Page 37 of Wild Card

I wanted to prod, ask what she knew…what it was that everyone seemed to know that I didn’t.

“Just be yourself. You’re a good-looking guy who has a lot to offer. Your story will be so cute once you thaw through her icy exterior.”

I stood, slamming the cupboard shut. I hated how weak the idea of him having a story with Taylor made me, how I didn’t even know him, but because we’d had one stupid moment together, my damn mind and body had decided we had dibs, regardless of the fact that on the night in question of said dibs, he was busy trying to seduce someone he thought was Taylor. It was stupid—all of this was stupid.

Decker trailed after me, clearing his throat. I dumped the bag of chips in the bowl and headed for the couch. At least I’d get my favorite snack out of this ordeal.

“Uh…” Decker glanced at the spot next to me and at where Taylor sat in the chair.

Right, he’d want to sit next to her because he was trying to seduce her.

With my eyes I told him to just sit down and work his way up to sitting next to her. With his eyes he told me to make it happen. But I’d already made this night happen—he was in my living room, mere feet from my stepsister. This was as good as it was going to get.

I cleared my throat, narrowing my eyes, pressing my point without actually using words.

He finally gave in, letting out a sigh and throwing his back into the seat on the cushion farthest from me.

Fuck you too, buddy.

“What are you guys watching?” Taylor asked, sipping from her plastic tumbler. Lemon water from the looks of it—sometimes that was an entire meal for her.

“I don’t know…what are you in the mood for?” I asked Decker.

His knee bounced while I began clicking through options on Netflix.

“How about that new horror movie…the one with the house and those kids?” Taylor asked, taking a loud sip. Suddenly she was invested in a movie that literally sounded like every horror movie I had ever seen.

“Do you know the name?”

“I know what she’s talking about. It’s…” Decker’s body was suddenly next to mine, his hand grabbing for the remote. He smelled so good I wanted to groan.

One time I’d gone to some fancy cologne store with Juan, helping him look for something new. We sprayed all these little cards, trying to find the right scent for him. I ended up inhaling so much my nose hurt, but now, here smelling Decker, it felt like I’d finally found that perfect aroma, and I wanted to plaster my face to his neck and breathe him in.

Instead I pulled away from him, yelling, “No grabbing!”

“It’s just easier to find it than to try to tell you…you’re going to get irritated.” His strong, very defined arm was nearly across my folded legs, his eyes set in a stern manor, like I was being ridiculous.

I held the remote higher because pride is a fickle beast, one that kept me company more often than I cared to admit, but at least it was consistent and loyal.

“Seriously?”

“It’s my house—you can’t have the remote!” I shrieked as he reached up, but my resistance only made him more determined. Suddenly he launched himself toward me, covering my legs and half my body with his as his long arm reached up and snagged the prize.

“Ha!” He settled back into the couch, but this time he was in the space right next to me.

My heart was thundering in my chest like an eighth grader who’d just been touched by her crush. His body heat was so close it warmed up my feet, which were basically touching his hip now from how they were curled behind me.

He clicked over a few titles until he found what he was looking for, Taylor confirming the choice and setting her laptop aside as soon as he pressed play. I personally wasn’t a fan of horror movies as they usually made me want to pee my pants, but I was here as the awkward chaperone to these two, so…

I tugged my phone out, trying to ignore the music in the movie, the scary images, and the dreary overall vibe in the room. The lights had been dimmed at some point, probably by Taylor, who was sitting next to the switch on the wall. She was huddled under the covers in her chair, but knowing her, she would likely find a way to crawl into Decker’s lap at any moment.

Movement by my feet had me looking over my shoulder. Decker’s hand was in the bowl of chips, the glow of the television highlighting his corded arm. My eyes wandered up his body, taking in the way his jaw moved as he chewed, his eyes on the movie. A flutter erupted in my stomach as I watched him, taking in how good he looked sitting next to me with the lights out and the television on. I briefly considered what this would feel like if I were turned, my body curled into his, my hand in that bowl with his because lime chips were the best thing ever invented. Suddenly, I realized he was essentially eating them all. I gave my head a brief shake to clear away the images I should never have allowed to take root and went after him.

“Hey! Don’t eat them all!” I dove over his lap toward them, not caring at all that I was being awkward, or that it would likely look like we were flirting with each other. Then again, I acted this way with Juan whenever he was over. Taylor probably thought Decker was just another one of my buddies.

“Share!” Decker’s mouth was full as he pulled the bowl away from his chest, trying to block me.

“How can you eat that garbage?” Taylor glared from her spot in the recliner, eyeing us like we were deranged.

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