Page 45 of Make the Play

“Hold on, Corie girl,” he tells me before he launches into the pool with me still over his shoulder. He releases me when we hit the water, and we both come up sputtering. I swim after him. When I get close enough, I push on his shoulder, trying to dunk him, but it’s useless. He’s too strong.

However, the move has a better outcome than my revenge. Knox places his hands on my hips and pulls me close. I continue to try and dunk him, keeping up the ruse of being upset because I want his hands on me.

“Chicken!” Sloane calls out.

“You’re going down, Reynolds,” she taunts. “Grab a partner.”

I stop moving and look at Knox. “You don’t have to look,” he says quietly. “I’m the only man here allowed to put his hands on you.”

“Careful, Mr. Beckett, you sound a little possessive, maybe a little jealous,” I tease.

“Yes, and yes. Now, get on, beautiful.” He turns me in the water so my back is to his front. He moves in close, letting me feel his hard length against my backside. I push into him, and he groans softly in my ear. “On three,” he says huskily. He grips my hips, ready to help me onto his shoulders. “One, two, three,” he says as he dives underwater and helps me move to settle on his shoulders.

He comes out of the water with his hands gripping my thighs. When I look up, Sloane is already on Reid’s shoulders, and she’s smirking. I flash her an “I love you, bestie” smile, because her genius mind orchestrated this. She made it possible for me to touch and be near him without anyone getting any ideas.

“We need a judge,” Reid calls out.

“You have a panel of three,” Foster tells him.

“First one to fall off shoulders into the water loses.”

“We don’t need three judges for that,” Sloane sasses.

“Well, you get them anyway,” Baker says, pulling himself out of the water to sit on the pool's edge. My brother does the same, and suddenly, all eyes are on us.

“Ready… go!” Landry shouts.

Sloane and I are instantly laughing and taunting one another, trying to knock the other off first. Knox has a firm grip on my thighs. He wants to win as much as I do. The peanut gallery, better known as our judges, are cheering and calling out their own taunts. When I hear, “Is that a nip slip?” I know I’ve won, because Sloane looks down to make sure it’s not her. I know it’s not me. I’m in a one-piece suit tonight, and my bestie, well, her choice of attire is much skimpier. I take the opportunity to push with all I’ve got, and she screams as she falls off Reid’s shoulders and into the water.

Knox falls beneath the water, and I swim off his shoulders, but he’s grabbing me and hoisting me up in the air, my back to his front as he cheers in victory.

“No fair,” Sloane whines. “I was distracted.”

“A win’s a win, Peterson,” I tell her as Knox places me back on my feet. He stands close behind me, his hand on the small of my back. It’s a small, simple touch that I’m sure the others can’t see, but it’s still a risk.

The rest of the guys join us back in the pool, and we spend another hour or so just goofing off. It’s a great night, one filled with lots of laughter and great company. This night did not turn out at all like I expected it to. It was better than I could have imagined.

After a quick shower to wash off the chlorine, I’m in bed, running everything that happened with Knox through my mind, when my phone vibrates. Grabbing it from the nightstand, I smile when I see his name.

Knox Beckett: I really wanted to kiss you goodbye.

My heart flutters as I read his words.

Me: That would have been nice.

Knox Beckett: What are your plans tomorrow night?

Me: I’ll have to check my calendar.

I’m lying, and we both know it. I have no plans for tomorrow night. I change his name in my phone, losing his last name.

Knox: If you can find time to pencil me into your busy schedule, I’d like to see you.

Me: I’ll have to see what I can do. What did you have in mind?

Knox: Just seeing you, Corie girl. Maybe if I’m lucky, I can steal a few more kisses.

Yes, please!

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