21 Days (Time for Love 2)

“Sure. What’d you order me?”

“A grilled cheese.”

“Really?” Sasha asked with a laugh. “I don’t think I’ve had a grilled cheese since the last time I was here. They were so good.”

I stepped up to her and ducked my head, so I could speak softly into her ear. “I remember. The sounds you made eating that sandwich, and the way your body looked when you bowled, are two of the reasons I brought you here tonight. This was the place where I started to look at you as more than just a friend.” I finished my sentence by kissing her neck, right below the ear, and breathing in her scent before straightening back up. “You ready?” I asked again, smiling at the dazed look on her face.

She simply nodded, so I placed my hand at her lower back and guided her to the lane. “You got it, or will you indulge me and let me show you proper form?”

“You can show me,” she said softly, the desire in her voice vibrating through my body.

She picked up the ball and I followed her out to the markings on the lane. I stood directly behind her, close enough to torture us both. I ran my fingers along her arm until my hand rested at her wrist. “It’s all about control,” I whispered into her ear. “You bring the ball back, and keep your arm straight, so when you release the ball, it goes in the direction that you want it to. Aim for the right side of that center pin, and let it fly.”

Sasha took a deep breath and nodded, then brought her arm back, bending as she did, and causing her ass to rub right against the front of my jeans. I hissed out a breath and almost blacked out. She released the ball and it went barreling down the lane, knocking out five pins upon impact.

Sasha turned and rubbed her body against me. “If you do that every time, this game isn’t going to last two more minutes. I’ll drag your sexy ass to the game room and have my way with you on the pinball machine.” That said, she tiptoed up and kissed me quickly, before sauntering back to wait for her ball.

She was right. A little teasing was one thing, but playing with Sasha was playing with fire, and I knew her statement about the pinball machine was no idle threat. And fuck if I didn’t love that about her.

I walked past her, holding my arms up in surrender and making a big show of giving her a wide berth as she went to roll her second ball. I heard her giggle as she walked down the lane. I groaned low in my throat as she bent over again, so mesmerized by the site that I would’ve missed the fact that she rolled a spare, if she hadn’t turned and started jumping up and down and cheering.

This time, rather than giving Shelly and Gaby high fives, she ran straight into my arms and kissed me soundly on the lips. “Beat that, hot shot,” she said with a grin.

I allowed my hands to roam down her bottom and give her a little squeeze before I responded, “Game on.”

We’d bowled a couple frames when our number was called and I went up to grab our food. I grinned over my burger at the sound of Sasha’s moan after taking her first bite.

“This is the best grilled cheese ever!”

“You need to take a break from that healthy shit once in a while … treat yourself.”

“In one week with you’ve I’ve eaten more unhealthy shit than I have in a year,” Sasha replied, her eyes rolling back a bit as the next taste of melted cheese hit her tongue. “You’re gonna make my ass get bigger.”

“Mmmm, I’d like to see that,” I responded with a laugh.

She reached over and punched my arm. “Shut up!”

We were both laughing when someone stopped next to our table. I looked up to see a tall dark-haired man, about thirty, with a petite blonde on his arm, who looked to be a few years younger. I had no idea who either of them were.

“Hey, Sasha,” the man said. I looked over and saw the smile fall from Sasha’s lips.

“Oh, hey, Sean,” she responded, wiping her hands on a napkin as she looked from Sean to the petite woman by his side, before turning to me. “TJ, this is Sean.”

“How’s it going?” I asked, rising to offer Sean my hand.

He shook it, then wrapped it back around the shoulder of the blonde, “Nice to meet you, TJ. This is Marley.”

I nodded at Marley, then waited for Sean to finish the introductions.

“Marley, this is Sasha,” Sean said finally.

The girls said “hi” to each other, then Sean made their excuses and they walked away.

“That was weird,” I said when we sat back down, trying to lighten the mood.

Sasha just nodded and picked off a piece of her sandwich, her face clouded.

“Who’s Sean, an old boyfriend?” I asked, trying to get to the bottom of her swift change in mood.