Page 47 of Force Play
“You don’t live here, dick.”
He shrugs. “Consider it payback for all those times you stumbled into my apartment and stole my coffee when we were in Wichita.”
I sigh. “Not that I don’t enjoy seeing you, but what the hell are you doing here, Cole?”
“I’m here to find out that I won the bet.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
Cole’s smile is devious. It’s creepy. “The bet I made with the guys when I said you’d fuck Lucia by New Year’s.”
I choke down a cough. I forgot they did that.
The fuckers think I can’t keep my dick in my pants.
I mean, they’re right, but must theyalwaysbe right?
“Still don’t know why the four of you insisted on making that damn bet,” I grumble, hoping like hell I can play it off and not give myself away.
If it’s possible, I think Cole looksmoresmug now. “Cut the shit, Ari. I wasn’t as drunk as everyone else last night. I saw Lucia walk into that hallway, and you followed after her. Then you were both missing for a while. Little strange if you ask me.”
“I was just checking on her,” I reply quickly.
“You went to check onLucia?Come on, I’m not that naive.”
I roll my eyes and cross my arms. “Matt was there last night. She went to talk to him, and I saw her stalk off into the hall after. The rest of you were drunk and didn’t notice, so I went over to make sure she was okay.”
“And then?” he prods.
“And then we… talked.”
Cole leans back against the counter, smirking like the bastard he is. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”
“You’re only seven months older than me. And Lucia is actuallyolderthan you.”
“Interesting that you’re including Lucia in this.”
“You’re the one insinuating I fucked her!” I say louder than I intended. Thank fuck she always wears earbuds in the gym.
“I’m not insinuating anything. I’m saying it happened.”
I try to come up with a response, but I fall flat. It’s not like he’s believing a word I say right now, anyway.
“Goddammit, I hate you sometimes,” I groan.
Cole laughs with a giant smile. “Oh my God, you did sleep with her!”
“It wasn’t planned,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck. “But… yeah.”
He claps his hands together in excitement. “I fuckingknewyou would! And you actually hooked up at the club!”
I scrub my hands down my face. “Like I said, none of it was planned. I did go to check on her, as I said. That was all true. Then she was complaining about Matt and how he didn’t show up last year. Next thing I know, we’re kissing in the hallway, and she’s dragging me into a supply closet.”
“You gonna sleep with her again?” he asks, cocking his eyebrow.
“I don’t fuck anyone twice.”
“And you also said you wouldn’t fuck Lucia once,” he chuckles. “I’m not buying that it won’t happen again, especially when you’ve already let her take the jewelry for a ride.”
