He had two ideas for team bonding: frosted tips and mustaches. Thankfully, everyone vetoed the frosted tips. Now we’re growing out mustaches for the rest of the season and, crossing-fingers, into the tournament.
I rub a thumb over mine.
Unlike my best friend, I grow facial hair quickly. I’ll have a full-fledged mustache by the time the first round happens if we make it. Sutton keeps saying I’m going to jinx us if I keep trimming it.
Topping off Sutton’s drink, I rejoin her on the couch. Jaxon is now droning on about his disappointment in Lakeland cancelling our annual sports lip-sync battle. It’s a twenty-year tradition that our new Athletic Director deemed unnecessary and a waste of time.
“We had the perfect dance too.”
Dawson pats Jaxon’s bare thigh, his already short shorts riding up his long legs. “Want Chase and I to film it with you?”
“You’d do that?” He perks up.
“Anything for you babe,” Dawson replies as Chase throws popcorn at them and says, “Don’t volunteer me. I can’t dance.”
“Stop talking!” Elliot warns Chase again. “You have three minutes left.”
Even with our friends the world falls away when Sutton is around. Words become sounds. People become blurry, out of focus. Except for her. We’re a snow globe on a shelf. Our own little world, that we’ve shaken up and living in the flurries around us.
My fingers are tangled in her hair massaging her scalp, watching her debate which color to paint her toes. When she can’t decide, I pick, taking the bottle of polish from the table.Holding the two in one hand, I drag an unpainted foot into my lap.
“Is it weird that I’m bummed I won’t get to see you dance?”
“You should be,” I tease. “Because your man was looking mighty fine.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. These hips, baby, you should see the way they move.”
“Are you holding out on me?”
I lean in toward her, my chest brushing her bare knees. The polka-dot lounge shorts are adorable. Sutton’s also in my sweatshirt, one of the six she has conveniently forgotten to give back. I don’t care, I like seeing her in them, or when I spend the night and sneak one to wear in the morning, and they smell like her.
“Whenever you’re ready,” I remind her.
Sutton and I haven’t had sex yet. We’ve done everything else, and it’s good. So. Good. Everything has been better with her, and I know this will be too, and I’d wait forever if that’s what she wanted or needed.
She bites her bottom lip, blush rushing her cheeks. “Thank you.”
Kissing her cheek, I resume my masterpiece, moving to her other foot.
“Isn’t this nice?” Jaxon asks no one in particular. “I thought something was missing, then remembered that Cooper and Sutton are dating now.”
“We aren’t dating,” Sutton chirps.
“Then what the fuck is this?” Beckett gestures in our direction, his larger body shoved against mine.
“You still haven’t asked her out?” Jordan sighs, and from over my shoulder she’s trading her wine glass for her phone. “I’m texting Dad—” she starts to threaten before, of all people, Elliot snatches her phone.
Good thing. He’s coming to our game this week with Sutton’s dad, plus who knows what Mom ended up saying to him.
“Let’s not ruin the peace before we’ve gotten to thoroughly enjoy it.” Elliot then turns to me, blocking herself from Sutton and mouthsIf you don’t ask her soon, you’re dead. I know where you live.Her other hand pretends to pull a knife across her neck.
I give her a thumbs up.
They leave us alone, catching Beck in a moment of chattiness gabbing about his sister. I’m almost done with Sutton’s toes.
“I like this color.” It’s a bright blue-green. “Reminds me of your eyes.”
