Page 69 of Tight End

25

Brody

The sight of Taylor was like a glass of cold water to a man who had been working all day in the Texas sun. She was wearing tight khaki shorts, hiking boots with long socks, and a wide, brown belt. Her full breasts were hidden under a blue shirt, and she wore a salmon-colored button down over top of that, with the ends tied into a knot around her waist.

She was painfully gorgeous. And she managed to do it without dressing scantily like half the women here.

“I invited the cheerleaders this year,” Dallas said. “Because Double-D has been begging me to. And because of you.”

“Don’t know if you should’ve done that,” I replied. “Things aren’t exactly great between us right now. And with Isabella…”

“Isabella isn’t here,” Kim chimed in, like this was a conspiracy between the two of them. “She replied no to the RSVP!”

“Aren’t you going to talk to her?” Dallas asked.

“Honestly? I’m thinking about slipping out the back door.”

“You had better not!” Kim hissed.

Taylor gazed around the room and then locked eyes with me. A cooling sensation filled my body as she gave a private little wave.

“Go talk to her,” Dallas insisted. “Or I’m never throwing another pass to you again.”

“You haven’t been doing that anyway.”

“Just go.”

I picked up my drink and made my way toward her. Not just because Dallas and Kim had insisted, but because, deep down, I desperately wanted to talk to her. It was a hunger, a compulsion woven into the fibers of my soul. I wouldn’t have slipped out the back door even if someone gave me a billion dollars.

“Doctor Sattler, I presume?” I said.

Taylor’s face lit up in a grin. “Nobody else has gotten it yet! I was beginning to think it was a mistake not to wear a blonde wig…”

“You should’ve told me what you were going as,” I replied. “I would’ve dressed up as a dinosaur and followed you around. Then everyone would get it.”

She laughed, a light, carefree sound that soothed me to my core. “Maybe I’ll take you up on that next year.” Taylor looked down at herself and added, “You don’t think it’s too nerdy?”

“Hell no,” I said without hesitation. “Look around, T-Foxy. Most of the women at these parties wear as little clothing as possible because they’re trying to hook up with a football player. Look at that one over there,” I pointed. “All she’s wearing is a bikini. What is she supposed to be, besides someone trying to show off their new boob job? Naw, I love that you wore a real costume. It’s much classier.”

Taylor squinted suspiciously at me. “I’m sure you don’t mind all the boobs and asses hanging out around here.”

I shrugged. “Sometimes it’s all about what you don’t show. And honestly, the way you’re rockin’ those khaki shorts puts the rest of these women to shame.”

Taylor’s pale cheeks turned red, which she tried to cover up by taking a sip of her wine. Then she gestured at me and said, “I like your costume, too. It looks authentic.”

I tucked my thumbs under the suspenders. “Oh it doesn’t just look authentic. It is authentic. Picked it up on the way here from the boys at Fire Station One. Still doesn’t hold a candle to yours, though.”

She shrugged. “I’m still impressed you recognized what I was going for.”

“Well, I do have an unfair advantage. The night we met, you told me Ellie Sattler was the reason you became interested in paleontology.”

Taylor tilted her head. “So you were listening to me that night.”

“Damn right I was.” I clinked my whiskey glass against her wine glass. “I’m hurt you thought I wasn’t.”

“Most guys who flirt with girls at the bar aren’t really listening. They’re just trying to get laid.”

“Hey now,” I said. “I didn’t start off flirting with you. I was just tryin’ to save you from a sad night of playing trivia alone.”

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