The PreGame Ritual (Lynstone University Book 1) Read online

“Miles!”

  “Alright, alright. Hurry up though, ma. My hands have a mind of their own,” he said, smacking my ass as I bent over to pick up my keys. I giggled, dropping them again on purpose. “Ava... quit playin’.”

  “Anxious much?”

  “Anxious is an understatement. Now open this damn door before I ram through it like a SWAT team.” I laughed him off, turning the lock over and opening the door. Since it was the weekend, I expected it to be empty. But low and behold, Avery was sitting right on the couch with the lamp on reading a magazine.

  Buzz kill.

  “Sissyyy, you didn’t tell me we were expecting company. I would’ve at least put a bra on. Or maybe not,” Avery said with a ridiculously high-pitched laugh. “Hey Miles.”

  I was a little happy when he responded with an unenthusiastic, “Sup, Avery?”

  All eyes were on me as they both waited for an explanation of what was going on. And what was I really supposed to say?

  Miles is here to blow my back out. See ya!

  “Miles was just coming by to... help me analyze my game film. Isn’t that right, Miles?” I could only hope he would go along with my lie.

  “Nah, I was gonna analyze that...” I elbowed him before he could finish, “I mean, yeah. Yeah the film. Right.”

  “Anything for the love of the game I suppose.” Avery went back to reading her magazine and I dragged Miles to my bedroom, shutting and locking the door behind us. The sexual energy I came into the house with was long gone so when he tried to reignite the flame by kissing me on my neck the way he did at the door, I pushed him away.

  “What’s wrong, ma?”

  “I can’t have sex with you with my sister sitting right there in the living room.” Though there was a hallway of distance and the door was locked, it still just didn’t feel right.

  “Why not? You’re grown as hell. You think she doesn’t know you have sex?” He was speaking of it so simply but I knew things were a lot more complicated for me than they probably seemed to him. I plopped on the bed, hoping the cushiony feel would help me relax.

  “Of course she knows, Miles. It’s just... I don’t really want her in my business like that.”

  He made himself comfortable next to me before questioning, “In your business? Or in our business?” The fact that we even had business was plenty. To start sharing that business with someone like Avery was almost as bad as Cam knowing.

  “Both. This is still very... new.”

  “So what you’re saying is you don’t want your little sister to know we’re actually feelin’ each other? That I’m not actually here on a basketball call, but on a call to fuck you outta your mind like you claimed you wanted me to? I mean, you do realize she’ll find out eventually right?” I could hear a bit of angst in his voice so I had to reassure him that I was serious about what we were doing even though I still wasn’t all the way comfortable with it quite yet.

  “Of course. Just... not right now, okay?”

  He rose from the bed, heading straight for the door but not before tossing over his shoulder, “Whatever you say, ma.”

  miles.

  I was in a funk.

  The whole shit with Ava was still weirding me out.

  I was glad she was giving us a chance, but it seemed like we were doing a version with limited features. I could hang out with her, talk to her, even kiss her on occasion. But everything else was off-limits as if I had to upgrade my subscription.

  After the time we almost had sex, it was as though she was tip-toeing around to ensure we wouldn’t get caught together. The problem was, we weren’t exactly doing anything wrong. I mean, I liked her. She liked me. We were both in college. What was the issue?

  I was racking my brain on ways to normalize things when my phone vibrated against the coffee table. I quickly snatched it off to stop the annoying rumble and saw it was a FaceTime call from my big brother Bryson. He was in season just like me, but whenever he had free time, he made sure to get in touch.

  “Little bro, what’s up man? You ready for the big day?” From his background, I could tell he was shopping at one of those private boutique-type stores that only exclusive celebrities could get into.

  Ha, my brother’s a celebrity…

  “What big day?” I knew nobody was getting married anytime soon, so I had no idea what he was talking about.

  “What do you mean, what big day? The big game, foo!” The game was something I tried not to think about too much. Well, it wasn’t that I tried not to think about it, but my mind just seemed so occupied trying to keep up with Ava.

