Page 14 of Wild About You
“Uhh…” Ash rubs at the back of his neck.
I don’t know the whole story with Ash and Talia, but I watch in amusement as our new roommate tries to figure out how to tell my sister that she’s his fuck buddy.
I clear my throat. “Grab your stuff, Ev.”
“For what?”
“You’re coming with me to the arena this morning. I have a couple of meetings after my workout. It won’t take too long.”
“Seriously? Why can’t I stay here?”
“Because I want to hang out with you.”
She rolls her eyes but leaves me in the kitchen alone with Ash.
I cock a brow in the direction Talia went, and he smothers a laugh. “I forgot she was here.”
“Oh, this is going to be interesting,” I say with a chuckle.
* * *
Sunday afternoon I’m in the garage working on my car. We have the day off and Ash invited some friends over to hang out. They’re inside, but their laughter filters out every so often.
“You look like you could use a beer?” The voice is attached to a long pair of legs that step into my line of sight.
I glance up from my position, bent over the hood of my car, to meet her smile and shake off the beer in her hand. “I’m good. Thanks.”
“Is this your car?”
Resisting a laugh, I straighten and wipe my hands on a rag. “If it isn’t then I’m a really nice guy.”
“Are you…” She takes a step closer until her hip rests against my thigh. “A really nice guy?”
“No. I’m definitely not.”
A beat of silence hangs between us. Her gaze darts to my mouth and she presses against me just a little bit more. She’s all long legs and big hair, a nice smile. Plenty of women hang around my teammates so this isn’t the first time one has flirted with me, but she’s less aggressive than most and I like that about her. Some guys might be into the easy score, but I like sex the same way I like everything else in my life—earned.
So, I let the moment hang a little longer between us. I enjoy the heat of her body and the feeling of being wanted. And I think about it for a second, what it’d be like to give in and touch this gorgeous girl.
Motion in the driveway catches my attention, breaking the spell. A group of guys and girls are heading across the street. Someone is carrying a cooler and they’re all laughing and talking, not a care in the world.
I step away from the girl next to me. She seems nice enough, she’s definitely hot enough, but I’d be using her, wishing she was someone else.
“Olivia!” a girl calls.
“Coming,” she says from beside me. She sets the beer on the top of my car. “We’re crashing the hot tub at Leo’s house. You should come.”
“Yeah, maybe,” I say, knowing full well I won’t.
With one more smile, she jogs off to join her friends. Ash appears a second later from the door leading inside, a towel thrown over his shoulder and his swim trunks on, no shirt.
“Dude, it’s like thirty degrees out here.”
“Won’t be cold for long,” he says. His freaking breath is visible as he speaks. “Are you gonna stop working on your prized possession and come hang out or what?”
Declan steps into view behind him. He’s more appropriately dressed in jeans, a heavy coat, gloves, and a hat on his head. One side of his mouth quirks up when he sees me under the hood of my car. “Break down again, Sharpie? When are you going to sell that antique and buy something that won’t strand you on the side of the road every week?”
We have an ongoing thing with our cars. He has a sweet, little Ferrari. It’s a beauty, but I like old, American muscle. I dreamt my whole life of having a ‘67 Shelby Mustang, and now that I own her, there’s no amount of ribbing from the guys that will get to me. She’s perfect.
