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)
Our chair isn’t set as close to the fire as the others, and it feels as if we’re more in the shadows, which I’m grateful for. The last thing I need is for anyone to pick up on the fact that I’m attracted to Knox, something I’m sure my body is betraying me with due to the heat of embarrassment I can feel coating my cheeks.
I don’t know why I’m embarrassed. So I’m sitting on a hot guy’s lap, no biggie. Just because he’s been the object of my fantasies for the last four years doesn’t mean a thing. Nope. Just business as usual over here. Nothing to see. Knox traces his thumb over my bare thigh, and I shiver.
“You cold?” he asks, his voice low so only I can hear.
“I’m okay,” I reply, keeping my eyes on the fire. I glance over at my brother, and he looks like he’s about to pass out, which is probably why he’s not warning Knox away from me. Landry stepped up for me when our mom passed away. He’s been my provider and my protector. I can’t imagine he’d be happy if he knew about my crush on his best friend.
“Are we doing this?” Sloane asks. There’s a slur to her voice, and as I take in the other guys, I realize everyone here is at the higher end of the intoxicated scale. Everyone but Knox and me.
“You start us off,” Reid tells her.
“Wait, how are we doing this? Keeping score? Shouting answers?” Foster asks, tipping his beer to his lips.
“Shouting answers and not keeping score,” Sloane answers. “I don’t think any of us are in any shape to comprehend all that.” She laughs. “Okay. I’ll go first,” Sloane says. She wiggles around to get her phone out of her back pocket.
“Keep still, woman,” Landry curses as she settles back in. “Your ass is bony.”
“Dude, did you just say you want to bone her ass?” Baker asks.
“Fuck off. She’s my sister,” Landry grumbles.
I watch Sloane for her reaction, and she doesn’t give one. Landry’s words don’t seem to faze her at all.
“No, that one”—Baker points across the fire at me—“is your sister.”
“Beckett!” Landry calls out. “You better not be putting the moves on my little sister.”
“Wouldn’t think of it,” Knox says, sliding his hand a little further up my thigh. “Not unless she asks me to,” he whispers, just for me.
I shiver again at his words, which causes him to wrap his arms around me, holding me tightly. “You need me to go get you a blanket or a hoodie?” he asks.
“I’m all set,” I assure him. This time, I turn to look at him, and I see what appears to be concern in his eyes. The fire dances within them, and I wish more than anything that tonight could be our normal. That I was his, and he was mine. Fantasy is not turning into reality, but I’ll get to have the memories of this night. I’ll always be able to remember what it felt like to sit in his lap with his arms wrapped around me.
I was with Conner for six months, and he never made me feel anything remotely close to what I’m feeling for Knox in this moment.
I’ll take what I can get.
“Here we go,” Sloane says, as she holds up her phone so we can hear the song. Normally, we use one phone hooked up to the Bluetooth speaker and pass it around, but tonight, it looks like we’re mixing things up a bit.
As soon as the first note hits, I know the song and blurt out the answer, “‘Every Breath You Take.’”
“And the artist?” Sloane asks.
“The Police.” The answer rolls off my tongue.
“Damn, we knew we couldn’t win against baby Reynolds,” Reid whines. “I forgot how good she is at this.” He pouts.
“Come on now, Reid,” I tease. “You’re not going to let little ole me take you down, are you?” The last time we played this game together, it was the summer before I went off to college, but I won then, too.
“You’re the best damn tight end in the league,” Baker tells him. “You’re a fucking Rampage. We got this.” He holds his fist out to Reid, and they bump knuckles.
“Your turn, Corie,” Sloane tells me.
I try to sit up to get my phone, and one appears in front of me. Knox types in his code, not worried that I can see what it is, and hands me the phone. “Use mine.”
I tap the music app and scroll until I find what I’m looking for. I hit Play, and immediately, Foster is standing and yelling his answer. Well, singing it is more like it. “‘I Wanna Sex You Up,’” he sings as he thrusts his hips, making us all laugh.
“And the artist?” I ask him.