Page 33 of New Hope

Jeffrey went over the basic rules of the game, explaining how the points system worked depending on the target distance. When he was finished, he left to get us some drinks while we sat down on the wide, curved couch and looked over the menu options. River sat close, leaning over my shoulder to look at the list of foods. He was so close I could feel the warmth of his skin through our clothes, so close I could hear his soft breaths, so close I could smell the bodywash he’d used in his shower.

It was an innocent move by a friend, but it brought all my feelings for him to the surface in one giant, uncontrollable rush. Tension coursed through my body as I struggled to behave normally, but it was impossible to concentrate on anything other than my growing need for the man beside me. I wanted to grab him and pull him to me. I longed to learn the taste of his mouth, to feel the soft graze of his tongue against mine, to watch his eyes as he became aroused. Would his touches be gentle or rough? Would he sigh softly, or would he bless me with a low, needy moan? What would it feel like to bury myself inside of him?

Wrenching myself up from the couch, I hurried over to the bin that held golf clubs in a range of sizes, pretending to look through them. I kept my back to River, hoping he wouldn’t see the growing evidence of my attraction to him, prominently on display at the moment.

“Do you know what you want to eat?” His voice came from right behind me as if he’d followed me. His breath fanned over the bare skin on the back of my neck, sending goosebumps skittering across my skin.

A strangled laugh bubbled up from my throat, and I waved a hand through the air, refusing to turn around. “I’m fine with anything. Order whatever you like.”

“Hmm. The nachos sound good, but so do the hot wings. Maybe I’ll order a few different things, that way we have a choice,” he mused, oblivious to the internal struggle I was currently facing.

Thankfully, Jeffrey returned right then, carrying two shots of tequila and a couple of bottles of beer. I grabbed a shot glass off the tray, downing the fiery liquid in one gulp before he even had time to set it down. River eyed me curiously. “You want another one?”

I nodded briskly, grabbing a beer and taking a long pull. My nerves were raw and on edge and my skin suddenly felt too tight, like it didn’t quite fit my body. I needed something to take the edge off before I lost my damn mind. I settled back onto the couch, keeping an eye on River as he sorted through the various clubs and pulled one out. He swung his club, but the ball didn’t land anywhere near where he’d been aiming.

I popped up out of my seat as soon as his butt landed beside me. Choosing a club from the bin, I took a few practice swings. My gaze traveled between the ball and the target several times and then I swung, connecting with the ball and sending it flying out into the night sky. It landed just short of the target, but much closer than River’s. I heard him whistle behind me.

“Nice job. Have you golfed a lot?”

“I’ve never played actually. The guys from the station used to go to a driving range once in a while after work. I went a couple of times, but not often and we never played a real game.”

“Ugh! So, you’re one of those guys, huh? With beginner’s luck?” he teased.

I gave him a smug grin as I raised my beer for another drink. “You call it beginner’s luck, but I call it natural skill.”

River tipped his head back with a laugh. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. That was just one ball.”

“Care to wager a little bet?” I waggled my eyebrows at him.

His head tilted as he looked at me, a playful smirk on those delectable lips. I stared at them as he said, “What are the terms?”

Weighing my options, I finished my beer and tossed the empty bottle in the trash, then I turned to him. He was the definition of sexy-casual, a drink in one hand, an ankle crossed over his other leg, and his arm stretched over the back of the couch. Luckily, the alcohol had begun doing its job, leaving me with a nice fuzzy feeling. Not drunk in any way, but relaxed and less on edge.

“Loser cooks dinner for the four of us…”

“Okay.”

“Twice this week,” I amended, holding up two fingers.

He raised his eyebrows. “You drive a hard bargain, but okay. Let’s see you put your money where your mouth is.” If only you knew where I’d like my mouth to be.

“We need to shake on it, but you ought to know, I like my steaks medium rare.” He rolled his eyes as he slid his hand into my outstretched one. Long fingers curled around my hand, searing my skin, and his eyes widened. Holy shit! Did he feel it too? That electricity that seemed to surge when we touched?

River looked flustered as he turned away, refusing to meet my gaze. He marched over to the stand and grabbed a new ball out with a shaky hand. Jeffrey returned with the food and my drinks. I downed the second shot, then grabbed another bottle of beer, wanting to keep my buzz going. River had switched to water since he was driving.

I watched him as he took his turn. “Damn it,” he muttered as the ball fell short once again.

“Hold up. Maybe I can help. I don’t think the problem is your swing so much as your stance.” I walked over and stood near him.

“And you know this from your time on the driving range?” he teased.

“No, smartass. I played baseball all through high school. The stance you take when holding a baseball bat isn’t all that different from a golfing stance. It’s all in the way you position your body.”

River sucked in a breath as I slid in right behind him, placing my hands on his waist and using them to maneuver him how I wanted. My hands slipped down his arms next, my fingers curling around his as I showed him the best grip to have on the club. His hair was soft as I breathed in the sweet scent of his coconut shampoo. I heard him swallow. Together, we swung the club back, then forward, striking the ball and sending it straight towards the flashing red target.

I felt him gasp as the ball flew through the ring. He spun around in my arms and hugged me. “Oh, my God! Did you see that? It went in! It actually went in!”

He bounced up and down, making me laugh. “I saw. You did great.”

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