Page 82 of For Pleasure Or Worse

Mateo

A knotin my chest unfurled knowing Tally was within reach, in my sight, and there was no prowling creep in the vicinity—despite the way Wink made it feel like I would have to emerge from the crowd throwing fists.

Sam headed down toward the belly flop competition at the pool, taking his clothes off on the way. From early on in our military career it became obvious he had a motive for everything, so questioning that confidence was something I never stopped to do anymore. I did, however, tilt my head like an older brother watching his sibling make a mistake he would have to learn from.

The good news was it didn’t look like Tally wanted to kill me anymore. Not as much as she did stomping away from me this morning, anyway. I wasn’t stupid enough to think that meant anything close to a reconciliation. Natalia, like any other woman, had a very specific and intricate code pattern, and if you didn’t hit every button precisely it was back to square one.

We both said things we probably regretted, and we’d both have to figure that out like adults do. We fought, we fucked up, we needed a little bit of time to let rash emotions form carefulsolutions, and the silver lining was that we had all the time in the world. I would approach this with a heed of optimism.

Pike started for the bar and I threw out my forearm to hold him back.

“Wait,” I said. “Ask her if she’ll come talk to me. I don’t want to come off like I’m backing her into a corner she can’t escape.”

Pike’s dark eyebrow arched. “You’re overthinking this, like you always do.”

“I’d rather be an overthinker than an underthinker and embarrass myself.”

“This is so high school.” Frankie heaved a sigh and scratched the hair at the back of his neck, walking away reluctantly.

A platform hung above the pool water where Wink waited in line with a handful of other men, looking entirely out of place among the rounder bellies. He stretched his arms above his head, then did some standing twists and a few high knees to limber himself. Natalia’s sisters finally caught up, cutting through the crowd beside me with no lack of colorful complaints following.

I hushed them, pointing down at Sam.

“What is he doing?” Camilla asked. “Do you think he knows how many grown adults are peeing in that water?”

A grimace stretched across my face and I shook it away. “He’s gathering a crowd, ladies. Looks like you’re falling behind again.”

We watched Sam step up to the edge of the stage to a chorus of cheering and whistling. It was unclear if this was a competition of who had the best flop or who could stay in the contest the longest, but I was putting my money on my sniper either way.

Frankie trudged back across the sand toward me with O and Tyler and I held my breath waiting for Tally to come, too.

“He’s the most competitive person I know,” Echo boasted. “And he also hates to dance, so he’s taking this thing personally.”

“There’s an art to belly flops.” Bella tilted her head. “You can do it without any pain if you land the right way.”

“And you know this from experience?” I lifted a brow.

“Research.”

Pike handed me a drink and a bar napkin with a scribble of pen on it. I squinted at it. “Tally wanted me to give you this.”

She stared at me across the way as I unfolded it, and as easy as it was to read her mind when I was inside her, this was more of a reach. Judging by her choice to keep our distance, I might have been better off answering my own question.

Beckoned by a man? I’m not a dog.

Shit.

My lips twitched and I stuck my tongue in my cheek. The attitude on that woman would never cease to entertain me, if not turn me on. It was like a secret weapon she’d honed. She knew it all too well by the self-assured look on her face when I dared to find her gaze again.

Not my best move, in retrospect.

The rowdy host by the pool introduced Sam and the crowd went wild for him as he readied, spreading his massive wingspan. The muscles on his sides rippled and the sun beamed down on his handsome face. We all held our collective breaths as he jumped, flattened in the air, and fell into the water with aclap.

The mob recited a collectiveoof,Tyler and Pike cheered, and Sam swam to the surface, pumping his fist triumphantly as the crowd erupted in applause. More and more people poured over,filling out the space around the pool until it was just as thick with partygoers as the dance floor.

I rapped on Pike’s chest with the back of my hand. “Go back over there and tell her I said, ‘You’ve worn a collar for me a few times.’”

“Yeah right, man,” Pike scoffed, pushing me away. “I like my balls where they are.”

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