“Or maybe you meant how many women have I watched hours and hours of video on just to try and understand them better? Just?—”
Maggie stretches her neck, leans closer, and plants her lips on mine. I gladly shut up. I cup her cheek, kissing her back, researching every corner of her lips. Maggie is soft and sensual and completely mesmerizing. She is the one and only.
When she pulls away, her honey-brown eyes search mine. Her teeth clamp down on her bottom lip, and she breathes out a hiss. “We are in so much trouble.”
Forty-One
Somehow,weeks and weeks go by of Lucca and menot dating. There’s plenty of hanging out. Plenty of kissing. Plenty of Wyatt time. Plenty of playing with Nanners. But no actual dates. The man does not take me dancing. We never go to fancy restaurants. We don’t even go bowling.
It’s the best time I’ve had not dating someone. Ever.
Sometimes I think I could not date Lucca forever.
I sit on the floor of Callum and Fran’s living room, trying not to stare at Lucca, who sits across from me. We’re all on the floor, Fran and Callum to my left. Rosalie sits between Zev’s legs, leaning back against his chest, her legs stretched out beneath the coffee table between us all. Stella’s on the couch, her feet in Roman’s lap, her hand on the tiniest baby bump known to man.
I stare at Fran after Zev told us the most insane story about a fishing trip and a movie scene and crazy Fran stunts—I’m not believing any of it. “You didn’t do that,” I say.
She shrugs. “I’m pretty serious about my romcoms.”
Rosalie reaches out a hand to her friend. “That’s true. Firstthing you need to learn about Fran is to never underestimate her.”
“Without a doubt,” Roman says, then he leans over and pecks Stella’s lips.
My stomach stirs with the affection and with the burning sun of Lucca’s eyes on me. I can feel him watching me. Maybe sitting across from him wasn’t my best idea. But we’re with his friends. We’re not dating. There will be zero PDA here. Which means he had to sit at least an arm’s length away.
Will I let him kiss me for an hour after we’ve said goodnight? Sure. But that’s different. We will be alone, in our mutual understanding, not-dating world when we’re on that front porch.
“Maggie,” Rosalie says. “You should come with us. The guys are always so busy working in the summer, so we’re going on a girls’ vacation without them.”
Stella beams. “Before the baby comes and before the NextGen championships.”
“One week in Florida, baby! You have to come.” Fran claps her hands like it’s a done deal.
“I’ll have to work, too. I’m in season as well,” I say, offering her a grateful smile. It was kind of them to invite me.
“Oh, crap,” Rosalie says. “That’s right.”
“Well, that sucks.” Stella frowns. “It’s going to be epic.”
“Only not too epic.” Roman rests his hands over Stella’s feet.
Zev’s brows lift. “Yeah, what Roman said.”
“Are you worried?” Rosalie asks him, tipping her head to peer up at him. I have to look away when he leans down to press a kiss to her lips.
“Nope.”
“Next board game,” Fran says. “Lucca’s pick.”
Lucca jumps to his feet. “Five-Card Draw,” he says. “I needa drink first.” Then he holds a hand toward me. “Maggie, come help me?”
I look around the group, but Callum’s shuffling cards, and Fran’s got her hand on Stella’s stomach. Rosalie and Zev are a little too caught up in one another to notice the rest of us. “Um. Sure.” I set my hand in his, and he pulls me to my feet. “What do you need help with?” I ask once we’re alone in Fran and Callum’s kitchen.
Lucca snags a finger around my front belt loop and yanks me toward him—in a way that makes me believe this isn’t the first time he’s done so. My palms slap to his chest and Lucca hugs me close, resting his forehead on mine.
He presses a quick kiss to my lips, then another. The third time, I wrap one arm around his neck, forcing his lips to linger on mine a minute longer.
When he pulls back, a heavy breath falls from his chest. “So,” he says. “Water or tea?”
