#Chapter 55: Sore Losers

Kayla The racquet slipped from my hands as the ball sailed through the air toward me. My breath hitched, and I braced for the sharp sting of impact, squeezing my eyes shut. But the pain never came. “That would’ve stung,” came Nicholas’s deep voice, rough and low. My eyes snapped open to see him standing in front of me, his arm extended, the ball firmly caught in one hand. The sheer ease of his movement took my breath away, but it was his amber eyes sweeping over me that made my heart falter. He handed me the ball, his fingers brushing against mine for the briefest second, and I quickly looked away as I felt fresh heat rise to my cheeks. “Thanks,” I muttered, curling my fingers around the ball. He just nodded, although his eyes never left mine. Suddenly, the sound of Rebecca’s sharp voice cut through the brief moment. “That’s not fair!” She practically screeched from across the court. “You can’t just catch a ball in the middle of a game!”