Hook Shot (Hoops #3)(73)

“Totally up to you,” I tell Lotus, keeping my expression neutral.

“It sounds like so much fun,” she says.

I swallow my disappointment and start convincing myself that we’ll have time together tomorrow or another day. The closer she gets to Fashion Week, the less time she has. And my time will be non-existent soon because I’ll have to show up for training camp. Then pre-season games, then regular season. Hopefully playoffs.

“But I better not,” Lotus continues. “I have an early morning.” She looks up at me. “I think I should get home and rest,” she says. “That okay with you, Kenan?”

Our eyes cling, and the same banked desire I’ve suppressed all night, fought every time our hands brushed or our legs accidentally connected under the table, burns in the look Lotus gives me.

“Yeah,” I reply, keeping my voice even. “Early morning here, too.”

“Early morning, my ass,” Kenya says, giving me a knowing look. “Well alright. You still coming to my game tomorrow?”

I reach for a hug and kiss her cheek. She makes a disgusted face in response, and everyone laughs.

“I wouldn’t miss it, baby sister.” I give Jade a quick hug, too. “Great finally meeting you. You’ll be at the game tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Jade replies. “I heard I might get to meet your daughter.”

“Probably not,” I tell her ruefully. “She thought she could make it, but her mom texted me that she has a dance commitment. Maybe next time.”

I turn my attention to Grip and his wife. “Really great meeting you,” I tell them, extending my hand for fist pounds.

He grins, tucking Bristol, who looks like she’s about to fall over from fatigue, in closer to him.

“I love that skirt, Lotus,” Bristol says. “Jean-Pierre Louis?”

“Yeah, it is.” Lotus lifts a frothy layer of her black skirt. “And thanks.”

“I love his stuff,” Bristol adds.

“Lotus works with JP.” I toot her horn, since she obviously doesn’t plan to.

“No way!” Bristol’s eyes widen and sharpen with new respect. “It’s the one show I want to attend during Fashion Week.”

“I can get you a ticket if you like,” Lotus says easily.

“Seriously?” Bristol walks over and pulls her cell from her pocket. “Let me get your number.”

“I was invited to play in the celebrity game at the All-Stars next year,” Grip tells me. “You know ballers want to rap, and rappers want to ball.”

“Not this baller,” Lotus offers. “Kenan’s more of a jazz guy.”

“For real?” Grip’s brows arch. “I love Miles, Monk, Coltrane, Ella. Who you into?”

“All of the above and then some,” I reply, pleased to find someone my age with a real appreciation for another era. “You’ll have to come see my vinyls.”

“Oh, you’ll have to see his, too,” Bristol says with a grin. “He’s obsessed. Vinyl and sneakers.”

“Yeah, I noticed the eighty-fives,” I tell him, nodding to his Jordans.

“Well you know,” he preens, “just a lil’ something for New York.”

We all laugh and start the final round of hugs and goodbyes.

“I’m back on the west coast in a few weeks,” I tell Grip. I don’t look at her, but Lotus stiffens beside me. Her hand clenches mine. “Let’s try to get up before All-Star weekend.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Once we’ve gone our separate ways, Lotus and I walk back to the Great Lawn and into the park. I broach something I’ve been thinking about all night.

“Lotus, we haven’t had much time together since we became . . .” I hesitate over what to call us. “. . . more than friends.”

“True,” she says, linking her elbow with mine. “And it’s only gonna get harder. I’d almost forgotten you have to go back to San Diego soon.”

“Yeah, I got about a month left. Training camp starts in September.” I guide us over to a bench to sit for a second. “I want to make the most of the time we have before I go.”

“And the show is only three weeks away,” she replies. “It’s about to get crazy. No sleep and barely time for anything besides JPL.”

“Yeah, I know.” I bring her fingers to my lips. “Come stay with me tonight. We don’t have to—”

“Yes.” Moonlight softens the angles, the bones of her face. “We don’t have to fuck, you were gonna say.”

I laugh and pull her into me, wishing I could drag her onto my lap right now. “Basically, but I want tonight with you. I want to wake up and have breakfast.”

“French toast, and bacon and eggs?” she asks tauntingly.

“Uh, egg whites and fruit for me,” I reply with a smile. “But go for yours.”

She shifts until our eyes meet.

“Oh, I’m definitely going for mine.”





26





Lotus





On the ride to Kenan’s apartment, we sit in the back of the Uber holding hands, that one point of contact reverberating through every cell of my body. We speak very little, but there’s no need. The air grows heavy with unspoken want and smothered desire. My head spins with fantasies of how he will please me tonight. How I might please him. I’m not planning for this to be the night, but I’m more open to him than I’ve ever been to anyone. It’s not just sex I want, which is all I’ve ever had. It’s that elusive intimacy—the sharing and exchange.