“Grant, can we live with you?”Roxie calls out as Grant walks past the edge of the pool.
“Of course, Roxie.If you promise to share a room with me,” he cracks.
“I wouldn’t say no,” Roxie replies.
“What about me?”I ask.
Grant grimaces and shakes his head.“I don’t think Griffin would like that too much.I don’t wanna piss that guy off.”
Warmth vines through me.He’s not wrong.And the more I drink, the more I wish Griffin would come out with what’s happening between us.
“They’re just friends,” Sara says, drawing out the “just friends” part.
We chill along the pool wall, enjoying the hot sun and the cold drinks.Soon, Griffin and Branson enter the water, though they keep to the far end.I manage to share a sweet smile with Griffin, and I do a good job at making sure I don’t turn into a grinning fool afterward.I can be casual.I can be normal.
I am the epitome of a friend with benefits.
Until Will shows up again.He has shed his polo and shorts and joined the pool population.
He beelines toward us, ignoring all the girls except me.He crowds my space, towering over me again as he talks about the tech industry and asking me questions about my job, my salary, my history.I can’t tell if he’s trying to flirt or trying to recruit me.Either way, it’s super annoying.Roxie goes off to find us bottles of water while Sara and Julie float away to chat with another friend.I’m trying to be polite to this guy, but I could not care less about what he’s saying.
“So what are your prospects back in Chicago?”he asks.“Do you need help transitioning to tech?”
“Oh boy.”I’m not sure where to begin with this one.“I’m not really interested in tech so—” My sentence gets cut off with a splash of water.My jaw drops as I search out the offender.Griffin is grinning devilishly from a distance away.
“Jeez!Drive-by splashing.So, yeah, I’m not looking to change industries.If anything, I’m looking to get into the book space—”
“Publishing doesn’t have the same opportunity as tech,” Will says, which is only the fifth or sixth thing he’s said so far that has irked and ruffled me.“We should get together sometime and talk about options.And life in general.”He laughs and floats a bit closer.Now I wonder if this has been flirtation the entire time.
“Uh,” I begin, but another wave of water hits me in the face.Griff’s deep laugh is all I can hear as I grapple with the face full of water.
“What the hell?”I sputter, smoothing my hair back.I remove my sunglasses to fling the water droplets off.Griffin is floating away, eyes locked on me, like daring me to come after him.Or maybe daring Will to say something.
“Anyway,” I say, replacing my sunglasses, “I’m pretty set on my job prospects.And my life prospects.”
Will doesn’t take a hint.I need to be more direct, but he launches into another dissertation on why tech is the way to go and I need to be smart and follow his advice.My lord this guy is a downer.Each time I try to gracefully excuse myself, he doubles down.
Just as he’s about to launch another justification for why he’s the smartest man in the pool, a beach ball bonks me on the head.
A laugh escapes me.And then I see Griffin nearby, laughing too.
Will twists to follow my gaze.“Is that guy your boyfriend…?”
I see my out.I take it without a moment’s hesitation.
“Yes,” I say.
Will finally shuts up.And Griffin must have had enough, because he surfs over to me and scoops me up into his strong arms.I shriek with laughter, clinging to him as he whisks me to the other side of the pool.He plunks me onto the edge of the pool, his hands resting at my side as he lifts himself out of the water to meet me at eye level.
He is so water drenched and sexy right now I could perish.And the best part is that I no longer have to hear about tech career maneuvers.
“Well that only took three hours,” I tease, looking down at his hands.His thumbs are brushing the sides of my thighs.“What was that all about?”
He grunts, lowering himself back into the water.“You needed a rescue, so I thought I’d help out.”
I pretend to be shocked.“You mean rescued from Will, my good friend over there?The ultimate tech bro who can’t take a hint?”
“Not exactly your type of poolside friend.”
