“She needed a distraction,” he says with a wag of his brows and points to his chest. “I was that distraction.”
“Serious man, no,” I tell him shaking my head. “Just no! Stop that!”
Standing up, I walk away from him leaving behind his laughter as I step inside the back door. There around the island are all the girls, working to prepare all the food.
Sophie looks up, her eyes meeting mine and it’s as if that is all I needed. A calmness settles over me and I offer her a wink before walking back outside. Leaning against the railing I look out over the lake and allow myself to imagine a life like Bennett has.
And for the first time, I give in to that possibility.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Sophie
“Oh my God.”I laugh, bending over at the waist. “I am so bad at this,” I confess.
“You should probably move,” Jillian hollers out to the guys. “Unless you all enjoy being hit with beanbags.”
Playing cornhole was never really my thing, I liked to watch instead. I am not athletic, unless reading could be a sport. I prefer to be quietly observing on the sidelines.
But get a few drinks in me and I let the girls convince me it’s a good idea. So far I’ve hit Bennett in the back of the head, Marshall in his groin, and Aaron in the face. Oh and Brantley in the center of his back, the angry scowl he shot at me would have been intimidating if I hadn’t been seeing double at this point. Oh and the fact that I know he is nothing but a big bear.
“In all fairness, I did warn you all,” I add through the laughter as tears roll down my face. “It’s why I never played sports, I have terrible aim.”
“Just visualize the hole,” Lexi says and I can’t help it, I lose it all over again. “Are you serious right now, what are you a fourteen-year-old boy?” She throws her hands up in the air and I fall to the ground laughing. I’m not the only one as Adley and Kendall try their best to hide their laughter.
“I am surrounded by perverts,” she mothers us only making it harder for them to hold back.
Glancing toward the guys I see Finn watching me with a smile on his face. I return his smile and stand once more, holding the beanbag in my hand. Suddenly all the guys scramble and that is all it takes. I let go and for the first time all night I come within a foot of the cornhole board.
With a shrug I walk off acting as if I just won the game.
When I abandon the game so does everyone else and we join the guys by the fire. Grabbing chairs I walk past Finn and he grabs the leg of my chair, halting me. I glance back and he arches his brow.
“Where you going?”
“Over there.” I point to where Jillian and Kendall are sitting and Finn shakes his head. I am feeling a little sassy so I test him, finding humor in how controlled he is.
He doesn’t say much, but what he does say has an impact, and the eyes. He truly says so much with just his eyes, so many feelings hidden in one stare.
“Um, yes,” I add and again he shakes his head. Giving the chair a tug, he pulls me in next to him and lifts his other hand, unfolding the chair. Placing it at his side, he holds my stare and I notice the way my heart rate speeds up.
“Too far away,” he says in explanation and I forget that we are not the only two people here. “You can sit on my lap instead if you’d like.”
“Are you being serious right now?”
“Very serious,” he adds with a smile and I know already he is going to win. So I give in and flop down at his side. When I face everyone else Sutton is grinning from ear to ear.
“It was the smile, wasn’t it?” She has one just like him, so she knows the struggle.
“It was the smile,” I agree with a laugh and chance a glance at Finn. Of course he too is grinning like he’s just won some battle I didn’t even know we were having. Then he does something I don’t expect him to do, he places his hand on my thigh and leaves it there as he carries on with the guys like it’s a gesture he’s made a million times.
I can feel eyes on me and I know the girls are all watching and waiting for my reaction. I’m first to admit I’ve never been with a guy that shows me attention in public. I’ve never had a guy that made sure when we were out together everyone knew we weretogether. This is all still so new to me and it will take some getting used to.
“Jillian,”I say, pointing toward Finn who is currently holding me keeping me from climbing into the car. “Will you tell him you are completely sober.”
“All I’ve had is water.” She holds up the bottle. “Have an early breakfast with my parents tomorrow so I’m the DD tonight.”
Finn pulls me closer and he steps toward me, wrapping his arm around my waist.
