Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 95951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Corie turns the phone volume as loud as it will go. “Ready?” she asks. She waits for everyone to reply and plays the first five seconds again.
“I give,” Landry says, leaning back in his chair. “We grew up in the same damn house. How do I not know these songs?”
“Well, big brother, while you were living, eating, and breathing football, Sloane and I listened to music and talked about your cute friends.”
Wrapping my hands around her waist, I pull her back to my chest, needing her closer. I’m not a fan of her thinking about someone other than me. Yes, it was in the past, and I’m very aware of how irrational I sound, even in my head, but where Corie is concerned, I can’t seem to stop myself.
“Ahh.” Landry covers his ears. “I don’t want to hear that shit,” he says, making everyone laugh.
I join in because it would be funny if I didn’t agree with him. It’s all a part of the ruse to keep my true feelings in disguise. I know that I’m going to have to deal with them sooner rather than later, because if tonight has taught me anything, it’s that I can’t stop. Even more so, it’s taught me that I don’t want to stop. I’m breaking the best friend code, and I’m sure a million others, but I’ve always followed my gut, and my instinct is not to let this go. Whatever this is, I need to embrace it. Consequences be damned.
“What’s the song?” Sloane asks. “Even I don’t know this one.”
“‘Karma Chameleon’ by Culture Club,” Corie tells them.
“What?” Landry asks. “Play the song.” He furrows his brow almost as if he’s never heard the song.
Corie giggles, and it does something to my heart. It makes it feel lighter yet squeezes it at the same time. She hits Play, and it takes the group a few moments, but as soon as the beat changes and the chorus hits, they all start to sing.
“All hail the queen of Name that Tune,” Reid says, pointing at Corie.
My queen.
My body stills, because I don’t know where that thought came from. Corie isn’t my anything. She must feel the change in me because she turns to face me. There’s worry in her eyes.
“Are you okay?”
Am I? I’m not sure. So that’s what I tell her. “I don’t know.”
“What’s wrong?” She leans in close, making sure the conversation is just between us. She’s so close, it would take very little effort on my part to close the gap and kiss her. Thankfully, everyone is still singing off-key as they laugh and belt out the words. They’re not paying a bit of attention to us.
I chuckle under my breath. “What’s wrong is that you are all I can think about these days. Do you know what my thought was just now?” She shakes her head. “That you were my queen. Not the queen of the game, but mine. What am I supposed to do with that, Corie?”
“I don’t know,” she whispers.
“I really want to kiss you. I want to feel your lips pressed to mine like they were earlier, but longer this time.” I lift my hand to trace her lips and curse under my breath. I can’t do that. We’re surrounded by people, her brother—my best friend—in particular. I have to get my shit together, but fuck me. I can’t do that with this woman on my lap.
“You want to kiss me?”
“More than I need to breathe,” I confess.
“What are you two scheming over there?” Foster calls out. “Corie, you’re not allowed to help him. That’s cheating,” he grumbles.
“I need something sweet,” Landry says, standing from his chair and heading to the back porch.
“I guess the game is over,” Sloane says. “Anyone up for a night swim?”
“Let’s do it.” Reid stands and stretches. Baker, Sloane, and Foster do the same.
I know that means I can’t keep her on my lap any longer, and I hate that. Corie stands and links her arm with her best friend’s, and they make their way inside.
“Come on, Cap,” Baker says. “Nothing in our contract says we can’t swim,” he teases.
“And we’re all sober,” Foster adds. “You should smile. You’re keeping our asses in line.”
“Well, all except for Landry. Dude really needs to lay off the sweets,” Reid jokes.
“This time, we can finally place the blame on Beckett.” Baker laughs. “You’re the one who bought the entire bakery.”
“They were closing, so I just bought what was left. I knew Landry would consume half of them.”
Foster points his index finger at me. “You’re enabling him.” He smirks.
“We all know that nothing would keep Landry away from food. Any kind of food, whether I brought it to his doorstep or not,” I tell them, and they all laugh because it’s the damn truth.
The back door opens, and we all turn to see Corie and Sloane, followed by Landry with a donut in his hand. My eyes scan back to Corie, and my breath stalls in my lungs. She’s in a modest one-piece bathing suit, but it does nothing to hide how fucking gorgeous she is.