Page 26 of Whistle

“No.”

“Put a butterfly bandage on it. It’s not gonna close.”

“Like I care.” He scoffed, pulling away and going toward a large light-wood dining table.

With his back to me, my eyes fell to his ass, which was hidden in the too-big gray sweats. As I stared, he reached into the front pocket, the weight of his hand dragging the band down and exposing the entire small of his back and the very top of his hipbone.

Inside my jeans, my cock stirred.

Forcing my eyes up, I saw Bodhi slide a bottle of nail polish onto the table before slipping into a chair.

Turning away, I stared through the window at Rush standing out on the deck with the phone to his ear. I didn’t look back at the man who tested every last ounce of patience I seemed to possess.

But I couldn’t manage to keep my mouth shut.

“I do.”

His scoff called me a liar, and I called myself stupid. Then Rush brought the scent of ocean air with him as he came back inside.

7

Bodhi

He thought I wouldn’t cover the wound on my face because he told me to.

He was right.

Until he spoke.

I do.

Now I wouldn’t cover it because those two words did more to heal than any bandage ever could.

8

Coach (Emmett)

“How’s my daughter?” I asked Rush as I popped the lid off the large bowl he handed me. Steam rushed beneath my nose, carrying the savory scent of smoked meat accompanied by onion and garlic.

When Rush said ramen earlier, I pictured a packet of the cheap stuff they sold at the grocery store. You know, with the packet of powder you dumped into the water to give it flavor.

I’d lived off that stuff for years. Probably why I didn’t eat it now.

But this was not that.

Inhaling more of the rich scent, I stared at the bowl packed full of long, crimped noodles, fat slices of beef, two halved hard-boiled eggs with slightly soft centers, diced green onion, and bok choy. It all rested in a dark-colored broth that seemed steeped with flavor.

This looked damn good, and my stomach growled, reminding me we hadn’t eaten all day. Bypassing the chopsticks, I went right for the wrapped plastic silverware.

“The girls are having a sleepover at your house.” Rush’s words paused my actions and reminded me I’d asked him a question.

I frowned, thinking of Landry and her friends. “They’re at my house alone?”

Yeah, yeah, they were adults. Didn’t mean I couldn’t be concerned.

Rush scoffed. “Ryan, Jamie, and Kruger are on the couch downstairs.”

I didn’t know what was worse, the girls being alone or those morons over there with them. “Those three won’t fit on my couch,” was all I said out loud.

---