Page 36 of Counter Bet

Snip!There goes another lock of hair. Nina winks at me.

The cheerleaders take to the floor, and Matt and Josh abandon their game of ‘Fuck with Ben.’

I breathe a sigh of relief.

Play with Fire by Sam Tinnesz starts playing through the speaker. Emily leads the group through a choreography consisting of complicated dance moves combined with traditional cheer stunts.

The girls throw her up high, and she does a perfect spin mid-air before landing in the arms of the only two guys on the team.

Those boys are obviously on to something if their choice of sport involves catching girls in short skirts. It sounds more tempting than getting sacked by huge guys in sweaty jockstraps.

Princess is a damn sight to behold when she cheers. Her moves are sharp and precise, her passion clear as day on her face. She’s at home out there, shaking her hips as well as those damn pom-poms.

She finishes the routine with a series of back handsprings while the girls in the back do some other fancy shit that I can’t name.

The room explodes in cheers and hollers. Emily, out of breath and with sweat beading on her brow, smiles big as she takes a seat.

Hailey leans in close to be heard over the noise as the principal walks back to the podium and continues his mission to bore us all to death.

I ignore the football team when they take to the floor. My eyes stay glued on Princess, who scans the crowd and smiles when she spots me but then seems to catch herself. She looks away, her cheeks reddening.

I wait, and it doesn’t take long before her curious eyes are back on me. My smile fades the longer we stare at each other. Some unknown emotion flickers in her eyes.

My hardening cock twitches in my jeans.

She takes me by complete surprise when she brings her hands up and pretends to look at me through a pair of binoculars.

I throw my head back, laughing, startling Josh and Matt next to me.

Dallas lowers her phone.

I flash her a grin, nudging my head toward Princess.

Dallas follows my line of sight, sweeping her gaze over the room. I can tell the minute their eyes collide by the slow smirk forming on Dallas’ lips.

Something is brewing between the three of us—something deliciously dark.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. I fish it out and unlock the screen.

Dell: I bet you that I can make her come before you do when we get her in bed.

I scoff, glancing at Princess, who quirks one of those perfect eyebrows of hers. Her feistiness is a turn-on.

I lean forward and rest my elbows on my thighs as I type out a reply to Dallas.

Me: It’s on!

Dallas meets my gaze, and we share a Cheshire cat smile.

Emily is playing a dangerous game.

* * *

Dallas.

I know it was the wrong choice to return home when I open the front door and hear people laughing in the kitchen. My uncle has friends over.

Music and cigarette smoke filter through the gap in the kitchen door. I sneak down the hallway, careful to step over the empty beer cans on the floor.

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