Page 27 of Hounds Ascend
My competitive side is rearing its ugly head, and I focus intently on making the shot. I lean down on my cue again, point to the corner pocket I intend to make the eight in, and shoot.
The cue ball bounces off the rail and hits the eight-ball dead on, sending it spiraling toward the corner pocket I called.
“Holy shit!” Cass watches the table in awe.
Just as I am starting to feel victorious, the eight balls stops. Dead stops. In the center of the pocket without falling in.
“You gotta be fucking kidding me!” I sigh, exasperated. I laugh out loud at the irony.
“Damn, girl. I don’t know how that didn’t go,” Clayton says, scratching his head in confusion.
Cass approaches the table and taps the six-ball in, then lines up on the eight. It goes in easily and he comes off the rail to ensure that he won’t scratch, but the look on his face is not victorious. He looks more frustrated than I am that I had lost.
“Sorry, love.”
“It’s okay. Even though I lost, that was still a damn good shot, so I’mgood with it,” I offer him a smile.
“I agree,” Raven says.
“Me too,” Micah chimes in.
I smile as I set my cue down. “Always got to kick my ass, don’t you?” I ask, wrapping my arms around Cass’s neck. I resist the urge to press my body flush against his, but I do press my lips to his for only a moment. I’m still reeling from the interruption at the beach earlier, my body still aching for his touch to guide me to the island of pleasure that I was so close to making it to.
“Not always, just as often as I can,” he smiles, lightly pressing his lips to mine before letting go of me and turning back to the pool table.
“I’ll take a whack at it,” Clayton challenges, eyeing Cass.
“Rack ‘em then, old man,” Cass teases.
Clayton racks then selects a cue off the wall while I stand by Raven, watching the scene unfold.
“Girl, I didn’t know you could shoot that damn good!”
“Ha, yeah. It’s a thing I learned from bartending in small bars. When it’s slow, there’s only so much cleaning you can do then there’s pool, darts, or boredom. I chose pool,” I shrug.
“No shit! You bartend? So do I!”
“I knew I liked you for a reason,” I elbow her with a grin on my face.
“Me too. Bartending is not for the weak.”
“Ain’t that the damn truth.”
Raven smiles before Micah calls her over. I watch the two of them interact and it makes me happy to witness just how happythe two of them are together. They sort of act the way that Cass and I do. I watch Micah as he leans down and kisses Raven, who smiles so big during the kiss that she breaks it before walking off to do whatever it is he asked of her.
“All of y’all are fucking mushy,” Linc’s voice sounds behind me. I turn to see a scowl on his face.
I giggle at his outburst. “What’s wrong? Missing our girl?” I ask.
“Yeah. This fucking sucks. I wish she was here, but instead she’s back home working while those fucktards are still out there trying to stir up shit.”
His energy changes and I can feel him making himself uneasy. “Hey, it’s gonna be okay. We’re going to be going home in a few days. Besides, she’s being protected. You know that.” I do my best at reassuring him, but his scowl remains.
“I know, but still. I just…I’d be a lot more comfortable if I were there with her.”
“You will be soon, Linc.”
Cass hollers a loud “fuck”, gaining him the attention of everyone in the room. I whip my head in his direction and take a few steps toward him to see what it was that got him so agitated. I inspect the table and hear it before I see it. The cue ball is coming out of the designated slot and there are no stripes left on the table and seven solids.
