—kind of like they’re doing now—I swear he’d notice.
His lips brush mine.
All I see are stars. Not the ones overhead, but the ones behind my closed eyes.
He’s firm and confident, his mouth parting mine like he’s done it a thousand times before.
As if he couldn’t care less about the camera angle or who’s watching.
Electricity sings along my nerves, lighting me up everywhere.
I knew we had chemistry, but this is something else. It’s physics, a damned gravitational pull dragging us together, insisting that his mouth on mine is the natural order of things.
All I hear is the buzzing in my ears, Miles’s rough intake of breath the moment before his fingers sink into my hair. My hips are flush against his through our clothes—probably because he’s got a hand on my waist, holding me in place under his mouth, his thumb stroking right above my hipbone.
This better look good, I think hazily, because it feels fucking fantastic.
Honking from somewhere down at street level makes me pull away.
Nova hands back the phone, fanning herself. “Clay’s here. Excuse me while I go jump my husband.” She wiggles her fingers and shoots me a look before heading toward the stairs.
I watch her disappear and feel Miles’s eyes on my back.
“Think we got enough to convince your Kappas?” he asks lightly.
His phone rings, splitting the silence.
“Shit. It”s my grandma.” He answers, turning away.
A moment later he returns, pocketing the phone.
”I need to see her. I can drop you off first.”
It sounds urgent. I don’t want him to lose time on my account.
“Take me with you?”