Page 54 of Total Shutdown

They both smirk like two bratty adolescent twins.

“I didn’t come over to admire your torso, impeccable as it is. I heard the wordsTuesday nightand took it as my cue to join the conversation.” Archer leans toward me like it’s classified information. “Give us the details. Did you f?—”

“No, I didn’t fuck her by, against, beneath, or anywhere near the tree,” I drawl. “We did talk though.”

“Annnnd?” Archer motions his hand in front of him, asking for more details.

I scrub a palm over my face and step down from the treadmill with my towel and shirt, wrapping them around the back of my neck. Then I grab my bottle of Gatorade. “And we kissed,” I confirm.

I swear I hear a muted shriek of delight from Jack.

“Right before she told me she was down for a no-strings arrangement and nothing more.”

“Nice.” Archer nods. “An ideal situation.”

I deadpan, “Did you hit your head on something and completely forget our conversation last week?”

“Are you gonna go for it then?” Jack cuts in before Archer can respond. “The fuck-buddy arrangement?”

I shake my head and walk over to the Olympic bar. Archer drops his bottle and automatically gets in position to spot me.

“Nope.”

Throwing my bottle, towel and shirt on the floor next to me, I complete the first rep, holding the bar above my head for a couple of seconds.

“I’m not going to sleep with her again until she admits she wants more than just sex.”

I complete the next rep, and Archer takes the weight, allowing me a chance to look at my center.

Eyes wide and a hand cupping his jaw, Jack waits for me to continue.

I sit up on the bench as Archer drops the bar back onto the rack.

“The kiss was … it was pretty fucking special, and I’m not about to walk away from something like that. I’m not moronic enough to do that.”

“Do you think she feels the same?” Jack asks, expression full of concern, and I know it’s for me and because he cares. “If she told you she didn’t want to get into anything after you kissed, then is there a chance she doesn’t feel the same?”

“I also told her I was falling, and she didn’t freak out at that. In fact”—I rub my palms down my black athletic shorts—“that was right before we kissed.”

“So, you think she’s playing hard to get?” Archer says, coming to stand in front of me.

“Nah. She doesn’t know what to do with it—with the fact that I want her and she wants me. It’s all alien to her.” I release a deep chuckle and pick up my Gatorade, taking a sip. “Hell, this feels alien to me. I haven’t felt like this since …” I trail off.

“Sophie?” Archer finishes for me.

I nod once. “Yeah.”

Jack scratches at his chest. “So, what are you going to do?”

My cheeks ache from the smile spreading across my face, and they both mirror my expression.

“What any decent guy who wants a girl would do—engineer as many opportunities as possible to show her why I’m exactly what she wants but is denying.”

Jack raises his brows, excitement rolling off him. “Can we be of any help with your plans?”

I push a hand through my damp hair, thinking over my options. “Do you know if Collins is coming to the game tomorrow night?”

“I don’t know,” he replies. “But I can make it so that she does.”

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