Page 104 of Can't Take My Eyes Off You

‘You reserved these? I didn’t even know you could do that.’

‘The right amount of money can buy you anything, Berx.’

‘Youpaidto reserve these?’ I ask with a laugh. ‘That’s ridiculous.’

‘Well, I’m ridiculously in love with you, so it’s fitting. You ready for this, Kaine?’

He removes the rope, motioning for me to have a seat, then sits in the chair next to me.

‘Did you just call me by my last name?’ He used to do this all the time. This is totally all-in, fun, flirtatious Will. No more feeling like we have to walk on eggshells around each other.

‘I did,’ he confirms with a nod. ‘I don’t want to get too personal for when I kick your ass.’

‘Ha!’ I burst out. ‘Good luck, Adler. Er…’ Shit. I grimace. He’s really pushed away whatever feelings he’s having over discovering who his father is and I haven’t asked, knowing he’s not ready. Maybe I shouldn’t call him Adler for now?

‘It’s alright,’ he says, noticing my face. ‘No matter what happens, technically, it’s looking like I’m still an Adler.’

‘From here on out, you’re just Will to me,’ I tell him, extending a hand his way, a good-luck handshake that he eyes, but ultimately, he shakes his head. ‘You seem a little competitive tonight. Shall we put money on this?’

‘One million dollars,’ he says with a straight face.

‘You realize if I win, I’ll be paying you with your own money?’

He shrugs.

‘I was thinking, like, twenty bucks.’

‘Twenty bucks it is,’ he says with a nod, placing his hands on the video game steering wheel. ‘Ready?’

‘Yes.’

‘No cheating.’

I motion crossing my heart. A lie I intend to keep. As the game starts, I tug my already short skirt up my leg closest to him. He eyes my thigh but says nothing. Gonna have to go bigger here.

‘Remind me to stop by the store for some massage oil later,’ I say casually. ‘I’m nearly out and I like the kind that tastes like strawberries. You know…’ I glance over at him. ‘In case it ends up in your mouth. Or my mouth. Who knows?’

‘What?’ he says, his voice high as he looks over at me. His eyes move straight to my lap, where I’m pulling up my skirt a little further, and he lets go of the wheel to pull it down, immediately falling behind.

I blow by him; this will be so much easier than when we were teenagers. I yank my skirt up again; this time he notices much quicker and pulls it down, holding one hand on my lap, his fingers gripping the hem of my dress.

‘I’m not afraid to have an accidental nip slip in here. It’ll probably be the only nipple most of these guys will ever see in the flesh.’

He’s laughing so hard, he can barely drive his car. ‘They’ll put your picture on the wall.’

‘They’ll put a picture of my nipple on the wall, more likely.’

‘If you say that word one more time…’

‘What? You’ll lose?Tragic.’ I laugh. ‘Nipple. Nipple. Nipple. Nipple.’ I chant it as I drive, earning the attention of some guys near us.

‘Berkley,’ he half growls, playfully, his voice low, the goofy grin on his face adorable and full of lust as he glances between the screen in front of him and me.

Once I realize people are recognizing him and starting to gather, my confidence and concentration go out the window. He notices and exaggeratedly lets me win.

‘Woo! Girl, you kicked my ass, again. I guess that trophy is still yours.’

Why is the attention he brings about such a big deal for me? Am I afraid some woman will catch his attention and sincerely steal him away from me? Ugh,yes. Sigh. This part isn’t his problem; it’s mine. We walk back to his car quietly, my hand in his. He opens my door but turns me to face him before I can get in, his hands on my waist.

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