“You okay?”
He nods. “I am now.”
Warmth floods through my chest, and the muscles that have been pulled tight for the past week begin to loosen. A genuine smile spreads across my mouth, and I duck my head as my cheeks burn, breaking the contact between us.
“Let’s go then, Rook,” Killer taunts, making me wonder what I missed. “You’re not going to beat me for a second time.”
“We’ve created monsters,” Fletch muses.
“Medium again, or are we upping the ante?” Monroe asks, setting up the next round.
“I can’t believe you’re even asking that.” Killer snorts, stretching out his shoulders as if he’s about to go into a strength and conditioning session.
“Your funeral, man,” Monroe mutters as he changes the level to expert and gets into position.
“There’s going to be bloodshed tonight,” Fletch mutters. “And I’m not bailing any of you out when you turn up tomorrow with busted faces.”
Killer and Monroe ignore him as they get into the zone.
I’m ready to watch this battle, excited to see if their ability matches their confidence.
Just before Monroe starts the game, Linc decides to drop onto the couch between me and Fletch.
The second his ass hits the cushion, a rush of his scent hits me, and I’m instantly thrown back to that night a week ago.
My eyes lock on the side of his face as he gets settled, and despite knowing that I should look away, I can’t.
He’s shaved in the last couple of days; his jaw now covered in short scruff instead of what was turning into a full beard, and hishair could do with a cut, but I can’t help but think what a great length it is to grab onto.
Stop it, Parker.
You’re putting this behind you, remember?
Sensing my attention, he turns to look at me.
“I hope you’re ready to be impressed,” he muses, his smile from earlier still firmly in place as he watches me.
“They can’t really be that good. Are they?”
The music starts, and we both turn to watch and…holy shit, do I have to eat my words?
“What the fuck am I watching?”
“Fuck if I know,” Linc mutters as Killer and Monroe battle it out.
Their eyes are locked on the screen, and their legs. Fuck, they’re a blur.
The points climb higher and higher, but there is never more than a few hundred in it at a time.
“How are they so good?”
“Because they have sisters, apparently.”
“Then why are you so shitty?” I deadpan.
Linc turns back to me while Fletch mutters, “Burn, bro,” behind him.
“It was my first go. Nova isn’t really a dancer.”
