Page 42 of The Playbook

“No—”

“Then it doesn’t matter. Come on.”

I was about to go with her just to get her to shut up when Grace shuffled out of the pool house. The bottle of water I’d been holding fell from my hand, crashing to the ground with a splash and a thud. Even Dax and Ryan gawked at her, their mouths open.

She was wearing a black bikini and, damn was it glorious on her.

“Whoa. Who knew super nerd looked likethatunder all those layers,” Dax panted, taking her in as she walked across the yard.

I didn’t think she meant for her hips to sway the way they were or for her long, lean legs to draw in my attention, but damnit, they had me captivated. Grace Matthews had it going on.

“Hey," she greeted me, her arms wrapped around herself.

I pulled away from Jenna, who scoffed at me. Gently, I eased Grace’s arms from her body so I could get a good closeup of her.

“Wow, Gracie. You look damn good,” I said, flashing my smile at her as I tried to calm my jittery nerves. “Do a little spin.”

“Fuck you, Logan,” she shot back, rolling her eyes at me.

“You want to?” I raised an eyebrow at her amid Dax and Ryan’s snickers.

“No.” She wrinkled her nose at me like I was something gross she’d stepped in.

“Good girls like Grace don’t fuck around,” Dax cut in, his eyes roving over her. “That body is bangin’ though. You’re a virgin, aren’t you, Grace?”

“Hey,” I growled at Dax. “Knock it the fuck off.”

“Not cool, asshat,” Ryan added, shoving Dax away amid his protests.

I looked at Grace to see her face was flushed. I hated he’d embarrassed her.

“Don't pay attention to him,” I said, tilting her chin up with my fingers. “He’s an asshole.”

“I know,” she murmured, a strained smile on her face.

“Come on.” I laced her fingers with mine and tugged her toward the pool, not wanting to dwell on what Dax had said. Or how she hadn’t denied it. Untouched. Grace Matthews was a fucking virgin. The idea made my cock twitch in my trunks. What I wouldn’t give to be the first one to claim her, to make her shout in pleasure, to own a piece of her forever.

Forcing all thoughts out of my head except how to get what I needed to win, I invited Grace into the pool with me, ignoring the whines from the other girls who I’d barely paid any attention to.

“You can hang out with your friends. I promise I won’t drown in your pool,” Grace said as she clung to the edge of the pool.

I looked behind me to see everyone was now in the pool laughing and splashing one another at the opposite end.

“I am hanging with my friend,” I replied, winking at her. “Remember? Besides, it wouldn’t feel like much of a friend date if I bailed on you.”

“I really can go home,” she pressed, her eyes wide and pleading. “That one girl looks like she’s going to swim over here and drown me for talking to you.”

I glanced over my shoulder to find Jenna glaring at Grace.

Letting out a soft chuckle, I focused back on Grace.

“She’ll have to get through me first.”

Grace let out a soft laugh and shook her head at me before diving under the water. Without thinking, I followed suit, not realizing how far I was willing to go to get her.

CHAPTER23

Grace

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