Page 28 of Final Temptation
I’m tired. My homework is piling up. Dinner with Dad, can’t make it.
Realizing it was our first time going together at all, and from the same place, he offered to drive. The car ride all the way toCherry Creekwas full of tension—sexual tension. No words exchanged, just heated glances. Every time his eyes traveled the length of my legs, it took everything in me not to meet his gaze.
I could sense his mind whirling from the towel incident earlier, and I was still pent up even after I touched myself to the thought of him sipping coffee in a pair of boxer briefs that were molded perfectly to his body. Dirty thoughts bounced around in my head until the very moment we hit the gravel driveway.
Heading down to the creek where our friends gathered,it was a warm day, and I was parched. The cooler, packed with ice, had everything from water to beer to soda. Deciding on a beer, I joined the rest of the group around the fire.
“So, Myles, how’s it going since you moved out of Mom and Dad’s?” Declan asked.
“It’s been good. I’m closer to work, the gym, everything in town. Plus, my roommate isn’t too bad.” He looked over at me, teasing.
“Honestly, I feel like I still live alone since this guy isn’t home most of the time, and he wakes up with the roosters,” I chimed in, the thought of our early morning racing back to the forefront of my mind.
“Thank fuck for that,” Chase said. “If he didn’t wake up so early, I’d be out of a gym partner.”
“The gym bromance is real.” Paige chuckled, looking between Myles and her brother.
“Chase is just trying to get pumped up for all the hot, college girls.” Myles laughed.
“At least I’ll have plenty of girls at my disposal when I get out of this small town. You’re stuck here with dating apps as your only option.” Chase sipped his beer, hiding a grin.
“And that’s my cue to go to the house and check on dinner!” Paige stood up, escaping the chatter of her baby brother talking about fucking around in college.
After a few sips of my beer, I was feeling feisty. “I have to say, the options on the dating apps around here are quite…boring,” I said, poking fun at Myles, hoping he’d take the bait.
His eyes found mine, glaring across the fire to where I was sitting. “I know what you mean. I’ve seemed to fuck all the good ones already.” I hid mysmile behind my beer. Myles had no shame in who he was; he’d always been an open book. But he was probably right—I knew he’d slept around plenty. Most definitely more than I had, but he hadn’t fucked me yet to know what he was missing.
“You ever think about meeting a girl outside of one of those apps?” Declan addressed Myles.
“And where do you expect me to meet women now that I don’t go toPeaksevery weekend? No way I’m meeting someone at work, and my meetings are a hard pass.”
“What about the gym? I see the way Amanda eyes you every time we check in.” Chase wiggled his eyebrows.
“Who’s Amanda?” I blurted out, unexpected jealousy stinging me.
“She’s the chick who works the front desk at the gym,” Chase answered.
“I’ve already hooked up with her. She’s nothing special.” Myles’ eyes shifted toward mine before finishing. “She fills a void—that’s it.” I fidgeted with the label on my beer bottle, taking in the sounds of chatter around me.
I knew Myles was a player. Of course, he’d hooked up with a girl he saw at the gym every day. Yet something inside me stirred, the feeling sitting in my stomach like a ton of bricks.
“You know what’s a crazy idea?” Declan asked.
“I don’t know, brother. Tell me,” Myles shot back sarcastically.
“Maybe if you try having a conversation with someone before getting in their pants, you may just get somewhere with one of these girls.”
I glanced up at Myles as he rolled his eyes at his brother. The boys continued to talk, their voices eventually fading to the background as my thoughts grew louder.
It felt pathetic being jealous of Myles hooking up withother women. Feeling envious of another woman wasn’t an emotion I often felt.
Myles and I flirted—we found ourselves in situations we wanted to act upon but refrained from. Nothing had actually happened between us that should trigger these feelings I had brewing inside me.
Myles was a shameless flirt, and the thought of being closer to him—being his friend with benefits—sounded wildly heartbreaking.
“I’m goingto run up to the house and use the bathroom,” Sophie blurted out before running off.
Something in her demeanor shifted, and I didn’t like the feeling that maybe it had to do with something I’d said. I had let her walk away, but I’d be hot on her heels in a moment. I didn’t want to make it obvious to the others that I planned to follow her inside.
