I clink my glass against hers. They’ll understand when they hear my plea. Besides, I’m fairly certain that title was already going to be hers. “Cruz has all the power, and I want some.” What I don’t tell them is that I’m desperate for some control over my feelings and this is the only way I know to do that. Everything with Cruz is so intense—physically and emotionally. The panic wells up in my throat if I think too hard about the way I feel for my best friend.
“Are we talking about the same Cruz?” Poppy asks with a blank expression on her face. “He would literally walk through fire for you. I think that meansyouhave all the power.”
“I am not talking aboutthatpower.”
“Are we talking about those ‘yes, sir’ vibes he gives off?” Indie asks, far too loud for my liking. All the guys might be in the other room, but they could come out here anytime.
“Shhh . . . what are you talking about?”
“He looks like the kind of guy that could get a girl to say ‘yes, sir’ in the bedroom.” Indie gives me an appraising look. “He is, isn’t he?”
“I changed my mind. This isn’t helping,” I say as my neck prickles with heat at the thought of me on my knees in front of Cruz saying those exact words. It only makes me want him more, but the physical intensity I can handle. I crave it because it’s like nothing I’ve ever had. It’s everything else that scares me, the thought of falling so hard and losing what we have—losing my best friend.
“Knock it off, Ind. You’re making her get all worked up,” Poppy says, but she can’t hide the snicker. “What do you need help with, Delilah? We will be on our best behavior.”
“Um. I actually might need you on your worst behavior for this.”
“I like where this is going. I know what you need to do . . .” Indie starts.
“You haven’t even heard the problem yet,” Poppy cuts in, looking between the two of us. Before taking a drink from her almost empty beer.
“Doesn’t matter. I know the solution. She needs to suck his dick.”
Jesus . . . again with the loud voice.
Poppy’s hand flies to her mouth just in time to keep the beer from spraying all over. It dribbles out between her fingers.
Indie passes her the napkin she has wrapped around her bottle and continues without missing a beat. “That’s how you get the power back. Suck it right out of him. Works every time.”
I nibble on my lip. She might have a point, but it’s been a long time. “It’s like riding a bike, right? I can do this.”
“Yeah, you can!” Indie cheers, poking her cheek with her tongue and holding her hand up for a high five.
“Do what?” Dom asks, as he walks back in with Dean trailing behind. His eyes roam over Indie, openly checking her out as he stops behind where she sits on the couch looming over her.
She tips her head back to look up at him. “Wouldn’t you like to know? Sorry Domino, girl talk.”
“Domino?” he silently mouths down at her. Indie gives him a smug look but doesn’t offer an explanation.
“A little help with the beers?” Dean hollers from the kitchen, where he’s pulling them out of the fridge. “She’s not into you, buddy. Which is probably good because she looks like she’d chew you up and spit you out.”
“Fuck, yes! And I’d love it,” he says almost wistfully.
“You should listen to your friend,” Indie chimes in with a wicked smirk on her face as she looks right past Dom, her heated gaze finding Dean before abruptly turning back to me. “You got a plan, Lilah?”
“Maybe?” I say. I have an idea, but I’m not sure if I’m brazen enough to pull it off. “Let’s go see what’s going on in the game room.”
The guys are finishing up a game of arcade style shuffleboard when the girls and I walk back in. “Dean, this place is incredible. Tell me you have a movie theater?” I ask, eyeing the elaborate set-up.
“No movie theater, but there’s a library. Cruz, take your girl on a tour. You remember where everything is?”
“What do you say? Want a tour?” Cruz says, hugging me from behind as the guys set up another game of shuffleboard.
“Sure.” He takes my hand and leads me out of the game room. “So, what’s the story? His mom is a lawyer?”
“His mom, sister, and brother—grandpa too. They own the largest law firm on the east coast. His brother and sister will take it over at some point when his mom and grandpa retire.”
“I wouldn’t have guessed. He’s so down to earth. A little brooding when he’s not being dragged into Dom’s nonsense, but he doesn’t come off as a trust fund kid.”
