Page 60 of Fumble

The three of them are getting along famously as Faith regales them with funny stories about her dad. Coop laps it up, and I can see how fond Zoey is of her friend. I don’t blame her.

Here goes nothing, balls to the wall.

I stride over to the couch, dropping down next to Faith before pulling her into my lap.

“Your room is set up, ladies. What have I missed?” Coop and Zoey look like they just witnessed a murder, their mouths agape as I wrap my arm around Faith, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She snuggles in close, hyperaware that this is the first time anyone has seen us together. We didn’t exist outside of our own little world until this moment.

“Fuck.” Coop breaks the silence. “You guys aren’t fuck buddies. You’re legit into each other.” All eyes are on me, even Faith’s.

“Thanks, bro. No pressure.” If looks could kill, Zoey would bore a hole straight through my face right now.

“There’s no label,” Faith chimes in. Fuck that. She’s mine.

“She’s not my fuck buddy. This is real.” Her body stiffens in my lap. I’m not sure if it’s shock or discomfort, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to keep feeling the way I have been this past week. I’ve spent long enough denying the way she just gets me.

Coop knows me better than to probe or jibe. I may be a lot of things, but a liar isn’t one of them. Zoey looks to her best friend and then to me.

“You get one chance. Hurt her or ghost her the way you did this week, and I’ll break your other hand, and your legs, and your face. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Well, all right, then. Enough of the Spanish Inquisition. What have you boys got for entertainment around here?”

Coop flashes a devious grin.

“Boozing, banging, and boxing.”

“Boxing?”

“X-Box. That’s what you chose to pick up on?” I can see this playing out already.

“I already have the booze, and these two are the ones who are going to be banging.”

“I’m a gracious host, Zoey. I wouldn’t want you to feel left out. I’ll happily provide you with as much banging as you can take.”

“You couldn’t handle me, Coop.” I’m inclined to believe her. I reckon she’d eat him alive. He thinks one-hundred percent with his cock, but I guess I’m not one to pass judgment these days.

I nudge Faith, motioning for her to follow me.

“Let’s leave them to it. They’re doing just fine. I want you to myself for a while.”

Coop and Zoey don’t even notice us making a sharp exit, too busy flirting to care what we’re doing.

Leading Faith down the hall to my room, anticipation unfurls in my chest. Not for the sex that I know is going to happen—there’s no way I’m not kissing every inch of her body tonight—but for sharing the same space, having her to myself, the way it’s been with us from the start.

The moment the door closes behind us, she’s on me, tugging at the fly of my jeans.

“Did you mean what you said?”

“About what?”

“Us. That I’m not just your next fuck buddy?”

“Faith. Stop trying to take off my pants. My balls are blue, and trust me, I’m going to fuck you so hard you might not be able to walk tomorrow, but we need to talk. Fuck. See what you’re doing to me? I’ve never uttered that sentence before in my life!”

“I don’t want to talk right now. I want you to fuck me.” It’s like a bucket of ice water to my cock.

“The last time you didn’t want to talk to me, I took your virginity.”

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