Page 65 of Knockin' Boats
“What is happening right now?” Poppy murmured.
“I don’t know, but I need popcorn,” Fisher muttered.
“Cash, maybe don’t poke the bear—” Brooks started to say, but it was too late. Cash had been winding me up and winding me up.
Every guy had his limits. I was annoyed and confused and conflicted, and hell, if kissing Cash gave me some answers, then fuck it.
I grabbed his face and laid one on him.
His eyes widened in shock and I felt…nothing.
Not the triumph that had lit me up when I’d gotten Ash where I wanted him. Not the rush of endorphins at the taste of him.
I wasn’t repulsed. I was just…totally and completely unaffected.
I shoved Cash away. “Nothing. I feel nothing.”
“Thanks, man. But you weren’t exactly inspiring me to write poetry, either.”
There was the loud screech of a chair, then stomping footsteps heading for the exit. When I glanced that way, Declan was slipping out the door.
“Shit,” Cash muttered, hopping up. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
We all watched Cash race after his long-time infatuation. We’d teased Fisher about his crush on Hudson, but Cash had always had a weird interest in Declan. I’d assumed it was because the man barely noticed him wheneveryoneelsetook notice, but maybe there was more to it.
“Maybe I’m not the only one who needs a friendervention,” I said.
“Maybe not, but yours isn’t over yet,” Brooks said.
“I don’t know what you want me to say. Things with Ash are volatile. It was punch him or kiss him, or I don’t know, fucking swim back to shore, I guess.”
“That sounds like fight or flight instincts,” Skylar said.
“More like fuck or fight,” Fisher added.
When Brooks gave him an unimpressed look, he said, “What? Cash left so I thought I should chime in.”
Skylar ignored them, training serious blue eyes on me. “You need to figure out if you feel the same when you’re not trapped on the same little boat together. Vera’s been interviewing job applicants, so you’ll be free of it next week.”
“Oh, that’s…good. I can go back to avoiding him.”
“If that’s what you want,” Skylar said. “And if it’s not, well, you’ll have an opportunity to explore itoutsideof work. Which is probably better.”
I winced, suddenly aware that I’d talked about kissing and tossing my coworker in the lake. In front of…if not my boss, my boss’s boss? Sort of? The resort was an incestuous business with lots of partnerships, so I wasn’t exactly sure how to define Skylar’s role, except as top dog.
“Can you not tell Hudson, maybe…”
“As far as I’m concerned, frienderventions are confidential,” Skylar said. “It doesn’t need to go beyond this circle.”
I turned to Fisher. “Does that go for you too? I know Hud is your boyfriend, but he’s my boss.”
“Don’t worry,” Fish said. “Hudson isn’t that interested. Besides, we’re getting ready for that trip to Granville next week. He’s got other things on his mind.”
“Oh, that’s right,” Skylar said. “You’re visiting your cousins?”
“Yep, Wes and Beck are giving us a guest room,” Fisher said. “I figure Hud can use a break before the busiest part of the season hits.”
“It’s already picking up,” I said, relieved for the subject to change. “The food boat was slammed today.”
