Page 20 of I Could Be Yours

Nate’s eyes are on fire and his breath is a little ragged as he thrusts my shirt at me.

“Thanks and good luck.” I glance down. “Looks like you’re a little…overstimulated.”

Flip, who is quickly becoming my new favorite person, calls out, “Come on, honey bear, you’re up!”

“I could use a minute,” Nate grumbles, eyeing me with a familiar discontent.

“We’ve got a line of people waiting for their chance to play round two. Bring it, honey bear.” Flip is all feigned oblivious smiles as he motions him forward.

Nate exhales harshly through his nose. “I’ll get you back for this.”

“I look forward to the challenge.” I smile serenely.

Nate gives me a dark look that makes my entire body break out in goose bumps. He’s always so…in control. But right now, he looks like he wants to shred my swimsuit and toss me in the lake. He attempts a surreptitious adjustment in his swim trunks, but the material is unforgiving. The sun has mostly set, and the tiki torches light the area, creating wonderful, telling shadows all over his body.

His air of cocky confidence has dissipated, and for a moment I almost feel bad.Almost. But then I consider the way he’s tried to upstage me tonight with his surprise fun games and his coolprizes. He’s also underestimated me multiple times, and made me feel like an annoyance every time I ask for assistance. So when he gives me an imploring look, I just cock a brow and nod to the limbo stick. It’s time for comeuppance.

Resigned, he moves into position, bends backwards at the waist, and edges forward. His knees make it under, and so do his thighs, but the problem in his shorts isn’t deflating despite the growing crowd of onlookers and high potential for embarrassment. He attempts to drop his hips so his problem clears the bar, but that sets him off-balance. His special parts skim the stick. Someone snaps a picture.

He lands on his back in the sand and jabs an angry finger in my direction. “You cheated!”

I bat my lashes and offer him a hand. “How could I possibly have cheated?”

He rolls to his feet, fires the double bird at me, and stalks toward the dock, where he dives gracefully into the water.

I pass under the stick with no problem, but the high of my win is slightly dampened since my challenger is cooling off in the lake.

“Seriously, Ess, the right side of my bed is yours tonight, if you want it,” Flip offers.

Rix tweaks his nipple. “Stop hitting on my best friend! She does not want to hook up with you!”

“Ow! Where the hell did you come from?” Flip rubs his chest. “And I’m just playing.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “Are you, though?”

He holds up both his hands. “Ninety-percent playing and ten-percent hopeful.” He winks at me.

Rix rolls her eyes and grabs my hand. “Come on. I need your help with the music!”

“Are you having fun?” I ask as we weave through the crowd.

“So much fun! I’ve had a lot of prosecco, though, so there’s a good chance tomorrow will be rough. Also, can I just say I’mglad Tristan booked us our own little cabin because I’m liable to let him do filthy things to me when I’m in this state.”

I laugh. “You’re always willing to let him do filthy things to you.”

She bites her lip. “This is true.”

We pull up the playlist and connect the laptop to the sound system, adjusting the volume so the neighbors don’t totally hate us. But they’re also all invited, so we’re not too worried.

I don’t bother to put my shirt back on. It’s a hot summer night, and the energy in the air turns frenetic and sensual as more people join us.

Tristan and Rix start grinding, and people begin to pair off, as often happens when music and too much booze are combined. I spot Nate at the edge of the action. He’s changed his clothes, now wearing a black T-shirt and shorts. His gaze shifts to me and darkens as I move through the crowd.

He tucks a hand in his pocket when I reach him.

“No hard feelings about limbo.” I adjust my bikini top.

He follows the movement with his eyes. “You do that on purpose.”

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