  “Oh yeah. Yeah, I’m ready,” I replied, but apparently not convincingly enough.

  He popped a squat on one of those plush, fancy ottomans so that he could take a good look at me. “Something wrong with you?”

  I shrugged. “Nah, I’m straight.”

  “Bro, don’t tell a story. I know you and you look…I don’t know; down.” Ever since our mom had passed away, Bryson had pretty much taken on that parental role while our father dealt with his heartbreak. He had watch me grow up from a different perspective and could often depict my emotions before I even had them figured out.

  “I’m good, Bryson. For real.”

  “Is it a girl?” He asked it jokingly.

  “No.”

  Again, I wasn’t convincing enough. “Yes it is. I can tell by the way you said it. What’s her name, Miles? Is she fine?” He was settling in for story time, so I knew I had to tell him the truth.

  “Her name is Ava and she’s finer than fine, man. She’s a hooper too.” Those two traits alone made her the closest thing to perfect.

  “A hooper? Wait a minute, you’re talking about Ava that plays for Lynstone? Red hair, big titties?” His excitement caught me off guard. Actually, the fact that he even knew who I was talking about caught me off guard. But I also knew Ava had made a name for herself in the college hoops scene. He had probably caught some highlights of her on ESPN.

  “Aye, chill man. That’s my girl you’re talking about.” Though we weren’t exactly official, it still felt like she was mine already.

  “My bad, my bad. She’s like my age though. How’d you pull that?” He had no idea how hard it had been to convince her to take a chance on us. He didn’t need to know either.

  “What can I say? I got the juice.”

  He had the proudest look on his face as he said, “Ahh look at you, man. I mean, you’ve always had an old soul, but now you’re really growing up. She’s a good look for sure.” In my opinion, she was far more than a good look.

  She was it.

  “Yeah, I know. She’s just been buggin’ a little bit about our age difference.”

  “Oh yeah? Not use to dating somebody younger than her, huh?” I shook my head yes. “Well, you’re just gonna have to show her how old you really are. Feel me?” He didn’t have to go into details for me to catch his drift.

  “Just waiting for the opportunity, bro.” If it was up to me, she would’ve found out the day we ran into Avery. Now that she was taking her sweet little time with everything, I wasn’t sure when next time would actually present itself.

  “Don’t wait for the opportunity, make the opportunity. If she wants you like you think she does, she’ll definitely be down.”

  ava.

  How many times must a girl watch Love & Basketball before she realizes that shit is just a movie?

  I had given up on keeping count once I made it past the thousandth time and was grateful that my DVD hadn’t began to skip. I knew the movie like the back of my hand; every word, every scene, every argument, every make-up. Hell, I could sing you the background music that nobody is really even supposed to be paying attention to. But it was my thing, my vice, my...dream. Maybe not all of the movie-made drama but the love...the basketball love.

  My mind instantly drifted to still shots of Miles on the court.

  I paused the movie, feeling the need to cure my suddenly dry mouth and wash away those crazy thoughts
with some water...or maybe Gatorade...or maybe even some of the ready-made margarita I kept stocked in the fridge.

  Damn, Miles again.

  With his young ass.

  I really wished I would’ve been able to capitalize on all the shit he was talkin’ about how good he was gonna... do me. My legs got a little weak from just the thought of it.

  For some reason, I didn’t doubt his skills regardless of his age. I was just sure he had plenty of experience from the girls who threw it at him knowing what his future held. And if he could work what he was carrying even a little bit, he would definitely show me a good time.

  The margarita was definitely a much better choice.

  I poured a glass of it over ice, taking a few sips before topping it off again. I didn’t have a game for another 3 days so it wasn’t a big deal to have a little drink. Miles on the other hand had a huge game tomorrow. It was the first of its caliber; primetime national television slot on a huge network against the number two ranked team. I knew how important it was for him to show out and do well, and that alone made the nerves surface.

