She expected me to follow her the long way around. But instead, I sprinted forward, taking a running leap over the net.
I landed beside her, catching her off guard. Before she could react, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her into me.
Chloe squealed, her laughter turning breathless as I spun her around, holding her tightly. We tumbled to the ground, collapsing together in a heap.
I pinned her beneath me, my weight trapping her in place as my arms framed her. Our gazes connected, our chests heaving to catch a breath.
“Looks like I caught you.” She wriggled underneath me, as if to escape, but I only pressed my weight down further. “Now, I think I get my kiss.”
If the curve of her lips wasn’t enough of an answer, then it was the press of her lips to mine, the soft, seductive roll, how her hands bunched at my top, pulling and shifting so she could access the skin underneath, pushing up until her fingers skimmed against skin.
I wanted to peel her clothes off her, tennis court be damned, and taste her on my fingers. The length of her body against mine threatened to drive me wild, the anxiety now a distant thought.
“We should have never left the hotel room,” I murmured, leaving a trail of kisses down her jaw, leading to her neck, every touch of her skin electric.
“I thought hitting something would help.” I felt the deep murmur of her voice against my chest, the noise humming through her body. I glanced up, taking in her closed eyes, open mouth, the pleasure of my mouth against her neck clear across her face.
“I only needed you.” I kissed along her collarbone, my hand wrapping around the other side of her neck, holding her in position as I trailed further south. I wanted to get lost in her, forget who I was with those long legs wrapped around my neck.
Instead, the tips of her fingers found my chin, nudging me up to look at her again.
“You know you have nothing to worry about,” she said, the confidence in her tone causing my heart to swell. “I bet you take her in two straight sets. 6–4, 6–1.”
With a huff, my head fell back down against her chest. I breathed her in, as if trying to steal some of her belief. “That’s confident of you.”
Her hand found my hair, brushing strands back behind my ears. Even when I wanted her so badly it ached, she found new ways to be soft with me. “What can I say? I believe in my girl.”
I turned my head, still resting on her chest, the beat of her heart a steady rhythm soothing the edges of my anxiety. “I’m your girl now?”
“You’ve always been my girl, Inés.” She smiled, the curve of her lips so delicate and precious that I wanted to trace it, to memorize it. “I’ll back you every single time.”
I knew she meant it.
And I knew, without a doubt, where I wanted this to go.
By the time we left the court, it felt like the stars above were already starting to fade, dawn creeping in on the horizon.
A new day, and one final challenge, but I wasn’t alone anymore.
50
Inés
Molecules—Hayley Kiyoko
My heart raced as I stared out the tunnel, waiting for my name to be announced. The deafening energy of twenty-three thousand spectators packed into the stands lay ahead of me, the energy of their anticipation palpable in the night air, even from back here.
I exhaled slowly, turning away, nervous energy gnawing at me. A win could mean endorsements, momentum, redemption. I had to snatch this opportunity while it was still being offered to me.
Catching sight of my opponent behind me, Liang Wei, I offered a small smile. She returned it before her attention shifted back to her coach. We’d faced each other before, trading wins and losses, yet today was different. This was more than a head-to-head; it was a fight to stay relevant in a sport that didn’t forgive weakness.
I expected nothing less than a battle ahead of me.
“Hey.”
I turned at the familiar voice to find Chloe standing a few steps away, breathless, in a red summer dress. The straps tied in delicate bows over her shoulders made her look almost carefree, and her presence was as steadying as it was surprising.
“What are you doing here?” I hissed, glancing to the clock. Wewere down to minutes before my name would be called, and besides, the last few days had been a struggle for her since the incident, finding crowds more difficult. “I thought we agreed you’d watch from home?”
