Page 47 of Before It Was Love

He smirks. “No promises, little lamb.”

“Oh, it’s on.”

Mom pours shots of moonshine into everyone’s glass. “You remember the rules. You lose a hand…”

“You drink!” everyone shouts in response.

“You fold…”

“You drink!”

She lifts her shot glass in the air. “To smugglers, bootleggers, rumrunners and the mermaids who loved them!”

“Mermaids!” The women shout while the men shout, “Smugglers!”

The moonshine burns my throat and doesn’t stop burning until it hits my stomach. I suck air in through my nose before I vomit my shot all over the chicken wings.

Flynn leans close. “Don’t start removing your clothes yet,” he whispers.

His breath against my skin causes goosebumps to arise. I want his breath against my skin as he slowly undresses me. As he touches me. As he…

I clear my throat and glare at him. “I can handle one shot. I’m a Smuggler.”

“We’ll see.”

Thirty minutes later I’m not as confident in my ability to handle the local moonshine as I weave my way to the bathroom. I slam my hands on the vanity and lean close to study my face in the mirror. My head hits the wall and I nearly topple to the ground.

Water. I need water.

I pour myself a glass from the sink and gulp it down. I stumble to the door before I realize I forgot to pee. Oops. I whirl around and catch myself on the side of the vanity. I manage to steady myself and sit on the toilet.

“What is going on?” Weston hisses.

I open my mouth to tell him I’m peeing. What else would I be doing in the bathroom? But Flynn speaks before I can.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re flirting with my sister.”

“I’m not flirting with Sophia.”

“She’s gorgeous.”

“I know Sophia’s gorgeous. I have eyes.”

Flynn thinks I’m gorgeous? I pump my arm and nearly fall off the toilet.

“You better not add Sophia to your list of conquests.”

List of conquests? Flynn has a list of conquests? My stomach sours and I wrap an arm around my middle.

“Nothing is happening between Sophia and me.”

“Nothing?”

“I’m not attracted to her. She’s a little sister to me. You know this. You know what happened the last time she threw herself at me.”

“Last time? She’s thrown herself at you since then?”

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