The Strings Attached

Chapter 25 - Loni

Loni

Sleep is not my friend. These last couple of days have been nothing but sleepless nights. After Jace's proposition, how the hell could I get any sleep? It's all I can think about.

No strings attached sex with Jace Maxwell?

Yes, the guy gets under my skin, but there is no denying how insanely sexy he is. And after he defended me at the bar, and beat the shit out of a guy for me, I cannot deny my attraction to him anymore.

I also can't ignore all I've heard about him. Every girl who talks about him and has been with him raves about how good he is in bed. They go into detail about the orgasms he has given them. The toe-curling sex that lasts all night long.

I really don't know how to feel about this. Jace has been with so many other girls. But that shouldn't matter. I'm not looking for a relationship with the guy. It would just be sex. We can both sleep with other people if we so desperately want to. There's no real commitment being made.

Fuck, am I really even considering this right now?

These same thoughts keep going around and around in my head and not even the upcoming game tonight can put them at ease. I am sitting on the bench tying my shoes and all I can think about is Jace using my shoelaces to tie up my hands while he fucks me senseless.

What the hell is wrong with me?

"You ready?" Hadley asks, slapping my shoulder, startling me out of my Jace-filled trance.

"Yeah," I mumble, standing and linking my arm with hers.

"Damn, you are so tense," she laughs, squeezing my arm. "This game should be a piece of cake. Their star blocker is out with mono. We totally got this."

I force a smile. I don't care about this game. I know we can beat West Ridge blindfolded. What's making my nerves all stand on edge is the thought of seeing Jace standing outside the locker room.

I keep my head down, focusing on my shoes. I don't even look up when stretching with the team. Seeing Jace might make me pass out.

"Five minutes." Jace's voice makes my heart slam into my ribcage. He's standing right behind me. I don't look, but I can sense his eyes on the back of my neck.

Nervousness settles over me. Is he watching me with a sultry smirk? Panning his brown eyes over every inch of my body?

I want to run back to the locker room and cover myself with a million towels because now I feel completely exposed and vulnerable under his gaze.

Once the game starts, my nerves don't let up. Every light seems brighter, hotter. Every sound is louder. When the ball connects with my skin, it's like a fire is being ignited under the surface. It doesn't help that every time I look up, Jace is right in my view.

West Ridge spikes the ball over the net. I dive for it, but I'm too slow. The ball collides with my knuckles and shoots under the net.

"Fuck," I mumble under my breath, slapping my palm against the hard floor before standing up.

"Get your head in the game," Coach Carr barks. Sure, the only time she's not looking on her phone and is actually watching the game is when I fuck up.

For some reason, I look to the other side of the court. Jace is watching me with his knuckles pressed to his lips. His eyes are heavy.

The sound of the ref's whistle brings me back to the game. West Ridge serves the ball. I bump it to Hadley for the set and Addison spikes it over. West Ridge misses the block.