Page 93 of Hard to Fake

“We’re too old for this,” one of the sisters complains, but Caroline lifts her glass to silence her.

“I’ll go first. I’ve never gotten drunk enough I woke up outside.”

Two sisters drink. Caroline sweeps the hot tub with her mischievous gaze.

“I’ve never slept with someone in this hot tub other than the person I came here with.”

Kevin laughs. “The questions are supposed to rotate,” he says, nudging Caroline with a shoulder.

She doesn’t seem to care. “You have to drink.” Her chin nods at me.

“I’m good.”

My hands grip the edge of the seat underwater.

Kevin slides toward me, a slow smile on his face. "You should relax, Bee."

Miles pulls me into his lap, his arm banding around my waist. “You worry about your girl, I’ll worry about mine.”

Mine.

He says it as if he means it.

Honestly.

Truly.

Caroline reaches for a glass of wine resting on the ledge behind the hot tub and takes a long sip.

“Who had the biggest crush on someone in this hot tub through college? Used to trail after him and watch his basketball games every chance she got?”

Miles looks at me, curious. “That true?”

Caroline’s got endless ways to try to cut me down to size. If one doesn’t work, she’ll try another.

“You had a crush on me back in college?” Miles murmurs against my neck.

Embarrassment rises up, adding to the heat from the water.

It’s stupid to feel that way years later, but some tiny part of me wonders if he’ll think I tricked him into this weekend. Like I’m playing out some college fantasy by having my older brother’s teammate on his knees for me.

“I don’t…” I lift a shoulder. “Maybe a little one.”

When he grabs me and turns me in his lap so I’m facing him, straddling him, there’s fire in his blue eyes. His slow grin is the most genuine thing I’ve seen all weekend.

“Lucky me.”

The words unknot something deep in my chest.

I don’t feel judged or insecure.

Here with him, I’m exactly how I’m supposed to be. Who I’m supposed to be.

His hands find my ass, tugging me closer so I’m pressed against his abs, the hardness rising up against me.

Yes.

He tugs on my bikini bottoms, pulling me closer to him. His hand roams up my thigh and I inhale sharply.

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