Freeing Carter

"Yeah, who doesn't?"

"Well, most of the time apartments have them. The gates usually close at night, but I bet we can sneak in and we'll have the whole thing to ourselves. You in?"

Hot tub. Gorgeous girl. Totally don't have to ask me twice. It's worth a B&E charge. "I'm in."

We sneak through the complex, on the hunt for the pool and Jacuzzi. Kira is still holding onto me as we follow the twists and turns of the sidewalk. When someone starts to open a door, I pull her with me, ducking behind a huge bush. She stumbles, her feet tying up in mine, and falls against me as I hit the side of the building.

"Come on, George. I'm not getting any younger!" a woman's voice says from around the corner.

"I'm coming. I'm coming. Keep your teeth in," a guy replies.

A laugh tries to jump out of my mouth, but then Kira's hand is covering it, her face buried in my chest as she laughs against me. When the old couple disappears and her shoulders stop shaking, Kira pulls away from my chest and looks up at me. We're close. Almost as close as we were that night at the court. Or maybe closer. I don't know. All I know is she's all I feel or know or smell. The explosions start going off in me again and there's a stirring of some action below the belt.

I take in her cheekbones of all things. They're high and cut like a model's. Not that I've ever noticed cheekbones before or knew they could be so perfect, but they are. I'm not sure if I'll ever look at a girl's cheekbones the same again. I have to bite my lip not to lean down and kiss her. God, I want to kiss her so bad, I'm dizzy, but instead I open my mouth and say, "I wasn't thinking of Mel. When we kissed, I mean. I was thinking of you. I wanted to kiss you."

The Ladies Man of the Year award is so not going to me because she has me all upside down and backward, but I can't find it in me to care.

"That's good to know, Coach." Her breath is warm against my face. Warm and minty and even though I've never been a mint person, I'm totally craving it right now.

"And earlier? She told me she wanted me back, but I don't want her. Just so you know."

This earns me another one of her smiles. "Good. Now come on, let's go."

This time I don't let her get away without being the one to grab her hand. As though she's been here before, she weaves her way through the place again, pulling me along. I'm worried she might have been wrong and there's not going to be a Jacuzzi here when we finally see a fence up ahead and to the left.

Okay, so I know I thought earlier that I had the worst luck, but now I'm thinking the opposite. It's totally secluded, with tall bushes around most of the fence and pretty far into the complex. Now, if we can just get in the gate, I just might start to think I'm the luckiest guy in the world.

"Over here," I tell her as I head toward the far back of the fence. It's brick back here. "Can you step in my hand and climb up if I lift you?"

"Absolutely. But what about you?"

"Don't worry. Nothing is keeping me on this side of that wall."

There's a lamp on the other side, but it gives me enough light to see her. Kira laughs and shakes her head, but I think for the first time, I see a hit of red in her light brown skin. Linking my hands together, I hold them out. Kira steps in, grabs the top of the wall, and pulls herself up. The ledge is wide enough that she's sitting on it.

"We totally scored. There's a table on this side."

"Nice." I hand her the bags. Then I jump, grabbing the ledge of the wall and hoping like hell I'm strong enough to pull myself up. How lame would I look if I couldn't do it?

But I can. I pull until I can throw my leg up on the ledge and straddle the wall like she is. "Let me get down first and I'll help you." Jumping down to the table, I hold my arms out for her and she lowers herself into them before standing on the table with me.

I almost go for it right there, not able to hold myself back from touching my lips to hers, but she leaps to the ground before I get the chance. She pulls her shoes off, then her socks. "Can I wear the shirt and shorts from your bag?"

"No," leaps out of my mouth, but then I hand the bag to her. "I want it on record that I think ski

"I'm sure no one would doubt that, Coach, but who knows what the old people do in that water."

Good point.

Kira holds up her hand and draws a circle in the air with her finger. "Turn around."

This girl is going to be the death of me, but I turn around so she can change. Her jersey hits the table, then a shirt. Kira is in her bra behind me. Let me repeat that, Kira is in her bra behind me and there's nothing in the world I want more than to turn around to see her. I hear more shuffling of clothes before her pants are on the table, too.

"You can turn around now."

Yeah. Now that the show's over. She's already lowering a foot into the water when I take off my shirt. She has to hold my shorts up so they don't fall off her. The t-shirt drowns her, but I'm pretty sure she's still the hottest girl I've ever seen.

And I totally need to get my head together.

My pants come next and I pull on the other pair of shorts I had in my bag. "Care if I turn on the jets and stuff?" I ask her. She shakes her head. I open the little box on the wall and turn them on. It's kind of loud, and I hope nobody will come out to check. A few seconds later, I lower myself into the water with her.

Silence.

Kira leans her head backward, closes her eyes, obviously enjoying the quiet, but me? I'm not as good with it. I want to say something, but I'm not sure what. But then, Kira saves me, or ruins me. I'm not sure which.

"You don't drink, Carter Shaw."

It's not a question, but I answer it. My chest feels like it's cracked open, baring my pounding heart, but I answer. Honestly.

"Nope." I'm amazed at how good it feels to admit it, when really, I haven't admitted to anything yet. But not lying? That's the part that I revel in. I still can't believe I said it, but I'm glad. "Do you ever wonder about them? Your parents?"

This conversation should feel strange. I shouldn't be asking her this, but somehow it's okay. Right, even.

"All. The. Time. I try not to, but I do." Her eyes open and they find mine. "It's pointless. I know that, but it's hard not to wonder. Did I have a different name? Was I born in a hospital? When's my birthday? I don't even know my history. Was my mom black? Dad? Am I part Italian, too? White? I know nothing." And then she slips away from me, kneeling in the middle of the hot tub, so the water goes up to her neck. Which, by the way, is pretty perfect too. "Where's your dad?"

I lean forward, but don't leave the seat. "He died. Heart attack while playing basketball. He's why I started playing."

We both pause for a second and I think about him. How different life would be if he never died.

"I'm sorry."

"Me, too," is all I can say in return.

"Oh! I have an idea. Let's play Truth or Dare. You wa

The hair at the nape of her neck is wet, curling a little. She's giving me one of her smiles, water sloshing all around her. I couldn't deny her anything right now. "Truth or Dare?" I ask.

"Dare."

"I dare you to sit by me." The words weren't pla

Kira laughs and comes back to sit beside me. "You didn't have to waste a turn on that. All you had to do was ask. I want to play a different way though. Every time we pick truth, the other person doesn't get to ask a question. You just give a truth. Whatever you want the other person to know. That way, anything we give is our choice, and we only have to share what we really want, ya know? You tell me what you want me to know...or what you need to say, and I'll do the same. Deal?"