Page 16 of Rules Of Our Own

He wraps an arm around my shoulder and tugs me in for a relaxed hug. “Don’t be like that. We’re friends.”

My chest tightens. “Are we?”

“We were once. Nothing stopping us from being friends again besides you.” The playfulness drops from his face, and he tilts his head closer to mine. Serious Alex has always taken my breath away.

My cheeks heat, and I can’t deny I missed them.

“Okay. Friends.” My voice is almost a squeak.

“Maybe more,” he adds, not bothering to hide the heat in his eyes before he jumps back in the pool, splashing me with water.

I’m too stunned to say anything and jump when Jax comes up beside me. “Hey, you look like you could use this.”

He hands me a plastic cup with some kind of fruity drink, and I scrunch my nose before nearly draining it. I may not love sweet drinks, but at this point, I’d do anything to cool myself down. I wipe my hand over my mouth. “Thanks.”

Jax grins at me, and I roll my eyes.

“What?”

“Not a thing,” he replies, and I don’t believe him for a second.

The girls all sit on loungers, soaking up the sun while chatting idly. Sidney sits up. “Finally! Five more minutes and I was sending a search party.”

“I’m not even late.”

Misty looks between us. “Well. You’re a little late.”

Did I take longer than normal to choose my outfit? Yes. Am I going to tell them that? Not a chance.

“What is it, pick on Mia day?” I huff, dropping onto a lounger, and rest my head back.

Sidney’s brow raises. “You’re just too fun to rile up. Plus, you’re supposed to be relaxing this weekend. Loosen up a bit.”

“I’m loose.”

She huffs, calling me on my bullshit. “You look like you’re going to bolt back to your room at any second.”

I force my shoulders to relax. “I just have a lot on the go.”

Sidney turns serious. “Trust me. I know. You’ve been killing it. But you’re working yourself too hard. I just don’t want you to burn out. Take the weekend off. Enjoy Napa. Then I’ll completely support you going back to your neurotic self. Deal?”

“Fine. Okay. You’re right,” I give in.

“What’s that? Say it again.”

“I said you’re right. Now I need a drink.”

The girls all whoop, but I’m distracted by a cup of amber liquid being passed over my shoulder. I look back, and a pair of near pitch-black eyes settle on mine.

River wets his bottom lip. “Grabbed this for you.”

Holy shit. The way he’s looking at me has my toes curling, and I have to restrain myself from twisting in my chair to get a better look at his naked chest. I wrap my hands around the cup, enjoying the cool sides against my heated skin. “Thank you.”

Jax calls to him from where the guys gather, and River nods at him before looking back to me. “I’ll talk to you later.”

His voice is low and gravelly and sounds more like a promise than a statement, sending sparks dancing along my skin. I take a sip of my drink, hoping it’ll cool me down, only to realize he’d grabbed me another cider. My cheeks flush, and I drain the cup without thinking.

“You should see your face,” Shana says from where she drops into the seat next to me.

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