Page 24 of Scrum Heat

“Look at you,” I prod, going in for the kill now just to see how she reacts. “Two sets of rugby player thighs and you’re still upright. That’s not just progress, that’s puregrowth,sweetheart.”

“I swear, I’m going to need industrial-strength suppressants and a support group to deal with you.”

I lean closer, arms flexing as I keep hold of the railing. “Think you’ll survive allfourof us in shorts?”

She makes a strangled noise and points a warning finger at me.

“One more word and I’m putting glitter in your protein powder.”

“Worth it,” I mutter.

Rory scowls as he comes to stand beside me. “Can we focus?”

“Frankie,” I say, dropping my voice an octave just to tease and test her. I can’t help it—she’s so fucking cute when she’s trying to maintain composure.

Her name tastes good on my tongue. Warm and sweet, like something I want to whisper directly into her skin.

She narrows her eyes at me. “Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“Whatever you’re doing with your face and your… shoulders and… your entire upper body.”

“Existing?”

“Offensively,” she snaps.

God, I love her already.

I push off the railing and saunter a little closer, and she instinctively backs up straight into the railing. Her breath hitches as her eyes do a tragic little zig-zag—chest, abs, thighs, sky—as if hoping to summon divine intervention via eye contact with the clouds.

“You know,” I murmur, “if wewerea match—”

“We’re not.”

“—you’d be this flusteredforever.”

“Not happening.”

“You’d be sleeping in my hoodie.”

“Gross.”

“You’d be using my toothbrush and pretending it’s cute.”

“Ew.”

“And you’d never walk straight again.”

Her mouth actually drops open, and Rory makes a guttural sound like he’s trying to murder me with his thoughts alone.

“I’m going to drown myself in the birdbath.”

“Aw,” I coo. “Make sure it’s filtered.”

“Do you evernotsay the worst possible thing?” Frankie sighs.

“Not when you look this pink,” I say cheerfully, nodding at her rapidly heating face. “You’re one fluster away from spontaneous combustion. I’m doing a public service.”