Page 59 of Fighting Fate

"Here's the thing," I start, and Milli's demeanor softens a bit. "I really need your help. You and Luke, you're the only ones who know how my freshman year went."

The mere mention of that year brings a nervous chuckle from me, and I catch a pained murmur from her, "Yeah, how could I forget."

I laugh, a bit awkwardly. Maybe bringing up that year wasn't the smoothest move.

But, before I can second-guess myself, I plunge ahead. "Mills, I need this. I promise, whatever happened between us, it won't get in the way of tutoring."

Her eyes narrow, a playful glint shining through. "What exactly do you mean by 'what happened between us,' Miles?" she inquires, her voice carrying a teasing lilt.

Is she toying with me? My cheeks flush with warmth, but I swiftly shove that feeling aside. "That's not what's important at the moment. The main thing is, I need to ace this class."

Her eyes widen slightly, as if taken aback by my more serious demeanor. "You do realize you don't have to graduate to play professional ball, right?"

I glance around the tutoring center, thinking back to all the conversations I've had about this. Luke brought it up, and Dad even suggested skipping college for football. But Mom and I were adamant about getting that degree, not knowing then how crucial it would be for my med school plans.

Turning back to Milli, she's watching me, a mix of understanding and curiosity in her eyes. "I know that," I say, "but I want a backup plan. I need to prove to myself that I can do this."

Her expression changes to one of pride. "Okay, Sunshine, I'll help you," she agrees.

Relief washes over me, and I lean back, giving her a grateful wink. "You almost had me worried there."

She bites her pencil, and I have to suppress the urge to replace it with something else.

But I offer her a teasing smile instead. "You know you wanted to tutor me, right?"

She rearranges her books, trying to keep a straight face. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I choose who I tutor, you know."

I stand up, upping my charm. "Come on, who could resist tutoring me?" I ask playfully.

She shakes her head, a reluctant smile creeping onto her face. I pretend to climb onto the table, and her reaction is immediate. She grabs my leg, finally breaking into a full smile. "Get your ass down from there."

Yes, ma'am.

Her commanding tone is something I've rarely seen. It's usually Milli the Peacemaker, but this assertive side of her? It's unexpectedly fucking hot.

I maintain a smile and shake my head as I settle into my chair. Her hand is an inch from my now throbbing cock.

She nibbles her lip, glancing at her hand, then back at my face, and then downward again. Eventually, she withdraws her hand, appearing a bit bashful with flushed cheeks, and murmurs, "Sorry."

This tutoring session might just be more interesting than I thought.

"But I love it when you touch me," I tease.

She gives me a shove. "You wish."

Oh, I do, Mills. I definitely do.

She claps her hands, snapping me back to reality. Leaning in, she rests her elbows on the table, and I can't help but notice how her...well, let's just say they're a bit distracting. She seems slightly anxious, her fingers fidgeting.

I show my open palms, raising an eyebrow in question. She sighs and reaches out, our fingers intertwining. A jolt of awareness surges through me.

Focus, Miles. Just friends, remember?

"Okay, first things first. Let's set some ground rules," she says, all business now, and it's cute.

God, it seems like everything she is doing tonight is fucking cute.

I nod, making an effort to keep my eyes on hers. "Alright, lay them on me. What kind of rules?"