Habitats (an Ell Donsaii story #7) Read Free Page B

ago? It is almost better that we didn’t succeed. First she provided us with unbreakable secret transmissions and now, weapons to use against the Great Satan! ”
    Chapter One
     
    Shan looked over at “Raquel,” still bemused to be dating Ell Donsaii’s alter ego Raquel Blandon. “You sure you won’t be too bored just watching us play?”
    She grinned at him. “Depends on how you play.” She arched an eyebrow. “You gonna impress me?”
    His thoughts derailed a moment as he thought back to the time she’d filled in on his team when two of his teammates couldn’t make it. That day he’d thought she played amazingly well “for a girl.” Now he suddenly wondered if “Ell Donsaii” had been holding back to keep from embarrassing the guys who were playing. “Would I be able to impress you?” he asked with a frown.
    Her smile widened even further, “You impressed me just by asking that question.”
    They approached the court and Ryan tossed the ball to Shan, “Hey go warm up while I try to make time with your girlfriend.”
    Shan barked a laugh, “Like you’d have a chance.” He dribbled out onto the court and started taking shots.
    Ryan grinned and followed Ell as she walked over under the basket, saying, “Raquel, you ready to dump that guy and go out with a real man yet?”
    Ell smiled up at him, “Hmmm, sounds interesting.” She slanted a look up at him, “Do you know a real man?” She rebounded a ball and tossed it back out to Shan.
    “Oh! Cheap shot.” Ryan drew himself up, “Don’t you recognize a truly amazing specimen of the human male when you see one?”
    Ell l et her eyes run up and down him; then looked out at Shan, “Oh, there it is,” she said, grinning and eventually slanting another glance at Ryan out of the corner of her eye.
    Hand on his chest Ryan sighed, as if disheartened, then perked up, “How ‘bout if, after the game, Shan and I play a little ‘one on one’ for the privilege of going out with you?”
    Ell rebounded another ball to Shan; then looked at Ryan a moment. She’d been thinking that all this was teasing, but now realized that Ryan was half teasing, half serious. She raised an eyebrow, “Surely you aren’t implying that I’m some kind of ‘property’ that you two wannabe alpha males can gamble over?”
    He had the decency to blush, “Uh, no. Sorry that didn’t sound very good did it?”
    “No it didn’t. If yo slu want to gamble for my ‘favors,’ you’ll have to gamble with me . Horse?”
    He frowned a moment until he realized she was offering to play “H -O-R-S-E” with him to determine whether he could take her out. Thinking that, because there was no way she could win at horse, this was just her way of agreeing to a date, he smiled hugely. “Oh, you’re on lady. What’s your favorite restaurant?”
    “Whichever one Shan takes me to.”
    “Oh, a challenge!” He trotted back onto the court, saying, “Horse after the game then.”
    With Ell standing on the sidelines cheering them on Shan, Ryan and their two teammates played well, easily overmatching their opponents. During a period when Shan stood on the sidelines while the other three were playing he quietly asked, “Does it feel weird standing here as our cheering section of one when you’ve had the whole world cheering for you at the Olympics?”
    Ell smiled up at him. “Nope, this is fun. The Olympics was only really one day of my life and, though it was amazing… the stuff that happened the next day put a damper on my memory.” She looked up at him and lowered an eyebrow, “Though I hope you don’t think I’m going to come to all of your games?”
    He snorted, “No, I’m amazed you came to even one. But thanks, it’s fun having a cheering section.
    A little later Ryan and Ell stood on the sidelines together. He shuffled his feet a little and said, “I’ve been thinking how rude it was of me to bet you for a date. And, no matter how much I admire you, it isn’t right for