Page 16 of Holding Out

Food.Food was what they were doing right now.He looked down at his own plate, heaped to overflowing, then at Becca’s.“If we had a scale, who do you think would win?”

She looked up at him, eyes wide, then smiled in a way that made him feel like she was genuinely happy to see him.Which—okay, he liked that.No crime there.

She assessed the two plates.“It only counts if you eat it all, though.”

“Is that a challenge?”

Her eyes met his.“Sure, why not?As you may have noticed, I am a fan of throwing down a good challenge.”

He let that comment slide as he led her to a spot on the grass, where they sat side by side.

“What’ve you been up to since Friday night?”She was wearing a flowy tank that shouldn’t have been sexy but was, partly because it was made of some gauzy fabric that revealed a lacy shadow, and partly because it was loose around the arms and he could see the peekaboo of her bra and the sweet, generous curve underneath.

What he most wanted to ask was whether she’d had any success finding a willing participant for her virginity project, but he kept his mouth firmly shut.Returning to that topic was pure danger, since he didn’t trust himself not to lose his resolve and volunteer.

She paused with a forkful of potato salad en route to her mouth.“Playing with Robbie, mostly.Trying to give Alia and Nate as much of a break as possible.He’s so stinkin’ cute.Have you gotten kisses from him yet?If you hold him up to your face, he does this little open-mouth thing.It’s adorable.”She wrinkled her nose, which was also, well, adorable.“What’ve you been up to all weekend?Other than out with Nate last night, which I know for obvious reasons.”

She ate the bite she’d lifted to her lips.He watched her mouth, the way she tugged the food off the fork, then made himself look away.“Yeah, out last night with the guys.That was fun.”

Even as he said it, he heard how lukewarm he sounded, which was strange because he’d had a good time.CJ hadn’t turned his drought around, but he’d worked his new skills for phone numbers and pocketed two.

Griff, however, hadn’t been in the mood to do the same.He hadn’t seen anyone who made him want to bother.Which was rare for him.Not because he would stalk anything that twitched, but because he could always find something to like in anyone he talked to.

He shrugged.“Otherwise, it’s just been the usual.I did some odd jobs Saturday, took a long bike ride and then lazed around like a slug on Sunday—oh, and spent a couple of hours on the archery range.”

“I’ve never done archery,” Becca mused.

Impulse had the words out before he could think better of it.“I’ll teach you.”

“Yeah?”Her face lit.

“Any time.Actually, I could teach you when we’re done gorging ourselves sick.”

Now why had he said that?Standing behind her, tweaking her stance, looking over her shoulder as she lined up shots?While knowing that no one had ever gone where his dick suddenly and inconveniently wanted to go?Pure torture.

“Sure!I’d love that.”

And damned if he wasn’t glad to hear it.Because obviously he was a total masochist.

“Hey,” said a voice behind them.

Griff turned to find CJ there and instantly wished for him to go far, far away, possibly to another time and place entirely.But he forced himself not to be a tool.“Oh, hey, CJ.”

Becca turned, too, and gave CJ the same smile she’d given Griff a few minutes ago.The one that made him feel like he was the only man who could ever bring it out of her—except unfortunately, that appeared not to be true.“Hey.”She balanced her plate carefully on one hand and extended the other.“I’m Becca.”

“Oh, sorry, my bad.”Griff had dropped the ball on intros because—truth was—he didn’t actuallywantCJ to meet Becca.

Damn.

“I’m CJ,” the kid said.“It’s really nice to meet you.”

He held onto Becca’s hand a beat too long and prolonged eye contact with her exactly the way Griff had advised him last night.

Grrrrr.

“So, what brings you to R&R?”CJ asked.“I haven’t seen you around before.I’d remember.”

Oh,Jesus.Griff had to grudgingly admit, it was a nice touch.Not too over-the-top, but setting the tone.And judging by Becca’s blush and smile, she liked it.“Just visiting.My sister, Alia, is a PT here.”

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