Rookie Move (Playing for Keeps #1)(30)

It occurred to me I was thinking with my upstairs brain, and I didn’t like it. I reengaged the downstairs brain and focused on the kissing part again because it turned out that Real Ramsey was just as stellar a kisser as Fantasy Ramsey.

Letting go of his waistband, I slid both palms up to his jawline, his stubble biting into the skin of my palms, and held him close, our cheeks brushing when we finally broke for air or risked passing out.

“Fuck,” he muttered on a gusty exhale that warmed the side of my neck.

“Okay,” I said in a teasing murmur. “Your place or your place? Because I’m kind of squatting currently.” I had no idea how it would go over, were I to trot into Houston’s loft with his best friend in tow and every intention to get loud in the bedroom next to his.

Turned out, that was the wrong thing to say.

Ramsey’s laughter was too soft, too brief. He leaned back, lifting his gaze to mine. It was enough for me to read the caution in his eyes.

I changed tack. “That was a joke, obviously.” I didn’t want things to get weird, and I was well aware that we were about one second away from that happening. “I didn’t realize your annoyance kink was so strong.”

His mouth quirked into a smile that was more familiar. “I guess it took over.”

“You might need to work on that self-control.” I definitely didn’t want him to work on self-control. In fact, I wished he would set fire to all the self-control he possessed right then so I could get him someplace private and work him over the way I’d wanted to forever.

He did that laugh again, the soft chuckle that told me the gears were cranking in his mind. I took a step back, giving him space, and he ran a hand over the top of his baseball cap.

When he looked down, my gaze followed. His dick and mine sported matching denim tents.

He sighed. “You know that was a bad idea, right?”

“Nope.” I offered an innocent shrug. “I have idea dyslexia, remember? Good, bad, they get all mixed up.” It was probably true, if I really thought about it.

Ramsey muttered another curse. Since the party was clearly over, I swiveled around and rested my shoulders against the wall next to him. “So what happened back inside? Does someone need their ass kicked? Did you embarrass yourself and totally choke?”

“Nah.” Ramsey hesitated, then shrugged. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to force this, like, just dive in with some rando. I wasn’t feeling that guy. Wasn’t feeling any of them. Not enough to take anyone home.”

“And it pissed you off enough to storm out and rage-kiss me?”

He snorted. “Rage-kiss? That’s a new one.”

“I just made it up, but you defined it. It’s canon now.”

“I guess I did.” He quirked another small smile, then rubbed a hand over his face. “Fuck, that was bad form. I’m sorry. I just came at you out of nowhere.”

“It was a kiss, Rams.” And it’d been fucking awesome, but whatever. “It’s not third grade. It doesn’t mean you’re my boyfriend. We don’t have to make a thing about it. It’s possible for people to hook up and for it not to be a big deal, you know.”

“Well aware, but that usually works out better when it’s not someone on the same team as you and not your friend’s little brother whom you have to see every day.”

“I think you’re gonna have to drop the ‘little’ thing, considering that noise you made when my dick rubbed against yours.”

“Fine. Brother. My friend’s brother. And teammate.” He glanced at me. “And I reserve the right to reinvoke ‘little’ at any time.”

“I reserve the right to make you regret it.”

“Our status quo, basically?”

“Yep.” The banter eased some of the tension in my shoulders. I’d said what I did about the kiss not being a big deal because I didn’t want any awkwardness between us. But it was also true. Or could be. It would take two of us to make that happen, though. “So…” I slanted a sidelong look at him. “Your first kiss with another guy… How’s it stack up? Your dick seemed to give it a rave review.”

“It was all right.” Ramsey knocked his shoulder against mine and smirked. “Could’ve used more tongue. Or maybe less. I don’t know. I wasn’t paying much attention. Got distracted thinking about paint drying.”

“Please. I’ll go up against any Ashley, Alyssa, or Arnold any day.” I narrowed my eyes, catching an equivalent heated flash in his that almost had me lunging for him all over again.

“It was good, okay?” He averted his gaze, staring off into the distance. Okay, message received. No second servings of Ramsey for me. “I definitely enjoyed it, and it definitely shouldn’t happen again.”

He wasn’t wrong. Once more, the part of my brain I usually despised engaging in situations like these reminded me that it would be a long season—hell, career—if we were hooking up and shit went south.

“Fine. Just try to not to jerk off too many times tonight thinking about me. Wouldn’t want that golden arm to be sore for practice.” I shoved off the wall and ticked my head toward the front of the club.

“Somehow I think I’ll manage.” He trailed after me with a laugh.