Page 24 of Forever Wild
“Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”
“I haven’t had mac and cheese in years.”
“I have it at least once a week.”
“Of course you do.”
“Is that a knock on my age or my eating habits?” she asks, going back to grating the cheese. The movement makes her boobs jiggle, and I am going to hell for noticing.
“Both. Let me do that.” I motion for the grater. “I’m just sitting here. I can be useful.”
Reluctantly, she hands me the block of cheese and grater and then pushes the bowl toward me. After she’s found a pot, filled it with water and set it on the stove to boil, she comes back to stand on the other side of the island from me.
“What about you? Break any hearts lately?” I ask when my mind keeps circling sex. As far as I know she isn’t dating anyone, but it isn’t like she typically shares that kind of stuff with me.
She snorts with an eye roll. “Are we going to make girl talk now?”
I grit my teeth, but I’m distracted from the job at hand and grate my finger on the last hunk of cheese.
“Fuck.” I pull back and instinctively place my pointer finger in my mouth to relieve the sting.
The tangy metallic taste of blood hits my tongue.
Everly laughs. Not loudly, but clearly she’s amused by my pain.
“I think that’s enough cheese,” she says. She takes the bowl and weapon away from me.
When she returns to stand across from me, she pulls herself up and sits on the counter, feet dangling off the side and my T-shirt riding high on her thighs.
“I had big plans for a summer fling before I went off to my internship in August, but that is not working out very well so far.”
“Why not?” I ask, unable to help myself. I know guys have to be throwing themselves at her.
“You say that like there’s a plethora of attractive, fun, single guys out there.”
“Isn’t there?”
“How many of your friends are single?”
Huh. I would have said most of them, but that’s not true anymore. Leo, Declan, Ash, Ty, Maverick…nearly all my closest teammates have settled down.
“Galaxy,” I say, then add, “Mikey.” Our goalie.
“Two guys and both hockey players.”
“What’s wrong with hockey players?”
Amusement dances over her features. “Nothing. It’s just that you all still treat me like Ty’s annoying little sister.”
“That’s because you are.”
She reaches over and grabs a handful of my hair, then tugs it.
“What the hell?” I ask, then laugh before I can think better of it. “And you wonder why we treat you like an annoying little sister.”
“Wow, was that a laugh? I didn’t know you were capable of that noise,” she taunts, then says. “You should do it more often. It sounds nice.”
I’m still stuck on those words when she adds, “That reminds me I need to cancel my date tonight.”
