Page 108 of Catching Feelings

“This sounds like trouble.”

“But the best kind.” Brock gives me his signature grin then returns his attention to the road. “The guy with the hottest date wins the pool. At a hundred bucks to enter, it’s a pretty pot. And if we win—whenwe win, I’ll split it with you.”

“Confident, are you?” I laugh.

Brock stops at the red light and drops his gaze to my chest, then my legs, and returns it to my face. He has a way of checking out women without coming across as a sleazebag. Granted, I look like a puffball in all these layers, and the only part of me that's exposed is my face. Even after the eye perusal, I know he’s not hitting on me.

“No doubt.”

I tap my finger to my chin and respond. “Sixty-forty.”

“What?” He chuckles. “You only want forty percent of the cut?”

“Funny. And just for that, I’m upping it to seventy-thirty.”

“Damn. You’re vicious.”

I laugh. No one has ever referred to me as vicious before. “Do I need to go up to seventy-five?”

“Woman!” He clutches at his chest. “I should have known the girl next door’s got an evil streak.”

If only. Then my family wouldn’t have walked all over me my entire life.

“Fine. Seventy-thirty. We’re a sure-fire win.”

“We?” I tease. “I thought it was about the hot date, not the couple.”

“Smart ass. No wonder Bu—” He clamps his mouth shut. “We’ll have a good time.”

“Will I know anyone else there?”

Brock shifts in his seat and glances over his shoulder really quick. “Most of the guys from the team will be there. With dates.”

“Oh.” I swallow the lump in my throat. “Riley and Kendall didn’t mention it to me.”

“I think Bankes and Hump got out of it. Mostly the single guys. Dec, Calves, Buck...”

My stomach tightens and I take three calming breaths before asking, “Do they all have dates.”

Brock tugs at the collar of his shirt. “Yeah.”

I fold my arms over my stomach and hunch forward. The anchor in my stomach hits rock bottom. “Brock, I, um, I don’t feel very well. Do you mind bringing me home instead of to the bar?”

“Shit, Row. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

Thinking? Thinking about what? He has no idea about Miles and me unless...unless Miles said something to him. But if he did, Brock wouldn’t have so casually mentioned Miles having a date to the party.

We’re quiet as he turns his car around and heads toward my apartment. When he pulls up to the curb, he shifts in his seat and pierces me with those blue eyes. I had no idea who Frank Sinatra was until I Googled him after hearing the guys call Brock Sinatra time and time again.

He’s from New York, loves to sing, and has those sparkling iconic eyes that Frank Sinatra has. Brock is a beautiful man, but my heart doesn’t beat erratically for him like it does for Miles.

“Every man who sees you Friday night is going to wish they had you on their arm. Guaranteed.”

I lift my shoulder and force a smile. “I’m not interested in catching the eye of every man.”

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