Page 48 of Wrecked Rose

Scarlett takes me by the hand, tugging me over to the patio, which has also been shoveled, so I can drop my bag inside the door.

“Max! Good. We need someone on our team to balance out Aria.” Xander grins and waves me over into the yard.

Aria looks up from the pile of snowballs she’s forming. “Watch it Xander, or you’ll be first on my hit list.” She sticks her tongue out at him.

Xander grins and shakes his head as he glances between me and Scarlett. “Just so you two know, you wouldn’t guess it by looking at her, but Aria has fucking deadly aim. Max, I hate to tell you this, but she will pitch those things at your dick every time. She shows no mercy. Stay on guard.”

I laugh and pretend to think about it. “Um. Is there a reason why I can’t be onherteam instead?”

He shakes his head. “Nope, you’re ours. Teams are already picked. It’s you, me, Scarlett, Micah, and Daphne. And Aria’s got Beau, Lyla, and Griff on her team.”

“Well, I guess that’s that, then. We have a one-man advantage?”

Micah and Daphne shuffle through the snow over to us. He’s apparently done spinning her around for the moment and nods, joining in on the conversation. “Well, yeah. But they don’t have a weak player. Have you seen Lyla throw a ball? She was consistently the final player standing when we played dodgeball in PE. She’s just as lethal as Aria.”

Daph smacks at Micah’s arm, though what good it does through all the layers, I have no idea. “Are you saying I’m weak? Because I know you’re not talking about Scarlett.”

“Nope. You’re too sweet compared to the rest of us.” He grasps her chin in his gloved hand and pulls her in for a kiss, making her blush on the spot.

The door slams shut behind us, and I turn away from the lovebirds, knowing who it must be. Griff. My chest squeezes as I take in the gorgeous blue of his eyes sparkling in the bright sunlight and his chiseled jawline. His lips curve into a slow grin when he sees me. I return the smile, my heart thudding a frantic beat underneath all my layers of snow gear. I wonder if we’ll get a chance to talk while we’re out here… and if not, maybe later during the party.

What I wouldn’t give to get him somewhere private and ask him about his little foray into gay porn—I want to look into his eyes when he tells me about it. Will he be embarrassed talking about it in person? Will I get to see his cheeks flush? Or will he go all stud muffin on me and act like it was nothing? I’m betting on the former, actually. He’s definitely experienced with girls, but he’s a babe in the woods when it comes to guys. I mean, it’s one thing to talk to your male friends about your conquests, but an entirely different thing when it’s a solo male friend—especially when that friend is one you’ve had your lips on. One that you’re interested in.

He tears his gaze from mine and looks around at everyone assembled as he throws his arms into the air. “Are we ready to do this or what?” Without another glance in my direction, he crosses the yard to where Aria is assembling her team.

A while later, the snowballs are flying, and both teams are running in all directions. The only real rule we’re given is that if you get hit three times, you have to go sit down, and the team with the last player left standing is the winner.So, yeah.You’d think we’d be at an advantage, but holy crap, the extra player didn’t help. Griff hit poor Daphne right off the bat, then Aria went gunning for her. Micah’s trying his best to shield her from a final blow but that makes it awfully hard for him to be effective offensively. Our team is proving to be a hot mess. Xander and Scarlett are working back-to-back, which I think is adorably cute. It works well until Beau and Lyla close in, hitting them with several snowballs at once.

The good news is no one is super serious about any of this—well, except for Aria—and we’re having a good time laughing and sliding around in the snow.

Play continues with Aria and Xander both taking their third hits when they lob their snowballs at the same time, hitting each other, and subsequently taking themselves out of the fight.

Scarlett takes her third hit and pouts, dragging herself over to the patio. That means the only two players left standing are me and Griff.

I watch as Griff advances and wings one at me. I duck, and he misses me. I peg one right back, hitting him in the thigh.

He shouts in dismay when he realizes I landed one on him. I can’t help myself. I wriggle my eyebrows.

Grinning big, he huffs, “You’ll pay for that, Max.”

I throw my head back and laugh, then beckon him forward. “Bring it.”

We face-off from fifteen feet apart. Griff’s cheeks are pink with cold, and his breath visibly puffs out of his mouth into the chilly air.

Aria cheers wildly, shrieking, “Get him, Griff!”

Those blue eyes of his twinkle with amusement as he grins at me, then shoots me a wink.

And it fucking distracts me.

His snowball hits me square in the chest.

A mix of groans and cheers comes from the patio area where everyone had been watching the final stand.

“That’s not fair. I call a foul,” I gasp out, laughing.Leave it to me to let his sexy wink take me out.

He plods over, his eyebrow quirking up. “Foul? How so?”

Quietly enough that no one else can hear me, I whisper, “You fucking winked at me.”

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