CLUNK.
“Ha! Yes! Gotcha!” At the other end of the air hockey table Kate does a victory dance, her hands in the air and her hips swaying.
I can’t help but gape at her. I was so distracted I completely forgot I was locked in an air hockey battle. Put together and demure Kate has a competitive streak and it’s showing.
“All talk and no action, babe. I’m starting to think you severely exaggerated your skills.” A gloating grin lights up her face as she taunts me. She wants to play? Fine, I’ll play.
The thought of my sister and best friend fade into the background as I look at my sexy as hellfiancée. “Alright then, how about this? The one that wins calls the shots tonight when we get home.” She arches a flawless eyebrow at me, bracing both hands on the table’s edge, and leans forward.
“You mean, in bed?” She only mouths the last part, aware that we are surrounded by a crowd. She licks her lips, then gently bites her plump bottom lip.
“That’ll be my lip to bite when I win.” Fishing the puck out of the slot, I place it back on the table, all focus and determination. The thought of having her splayed out for me to feast on is motivation enough.
Kate readies herself at the end of the table, crouching low and showing off a hint of her lovely cleavage. “Don’t be so cocky Williams. I’ve got some ideas of my own.”
Damn, maybe I want her to win. Being at her mercy sounds pretty close to goddamn heaven to me.
Kate takes vicious measures to ensure she wins. It didn’t take long to notice her top sliding lower and lower down her chest. I’m pretty sure she purposefully leaned forward with each strike of the puck making her breasts swing distractingly.
Is it any wonder that I lost?
I’m still staring at her amazing chest as she makes her way around the table. “Don’t worry babe,” she places a hand over my heart and offers me a quick kiss. She pulls back, her lips brushing against my cheek, “I’ll make it worth your while.” Her soft breath tickles my ear with her whispered promise.
Fuck. Me. The love of my life is a goddamn siren.
“You two lovebirds ready to eat?” My sister stops a few feet away from us, making Kate step away from me, leaving the scent of her perfume lingering on my skin.
“Yep, I’m starving.” Kate reaches back for my hand and gives me a coy wink. “Is Gabe getting us a table?”
Mel whips her head around as she guides us to the restaurant section. “A table and beers,” she says with a smile. I wince at her comment. Kate will drink the beer without complaint, but they aren’t her favorite.
We all decide on pizza for the table and settle into a comfortable conversation. The booth we’re sitting in allows me to toss an arm around Kate’s shoulder. Her slender hand rests on my thigh under the table, her nails lightly scratching the fabric of my jeans making goosebumps pop up on my skin.
Gabe and Mel look comfortable sitting across from us, their posture almost identical to ours. I can tell my best friend is completely smitten. Even more so than he’s been for years. His eyes shine with happiness when he looks at her. I wasn’t lying when I told him last month that the two of them being together is a best-case scenario. Now that I’ve calmed down a bit, the two of them together isn’t as awkward as I thought it would be.
Mel sips her beer and leans against Gabe’s shoulder. “How’s the wedding planning coming? Have you set a date yet?”
I can feel Kate tense beside me knowing that this is a sensitive subject for her. With everything going on—the engagement, moving in together, the party—we haven’t exactly had time to pull out a calendar and I know she wants to get things in motion. If it were up to me, we would have gone to a courthouse the minute we got back from our cruise, but I know my girl. She wants to pull out all the stops and I’ll be damned if I don’t give it to her.
Clearing my throat, I answer for her. “We’re focusing on settling into living together right now. But we’ll figure it out soon.” My fingers glide along the soft skin of her arm and when her eyes meet mine, I see the relief in them.
“Oh, I have lots of plans, I just haven’t gotten them done yet.” There’s no way she’s talking about wedding plans. My girl is being dirty and I fucking love it.
I’m definitely looking forward to getting her home.
Chapter 3
Kate
As much as I wanted to spend time with Melissa and Gabe, I’m so glad to be home. After eating a massive pizza, the four of us had a friendly competition to see who could earn the most tickets. I’ve known Gabe for a while, but I had no idea that he was so competitive. He and Tanner had practically tackled each other in an attempt to sabotage the other. For a minute there I was convinced we would be thrown out.
Before I can kick my shoes off and unwind, Tanner has me pushed against the wall and his lips on my mouth. He groans against my skin, “I’ve been dying to get you home all night.” His hot mouth roams down to my collarbone, his tongue lightly flicking against the curve of my breast as he dips lower. My body is spiraling with his attention, but there’s one thing that stops me.
Tonight’s my night.
“Um, babe?” My voice is breathless as he kisses his way up to my other collarbone. “We had a deal.” Tanner nuzzles my neck with a pained groan, his weight pushing me harder against the wall. I wouldn’t say I’m all that adventurous in bed, but the thought of being in control has me turned on. “A deal’s a deal. I won fair and square.”
“Alright, sweetheart,” he sighs. “I’ll play.” With a quick nip to my shoulder, Tanner steps back.
