Page 160 of In Spades

Chase clipped Luna’s leash to her collar and led her over. Much to his dismay, the dog immediately darted over to Bridget and lavished her in slobbery kisses.

Instead of acknowledging Bridget, he snapped his fingers once and Luna immediately returned to his side. He rewarded her loyalty with a scratch behind the ear.

“Kris, you’re going home with your man to work things out,” Hannah Jane began.

“Y’all need a good hate-fuck,” Maddie shouted from the other side of the room.

I turned Christmas red and buried my face in my hands. “Oh God…”

“Yep, you’ll probably be saying that a lot,” Mel giggled. "Well… moaning it."

I looked up at the ceiling. “Lord, take me now.”

Bridget grinned. “Make-up sex is even better than angry sex.”

Chase rolled his eyes.

I crossed my arms and looked at Will. “What did you do?”

“Not me, Sunshine,” he chuckled. “This was Kylie’s doing.”

“What?” I needed to have a serious conversation with Ky. I was not okay with meddling in my sex life.

“The kids are on break for the holidays,” Chase said. “So, Han, Isaac, and I are gonna have them over tonight for a Christmas movie marathon and sleepover."

Isaac joined the circle. “Figured between the three of us, we could handle four kids jacked up on sugar cookies and hot chocolate.”

“Besides,” Chase said. “Logan told me that Zoey’s been begging to see Luna. Ky and Logan are packing an overnight bag for everyone and I’m gonna go pick ‘em all up.”

“You’re not going to Layla’s going away party?” Mel asked.

Every head in the room turned. None of us were completely sure what Chase and Layla were, but we knew that they were something.

Bridget’s curiosity was piqued. I didn’t miss the way she leaned forward to hear the rest of the gossip.

Chase shook his head. “Nah, I didn’t wanna butt in. It’s just her work friends. I’ll see her before she moves.”

Maddie waved her arms. “Whoa, you can’t just drop something like that and not give us details.”

Chase shrugged. “No details to give.”

Mel rolled her eyes. “Layla got a job as a flight nurse at a base in Falls Creek. She’s moving next week before orientation and training. Her last shift at the hospital was today.” She looked at Chase. “And she told me that she invited you to the party.”

He offered a sheepish smile and shook his head. “It’s not like me and her were somethin’ serious. I’ve known she was leaving for a while now. We’re friends. That’s all.”

Yeah, you’re just biding your time, I thought.

I glanced at Bridget, who was suddenly fascinated with the state of her cuticles. She had been wearing her gaudy engagement ring ever since the debacle at the bar months ago.

Part of me wondered if Kyle was pissed that she didn’t have it on that night. He seemed just as surprised that she wasn’t wearing it as we were finding out she was engaged in the first place.

Will and I said our goodbyes and made our way out to his truck. As soon as he hopped behind the wheel and shut the door, he pulled me across the bench seat. We spent the forty-five minute drive to New Bern with his hand wrapped around the top of my thigh.

Will remained silent the entire way back, his face a hard mask of concentration. A deep groove formed between his eyebrows, and his hand slowly slid up to the apex of my thighs. The back of his finger grazed my sensitive center.

I wanted him so badly.

I squeezed my legs together, desperate to relieve the ache I felt inside. The emptiness. We fit together like puzzle pieces. Together, we completed a picture.

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