“Sorry.” He raises his hands in surrender and looks sincerely apologetic. “I didn’t mean to offend. The yellow really makes the house look?—”
“Kainoa, just shut up.” Angel shoves his head after he places the bags on top of the island.
“Yeah, Kai, just shut up,” Gray antagonizes, a snarky grin on his face.
He rolls his eyes. “I said I was sorry. Shit, is she in here? Sorry, Josie, I didn’t mean that and?—”
“I told you she’s not here.” I take the stuff they bought to make burgers out of the plastic bags. “You’re making me regret inviting you.”
“Way to go, dumbass.” Gray slaps him upside the head.
“Don’t—” I only manage to get out before Kai and him are wrestling each other. Now they’re on the floor and waiting for one or the other to say, “Tap out.”
Angel shakes his head. “Let them sort it out. I’m not getting involved. The last time I did, I got punched and then I punched them and they got mad at me.”
I bite back a laugh, remembering how pissed off they both were. Angel has one hell of an arm, so I know how much that punch must’ve hurt them both.
“So…she’s really okay with us being here? Using her pool?” he asks, changing the subject.
“Yeah, she said as long as Bryson was never invited and there were no parties, it was all good.”
A lopsided smile curves his mouth. “If that isn’t a sign, I don’t know what is.”
Gray grunts, flustered and breathless, but still he doesn’t voice those two words.
“It’s not…” I weakly reply because I want it to be something. Hell, it’s all I’ve been thinking about for two weeks now.
Not only because she came on my mouth and fingers… I blink away the memory—that has been living in my mind rent free—and think about Sunday.
The kiss we shared, her letting me hold her as if she were mine, and then falling asleep on me. She hadn’t meant to and looked so disconcerted when she woke up. I wanted to beg her to stay, but I knew she felt frazzled about it. So I let her leave.
My mouth or fingers on her hadn’t been an issue, but she bolted at affection. I don’t know why, but I want to change her mind about it; however, I’m not her boyfriend and she’s not mine.
“Don’t fight it.” He pops the bag ofChurrumaisopen and stuffs a handful into his mouth. “If you like her, go for it.”
“Weren’t you against relationships, and begging me to stay single?”
“What’s the point?” he says as he chews. “You’re not hooking up with anyone and you’re always staring at her.”
“I’m not always?—”
“You…” Kai grunts and groans before he blows out a heavy breath. “Do.”
They’re still on the floor. I swear if they break something… The house may not have much, but I know everything is expensive.
I place the plastic bags in the bag holder and change the conversation. “You guys can get in the pool. It’s warm.”
“Tap out,” Gray sputters, slapping Kai’s arms. His face is beet red and covered in a sheen of sweat. They’re both sophomores, a year younger than me, but I swear they act like they’re ten. “I only did that because I want to get in the pool.”
“Yeah,” Kai says, a little breathless, but doesn’t look disheveled the way Gray does. “Sure, okay.”
“I don’t have it in me to care if you believe me or not.” He stands and picks up his duffle. “Which way to the pool?”
I grin, pointing at the glass sliding door that leads to the large backyard.
Kai laughs, following behind him. “Aw, Grayson, come here. Don’t be like that. You know I love you, brah.”
“Don’t start thatmahalostuff on…”
