“The playbook rules: no kissing, no touching. Eyes up, hands off. No flirting, no dating...” Grey starts.
“You’re no fun,” I mutter.
With a glance at the desperation hidden in Grey’s eyes, Declan says, “I’m with Chase. The rules apply unless you fall in love.”
“And ask her to marry you,” Chase adds.
Declan doesn’t disagree.
I rap him on the back of the head. “Thought you’d be on my team.”
“We’re all on the same team,” he says.
Between the words in Declan’s comment, I read the message loud and clear. Although I have a reputation among the ladies as being king player, it’s time to hang up my crown for a month. What fun is that?
Chase extends his hand. Grey sets his on top. Declan tosses his into the center. With a groan, I reluctantly follow suit. Then we chorus, “Cruisin’ for a Bruisin.’”
Grey’s phone pings with a message.
As we walk down the hall, I say, “All things considered, you have to admit, I have a good butt.”
“I’m not saying anything about your butt other than that I’m going to kick it if you so much as breathe in the same room as a woman during this month,” Declan warns.
“You can thank yourself for getting us into this situation,” I retort.
“The mooning prank was all your idea.”
“No, if I remember?—”
We start bickering.
“Forget about it. What matters is that we’re going to a public relations etiquette program and we have to—” Chase starts.
Grey interrupts. “More like reform school.”
“Charm school.”
“Probation.”
“No women. This is the worst,” I say as we turn the corner.
“It’s not prison. I’m sure we’ll have some free time.” Declan’s phone pings in his pocket. He wears a private smile. No doubt the call is from his so-called best friend, Maggie. No way they don’t share an undercurrent of attraction. Mark my words,they’ll hook up at some point. Just hopefully not while we’re on probation.
There is plenty of room in my life for women, just nothing long-term. Cain suggested I was jealous of him for getting married. More like relieved I haven’t been tricked into tying the knot.
“Did Hammer say camp or glamp? Maybe it’ll be at a luxury spa,” Chase says.
“You’d like that,” I tease.
Chase’s phone pings and he swipes to his email. “I just got the travel info from Coach’s assistant. Sounds like a fancy school of some sort. Finishing school.”
“Like old-school etiquette?”
“Like sipping tea with our pinkies turned out.” Chase demonstrates.
Grey swats him.
“What? I had three sisters. You’d better believe they made me sit in on their tea parties. Maybe this isn’t going to be half bad...” Chase says.
