“I’ll make sure they make it,” Dakota promised as he clapped Kevin’s shoulder.
“Thanks,” Kevin mumbled and started towards the front desk to drop off a key.
“Oh, hey,” Max paused before me while pulling an ear bud from his ear. “You’re…?”
“Covee,” Dakota stopped next to his teammate. He gave me a small, shy wave. “Did I pronounce it right?”
I smiled back and stood. It felt weird to crane my neck and speak with them. Not that standing would completely ease my neck tilting. Still, it felt better to hold some ground next to these tall guys.
“Yeah, you pronounced it just fine,” I said while readjusting my purse over my shoulder.
“Weston’s just behind us,” Dakota informed. “Are you joining us tonight?”
“Uh…” I wasn’t sure what I was doing tonight, but I hoped it had nothing to do with them. One guy did enough to my nerves. An entire group of them made it hard to breathe and think.
“Better not,” David said under his breath as he shoved past the three of us to get to the door.
My forehead creased as I frowned. Max shook his head and rolled his eyes in David’s direction.
“Don’t take it personally,” Max said to me. He bumped the back of his fist with Dakota as a ‘goodbye’ before heading out.
“He’s an ass to everyone,” Dakota explained with red in his cheeks as if he was uncomfortable to say that much. “You’re more than welcome to join us tonight. We’re doing a team-building exercise.”
“Want to tell me what the hell happened in there?” The door slammed behind Weston. He went straight to Kevin at the front desk, not glancing at anyone else.
“I have to help get the course ready,” Dakota said to me with his eyes on the guys. “See you later, Covee.”
I nodded. “See you.”
Weston and Kevin stood a few feet apart. They were nearly the same height when Kevin rolled his shoulders back to stand taller. He nudged his head in my direction, making Weston look over.
“Hi,” I said lamely and rethought everything from how I plaited my hair to the white Toms on my feet. Weston’s gaze softened in a second. His shoulders sagged a little. When looking at me, he wasn’t as intimidating. He looked like he’d follow the rules, not enforce them like he just had seconds ago. The contrast made me bite my lip in wonder. His eyes took in my reaction. From the way his head tilted to the side, I knew he could read me well. He knew I was intrigued. Attracted… Turned on.
I broke eye contact because the moment threatened to get too intimate for a gym lobby occupied by three other people. Sam cleared her throat and picked up her Gameboy again. The bald guy stared at me, unabashedly now as though he was impressed.
“Just us tonight. Don’t miss it,” Kevin said to Weston. I thought it was meant to be a statement, but his voice hitched at the end, and it now sounded like a question.
Weston turned back to him, resuming his pointed look. “Worry about what you need to do, okay? Control, remember. I put you in charge for a reason.”
Kevin scoffed and shook his head. “Fine… captain.”
He pushed away from the desk and walked past me. His eyes trailed over my body as he went to the door. He turned back to face Weston as he walked and said, “Careful, if you want a girl like her to stick around.”
My cheeks burned. Kevin used his back to push open the door and exited the building. Weston let out a heavy sigh before signing a sheet of paper at the desk.
“Thanks,” Sam said in a mousy voice as he offered her the pen back.
“Have a good night,” he told her with a friendly smile.
When Weston approached me, he offered his hand. I slipped my fingers into his palm. His callouses brushed against me gently. Rough against soft. A good medium.
“Sorry for the wait,” he said and opened the door for me to go first.
“It wasn’t too long.” I shrugged.
“I would have come right out if you texted,” he told me as he led us down the stone steps.
“Honestly, it’s no biggie,” I insisted. “Um, if you don’t mind me asking…”
