Page 25 of The Heartbreakers
When he finished telling me his plan and pulled away, a look of doubt crossed my face. “Are you sure that will work?”
“Just trust me, okay? I won’t let you fall.” Drew squeezed my hand, and reassurance flooded through me.
“Can you losers hurry up?” JJ taunted us. Even with Xander on his shoulders, he was hopping from foot to foot in anticipation. “I’m tired of waiting. Do you want me to die of old age over here?”
“Your insults are improving by the minute,” Oliver said dryly as he rolled his eyes in JJ’s direction.
Drew ducked under the water, and I climbed back on, determined to win. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Oliver slip into the pool and swim closer for a better view.
Alec repeated the countdown. “Ready, set, go!”
JJ attacked again quickly, but Drew was faster and moved a step back. We continued to dance away from JJ until he was exceedingly frustrated.
“Would you two stop being such pussies and actually fight us?” he demanded and slapped the water with both of his hands.
“I take offense at that,” I said, looking down at him.
“And I’ll take my kiss,” he said, his eyes laughing at me.
“Never going to happen,” Drew said.
“JJ,” Xander added, “I think you’d make a wonderful super villain.”
“That would make you my evil sidekick,” JJ responded. Xander frowned in response.
My brother tapped my ankle as if to ask,Youready?I squeezed his arm,Yes.
Drew moved forward to collide with Team Evil, and Xander’s hands swiftly found their way around my wrists. I pretended to fight him for a moment before Drew let go of my left leg and wrapped his free arm tightly around my right leg. I kicked out and my free foot slammed into Xander’s chest. My wrists slipped free from his hold, and he splashed into the water with a cry of surprise.
“Cheater! You can’t kick anyone,” JJ shouted and pointed at me. “I win by default.”
Oliver swam over to his friend and slinked his arm around JJ’s shoulder. “Actually,” Oliver said as he tried to hide his grin. “Kicking was never included in the rules. They covered balls, breasts, teeth, nails, and hair. Any questions?”
JJ turned to Alec, who only shook his head and shrugged. “I still don’t think it’s fair,” JJ complained.
Drew let me slide off his shoulders and pounded on his chest in triumph before pulling me into a hug. “Told you we wouldn’t lose.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I grumbled, but I smiled at him anyway. Then I turned to Xander. “Hey, you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
Xander grinned and shook his head. “Not at all, but you did scare the crap out of me.”
It took a few minutes of Drew pestering JJ to get him to hold up his end of the bargain. When the words finally left JJ’s lips, they came out in an embarrassed mumble, and Drew almost died of laughter.
However, once that was done, JJ seemed to relax and returned to his happy-go-lucky self. “I have to admit,” he said, turning to me, “that was one hell of a kick. I almost fell over!”
“Thank you,” I said as I bobbed up and down in the water, “but it was all Drew’s idea.” My brother flourished his hand and took a deep bow.
“You guys might be jerks,” JJ said, and for a moment I thought he was actually mad at us, “but this is the most fun I’ve had in the longest time.” He displayed a wide grin, and I instantly grinned back. Surprisingly, I felt the same way.
“More chicken fights?” Xander suggested.
“Definitely more chicken fights,” JJ and Drew said together.
Chapter 7
When we stepped off the elevator, Aaron gave Oliver a disapproving look. “Where have you been?” he demanded. Oliver and I had gotten tired of the chicken fighting, so we’d left the boys and returned to the suite.
“Sorry, Aaron. We got lost,” Oliver said with a smirk.
