Lex coughed.

“Except golf.”

He coughed again.

“And I think it’s already been established that ice-skating shouldn’t count.”

Lex held up his hands, then went back to flipping burgers.

“Your serve.” I bumped the ball in Blake’s direction. “Ladies always first. I’m a gentleman on the court and in bed—lucky you.”

“Oh wow. Thanks,” Blake said sarcastically. “Let me just get comfortable.” Her top came off.

I smelled something burning.

“Lex,” I yelled. “Man the burgers. I got this!”

“Sorry.” He turned back around.

I stared at her tan, muscled skin as she stretched her arms above her head and put her hair in a high ponytail. Her jeans were still on, but hanging so low on her hips a cop should ticket her. And the plain black sports bra just . . . for some reason . . . looked hot.

Damn hot.

“Ready?” she asked.

“Clearly someone’s trying to cheat.” I pointed at her stomach.

“Oh, this?” She shrugged. “Don’t want to get sweat on my shirt. I’m sure you understand.”

“Sure I do.” I peeled my shirt off and tossed it onto the ground. “I understand perfectly.”

I flexed what I’d been told on several occasions by numerous women, including a few professors, was my eight-pack.

Her eyes widened.

“Pissing match, party of two,” Lex yelled.

Gabi came running.

Oh, good—an audience.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“You know it’s physically impossible to play one-on-one volleyball against me, right?” I smirked, tossing the ball into the air—once, twice—actually feeling a little sorry for her future loss. Maybe I’d buy her more chocolate, lessen the blow a bit.

“Sure. Okay.” Blake’s face was impassive. I couldn’t read her at all. Was this what her opponents felt like all the time? My eyes narrowed. Not even a blink in my direction, or hesitation. Did she really think she was going to somehow beat me? For one, I towered over her; two, I was a guy; and three, I had balls, and I knew how to use them—well.

“Fine.” I stretched my arms above my head, the ball traveling with me in my left hand. That’s right, I was palming it.

Because I was a guy, and my hands were huge, and I could freaking spike it into her face so hard she’d probably need plastic surgery to get her nose fixed. But sure, yeah, let’s play fair. “You can serve first.”

“My money’s on Blake,” Gabi piped up from a lawn chair.

Lex closed the lid to the grill and pulled up a seat. With a snort, he pointed at me. “You do realize he was nominated for the Heisman, right?”

“Heisman Shmeisman,” Blake teased as she bounced between her bare feet, her boobs joining in with the fun.

“Focus,” Lex snapped.

“I am!”

Or at least I was trying. Really hard. To focus. Damn, they just never got old, did they?

“Twenty bucks says she knocks him out with the first spike,” Gabi said in an amused tone.

“You’ve got yourself a bet.” Lex shook her hand.

They were shaking hands. They were sitting next to each other, and World War III wasn’t breaking out. I opened my mouth to comment just as Lex released her hand and rubbed it on his jeans.

“What? Afraid of girls now?” Gabi sneered.

“Just the ones who may be dudes.” Lex nodded, then directed a pointed look at her crotch. “Hmm, I’m thinking fifty-fifty chance.”

“Don’t put it past me to dump lighter fluid on the barbecue.”

“And burn down your own house?”

“Why else would I take out insurance?” Gabi said sweetly, smacking Lex in the arm, then grabbing his bicep and pinching.

Just kidding. All was right with the world.

“Are you ready?” Blake called.

“Yup.” I tossed the ball into the air. “Service.”

She returned with a simple bump, and I returned with a set. Really, it was kind of silly how slow the game was starting—

One minute, the ball was in the air floating in Blake’s direction; the next, I was on my ass looking up at the sky and wondering if a tree branch had impaled itself in my neck.

“What the hell?” I croaked.

Blake stood over me, hands on hips. “Sorry, do you want me to warn you next time I spike it?”

“Nope.” I grinned. “No mercy, huh?”

“Nope,” she said in the same way I had.

With a coy smile, she offered her hand. I slapped it away and got to my feet under my own power. “Don’t get pissed if I break your face.”

“Likewise,” she fired back, tossing the ball over the net.

“Careful, man.” Lex laughed. “She’s got a strong arm.”

“You think?” I said.

Gabi kept silent. Smart girl.

“What is it?” I asked. “One to nothing?”

Blake blew me a kiss.

“That’s it.” I tossed the ball into the air and spiked it as hard as I could. She returned it just before it kissed the grass, causing the ball to float over the net. Cake. I jumped up to spike it down, but she blocked my shot, causing the ball to fall back onto my side. Quickly I stumbled backward and just barely caught it with my fist, bumping it up over to her side.

I let out a sigh of relief when it bounced on the grass.