Page 114 of Saving Tatum (Trace + Olivia 4)

“Tell me about this bet.” He stood and crossed his arms over his chest, his hip leaning against the side. “What do you get if you win?”

“Hmmm,” I tapped a finger against my lip. “If I win the game…well, I’ll figure out what I want later. I mean, it’s not like I’m going to win. I have no clue how to play this game. What do you want if you win?” I asked.

His lips quirked with interest. “I feel like I’m being played, sweetheart.”

I shrugged. “I guess you’ll have to play to find out.”

He shook his head. “You’re up to something.”

“Come on, Jude, tell me what you want?” I grinned.

He chuckled, his lips quirking up. “No. If you’re not telling me what you get if you win, then I’m not telling you.”

“Fair enough,” I agreed and followed him across the room to the pool tables. We had to wait a few minutes for one to free up.

Jacob, Grant, Dylan, and Anna watched from the sidelines with interest. Well, the guys did. Anna clung to Grant and looked like she’d rather be anywhere else. I couldn’t blame her, the bar certainly wasn’t the nicest place, but I was determined to have a good time.

Jude got everything set up and for my first few shots I pretended to have no clue what I was doing to put him at ease. Then, when he felt comfortable, I made quick work of sinking the balls into the nets. He had no idea what hit him.

When I was done I held the pool stick proudly and grinned at his mystified look. ?

?And that, Brooks, is how you play pool.”

The guys busted out laughing and clapped at the display. Other people in the bar came to investigate what had happened.

Jude’s mouth hung open and he shook his head roughly. “I should be pissed, because you totally played me, but that was so fucking hot that I just want to throw you on this table and fuck you senseless.”

I startled at his words, I hadn’t been expecting that, but then when I started imagining what he could do to me on that table I got all kinds of excited.

He bowed down, to which I laughed, and then said, “Well, you won, tell me what you want.”

“I just wanted to make you sweat,” I strode forward and patted his chest as I gazed up at him, “the real reward was seeing your face when I won.” Lowering my voice so that no one else could hear, I said, “Although, what you suggested sounded appealing.”

He growled low in his throat and grabbed me around my waist. “That can be arranged.” He nipped at the skin where my neck met shoulder.

“Uh, guys,” Dylan cleared his throat, snapping us back to reality. With Jude it was all too easy to forget everything else and only think of him.

I took a step back from him in the hopes that it would clear my head.

I turned to the guys and said, “Y’all want to play teams?”

“Sure,” they agreed.

It ended up with Jude and Jacob against Dylan and me. Grant and Anna decided to head out.

We played game after game and I couldn’t remember the last time I had smiled or laughed with other people like that. I really liked Dylan and could even see myself becoming friends with him. I still wasn’t that fond of Jacob, but he was growing on me. He was a bit of a loud mouth and that tended to get on my nerves.

As we headed out of the bar to return home Dylan put his arm around my shoulders and said to Jude, “I like her, don’t fuck this up.”

“Not a chance,” Jude chuckled. Knocking his friend’s arm off my shoulders, he narrowed his eyes, “Keep your hands off my girl.”

Dylan chuckled and jogged ahead of us. He turned around to face us, walking backwards, “Jude Brooks getting jealous because I touched his girl…never thought I’d see the day.” Dylan winked at me and I smiled back.

We’d gone in separate cars so I counted it as a blessing that I didn’t have to listen to Jacob fill every second with the sound of his voice.

In the truck, I leaned my head on Jude’s shoulder as he drove.

“Did you have fun?” He asked as headlights lit up the cab of the truck.

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