Page 47

The man is so good… why should I hurt him? The past has been buried for decades, I should let it stay that way.
Feeling wise, like that’s the right decision, I slam the door down on my guilt, let the alcohol loosen me even further and my hands rake down his taunt abs and back up again.
He groans, catching my wrists. “I promised myself I’d be good.”
“I don’t want good, Rog. I want you to be bad, very bad,” I whisper stepping up on my tippy toes to tease the back of his neck with my tongue.
“Christ,” he mutters, “not here. I’m not taking you for the first time here like an animal with all my men around.”
“Why not? Everyone else is getting it on.”
He spins in my embrace. “You are not everyone else, Dev. You’re special… deserve the moon and the sun.”
I swallow, “O-okay. We’re up. If Toad and I win, you are mine tonight to do whatever I want with….”
“When you lose,” he answers walking back a step drink in hand, “I’m taking you on a proper date. I say when, I say where and you aren’t gonna say shit about it. Got it?” He finishes tapping the end of my nose.
“Not a problem. Since I’m not gonna lose,” I answer noticing Smith and Luce walking hand in hand out into the clearing. She’s following behind him like he has her on a leash. She’s grins at me as I mouth, “What the fuck?”
Toad comes up next to me beanbags in hand, “You ready?”
“Yup. Let’s whoop some ass,” I respond taking them from him getting ready to make my first throw. I grin. I was a pitcher in high school. Throwing underhand and hitting a target is something I practiced for years.
Rog doesn’t have a chance in hell of winning our wager.
My knees shake as I picture all the ways I could drive him crazy… later in one of these cabins. My first throw lands on the wooden board with a thud, an inch from falling into the hole. Roger’s brow arches, he’s impressed.
“I’ve got mad skills,” I call out. My second throw arcs in the air, sailing right into the hole.
“Damn, girl. I should’ve made a wager, too.” Toad says swigging his beer. I grin, take a large sip of my cocktail and wait for Rog’s return throws.
It’s a close one. We’re up by three points, when Federico lands an ace in the hole, tying it up.
I’ve racked up points but damn, I wasn’t expecting these guys to be so good. Federico laughs, “Don’t look so pissed, Dev. What did ya’ think we do? We drive out here or up north, drink and play lawn games.”
I roll my eyes, “Uh huh. Yep, that’s all you guys do.” Not one of them has an inch of fat on them. They’re ripped, beefcakes, every last one of them. It’s easy to see how Luce turned into a slut at just one hot look from Smith. I’m close to grabbing Rog’s hand and whispering in his ear how I’m going to tie him up while I strip and grind my naked body all over his.
Rog finishes his beer, places it down in the grass and winks. With one easy toss, the game’s over.
He won.
I can’t say I’m disappointed. Being pursued by him is hardly a punishment. In fact, it’s the most exciting thing that’s ever happened in my life.
“Come on sugar. Don’t take the loss too hard. Let’s get some food.”
I grin, “It was a fair game. We would’ve kicked your ass though if I wasn’t so buzzed.”
He takes the plastic cup from my hands, chucks it in the garbage and takes a bottle of water from an ice bucket.
“Here.”
“Thanks,” I whisper noticing it’s getting dark. A few bonfires are going on the small beach. Smoke wafts from the charcoal grills where burgers and hot dogs are cooking. It smells like beer and cook out: a real American summer. Romance is in the air, Rog is by my side and in this moment—I believe in happy endings. The kind you always read about but never get to experience yourself.
We fix plates and sit in Adirondack chairs on the beach by the fire. Toad has a guitar in his lap and strums a few cords. Someone else places some twigs they gathered from the woods on the flames and as they catch fire, sparks shoot up with a few crackling pops.
I sigh in contentment.
For a moment my world is perfect.