Page 42 of The Stand-In Boyfriend

We all burst into laughter.

“Oh, Elliott, you were right.” Jessica moves closer, pulling me after her because I’m not letting go, and pats him on the shoulder. “You’re definitely not ready for a girlfriend.”

“But…” He squints at Jessica, and then back in the direction in which the other girl disappeared. He lifts his hands in surrender and then lets them fall by his side. “Whatever, I give up!”

I shake my head at him, still laughing. “Dude, you’re hopeless. Why don’t you go and use those charming abilities of yours to find us something to drink?”

His eyes narrow. “You see what I mean? He makes me do all the hard work. Asshat.”

“He is something else,” Jessy says as we watch him climb into the back of his truck. I should have known that he’d bring something else, since we all know the only thing you can find here is beer.

“Are you guys coming or what?” Elliot asks over his shoulder.

I help Jessy get in the back of the truck, where there is a blanket tossed over the bed. Elliot is already sitting in the corner with a bottle of tequila in his hand.

“Please tell me you cleaned that,” I say, looking at the blanket and contemplating what we might be sitting on.

Jessy looks between the two of us warily. “Is there something I need to know?”

“Fuck off, Russell. It’s clean.”

“I don’t think you should risk it,” I tell Jessy, and sit down, pulling her in my lap.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she asks me quietly, her eyes wide.

“Acting like a nice boyfriend would,” I whisper back, wrapping my arms around her middle and pulling her closer to me.

“You guys are making me want to puke,” Elliot comments, opening the bottle and pouring the liquid into plastic cups. “At least wait with all the mushy stuff until after I’m drunk.”

“You’re just jealous, asshole.”

Jeremiah and Dean join us with their dates in the back of the truck. Elliot gives us each a cup.

We talk about everything and nothing, talking shit and drinking. Tequila helps too, and in no time, Jessica relaxes enough not to be self-conscious and starts talking with the guys like she’s one of them while at the same time lying against my chest.

“So he was working on his spiral, you know? We’ve been at it for hours, but no matter what, the coach wasn’t happy. He wanted more. I could see that Noah was pissed at him, but what can we do, right? So he starts running backward and just as he gets ready to throw the damn ball, he trips over his own feet and falls down on his ass.”

I shake my head at Elliot, but don’t say anything, not willing to ruin their fun. Even Jessica is laughing with the rest of them.

“Did he at least manage to throw the ball?” Jessica asks when she gets her laughter under control.

“Not a chance. It fell not even a foot away from him.”

More laughter. Jessica’s shoulder brushes against mine as her whole body shakes with the movement, her sleek hair tickling me as she moves and laughs.

It’s intoxicating seeing her like this. Happy and carefree. Her smile wide, cheeks flushed, golden dots dancing in her dark eyes.

Sheis intoxicating, and I can’t seem to get enough of her. It’s like she’s filling every hollow part of my soul, and I want more.

More of her body against mine.

More of her laughter.

More ofher.

Jessy looks over her shoulder at me, that wide smile directed right at me leaving me breathless for a moment. Her mouth moves, but I can’t hear a word she says.

“What?” I finally ask when I see that she’s waiting for an answer.

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