Game, Set, Match Teaser 2

Hey guys! So I wasn't really planning on doing this, since I've already given you a teaser for it and I won't be posting it until at least August, but I was so completely overwhelmed by all of your support for CoC that I've decided to give you yet ANOTHER teaser for this upcoming story. Thank you for everything you do, Tennisward looks forward to seeing you in the fall.

A soft laugh came from behind me, scaring me so much that I spun around and screamed.“Yeah I know, that serve was really scary,” Edward said sarcastically, raising his eyebrows at me.

“I uh….I didn’t know you were still here.”

He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms. “Just wanted to get some extra training in. What are you doing here? Besides pissing off the tennis Gods.”

“I was taking some pictures and I just…I wanted to try.” I shrugged as he started towards me. I was sure he was going to rip the racquet out of my hands and tell me to go do “Hail Mary’s” at the net, but he didn’t.

“How’s your grip?” He asked.

I choked back my surprise. “Excuse me?”

“Your grip. On the racquet. Let me see it.”

“Oh.” I held out my hand and suddenly his fingers were brushing over mine, twisting and contorting them the way he wanted them to be.

“Like this,” he said. “Okay now step up to the base line.”

“The what line?”

“The base line,” he laughed. “It’s this back one here.” He walked over to demonstrate the geography of the court. “You always serve from the base line.”

“Base line. Got it.” I nodded and tried to commit that to memory.

“Well, you have to come over here,” he laughed. I didn’t realize I was still standing a few feet from him.

I laughed nervously and walked the few steps over to him.

“Okay.” I jumped when he unexpectedly put his hands on my hips and spun me around, facing away from him. “Stand like this. Legs spread a little.” He nudged his foot between my legs and gently kicked my left one forward. I felt his body incredibly close to mine. As I bent my legs, my butt accidentally brushed against him. He must have had some left over tennis balls in his pocket.

He cleared his throat and sighed before continuing with his lesson.

“Grab a ball.” He nodded towards the cart.

“Just give me one from your pocket…”

“I don’t have any in my pocket.”

Oh sweet baby Jesus. Those were not tennis balls in his pocket, he was just happy to see me. Oh my God. I touched it. With my butt. I touched it with my butt. I gulped hard and reached out to the cart to grab a ball.

“Now the toss is very important…” he purred into my ear as I stepped forward. His finger inched along my arm and came to rest under my hand. He reached both of our arms forward. I unconsciously leaned my body slightly back towards him. “The ball should be about this far away from you and when you throw it, try to make it go as straight and as high up as possible.” He gripped my hand tightly from underneath and demonstrated the motion. “Try a few.”

I tossed a few, watching them go higher and straighter each time. It definitely wasn’t perfect, but it was a far cry from that disaster that occurred right before he got here.

“Now we’re going to hit it.” He grabbed my other hand and forced the racquet behind my back, elbow sticking straight up in the air. “After you toss the ball, watch it until it’s at its highest point. And as it’s coming back down just…hit it.” He showed me the hitting motion a few times, each time brushing his body even closer to mine. I even felt him lean in and smell my hair. “Ready to try?”

“I guess so.”

He stepped back and I instantly missed the heat of his body against mine.

I tossed the ball up and took another swing at it. At least I hit the ball this time. I wasn’t ready to join the ranks of the pros yet, but I think the Tennis Gods might forgive me.

“That was better.” Edward smiled and stepped in front of me. “It really helps if you twist your hips more.” He grabbed my hips once more and forced them around to the front. “Kind of like….fuck the air I don’t know.” He laughed under his breath.

I expected his hands to release me, but he didn’t. My eyes traced down his exposed forearms and down to his magic fingers, which were now rubbing soft, gentle circles on my hipbones. He pulled me closer, so close that my chest bumped against his.

“What are you doing?” I asked, trying to tell myself to back away. I couldn’t do this with him.

“Giving you a tennis lesson.”

“No you aren’t,” I laughed darkly.

“Yes I am.” He ran his finger along my jaw and I fought to keep my eyes from fluttering shut. “And I’m also trying to seduce you…We should get you in a tennis dress next time.”

“I’m not seducible…” I whispered.

“I think you’re wrong…” He inched his face closer to mine. Think quick Bella.

“So how does scoring work?” I blurted out the moment his eyes closed.

He sighed and snapped his jaw shut. “Love, fifteen, thirty, forty…”

“Love?”

“Yeah.” He opened his eyes and stared at me. “Love means nothing.”