Page 46 of One Last Run

Danica eyed Maggie with skepticism. "What do you know?"

"I know that she's been staring at you and practically drooling this entire trip," Maggie said, finally looking up

"She has? Really? Has she said anything?" Danica asked, packing a new snowball with increased fervor.

Maggie shrugged. "Nothing specific, but I know you both, and I’m pro-whatever this is. I mean, I just think it could be fun, right? A little vacation fling before you have to go back to real life, you know?"

Danica grimaced. "Really? Kiera hates the idea."

"Kiera is just salty because she's staying with a dirtbag who cheated on her," Maggie said.

Danica's mouth popped open in a silent gasp. She agreed with Maggie, completely, but even so, hearing someone put it so bluntly was still a surprise. "I mean…”

“I know you agree with me.”

How could Danica word this delicately? “It’s, uh, it's not a choice I'd make."

"Yeah, because we're not straight women so we don't have to lower our standards until they're basically down in hell," Maggie said, rolling her eyes. "But enough about that. You and Pete. Idon't think it could hurt." The glint in her eyes was a little too knowing for Danica's taste.

"Of course it could hurt," Danica said, shaking her head.

"We have two nights. You can't get that attached in two nights." Maggie's tone implied the statement was obvious. "You always play it safe, Dani. It might be nice to do something a little wild for once. You know Pete, she's a safe choice to have fun with. You two already have lots of chemistry. After all, when else are you going to get a chance to have sex with someone hot without adding to your body count?"

Danica groaned. "Body counts are bullshit."

"What about body counts?" Pete called from below the deck.

Maggie and Danica both startled, looking out the deck railing to see Kiera, Izzy, and Pete standing below them on street level.

"Whatcha doing?" Kiera asked, angling her head and narrowing her eyes with suspicion.

"Security breach! It's every woman for herself," Maggie called out dramatically, grabbing a snowball and flinging it toward a surprised Kiera.

Danica grabbed two snowballs, throwing them at Pete. Izzy had already ducked and was preparing a return of fire.

"So not fair," Kiera yelled back, throwing a loose snowball that broke apart mid-air to shower snow over the patio.

Once the snowballs started flying, allegiances were quickly nullified, and everyone was a target. Danica squealed in a decidedly embarrassing way, running across the deck to hide behind the hot tub as Izzy and Pete stormed the stairs, arms loaded with snowballs.

Kiera got a few good shots in at Pete and Izzy, but it only seemed to distract Izzy. Pete was on a mission, her eyes sparkling with delight as they stayed focused on Danica, who was cornered between the condo wall and the hot tub.

"I surrender, I surrender," Danica pleaded, holding up her hands.

Pete's eyes softened as she approached. She reached as if to shake Danica's hand, then pulled her off-balance and stuffed snow down the back of Danica’s coat. Danica yelped in surprise and Pete threw her head back, laughing, only to be hit squarely on the ear with a snowball thrown by Izzy. With Pete distracted, Danica scooped a new snowball, reaching to grab Pete's jacket and repay the favor.

Pete's feet slipped and they both fell to the ground with shrieks of laughter. As Kiera, Izzy, and Maggie shouted and laughed nearby, Danica paused, still lying mostly on top of Pete, her chest heaving, lungs burning with the cold air. Pete smiled up at her, reaching to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Their warm breaths fogged the air and the world around them seemed to quiet and blur, leaving only the way Pete's dark eyes searched hers for an answer to the question they'd been silently asking all week.

Danica's gaze darted to Pete's mouth, her stomach tightening with nervous anticipation, and just as she was sure that Pete was going to lean in to kiss her, a shock of cold made her jump. Pete cackled with delight, and Danica realized belatedly that Pete had dropped a handful of snow on the back of Danica's neck. It slid down her shirt and she jumped up, pulling at the hem of her base layer to get the snow out of her shirt.

"I win!" Pete exclaimed, standing up to brush snow off her pants.

"Let's just say revenge is a dish best served cold, my friend," Danica threatened.

Pete grinned. "We'll see about that."

"I really thoughtthis place would be gayer with a name like Tomboy Tavern," Pete said as they slid into a booth for dinner. The large leather booth wrapped around a table, and Maggie awkwardly repositioned everyone until Pete and Danica were next to one another, herself in between Danica and Kiera.

Danica eyed Maggie as she sat down, unwrapping her scarf and raking her hands through her hat hair. Maggie was a masterful matchmaker, wasn't she? The woman looked absolutely shameless as she gave Danica a wink, then picked up the drink menu. "Alright, people, I skipped my ibuprofen so I could have a nice cocktail."

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