Page 56 of Just This Once

I hardened my jaw.

“What?” she snapped.

I shook my head, letting her know I had nothing to say to her, and then I silently left the house after the others.

Damn woman. No way could I tell her brother about herrequestnow. What if he figured out how much I actually wanted her? I couldn’t let that happen. No one could ever know that she’d become an ache in my bones.

Everyone else was already at the truck when I stepped outside. I jogged over, reaching them just as Foster who was standing inside the bed picked up a box and winced. “Ooh, this one’s heavy.”

Bypassing his girlfriend, he handed it to Keene.

“Hey, why doIget it, then?” Keene muttered, grunting when it loaded down his arms.

“Becauseyoucan’t deny me sex,” Foster countered as he winked lovingly at Raina and handed her a box that must be fairly light.

“Yes, I can,” Keene countered. “I’ll deny you sex right now. You canneverhave this fine-ass body. Do you hear me? I don’t care how big of a football star you are; I ain’t puttin’ out for you.”

“Oh jeez,” Foster muttered, rolling his eyes as he handed another box down to Alec next.

Keene scoffed and turned my way. “Here you go, Park.”

When he tried to pass the heaviness on to me, I sent him a get-real scowl. “Don’t even try it, fucker.”

“Come on, Sneezy,” Hope encouraged, appearing at his side to jostle his arm.

I jumped hard because I hadn’t realized she’d followed me outside.

“Don’t you want to show off these bulging muscles for the new girl? Because I gotta say…” Lifting her eyebrows, she sent him an amazed once-over. “You grew, like, seriously buff since high school.”

He blinked at her for a moment before beginning to nod. “You know what? Yes, I did.”

“Hell, yes, you did,” Hope agreed full-heartedly. “In fact, load him up with another, Happy. He’s got a girl to impress.”

“Yeah,” Keene seconded. “Pile one more on there, Union. I got this.”

Foster hesitated, not quite sure what was happening, but then he shrugged and plopped another box into Keene’s arms, completely obstructing his vision.

“Shit. Oh shit.” Keene wobbled and stumbled around, trying not to drop both cartons.

“You’ve got this,” Hope encouraged, fisting her hands as if she was actually rooting for him. “You’re doing great. And the way you’re carrying them is making your ass look incredible.”

That made him straighten. “Really?”

“Oh, yeah. Don’t stop now. She’s watching from the window.”

No one was watching from the window, but Keene couldn’t see that from his limited perspective. He kept walking, intent to look strong and capable, even as he muttered, “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” all the way to the front door.

“You know, Langston,” Hudson murmured as the few of us remaining at the truck paused to enjoy the show. “When you’re not unleashing your evil on me, I kind of actually enjoy some of the shit you pull.” And still watching Keene, he lifted his hand to the side to offer her a fist bump.

Preening, Hope sent him a smile and knocked her knuckles against his. “Thank you.”

“Should we help him with the door?” Faith asked.

As Keene toddled up the steps precariously to the front entrance, no one at Foster’s truck budged.

And Hudson finally shook his head. “Nah.”

Oaklynn ended up being his savior when she pulled the screen door open to exit, only to pause and back up, letting him in first.

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