“That would be great.” Karsyn grins. “But not exactly what I was thinking. See…” She crosses and recrosses her legs, a sign she’s nervous. “We’re having a bachelor/bachelorette auction, and we need a few more women. Would you be willing to auction off a date with you?”
“Do you think anyone would mess with all these people connected to cops?” I’m quick to assure her. “This, after all, is to benefit the LSERT. They’re too scared to want to do anything nefarious.”
“It’s the perfect way to get to know people in town,” Karsyn adds. “And we can vouch for almost everyone. Live here long enough and you’ll get to know them all.”
I can see her weighing the pros and cons in her head. Given the way her eyes brighten up, I think she wants to do it, but something is holding her back.
“I’m doing it,” I speak up. “It’s for a great cause. I work with the LSERT and I can vouch for the good work they do. So does Karsyn. The money we raise with this event will go a long way toward community policing and helping to keep power on for residents during the hot summers.”
“That’s something I haven’t dealt with yet.” She brings her bottom lip between her teeth.
“It’s all about what we can give back to the community, and we do that in many different ways.”
“So you’re saying it would look good, for me as a new business owner, to participate.”
Karsyn purses her lips. “What I’m saying is it could get you in front of the community in a way you haven’t been yet, and perhaps get more business.”
A slow smile spreads across Eden’s face. “If you think it’s a good idea, then I’m all for it.”
“Great! I can drop off the information to you tomorrow. What time will you be here?”
“Open til close.” She rolls her eyes in an exasperated way. “I’m still looking to hire someone to help me out. Until then, it’s me, myself, and I.”
“Girl,” - I stop to take a drink of my coffee - “I completely understand what you’re saying. There’s no rest for the wicked.”
“Or the weary.” She winks as the doorbell chimes, letting her know someone else has come in. “It was nice to meet you, ladies.”
“You too.” We wave at her before she goes to take her place behind the counter.
“She’s nice.” I watch her interact with her new customer.
“And gorgeous. She’ll be an asset to the auction.”
“You sound like we’re a bunch of horses getting ready to run the derby,” I complain before taking a bite of my cake.
“Speaking of horses. I heard you spent the night with Sully last night.”
My cake goes down the wrong way as I realize what she’s just said, causing me to hack and cough.
“Do you need the Heimlich?” She giggles.
I shake my head, coughing and wiping the tears from under my eyes. “Karsyn, I swear to God, one day you’ll be the death of me.”
“As long as I see that shocked expression on your face before you go, it will totally be worth it.”
Chapter 15
Sullivan
“Pass the fuckin’ ball, Ransom.” I hold my hands up, showing I’m open. He glances over at me, trying to find a place where he can do as I’ve asked. He’s being double-teamed by Cutter and Devante.
“Whatcha gonna do now?” Cutter talks shit to his brother. “We’re all on you like white on rice.”
“Get a new analogy.” He lobs the ball over his head, about as far from me as he can get.
Since they’re both surrounding him though, it allows me to make a break for it, but so does Tank, who’s on their team. I see him diving for it, so I do the same, knowing I’m taller than him and have longer arms. We hit the hardwood floor together, but I manage to tip the ball in favor of my team.
This will fucking hurt tomorrow, or maybe even tonight, but I can’t deny how good it feels to get physical on the court. This is something I needed, especially after having to deal with Frank Gentry.
The two of us push ourselves up on shaky arms.
“You alright?” he asks, bending over at the waist.
“Fine, you?”
He nods. “Good save.”
I laugh. “Way to make me work for it, old man.”
“Fuck you, Sullivan.”
Before we can say anything else, the game is back on this side of the court. My team is ahead by ten points, but that doesn’t mean we stop playing. We play harder when they make another basket. I’m guarding Cutter, who makes a mistake, allowing me to swiftly steal the ball from his hands and breakaway from the group. I push the ball down the court, before I grab it in my hands and jump, slamming it into the hoop as I grasp the edges, hanging on.
“You would have to make a show out of a slam dunk,” Cutter gasps.
“Maybe you need to up your cardio, that way you can catch me next time.”
“Ask your sister, my cardio’s just fine.”
All the guys on the court make an oohhhh noise as Cutter and I get nose to nose against one another. “You’re lucky I like you.” I point my finger in his face.
“Don’t point at me, Sully.” He lifts his hand to swat mine down.
I don’t know what happens, but I push him.
Harder than I mean to.
He stumbles, but doesn’t fall. It takes him more than a few steps to regain his balance.
Immediately Ransom runs to his brother and Devante runs to me. “He’s your sister’s fiancé, let this go,” Devante says, grabbing hold of my shirt, forcing me to look at him. “Things are heated because we’re playing ball. Walk it off.”
“My sister should be off-limits for trash talking,” I yell, doing my best to fight him off, but Devante is much stronger than I give him credit for. He’s easily holding my arms down to the side.
Ransom says something to Cutter. Whatever it is, it causes him to stop pushing against his brother. He turns around, putting his hands above his head, interlocking his fingers. When he turns back around, he comes over to me. “I’m sorry, that was out of line.”
“It was,” I agree. “But I shouldn’t have pushed you.”
“You’re right, she’ll stay off-limits for trash talking. It’s been a rough day.”
I reach out to shake his hand. “Rough day here too. We’re cool, brother.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.” I pull him into a hug. “Now let’s get this game over.”
When I pull into the parking lot of my apartment complex, luck is shining down on me. Shelby is doing the same in her spot a few places away. Getting out, I wait for her. I’ve wanted to see her all day.
“Did you work out?” She eyes my tank top and gym shorts.
“My second favorite kind. I played a game of pickup basketball at the rec center.”
She walks toward me, shaking her hips, letting them sway in the dim light bathing the parking lot. It’s sexy as hell the way she carries herself. The way she tempts me with a little look, a small purse of her lips, or just the heat apparent in her green eyes. We’re a hair's breadth apart when she stops. “What’s your favorite kind of workout?”