Page 80 of Wild As Her

“I did lose my horse that week.”

“Iknow.That’s why I let you win,” she says with annoyance.

She grabs a pool cue and walks toward the table like she didn’t just rip open an old wound for sport. That's the thing with Cami. We have so much history. Some good, some bad, and some new. The new stuff is what's been hard to navigate.

I follow her. Of course I do.

We line up for the break. She leans over the table, and I definitely do not stare. I absolutely do not lose focus when she looks over her shoulder and smirks.

“Eyes up, Jessop.”

“Not my fault your aim is shit.”

She cracks the break, balls scattering like my rational thoughts.

We play. She trash-talks. I trash-talk back. Beau and the others cheer her on, which makes me extra obnoxious on purpose, which only makes her laugh more.

And by the end of the game, we’re toe-to-toe again. Just like always. One breath away from too much.

She leans in, close enough for me to almost taste the cider on her breath.

“You still mad about earlier?” she whispers.

“Nope.”

“Liar.”Her eyes sparkle. “I like it when you’re jealous. You get all grumpy and broody and say dumb things.”

“I never say dumb things.”

“Yeah,” she whispers. “You do. But they’re kind of my favorite.”

And then she just…walks away.Left me there holding a cue and my pride in pieces.

Ollie passes by, slapping me on the back.“Head over heels,” he says.

And you know what?I can't even deny it.

Chapter 20

Cami

Am I Okay? By Megan Moroney

The house is quiet by the time I pad out of the bathroom, still drying my hair with a towel and trying not to think about how weird things had gotten at the Black Dog.

We joked. We bantered. Jackalmostsmiled like he meant it. And then, of course, I went and said something flirty and stupid and walked away before I could face the consequences like a total coward.

It’s fine. I’m fine. Everything istotally normal. I roll my eyes at my reflection in the mirror. “Yeah, keep telling yourself that.”

After I brush my hair and wash off the bar air, I tug on my favorite sleep set—gray cotton shorts and a tank top that doesn’t try to be sexy but absolutely is. Then I tiptoe down the stairs and out onto the back porch, careful about the creaky floorboards and waking Jack, who’s probably brooding in his sleeping bag upstairs like a sad little cowboy.

Love lifts her head from the couch as soon as I step onto the porch.

“There you are, fuzzball,” I whisper, crouching to scratch behind her ears. She huffs and flops into my lap as I drop onto the wicker couch and pull the faded blanket around us. “You missed all the drama at the bar.”

She blinks up at me with her concerned warm brown eyes.

I sigh. “Fine. I’ll fill you in. Jack was doing this broody stare thing every time Beau opened his mouth.”

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