Page 10 of Make the Play

She lands sideways, half-straddling me in a flurry of silky fabric and gasping laughter.

Flash.

She whacks my chest, but she’s breathless and still laughing, her hands gripping my shoulders for balance. “What the hell was that?”

“Problem?”

“Yeah, my problem is you’re a menace.”

“I’m a delight.”

Flash.

“Oh my god,” she groans, eyes flicking to the camera. “We need to ruin the next ones. If Tamara sees these—”

“Oh, she’s gonna see them.” I grin. “Eli, too.”

“Christ,” she mutters. “Fine. Time forugly.”

Before I have time to tell her she couldn’t look remotely ugly in any realm of reality, the next countdown starts.

She purses her lips like a fish and crosses her eyes. I grab my ears and pull them wide.

Flash.

She shoves her fingers into my cheeks and mashes my face,

I grab her wrist and mock-bite her hand as she shrieks and curls into me.

Flash.

We’re breathless, too tangled up in this tiny booth, laughter still warm between us as the camera resets for a new round of photos.

Zoe grins, eyes bright with booze and mischief. “Okay, new plan.”

I tip my head, still trying to settle my pulse. “Oh, yeah?”

She leans in slightly, about to propose something truly unhinged.

“We should kiss.”

My brain short-circuits. “What?”

She nods towards the camera. “For the next round of photos.”

I register three things immediately.

She’s tipsy.

She’s fucking with me.

---