Cici: Dang, we’re twinning!
Cici:
I swallow hard as my gaze lands on the photo of Cici sitting in her hot tub.The water is bubbling up around her and the lights are casting her in a soft glow.She looks stunning.
I quickly save the photo to my phone before returning to our conversation.
Covey: Maybe you should just come to my house and join me in the hot tub.
Cici: I’d love to… but then I’ll get cold and have to come home later.That doesn’t sound fun, you should just come here.
Covey: I don’t know where you live.
Cici:
I click on the little image of the map she sent me and shake my head.How did I not know Cici lived one block away from me?Soon this entire development will be owned by the Pit Bulls or their families.
Wheeler, Schmidt, Smithy, Cici, Cord, Leo, and I all live here.I’ve heard Jackson and Holden say they’re looking for a house here, but none have been on the market.Wyatt will never move here because he already has a house on Mulberry Lane.There have already been arguments over who will get Leo’s place when his house is finished on Mulberry Lane.I don’t know how he’ll pick between Jackson and Holden.I have a feeling Charlie’s brothers will be selling their house soon.They play professional hockey for the Philadelphia Pythons.They’re building homes on Mulberry Lane as well, but right now their house butts up to Wheeler’s backyard.
Cici: 12 Juniper Street.
Covey: I’ll be there in five.
Cici: You can just come around the back.
I jump out of the hot tub and clean up my trash.As soon as I'm ready, I wrap a towel around my waist and head out the front door.
Chapter 7
Cici
Itakeadeepbreath and blow it out slowly.I can’t believe I just invited Covey to come to my house!I must be insane.That’s really the only explanation.
When he sent the picture of him in the hot tub, I couldn’t help but look at his body to see if he has any tattoos other than the one that peeked out of his sleeve the other night.It looks like he has something on each bicep, but I couldn’t tell what it was in the lighting and the angle.
I close my eyes and lean my head back against the side of the tub.I need to at least appear calm, even if anxiety is taking over and spreading through my body.
The gate opens and shuts a few minutes later.I fight to keep my eyes shut and to look like I'm relaxing.
“Hey, beautiful,” Covey’s deep voice rumbles as he steps over the side of the hot tub.
I open my eyes just in time to watch him slowly lower himself into the water.He looks like he’s almost in pain while he’s doing it.
“Are you ok?”
“Yeah, but got a bit cold on my walk over here.”
“That’s why I didn’t want to come to you.”I grin.
“How hot do you keep this thing?”
“As hot as it will go.”My grin widens even more
“Jeez, my body is going to hate me.Charlie told me to do an ice bath when I got home, then the hot tub.My body doesn’t know what to expect now.There have been so many temperature changes for it tonight.”
We’re both quiet for a few minutes.I don’t know what to say or how to keep the conversation going.I'm mentally exhausted.
“I'm sorry, I'm mentally exhausted.I probably shouldn’t have invited you over.I'm not going to be good company.”I drop my chin and stare down at my hands under the water.I don’t want to meet his gaze and see disappointment staring back at me.
