Page 45 of Caught Stealing

“Don’t even think about just walking away. Not without saying what you gotta say.”

“You’re just such a…man-child.” His teeth are bared as something between a grimace and a sneer lift his lips. “I can’t fucking stand you.”

A deadly smirk curls the corners of my mouth. “Believe me, Nixy, you’ve made sure the feeling’s mutual.”

“Then why come?” He takes a step closer to me, gaze lit on fire with fury. “Why spend ten whole days down here, all the while knowing you’d be under the same roof as me?”

“Because I knew it’d piss you off,” I say with a shrug.

A huff leaves his lips as he shakes his head. “Fucking unbelievable.”

I can’t help the smile curling my lips. “You already know just how unbelievable I am, don’t you, Nixy?”

Hatred flares in his eyes, although I don’t miss the hint of lust in them too. “It was a mistake.”

Do you say the same thing about our night together as well? Or do you not remember, just like me?

The questions are on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t bring myself to ask them. Because if there’s a chance he doesn’t remember it either…well, shit. That knowledge might only add fuel to the fire between us, and I already don’t know how much more I can take.

“Just how many mistakes are we gonna make together?” I take another step toward him. Close enough for my chest to brush his if we inhale at the same time. “I can squeeze you in between rounds with Kason. All you have to do is ask. Or maybe you’d be interested in joining us. The Eiffel Tower happens to be one of myfavoritepositions.”

“You’re disgusting.”

“And you’re into it,” I counter with a cant of my head.

“Hardly.”

I lick my lips—not missing the way his eyes track the movement—before leaning forward to whisper in his ear. “Then why haven’t you pushed me away yet?”

As if suddenly realizing just how close we are, Phoenix clears his throat and takes a step away from me. Probably a good thing, because the electricity flickering between us when we’re that close…it’s too much. Too powerful.

He must be reading my mind, as he puts more and more distance between us, now heading down to where the rest of the guys are setting up near the water’s edge. But he does stop and stare back at me to give some parting words.

“If you lose that flamingo and my sister finds out, I won’t stop her from killing you.”

Turns out, I don’t need Francesco after all.

The moment we make it down to the beach, we spot a sand volleyball net set up a little ways down from the condo. It takes some convincing on Luca and Kason’s part, but eventually, everyone agrees to a nice,friendlygame.

Or, at least, I hope it’s friendly.

We break off into two teams on either side of the net; Luca, Noah, Wyatt, and Harrison on one side. Meanwhile, Theo, Kason, and Phoenix are on my side. It’s a pretty even match-up regarding height—the only one with a true advantage being Luca since he’s nearly six-foot-five—but I have no idea what everyone’s skill level is.

The only one I know that has any experience is Theo, seeing as he plays in a league during the summer back home in Missouri, which is exactly why I picked him for my team. Even if it is just a lighthearted game between friends, we’re all still athletes. And athletes like towin.

My thinking is on point, too, since as soon as the eight of us start getting into the game, it’s quickly becoming apparent that we’re all in it to win.

It’s also becoming quite obvious that sand volleyball isnotmy sport. Though I think the reason is wholly because I can’t seem to focus on the ball; I’m far too busy looking at Phoenix.

Hard not to when I’ve becomepainfullyaware of the sex appeal he holds.

I’m not blind or stupid; of course, I’ve noticed Phoenix is attractive. I thought as much the second he walked up to Kason and me at the Kappa Sig house the first—second—time we met.

But fuck, I can’t stop myself from noticing now. Can’t keep my eyes from snagging on his obliques and abs, or the way they draw down into a sinful V rivaling my own. Entirely helpless to stop watching the sweat droplets as they slowly drip down the path those muscles create before disappearing into the waistband of his trunks.

Lust swirls in my gut as my eyes continue to map over his body greedily, and it’s then I realize the only thing keeping me from mauling him right here in public is the tiny threads holding my self-control together. The same ones that fray a little more with every second I spend staring at him, right until he turns and catches me red-handed.

He walks over to me, ball in hand, before shoving it straight into my chest.

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