Page 70 of The Rookie

He smirks, shifting closer under the bubbling water. “Come on, Sinclair. You’ve always been such a rule-following good girl. Perfect grades, always doing the right thing, never stepping out of line…” His fingers skim along my bare shoulder, a light, almost absentminded touch, but it sends a ripple of heat down my spine.

I swallow hard. “And?”

His grin deepens. “And I think you like pretending that’s all you are.” His gaze drops to my lips, then lower, before flicking back to my eyes. “But we both know the truth.”

I open my mouth to fire back, but he beats me to it.

“What happens in Mexico, stays in Mexico.” He leans in, his breath warm against my cheek. “Everything.”

My stomach tightens. The way he says it—low, slow, like a promise—makes my pulse stutter.

Kayla splashes us, oblivious to the absolute war happening inside me right now. “Stop whispering and strip, cowards!”

I blink, forcing myself to tear my gaze from Griffin’s. “Not happening.”

“Mmm,” he hums, tilting his head like he’s debating. “We’ll see.”

His hand drags lightly across my waist under the water before he shifts back, too casual, too confident, and takes another sip of his beer.

I glare at him. “Don’t you dare.”

But, of course, Griffindares.

He stands up—fully stands up—in the bubbling water, and my brain short-circuits.

Because it’s one thing to deal with his usual cocky confidence. It’s another to deal with Griffinin all his glory,silhouetted by the moonlight with his briefs sliding off and disappearing into the depths of the hot tub.

I whip around, my face flaming. “Are you serious right now?”

“Fully serious,” Griffin replies, far too casual about beingnakedin a hot tub with three other people. “You can open your eyes, Sinclair. It’s just water.”

“It’s not just water!” I splutter, still staring resolutely at the bubbles.

Kayla, meanwhile, is howling with laughter. “Oh my god, Avery. Your face. You’re like a Victorian lady seeing an ankle.”

“Geezus, Knox. Have you done porn?” Jake says. “Because that is a porn-worthy?—”

“Okay, y’all, shush” I hiss. I heave a sigh. Maybe I should just go with the flow. I don’t know why I’m being so resistant.

“Relax,” Griffin says, dropping back into the water so only his shoulders are visible. “You’re acting like you’ve never seen?—”

“Don’t finish that sentence,” I cut in sharply.

“—a perfectly average guy enjoying the hot tub,” he finishes, grinning.

Average,my ass. Not that I’mlooking,but come on. Of course he’s as super-sized as his ego suggests. The universe clearly has favorites, and it’s infuriating.

Eventually, Kayla and Jake start bickering—again—this time over whose turn it is to fetch more beer.

“I went last time,” Kayla says, swatting at Jake’s shoulder.

“Yeah, but youalsodrank the last one,” Jake argues, grinning like he’s enjoying the chaos. “Your mess, your errand.”

Kayla lets out a dramatic sigh, pushing herself up and out of the water. “Fine. Come on, Jake. You’re carrying the case back.”

Jake groans. “Teamwork doesn’t exist in your vocabulary, does it?”

They keep arguing as they head toward the hotel, leaving me alone with Griffin. I should feel relief, but instead, my heart does this stupid fluttering thing it has no business doing.

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