I Want You Back (Want You #1)(36)

“And what’s that, Jax?”

“Everything.”

Nolan just blinked at me in that slow, steady, considering manner of his.

My cell phone buzzed with a text message and I automatically checked. It was from Rowan, Jensen’s wife.

    RL: Hey, the kids want to go to the rec room. I’ll take them if that’s cool with you.

ME: That’s fine. Sorry you’ll get stuck playing pool with them again ?



Across the room Nolan’s cell rang. He said, “I need to take this.”

“Go ahead.”

Before he answered the call, he warned, “We’re nowhere near done with this conversation, bro,” before he vanished down the hallway.

My phone buzzed again.

    RL: I wish. They’re determined to play shuffleboard . . . I’ll try and keep them from using the sticks as javelins this time, but no promises.

ME: Should I come down and supervise?

RL: Nope. I got this.

ME: K. Thanx. Let me know if you need anything.



I set my phone aside and heard Nolan still talking on his. I wandered over to the sliding glass door that led to a minuscule balcony that overlooked the courtyard. From here I could see the rec building. Mimi loved hanging out there with the other kids who lived in the apartment complex since it was packed with fun games like pool, foosball, air hockey, Ping-Pong, and shuffleboard.

Shuffleboard. I hadn’t thought of that game in years, even when I’d walked over the painted outlines inside the rec center to get to the pool tables. Mimi hadn’t shown interest in playing, and the last time I’d played was years ago with Lucy.

Man, that had been an eye-opening experience. I hadn’t believed her when she claimed she had no basic sports skills at all—until she’d proved it without a doubt the night of our fourth date . . .



* * *



? ? ?

    You’re joking,” Lucy said as we stood outside the doors to the middle school gymnasium.

“Nope. I’m completely serious.”

“This is one of my worst nightmares, Jax. Returning to PE class in middle school, where I didn’t even have the humiliation of being chosen last for a team.”

“What do you mean?”

“The PE teacher made me sit on the bench and watch my classmates play games. I never got to play.”

I tugged her closer and kissed her temple. “That sucks. I’m sorry. But it just proves my point that you don’t know if you’re good at a sport if you haven’t tried it. Your PE teacher was supposed to expose you to different activities so maybe one would click.”

“Well, that didn’t happen. And the only way this would be worse is if I have to get undressed in the locker room and shower naked with a bunch of strangers.”

Curling my hands around her face, I tilted her head back, intending to say something to allay her paranoia, but no words came to mind, so I kissed her.

Damn, did I love kissing this woman. She never held back. No matter where we were, she was totally in the moment with me. No matter if we’d had a heated argument a minute before our lips connected. No matter if we were laughing and being stupid, it faded into the background when we fed this need.

I ended the kiss slowly, taking my time to memorize every luscious curve of her lips, every sexy sway of her body into mine, every throbbing beat of her pulse.

“Killer distraction, but still not good enough, buddy,” she muttered as she caught her breath.

“One game. That’s all I’m asking.”

Lucy lifted that limpid gaze to mine and I almost said forget it.

Almost.

“Let me ask you something, Jaxson. If the situation was reversed and I dragged you to a cooking class, you’d be all gung ho about it?”

“Yes. Because that proved that you listened to me and wanted to do something thoughtful and personal for me that I’d appreciate, even if it made me a little nervous to try it.”

“Oh.”

“So this date-night excursion isn’t an attempt to humiliate you. I just want to push you out of your comfort zone.”

“Why?”

Because every moment I spend with you pushes me further out of mine.

But I didn’t tell her that or confess this fun spring fling had turned into something real for me. Instead, I went for the flip response. “Because you’re letting me.”

Her jaw dropped and I stole another quick kiss. “Come on. I want to get the court before someone else does.”

“This game involves a court?” She groaned behind me as I towed her along. “Is it volleyball?”

“Nope.”

“Basketball?”

“Nope.”

“The court of public opinion?”

I laughed. “Clever. But, no.”

“See, if tossing out smartass quips were a sport, I’d be a champion.”

“Of that, there’s no doubt.”

We entered the gymnasium. Half a dozen people played volleyball in one corner, and a few people were in the bleachers watching or talking, but besides them, the place was nearly empty.

A banner across the wall boasted


YOUR COMMUNITY GYM IS OPEN EVERY NIGHT FROM 6 TO 8 P.M.!