Page 25 of Corey
Because why would anyone with half a brain want to get tangled up in his emotional mess? They wouldn’t. Sera was only with him because she’d gotten lost in a blizzard and had been running from bad guys.She wants your help, nothing more,he told himself.
“What’s going on up in that isolated cabin of yours,” Chaz asked cagily, joining in with Lex. “Snowed-in with a gorgeous woman?”
“Nothing,” Corey grumbled. “And if we were snowed-in, we wouldn’t be here.”
“You know who she looks like?” Xander said, finally speaking up. “Claudia Schiffer.”
Corey’s attention snapped over to the former CIA agent, lazily reclining back in his seat. Hawke was still a bit of a mystery, and Corey wasn’t sure if he completely trusted the man. Although he had come through for the team on more than one occasion, something still felt off. And Corey was a sensitive guy like that, in tune to people. Maybe it was because he was a Cancer, but he felt things more deeply than the average person. Add that to a finely-tuned bullshit detector, and he could read people extremely well. But the fact he couldn’t get a good read on Hawke made him cautious.
“Oh, yeah, definitely,” Jayson chimed in. “God, I had the biggest crush on her back in the day. Cindy Crawford, too. Remember that Pepsi commercial? Uhn.” He bit his fist.
“I’ll never forget that commercial,” Brand stated with a dreamy smile
They all exchanged a look and then Jayson launched into “Just One Look” by Doris Troy. Brand, Wes and Chaz joined him, belting out the song used in the iconic commercial which had aired during the Super Bowl.
They burst into laughter.
“You’re all crazy,” Lex declared. “I don’t remember it, but you guysareold as dirt.”
“You aren’t that far behind, Battle,” Chaz smugly reminded him.
“Even I know that commercial,” Xander said, “and I’m only forty-one. I always thought Claudia Schiffer was prettier, though.”
The way he said that last comment made Corey narrow his eyes at the man. The idea of Xander making a move on Sera caused annoyance to flare in his gut.
“I’m the next one to turn fifty,” Jayson lamented, “so the rest of you can fuck off.”
“Hey, I’m already the big 5-0, so I don’t wanna hear it. And, yeah, your big day is coming up fast, Jay,” Brand said, sounding almost gleeful.
“You won’t be the only fossil then, huh?” Lex teased.
“Fuck, Battle,” Chaz growled. “You’re forty-six, not twenty-six. Don’t tell me you aren’t feeling the aches and pains.”
“I feel great,” Lex insisted and thumped a fist against his chest for good measure.
“I find that hard to believe,” Corey said. “We’re less than a year apart and my knees crack like glow sticks.”
“Because you frogs swam too much,” Lex stated. “But me? I flew fighter jets and graduated at the top of my—”
“Top Gun class,” they all finished flatly.How many times had they heard that line,Corey wondered with a smirk.
“Jealous much?” Lex grinned his perfectly-white, trademark smile that sent women into a tizzy. Corey had seen many an unsuspecting woman melt when she looked directly at those pearly whites.
“As fun as this conversation is, why don’t we focus on Sera and the problem at hand,” Brand suggested. “I assume she’ll continue to stay with you, Cor?”
“I’ve got room,” Jayson offered. A little too quickly.
Corey shot the former Army Ranger an irritated look. Why the hell would she go stay with Jayson when she was perfectly fine at his place? And what the hell? Now Jay was moving in on her, too?
“Well, because of her cat and your wolf,” Jayson quickly explained. “That can’t be a good combo.”
“They’re fine. She’s fine with me. We’re all fine,” Corey informed them stiffly.
“I think the company is good for you, Cor,” Wes added, and Corey threw his friend a grateful look.
“If you change your mind, I have an entire empty house since Emma moved out.” They all knew Jayson missed his daughter and had plenty of space, but that didn’t mean Corey wanted Sera shacking up with him.
Everything in him rebelled at the idea. For whatever reason, he was feeling slightly possessive, which took him by surprise. He’d never been the kind of man who felt the need to mark or lay claim on a woman before.
