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“And you were worried I’d be the sore loser?” I ask Cole, and squeal when he picks me up and spins me around. I’m dizzy once he puts me back down on my feet, kissing me breathless.
“You are so freaking hot,” he mutters against my lips. “What else can you do?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I tease, pushing him towards the balls. “Your turn to show us what you’ve got.”
He rolls his shoulders. “Best get my game face on then.”
He moves, grabbing a ball off the ball belt. As he walks backwards, he sends me a cheeky wink, making me blush. He looks hot standing in front of the lane, his back muscles tightening in the grey T-shirt he’s wearing. He swings his arm back, his biceps bulging and straining against his tee. I’m breathless, my heart beating rapidly, my cheeks flaming hot. I don’t even see the shot he takes. I’m too stunned by his appearance to notice anything else around me. I’m shamelessly ogling him.
CJ cheers, his loud voice shaking me out of my daydream. Cole walks slowly over to me, like a lion after his prey, and my breathing escalates once again.
You’ll need an inhaler soon with the way he affects you, Willow.
“Looks like we might stand a chance after all.”
Glancing up at the scoreboard, it reads Cole got a strike. I bite back a grin, although I still end up smirking when I gaze back up at him.
“You’re still losing,” I whisper teasingly.
“From where I’m standing, I’m the winner either way,” he tells me cryptically, his pupils darkening, full of lust and something else, leaving me with my mouth agape.
I don’t get a chance to reply because CJ grabs me, swinging me around in excitement. “Score,” he roars, nearly bursting my ear drum. His excitement is contagious and my cheeks ache from smiling.
*** *** ***
I zip my coat up to ward off the chill as we make our way to the fast-food restaurant next door to the bowling alley. We’ve all worked up an appetite and are ready to eat. It’s late, but thankfully it’s open until the early hours of the morning since we’re close to a couple of pubs.
“I’m telling you, that game was rigged,” CJ whines.
Allie arches an eyebrow at him. “You’re such a sore loser.”
“Says you. Who missed two pins and threw a hissy fit?” he snarks.
“You made me miss,” she growls. I’m actually worried the two are going to start physically fighting soon. Either that or they’re gonna jump in bed together any day now.
“How did I?” he questions with a small smirk playing on his lips.
“How? How?” she snarls, clenching her hand into a fist. “You know exactly what you did.”
He’s asking to be slapped when he ruffles her hair. “No, I don’t. So why don’t you tell me?”
She slaps his hand out of the way and whirls around on him. “You smacked my arse, you dickhead.”
“Woah, woah, woah,” he yelps, moving quickly out of the way. “I already explained to you that there was something on your arse. I was just swatting it away for you.”
One thing about CJ… he’s not a very good liar.
And Allie clearly has a short fuse when it comes to him.
I step between them as we reach Chicken Palace. “Okay, kids, calm down. If I have to separate you, I will,” I warn, daring them both to argue.
Allie frowns, pouting her lips. “He started it.”
“No, I didn’t,” CJ argues, and I roll my eyes.
“You won’t get any ice cream if you keep misbehaving,” I tell them both, knowing how much Allie loves her food, especially ice cream.
“Come on, before mama bear starts biting heads off,” Cole teases.