Page 23 of Raine Out (Grand Slam 2)

Raine

“May I get you something to drink?” The flight attendant barely looks up as he hands us each a bag of pretzels.

“Yes, sir, you may,” Butch says, ripping his bag open with his teeth. “I’ll have your finest mass-produced beer—Miller, Budweiser—dealer’s choice. And my beautiful girlfriend will have a vodka tonic with just a splash of orange juice. Please and thank you.”

Butch pulls my hand up and kisses it. I pinch his nose hard. The flight attendant looks from me to Butch and shakes his head.

“I’m sorry, sweetie,” Butch laughs as he drops my hand and looks back at the flight attendant. “Make the vodka Tito’s if you have it. She gets very testy if I don’t order her liquor correctly.”

The flight attendant lets out a long exhale as he starts making our drinks.

“He hates you, too,” I whisper. “And you’re getting a little too into this whole boyfriend thing.”

“Oh Rainey, this is just the beginning.” He squeezes my leg. “I can’t wait until I have a proper audience.”

“How much do I have to pay you to turn it down by at least fifty percent?”

“I’ll turn it all the way down if you agree to my proposed wager.” He takes his beer from the flight attendant and guzzles half of it before setting it down on his tray.

“I already told you I’m not making a sex bet with you.”

“Okay,” he says, grabbing the pretzels off my tray and ripping into them. “It doesn’t have to be a quantity bet. How about just one guy? If you hook up with one guy while we’re on the island, you win the bet.”

“That’s still a sex bet,” I say, lowering my voice as the flight attendant looks right at me. “And I don’t want that kind of pressure. Millie told me to be carefree for the entire trip. That will make me too anxious.”

“We can still be carefree and have some fun—”

“Not we,” I say, taking a sip of my drink. “Me. Millie wants me to be carefree. No one wants to see you being carefree.”

“I don’t know, girl. Once people meet Island Butch, they’re going to fall head over heels in love with him.”

“Island Butch?” I shudder. “What the hell is an Island Butch? He sounds terrifying.”

He takes the pretzels off our seatmate’s tray and starts to open them.

“Stop,” I say, trying to wrestle the bag out of his hand. “What if he saw you take them?”

“You think he’s going to challenge me about anything? He’s won’t open his eyes until we land.” He pours the pretzels into his mouth. “Even if he’s awake. He won’t risk glancing at you by mistake.”

“Remind me never to take a SEAL on a personal trip again,” I say, massaging my temples. “Will you turn down the bravado a little bit? You’re exhausting.”

“Sorry, sister. The bravado dial’s set permanently on high.” He pats my leg. “You know what they say? No such thing as a former SEAL.”

“This is going to be the longest weekend of my life.”

“And it’s just getting started. I’m not sure what to even expect from carefree Raine.”

“Actually, I made a list of the carefree things I want to do while we’re there.”

“A list? Seriously?” He stretches out, sprawling his legs wide. “I don’t think you’re doing carefree right.”

“How would you know anything about carefree?” I say, draining the rest of my drink.

“Let me see the list.” He reaches for my bag.

I slap his hand. “Stay out of my bag.”

“Fine, but you need to put our bet on the list? That’s carefree objective number one.”

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