“Never played dodgeball?” Preston pressed a palm to the small of my back, leading me to a set of bleachers off to the side.
Theo was leaning up against the wall, his phone to his ear, with a pinched expression. Shaw was shamelessly flirting with a woman at the concession stand, and Wesley was braced in some odd stretching position.
“Are those knee pads?” I murmured to Preston.
He barked a laugh. “If you haven’t noticed, Wesley takes this seriously.”
“So why isn’t he the captain?”
Preston pulled a T-shirt out of a bag next to Theo’s feet. “Because he has a temper. He was voted off the island.”
A laugh bubbled up my throat as he handed me a shirt. I just now realized all the guys had on matching ones. I held up the black T-shirt that readThrowback Thunderin lime green font.
“Nice.” I eyed him. “Is thethrowbackbecause you’re all old?”
Preston lifted a brow. “Old? I’m thirty.”
I tossed the T-shirt over my arm. “I mean…I think being old is up for interpretation.”
He cocked his head to the side, the move so casually hot I had to glance away.
“What? Think I can’t keep up with you?”
I snorted a laugh. “I don’t know, Coach. I took you down pretty easily last time. How are the family jewels, by the way?”
His smile was wicked as he leaned in close to my ear. “You sound worried about me, Angel?”
His hot breath fanned across my skin, and my breath hitched.
I quickly darted away. “Be right back. Need to change.”
When I glanced back over my shoulder, he was smiling, and it was becoming very clear. We were playing a dangerous game.
I changed my shirt, then reinstated my composure before I joined the guys. They were huddled together by a line of chairs, glaring at the opposing team, who walked in the gym like they owned the place.
“Well, well, well.” A bearded man with a shirt that readScorpionswith a dodgeball hooked on a stinger crossed his arms. “You ready to get your asses handed to you?”
Shaw smirked. “I don’t know? You ready to hear about what I did to your girl last night?”
“Fuck you, Calloway,” the man gritted out.
“That’s enough.” Preston motioned. “Let’s play.” He turned to face me. “Any questions?”
“Not really. I get hit, I’m out. If I catch it, they are, right?”
“Yeah. The face and dick are off-limits,” he added.
Heat rose up my neck at the worddick.How long had it been??? Oh right. Years. Since my hotshot cheating boyfriend forced me into celibacy.
“Hands in,” Wesley shouted as we stacked our hands in a pile.
Preston’s palm settled over mine, the touch warm and steady. “Kick ass on three. One, two, three.”
“Kick ass!” we shouted in unison.
Let the games begin.
27
