Page 70 of Sweet Surrender
“Nothing,” he sulked, and she rolled her eyes. He continued to brood while she finished getting ready, not that she minded, he looked good all grumpy and lost in his thoughts.
They left the cabin, Beau driving them to the court the guys played at. For the whole journey he remained silent in the car, the mood subdued, until during a particularly moving Adele song, she let out a massivewoo!She sent him a gleeful smile, trying to draw him out of his mood and into their game, but he just clenched his jaw.
“Okay, I give up, want to tell me what’s got your panties in a bunch?” Was it their night together? She knew it was a mistake to cross that line, but her stupid hormones wouldn’t leave her alone. Consequences.
His jaw clenched again; his knuckles white on the steering wheel but he didn’t say anything.
“Come on Beau, tell me. We’re friends again, right? And friends tell each other stuff,” she said. More jaw clenching but this time she got the remix which included huffing and nostril flaring.
“Fine, don’t tell me. But I swear on Dolly Parton that if yo-”
“Jesus Christ, I’m embarrassed, Taylor!” he burst out and she snapped her mouth shut. “We had one shot to do this thing, it’s been building and building between us, and I came quicker than a teenager watching his first dirty movie! So yeah, I’m embarrassed, all right?” he said.
“Well, you shouldn’t be. It may have escaped your attention, but I also finished very quickly. You got me so riled up and made me feel so good that-” She rolled her lips between her teeth; she hadn’t meant to say that. She noticed his hand-flex on the steering wheel.
“For the love of God don’t say things like that unless you want a repeat performance.”
Her stomach flipped at the thought. Have him again? Yes please…no!
“I mean, it’s not like you want a repeat performance, right?” he murmured.
Yes, yes she did. She wanted lots of them but that wasn’t what they were meant to be doing here.
She swallowed thickly. “Do you?”
His eyes swiveled to hers, a fierceness banked in the dark depths that had heat unfurling inside her. “Do you really want me to answer that, sweetheart?”
Fuck.Her lips pursed. “Maybe we should just forget what happened? We had some fun and now we know what it was like, it’s out of the way and we can focus on getting our friendship back.” Although there was truth to her words, she couldn’t help but feel she just drew a line in the sand. She wanted to continue exploring their physical relationship. There were so many things she wanted to do with him but losing him wasn’t one of them, and that felt inevitable if they continued.
He nodded abruptly and turned his attention back to the road and before long he was pulling up outside the basketball court. Justine and Blake were already there and as Taylor and Beau greeted them, Christy and Dean arrived. Everyone had the audacity to look fresh-faced and not hungover at all.
“Thanks again for last night everyone,” Christy said, hugging Dean tightly.
“It was definitely memorable,” Dean said, kissing the top of her head. “But now, it’s a battle of wills: men versus women!” He added as he shoved Christy away from him dramatically and she rolled her eyes.
“I’m sorry, what century is this?”
“Oh hush it Taylor, it’ll be fun. Come on, let’s huddle up!” Justine pulled her and Christy into a huddle and glared over her shoulder as the men did the same.
“Rightchicas, what do you know about basketball?”
Christy tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Mm—let me see—yup, nothing.”
Justine cursed in Spanish. “What about you, Red?”
“Less than Christy.” Another curse.
“Also, should you be playing?” Taylor asked, not wanting her to get hurt or damage the baby.
“I’m thirteen weeks pregnant not dying, and I need to play.”
Taylor regarded her suspiciously. “Why?”
“Because, if Blake wins, he gets to pick the baby name. But if I win then I get to pick it and I’m sure as hell not gonna let that man win!” she said fiercely.
“Jesus, those are some big stakes!” Christy gasped.
“What the hell, Justine? Why couldn’t you have picked something else, something we’re good at? Shit, what are we gonna do?” Taylor moaned. Justine rubbed her chin and eyed the men, her brilliant, evil mind plotting.