  Why am I thinking about him so much?

  The margarita gave me the brightest idea to send him a text. I mean, why do all this thinking if I could actually tell him my thoughts?

  Ava: I know you’re probably busy zoning out, but I just wanted to tell you good luck tomorrow. :)

  I sat at the kitchen table, taking a few more sips as I waited for a reply.

  Miles: ‘Preciate it, ma. What are you still doin’ up?

  I didn’t even realize the time but I definitely felt lame as hell responding, Watching a movie.

  Miles: Alone?

  Ava: LoL of course, Miles. Who else would I be watching it with?

  Miles: Just askin’. Want some company?

  Since Avery was out on the town as usual, I was actually considering it for a short moment. But I quickly realized that it wouldn’t be fair to have him come over for my own selfish reasons knowing he had something more important to be thinking about.

  Ava: Miles, you have a big game tomorrow. You need to be focusing up.

  Miles: I actually think I’m too focused. Maybe you can help me relax. ;)

  I didn’t need to hear him say it nor see his face to know what he was talking about. He was trying to pick up where we had left off.

  Finish what we started.

  Fuck me outta my mind.

  I stared at my phone for so long, taking sip after sip as I contemplated how to answer. I didn’t wanna sound super thirsty for the D but...damn it had been a long time and the tequila wasn’t making that any better.

  I put my cup down to type and sent the only logical response I could come up with.

  Ava: I can try. :)

  miles.

  “Hi.”

  The look in Ava’s eyes as she leaned against the frame of her front door, the little blush of her skin as she looked me up and down, and the sweet scent of her body wash told me everything I needed to know.

  She got it.

  She felt my vibes, she understood what I was talking about, and she was down.

  Fuckin’ perfect.

  “What’s up, ma? You gonna let me in or somethin’?”

  She gave a little laugh as she crossed her arms over her chest, “Depends. I mean… I don’t wanna waste my time if I’m not gonna get what I want.” Her eyes drifted off as she spoke so I knew she was only teasing, but I still felt the need to lay it out there.

  “Well if your wants are anywhere near the same as mine, you have nothing to worry about.”

  “And if they’re not?”

  “Then I need to take my ass back home and take a cold shower.” She laughed as she made room in the doorway for me to come in. I purposely grazed her chest as I walked past, taking note of the fact that I could feel her nipples right through her shirt.

  I waited for her to shut and lock the door then followed her to where I remembered the kitchen being during my first visit as she threw over her shoulder, “You want anything to drink? Water? Gatorade?”

  “Nah, I’m good.”

  “You sure? How about something to eat?”

  I could appreciate the hospitality but I really wanted to get to the point of my little visit so I answered, “Yeah, I’ll take something to eat. How about a Hot ‘N Ready Ava on a platter?”

  She slammed the refrigerator door shut, holding some fruity-looking drink in her hand as she said, “Shut up, Miles.”

  “You have the perfect thing to shut me up, Ava. Use it.”

  “As intriguing as that sounds, I’m not that easy,” she replied, as she sauntered to the living room and plopped down on the couch, causing her oversized t-shirt to ride up quite a bit. Lucky for me, she didn’t seem to care. I peeked at the screen as she pressed play with the remote.

  “Love & Basketball. Why am I not surprised?” She rolled her eyes, crossing her legs up under her and putting her lacey black panties on full display. She still didn’t seem bothered as she engrossed herself back in the movie. I engrossed myself in trying to figure out how to get things started without coming off as a dick.

  I mean, she wanted it too, right?

  Of course she wanted it; she said she wanted it.

  Was she trying to back out?

  I definitely wasn’t gonna press her about it and truth be told, I was cool with just chillin’ if that’s what she wanted to do. Our time would…

  “It’s kind of hot in here, huh?” She questioned, as she pulled her t-shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor leaving her in nothing but her bra and panties. My mouth went dry as I took in every ounce of woman she was putting on display; things I never got to see, like the little basketball tattoo dawning her pelvis and things I always wondered what they looked like up close like her big ass titties. They were damn near falling out of the bra that didn’t match her panties but looked just as sexy.

