Beating the Buzzer | Book 1 in USC series

forty-four

It was humid and hot.

That was enough of an excuse to take advantage of the infinity pool out on the balcony that overlooked the city.

The girls and I managed to convince the coach to let the guys join us for dinner, promising to return them for curfew. We respected and understood that they needed to be well rested and adhere to the schedule for their performance this week.

We still had them for two more hours before they had to return to their hotel so we would be making the most of the time that we had left.

I fixed my boobs in my white triangle bikini, tying the strings of my top behind my back as I walked out of the closet, grabbing my towel as I walked out of the room.

I grabbed a beer before heading out to the pool. Walking out onto the balcony, I took a seat next to Elizabeth who sat cross legged in front of the pool. The water was freezing. It felt nice against my skin compared to the hot heat that scorched my back.

" Sunscreen?" Sade popped behind me, shaking the bottle of spray near the side of my head.

I arched my brows, giving her the go ahead as I sipped on my beer. The coldness of the spray met my back, causing me to arch slightly as it made contact with my skin. As Sade rubbed the sunscreen on to my back, a figure in the water swam towards me, grabbing my legs.

Carson emerged from the water, smiling as he forced his way in between my thighs." Are you going to get in?" He asked, laying his head on my thighs and getting them all wet in the process.

I shook my head, pointing to my hair that was tied securely into a bun. " Not getting this hair wet." I tutted, wagging my finger as he began to play with the beads on my waist beads.

Carson drew patterns on my skin with the water beads from the pool water. I stared off at the guys playing basketball in the pool while the girls lounged out on the chaise loungers.

Rhegan and Jora were tanning, mostly with the help of a self tanner but a little sun never hurt. They would be nice and golden by the game this weekend.

Skylar sat on a chair, her glasses pulled over her eyes and her laptop placed on her lap as she typed away, finishing up one last assignment for a class.

Sade was missing in action and so was Derrick.

Didn't take long to put two and two together.

Elizabeth stood waist level in the pool drinking on a frozen margarita as she watched Abel play basketball with the others.

And Audrey— Audrey said that she was too tired to come out, claiming that the heat had gotten to her. But we knew that wasn't true and we also weren't going to pry into why she didn't want to hang it.

It seemed personal. She would tell us when she was ready.

Carson rose to his full height and pressed my thighs farther apart. His hands gripped the apex of my thighs, kneading them as he moved closer to the edge of the pool.