Layers of Heat

Layer 8

Ken informed Leila that he wouldn't see her after her shift on Friday due to a late basketball game with some friends at the gym. When she asked if she could wait for him after work, he was surprised, but of course didn't refuse.

Like he informed, she found him at the indoor gym standing on the court. There were a few people in the bleachers who were also waiting and watching, and she decided to take a seat in the more empty spots.

From the score on the board, they were just about to start the second half, so it would be a bit before they finished. Her arrival caught some attention from the guys scattered on the court and the whispers quickly caught up to Ken. Miles was there too, and he shoved him with his elbow before nodding in Leila's direction.

Ken whipped his head around to look at her, his eyes wide. She waved, smiling. After a quick word with his friends, he came jogging up to her.

"Hey!" he greeted, "It'll be about twenty more minutes. Hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," she answered, pulling off her scarf. "It's a Friday anyway. I can sleep in tomorrow morning."

He nodded and asked, "Do you like basketball?"

"Nope. I don't ever watch it."

Ken blinked at her honesty. "It might be a little boring for you then."

"I'll be okay. Instead of watching the game, I'll just watch you." He opened his mouth but was speechless, unsure of what to say in response. Leila tilted her head and laughed at his expression. "I'm not putting too much pressure on you, am I?"

He shrugged one shoulder. "Just a little bit."

She chuckled and zipped down her coat to reveal a long, thick hoodie. Ken noticed, and one of his eyebrows rose as he contemplated its familiarity.

"It's yours," she confirmed. "I borrowed it the other day, remember? Hope you don't mind that I wore it again."

Ken shook his head as a small smile curved his lips. "No. I'm glad it's being put to good use."

"Enough with the flirting! We're starting, Ken!" Miles shouted.

A few of the guys hooted and whistled, joining in with the teasing. Ken frowned in response.

"Sorry about them," he muttered.

Seeing how worried he looked that she would be offended, Leila resisted the big grin aching to stretch her cheeks. To help cover it up, she took off his hoodie, revealing another smaller sweater beneath that was one of hers.

There were more whistles thrown her way—for different reasons. Ken's face blanked, and he purposely took another step higher on the bleachers to block his friends' view of her.

"It gets a little warm in here," he said, trying to distract her.

She zipped off the sweater, leaving her in a thin long-sleeve shirt. For a split second, she saw his eyes glance down at her chest before he looked up and away. Leila, too, glanced down to see that the neckline exposed the tops of her breasts, and it was the reason for his stiff actions.

Ken was so much of a gentleman that she felt the sudden urge to tease him. So she did just that. With one finger, she hooked it into the neckline of her shirt and pulled it down, showing more of her cleavage. He noticed the movement and curiously looked to see what she was doing—only to immediately look away again. Leila coughed to cover up a chuckle.

"I can see that," she replied to his remark. "Maybe it's because of all the body heat."

For some reason, he twitched, and a small wrinkle formed between his eyebrows. Leila wondered what had him looking so perturbed, but Miles called for him again, interrupting them. Ken apologized to her briefly before dashing off.