Risking the Long Game ✅

9. Good or Bad Idea

Maya's POV

I'm sitting in Spanish class, bored out of my mind as per usual. I've been speaking Spanish most of my life so this class was trivial at this point so I'm thrilled when my phone vibrates in the corner of my desk.

TUTOR BOY: Excited for 2morrow....had fun at tutoring today 😊

A blush rises on my cheeks as I think about our tutoring session today. The two of us had studied more of each other than algebra this week, not that I was complaining. We had spent the whole period today exchanging dating horror stories. It was fun, not that I could tell anyone that.

MAYA: Me too 😊 What R U doing 2nite?

TUTOR BOY: Sitting at home. Why?

MAYA: I'm coming over...

TUTOR BOY: Can't wait!

"Who are you texting?" Riley asks curiously as she leans forward, trying to catch a glimpse at my cell phone.

"No one" I say quickly as I put the phone back on my desk. "Pay attention" I insist causing her to sigh as she relaxes in her seat. Josh and I hadn't even done anything yet and I was already struggling with keeping it from Riley. I knew the smart thing to do would be to end it, but I couldn't. I wanted Josh and I wasn't letting him go this time.

~ 📚 ~

Josh's POV

I've never been so happy to hear the final bell as I am today. I rush out of the school and make my way to my car, speeding home so that I beat Riley and Maya. I'm sitting on the couch watching television when they get home.

"Did you even go to school today?" Riley scoffs with an eye roll as she throws her keys into the bowl beside the door.

"I did actually. Ask my student" I smirk as I motion to Maya, whose cheeks are a deep red color that I find adorable.

"Yea um" she begins but she's struggling. She'd never kept anything from Riley, I knew this was hard for her. "He was at school" she assures Riley. "I'm gonna get some water. Anyone want any?"

"I'm gonna go get the show set up" Riley replies with a smile as I stand up and wander over to the kitchen. "But yes I'd love a glass" she adds happily as hurries off to her room, leaving Maya and I alone

"I can't do this" she exclaims quietly as she turns on the faucet and turns to face me. "I can't keep things from her. I'm a horrible liar."

"Do you like me?" I ask bluntly because while I believed she did, I never got confirmation.

She gnaws her bottom lip, staring up at me before nodding. "So much" she whispers making my heart flip. I couldn't believe my ears. She had actually admitted it. Maya still liked me!

"Maya" Riley calls from her room making Maya sigh as she fills two glasses with water.

"I gotta go" she insists before brushing past me.

~ 📚 ~

Maya's POV

Riley falls asleep. By some grace of God, I'm able to escape her room and sneak off down the hall to Josh's. As much as I had been trying to fight it, Josh was the person I wanted and as long as he continued to be honest with me, I didn't see a reason for this not to work.

I knock lightly before pushing open the door and stepping inside. "Hey" I smile, finding him reading on his bed. He looks up at me in shock as I close the door behind me.

"What are you doing here?" he asks confused as he shuts his book quickly making me eye him suspiciously.

"A better question is what are you reading?" I chuckle.

"Um nothing" he says quickly making me eye him suspiciously before I launch at him, throwing my body onto his as I grab the book. I laugh harder when I realize what he's reading.

"Wow. Um" I stutter as I stare at the book. It was the second Fifty Shades book. "Did you read the first one?" I ask curiously causing him to sigh as he reaches for the book in my hands.

"Maya Penelope Hunter give me the damn book" he laughs, ignoring my question.

"So bossy. Please tell me this isn't what you're into" I reply teasingly making him look at me unamused.

"Want me to show you what I'm into?" he fires back causing my breath to hitch and the question is enough to distract me as he frees the book from my grasp.

"That was evil" I reply when I find my voice making him laugh as he puts the book under his bed.

"Yea yea. What are you doing in here gorgeous?" he asks as I take a seat on the edge of his bed.

"Riles is asleep and I wanted to see you" I reply honestly as I play with a loose thread on his comforter. "Josh do you remember yesterday? When you said you wouldn't kiss me?"

"Because we were in a lingerie store" he reminds me as he scoots closer, raising his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "And because you've suddenly gone from hating me to liking me again and I don't want to scare you off again" he confesses making me swallow a lump in my throat that had formed from my nervousness.

"I hated the Josh who got drunk and hooked up with everyone. I like the Josh who's only had sex once and is sweet, caring, and honest. I like this Josh. The Josh you don't let many people see and I love that I'm one of the people you do. Josh I'm falling for you and I'm scared to death but I need to know that you feel the same way. That you're worth potentially blowing up my life for."

"You can't lose Riley because of me" he insists as he stares into my eyes, piercing into my soul.

"I can't lose you because of Riley" I reply in a voice that's barely above a whisper as I work up the courage to close the space between us, pressing my lips to his.

I think he'll pull away, that he'll insist that I'm being childish and that I'm better off without him but his hand falls down to my jaw and then furthermore to my neck as he pulls me closer. A moan escapes from the back of my throat, into the kiss as he parts my lips, allowing his tongue to explore my mouth as my head starts to spin. I've been kissed this deeply before but never with so much emotion behind it. Every nerve in my body singing in pleasure as I revel in the moment, not wanting his lips to ever leave mine. But my brain's need for oxygen disagrees with my want for Josh's lips so eventually I'm forced to pull back, but I don't move far, resting my forehead against his.

"I want to be worth it Maya" he says softly causing me to smile as I pull back completely, staring into his piercing blue eyes.

"We're screwed aren't we?" I ask breathlessly causing him to laugh lightly as he nods.

"Yea babe, we are."