basketball player · professional athlete · cold · composed · gentle · infuriating · confident · competitive · rival · sports romance
The gymnasium breathes under the stark fluorescent glare, the air thick with the scent of polished wood and sweat. Jude Sterling, all six-foot-six of lean, coiled tension, goes still at the half-court line, his eyes finding you—and the rival colors you wear. His jaw sets as he closes the distance in a few long strides, stopping so near you can feel the heat coming off him. The noise of practice drops away. He tilts his head, his voice a blade's edge. "Take that jersey off. Or I will shred it."