  “Ava….”

  “Hm?” Her little mischievous smile told me she knew exactly what she was doing.

  I knew I wouldn’t be able to contain myself much longer so even though my breath was mostly taken away, I was able to pipe out, “I need you to say it. I need you to say yes.”

  “Yes? Yes, as in yes I consent to have sex with you? Or yes, as in yes you are taking way too long, get your ass over here?”

  ava.

  I giggled.

  Then I bit my lip, squeezed my legs and giggled a little more.

  I knew I was awake, but my eyes weren’t opening because I was too busy feeling something. Something warm; no hot, it was definitely hot, and moist and…

  Damn, what is that?

  I peeled my eyes open and looked straight down to where the sensation was coming from. He peeked up at me, lifting just enough to give me a little smile, before he went back to work licking, and nibbling, and sucking places that hadn’t been touched in that way in ages. My eyes closed on their own as I let his tongue do the talking. It wasn’t long before my body tensed up and released with a liquidy round of applause for his dedication.

  Miles rose from the bed, wiping his face and licking his fingers as he said, “Breakfast of Champions.” He was still naked from the night before and just the sight of him had me ready to skip out on every responsibility I had for the day.

  “Is that right?”

  He crawled up to me, hovering right over my face as he answered, “That’s right, ma. So when they ask me after I hit this game winner tonight, I’m gonna say, ‘No Wheaties, bruh. Just some good ass, nutritional ass pussy.’” I gave him a little push, causing him to tumble onto the bed next to me.

  “You better not say that!”

  “I was just joking with you, beautiful. Can’t let everybody in on my little secret.”

  He was resting on his elbow with all eyes on me and strangely enough, I was the one embarrassed about making eye contact. After last night, I knew he would never look at me the same, but I didn’t wanna give him the impression that all I wanted to be was fuck
-buddies. Being honest with myself, the fact that we had undeniable chemistry beforehand was what made it all the better.

  “Well, you should probably get going, huh?”

  “Probably? Yes. Do I want to? No. Are you making that any easier with your sexy ass? Hell no,” he answered, as he stroked my thigh that was tangled in the comforter.

  “Game time, baby. Not even nutritional ass pussy comes before that.”

  “Says who?”

  “Miles…”

  “Alright fine, but don’t you wanna...check and see if Avery is out there first or somethin’?” I was surprised that he even considered her. I mean, if I was anything near the cheerleader I assumed I sounded like last night, she already knew and knew it well.

  “Not really.”

  He seemed surprised by my reply. “Oh, so you’re...cool then?” It wasn’t that I was cool, I just didn’t care because caring meant I may not be able to experience that again. There was no way in hell I was chancing it.

  “I’m cool. But let me put some clothes on so I can at least walk you to the door.”

  ←&→

  Proud was an understatement.

  Watching Miles lead his team to victory over one of the top programs in the nation literally made my heart bloom with pride. I caught the game on TV because I just knew my nerves would be a wreck if I was actually there and I didn’t wanna be a distraction though I kinda hoped I was on his mind at least a little bit.

  I turned the channel to ESPN so I could catch the postgame interviews. Sure enough, it was next on the scroll bar. The screen flashed over to Miles and Cam sitting at a table with mics in front of them. The interviewers asked them both basic questions about the game, and I tensed up when one asked, “Miles, you had a triple-double tonight; the first of your career here at Lynstone University. The people wanna know; what did you have for breakfast?”

  Miles flashed that oh-so-perfect smile as he replied, “That’s confidential information, but I can guarantee you I’ll be having it before every game from now on.”

  My goodness.

  He wasn’t even looking at the interviewer; he was looking straight into the camera which really felt like he was looking straight at me.