Page 37 of Friends with Benefits

As the others pair off in twos, Sarah clips Marty around the ear. ‘You’re with me. And I swear to God, if you perv on my legs, I will cut off your balls and fry them like bacon.’

Jess laughs and heads to the start line with Sarah. I put a firm hand on Marty’s shoulder, holding him back. Leaning into his ear, I tell him, ‘Rein it in, Marty, or you and I are gonna have a big problem.’

‘Shame. I was looking forward to holding her legs and riding the barrow.’

It takes every ounce of willpower I have not to punch the jackass right up in his barrow.

We take our positions at the start line and Jess bends to all fours. Hell, there was no way I was letting Marty have this view. Her cut-off Daisys barely cover the bottom of her ass cheeks. Jess lifts a leg up to me and I take hold of it, sliding my hand along her bare skin.

‘Damn it, Jess, I think I need you to get drunk tonight.’

She glances over her shoulder, then winks and I swear my todger winks right back at her.

From her upside-down position, Sarah calls, ‘Three. Two. One. Go.’

We set off, Jess wobbling on her arms as I drive her forward from behind. I glance left and see Edmond and Aimee, Sarah and Marty, and Drew and Becky are all in various stages of collapse and irrecoverable fits of laughter. But Brooks and Izzy are going strong. Damn those two and their bloody fitness regimes.

‘Come on, Jess. We aren’t letting them beat us. We’re the best goddamn team I know.’

As if my angry pep talk worked, she’s suddenly straighter and stronger and we’re charging to the finish line. Then Izzy topples and I’m so busy gloating that I let Jess topple too.

‘Piggybacking it!’ Brooks calls.

I haul Jess from the sand, throwing her onto my back. Then it’s Brooks and me racing with the girls on our backs. Jess is squealing as I sprint as fast as I can. I’ve got one eye on the line, the other on Brooks.

‘We’re neck and neck,’ Jess shouts.

With the line in reach, I launch myself at it as if I’m going for a touchdown. I throw one hand out full stretch and put the other behind me to stop Jess from hitting her head against me. When we’re down, Jess rolls off me. Both of us lie on our backs, laughing so much, it hurts.

‘Are you okay?’ I ask.

Through her breathlessness, she manages to say she’s fine. I roll over to her with the intention of helping her up. But she takes me by surprise, her laughter fading into something entirely different. Something intense. Something I only see in her when she’s drunk. And I’m blinded by it.

I brush the hair from her face and drop my gaze to her red lips. Then I remember Emily’s lips on mine last night. I close my eyes and swallow down everything that’s balled in my throat.

I stand and help Jess to her feet.

‘Did we win?’ Jess calls to Sarah, her voice faltering slightly. She doesn’t look at me as she heads over to the group.

Why do I get the feeling I’m fucking up on all fronts?

And why in hell do I keep wanting to be close to Jess, needing to touch her, kiss her, like I need air and water, like my life depends on her?

I pick up my cap from the sand and head over to Sarah for our next instruction. Jess bumps her hip against mine and gives me a small smile. ‘We won.’

It might be a small victory but I’ll take it.

I wrap my arm around her shoulders. ‘Of course we did, babe. We’re like Maverick and Goose.’

‘Bonnie and Clyde,’ she says.

‘Sonny and Cher.’

Nah, we’re good. This stuff with Emily has just got me freaking out.

* * *

We’re sitting on white chairs on the patio of a bar not far from Drew’s pad. The wind is kicking up from the beach and blowing white chiffon sheets that hang from the terrace frame. The sun is setting before us, burning orange, turning the farthest clouds shades of pink as it descends.

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