When Ace uses his body to maneuver my own, I move easily, even though I think my hands might be shaking. I’m pliant as he turns me the way he pleases and then pulls my hand back.

“Now let go,” he says, giving my hand a gentle push. I do as instructed. I’m so busy keeping myself from freaking out that when the ball hits the pins, I jump at the sound.

I focus in time to see all the pins fall over and I stare with wide eyes. “No. Way.”

Ace laughs in my ear and pulls away. Almost instantly, I miss the feeling of his lean body against mine before realizing what a stupid thought that is.

“Ace! What the hell, dude? Whose team are you on?” Samir asks in disbelief. I look back at my brother, searching his expression nervously, but apparently he’s more concerned with the competition than...whatever Ace and I were doing. “It’s guys versus girls!”

“Nah, dude,” Ace says. “It’s you versus Mia and Dani. Your sister and I are on our own team. Right, Karina?”

I tug at my collar, trying not to blush. I hope my brother doesn’t read into that, either. “Right.”

“You guys suck,” Samir says and thankfully turns all his attention toward Mia. “Their scores don’t count then.”

“Fine by me,” Mia says, grinning a toothy smile. “You’re going down, Rafiq.”

The next hour is more fun than I expect. Ace’s laughter is like music in my ears, and his smile greets me at every turn. I’m starting to worry I might be more besotted than I’m supposed to be for the two weeks we’ve known each other. If this were a movie, there would probably be literal hearts shooting out of my eyes every time I looked at him.

I think there might be hearts shooting out of his eyes too, though.

At the end of the game, Mia and Daniela average their scores and beat Samir, to no one’s surprise except my brother’s.

“Girls rule, boys drool,” I say jokingly.

“Ace does drool every time he looks at you,” Mia says. “But you’re pretty, so I guess it makes sense. What do you think, Dani?”

“She’s gorgeous,” Daniela agrees before turning to Mia, playing with one of her curls. “I can’t wait for us to be sisters-in-law. We’re all going to have such cute little babies.”

I nearly choke on air, and Ace has to pat me on the back. I glance at Samir to make sure he didn’t hear that, but he’s too busy frowning at the scoreboard, which is a huge relief.

Except then he turns to us, his brows climbing into his hairline. Oh no.

Ten, nine, eight, seven—

“I think we can all agree I’ll be having the cutest babies of us all. Look at this face.” Samir gestures. “Unparalleled beauty.”