Page 5 of Make the Play

“I guess we’re in,” I say, laughing nervously.

“Let’s see what you’ve got, Corie girl.” Knox offers me his hand to help me up.

Quickly, I wipe my palms on my jean shorts that I put on over my bikini bottoms, and I pray my nerves don’t betray me when I place my hand in his. My hand is so small compared to his, and the warmth of his skin travels up my arm. Knox gently tugs me to my feet, but this is me, and of course, I have to trip over my own feet and end up crashing into his chest for the second time today.

This time, though, it’s different. Knox is shirtless, and the feel of his skin pressed to mine has a flurry of desire rushing through my veins. I expect him to walk away, but he surprises me when he wraps both arms around me, pulling me close.

“You falling for me, Corie?” he asks. His voice is husky, and if it were anyone other than Knox freaking Beckett, I’d say it’s laced with desire, but this isn’t fantasy land. This is real life.

“Sorry, I’m not usually so clumsy.” My face flames, and I just want the ground to swallow me whole.

He bends his lips a breath from mine. “Good thing I’m always here to catch you.”

I lick my lips. He’s so close I could kiss him. He could kiss me, and no matter how many times I’ve fantasized about this moment, the real thing is a million times hotter than my imagination could ever create.

Knox steps away, taking his arms and the warmth of his skin with him. “Come on. They’re going to start without us.” He nods toward the fire, and it takes extreme effort to put one foot in front of the other and move closer.

Knox slows his steps and settles in beside me. His arm brushes mine as we walk, and on the inside, I’m screaming like a sixteen-year-old girl. What is it about this man that has me so enthralled?

We make it to the fire, and I see Sloane sitting on Landry’s lap. I raise my brows, and she shrugs. “I was too lazy to go grab another chair.”

“Take the one I was in,” Knox tells me. “I’ll go grab another.”

“What? No, we’ve already started. Just sit in his lap,” Sloane tells me. There’s an innocence to her tone, and even with the light of the fire, I can’t get a good read on her, but I know without a shadow of a doubt that there is nothing but mischief shining back at me in those big brown eyes of hers.

“Yeah, you’re holding us up,” Foster complains.

“He doesn’t bite, sis,” Landry tells me. He’s three sheets to the wind. In fact, they all seem to be. All of them except for Knox.

I turn to look up at him. “You’re not drinking?”

“Nah, too close to the season starting. I don’t drink much, anyway.” He nods to the chair. “I can take the grass.”

“No, the night air is setting in, and the grass is wet. Are you sure this is okay?” I shift my weight and bite down on my bottom lip.

He steps close and lowers his voice just for me. “A beautiful woman sitting on my lap?” He pauses, leaning in just a little closer, and my breath hitches. “As long as it’s you.” He winks, takes the empty chair, reaches for my hand, and tugs me down onto his lap.

Once I’m settled, he turns me sideways and rests one hand on my bare thigh, while the other rests on the armrest. It’s the same way that Sloane sits with Landry on the opposite side of the fire. They grew up together. They’re like brother and sister, at least I think they are. I make a mental note to ask my best friend if she has a thing for my brother. I know when we were kids, she used to say how hot he was. Hell, she still does that, but I don’t think there is anything there. I’m almost certain she’s just being my wing woman and knew that I would need a lap to sit on, as well. Maybe I’ll owe her lunch after this. Only time will tell how this all pans out.

Our chair isn’t set as close to the fire as the others, and it feels as if we’re more in the shadows, which I’m grateful for. The last thing I need is for anyone to pick up on the fact that I’m attracted to Knox, something I’m sure my body is betraying me with due to the heat of embarrassment I can feel coating my cheeks.

I don’t know why I’m embarrassed. So I’m sitting on a hot guy’s lap, no biggie. Just because he’s been the object of my fantasies for the last four years doesn’t mean a thing. Nope. Just business as usual over here. Nothing to see. Knox traces his thumb over my bare thigh, and I shiver.

“You cold?” he asks, his voice low so only I can hear.

“I’m okay,” I reply, keeping my eyes on the fire. I glance over at my brother, and he looks like he’s about to pass out, which is probably why he’s not warning Knox away from me. Landry stepped up for me when our mom passed away. He’s been my provider and my protector. I can’t imagine he’d be happy if he knew about my crush on his best friend.

“Are we doing this?” Sloane asks. There’s a slur to her voice, and as I take in the other guys, I realize everyone here is at the higher end of the intoxicated scale. Everyone but Knox and me.

“You start us off,” Reid tells her.

“Wait, how are we doing this? Keeping score? Shouting answers?” Foster asks, tipping his beer to his lips.

“Shouting answers and not keeping score,” Sloane answers. “I don’t think any of us are in any shape to comprehend all that.” She laughs. “Okay. I’ll go first,” Sloane says. She wiggles around to get her phone out of her back pocket.

“Keep still, woman,” Landry curses as she settles back in. “Your ass is bony.”

“Dude, did you just say you want to bone her ass?” Baker asks.

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