Page 23 of These Pucking Boys

Glasses clink, and then I’m inhaling my second flute of champagne.

“Whoa, you are thirsty.” Lachlan laughs.

The alcohol is finally taking effect, so without blushing like a virgin, I manage to say, “You have no idea.”

Ryan takes my empty glass and sets it down on the table, then raises his hand, palm up. “Can I have your phone?”

“What for?”

“We didn’t take any selfies.”

I smile. “Oh, yeah. I got distracted kicking your ass at pool.”

“Ouch.” Jake chimes in, shaking his head. “Go ahead, rub it in.”

“I just did. Ha!”

“Man, what happened to the sweet middle-school teacher from earlier?” He gives me a proper smile, and I realize it’s the first time he’s done so tonight.

My heart does several backflips. “You thought I was sweet? Aw, that’s so… sweet.” Jesus, did I really say that? I start to giggle like an idiot.

“I think the bubbles went to her head already,” Lachlan pipes up.

“Maybe,” I say. “All right. Come closer. Let’s take all the selfies, but with the window as the background.”

Ryan, who’s closest to me, stands on my left side. Jake joins on my right, and Lachlan, being the tallest, stands in the back and rests his chin on my shoulder. I jump a little, not expecting that, then turn my face to look at him.

“Relax, lass. I don’t bite.”

“It’d be okay if you did.”

His face splits into a lazy smile. “Careful what you wish for.”

“All right, everyone look at the camera and say hockey!” Ryan says.

I snort. “What?”

Ryan doesn’t wait for us to strike a pose or smile. He starts to take pictures, and I already know several will end up in the delete pile. I try my best to smile like I’m a cool chick, innocently taking pictures with three hotties, but when one—Jake—has his arm wrapped around my waist and all of them are flush against my body, it’s a hard task. I’m getting hot and bothered, and I hope it doesn’t show in the pictures.

“I think you took plenty,” I say after a while, stepping forward. “Let me see them.”

Some are ridiculous, and in others my eyes are closed.

“Oh, that’s a good one, lass.” Lachlan, who’s still standing behind me, points at the phone.

He’s not wrong. It’s a good picture to post on social media. Well, the boys look better than I do, but they don’t have to try. I bet they look like rock stars as soon as they wake up.

“Yeah. I’m posting this one. What should I write in the caption?”

“Hmm… how about hanging out with my new friends?” Jake suggests.

I nod. “Yeah, that’s good.” After I finish typing and posting, I look up. “What should we do next?”

“Whatever you want, June.” Ryan takes a strand of my hair and tucks it behind my ear, sending rivulets of desire down my spine.

I close my eyes, gathering the courage to answer him honestly. “I want to spend the night with you—all of you.”

When I open my eyes again, I’m taken aback by how Jake and Ryan are looking at me. Lachlan is still behind me, so near that I can feel the heat emanating from his body. I’ve never felt more desired by anyone than I do now. The insecure part of me still thinks this is a sick joke and the punchline will come soon.

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