Page 9 of Sofa King Devotion

“Not with the one woman I want to be friends with,” I sigh, and my shoulders sag. He follows my line of sight and guesses correctly who I’m referring to.

“Lane sure enjoys scowling at you.” He scratches his beard like he’s thinking it over. After a moment, he grins and then slaps me on the back. “Well, on the plus side, she doesn’t scowl at anyone else the way she scowls at you.”

“At the moment, that’s the best I can hope for.”

“You ready for tonight?” Rhodes nods toward the building where everyone is getting set up.

“Not in the least.” I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to think about how the hell to get out of this. “But it looks like I don’t have a choice.”

“There’s always a choice.” Rhodes glances around like he’s looking for someone.

“How about you focus on me for a second, big guy?”

He looks me up and down. “We’re the same size.”

I wave him off because it doesn’t matter. “How the fuck am I supposed to get on that stage tonight? I’ve got women eager to bid on me, but there’s only one woman I’ve ever wanted.”

“Why did you agree to this in the first place?” He cocks an eyebrow like I’m thick in the head.

“Because I stupidly thought it would finally make her want me.”

“Emphasis on the stupid.”

“If you keep talking to me like this, you’re going to hurt my feelings,” I tell him.

Rhodes grins at me and pats me on the back again. “Like I said, there’s always a choice.”

“So what you’re saying is, you’d be more than happy to step into my shoes for tonight and take my place?”

“Not on your life,” he huffs. “I’m smart enough to know that it’s a bad idea to let women fight over you when there’s only one woman you want.”

“I got it, Rhodes. I’ll write it down in my diary next time. What I need at the moment is for you to help me get my ass out of hot water and into her bed. Or however the saying goes.”

“Lane really has got you all twisted up.”

“Since I was ten years old and she beat me on field day,” I sigh, remembering how the sunburn on her cheeks made her freckles stand out. “She’s the best person I know, and if doing this means it’s going to fuck up my chances with her, then I won’t do it.”

“Maybe there’s another way,” Rhodes says, scratching his beard again. “How do you feel about your dignity?”

“For Lane?” I ask, and he nods. “I’d have it surgically removed.”

“Excellent.” Rhodes grins. “Then I think I’ve got an idea.”

Chapter Seven

LANE

I chew on my bottom lip, debating what I’m about to do. The plan was to skip the auction, but Sawyer cornered me and talked me into it. I’m blaming it on the small high of learning he never dated Carly Rose.

Dating might be a stretch to begin with. We were in the sixth grade, so it wasn’t like we could actually go anywhere. Does that mean they didn’t kiss and it was all bullshit? Sawyer can drive me bonkers at times, but he’s not a liar.

I push open my sister’s bedroom door and step inside. She’s still tangled up in the sheets with Julius, so I know she won’t care if I use her things. Liv will only be mad that she wasn’t here to be a part of it. She’s always enjoyed dolling me up, or whatever it is she calls it.

It shouldn’t be too hard to put on a touch of makeup. I’ve seen her do it to me a million times, so I sit down in the vanity chair and try to do the same. Liv says less is more, which must be true because normally my twin wants to do extra of everything.

Liv has always had an eye for design. Her stuff can be outside the box, but I think it makes it all the more interesting. She thinks her pieces are silly, but I strongly disagree. Everything she makes is full of passion and life. A lot like her.

I’m more of the steady and solid one. It takes me time to come up with all my pieces, and I put a lot of thought into each creation. Liv goes for it and lets it flow out of her. We both have our own way, and even though I sometimes wish I had a bit of her in me, we offset each other.

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