Page 117 of Meant to Be

“The stick.” He grins.

I stare down at it, only then realising how small the putters are.

“Oh. Sure. It’s fine.”

“My stick is pretty big. Do you want to try it?” His grin has transformed into a dirty smirk now.

“I’ve tried it before. I’ll give it a pass.” I smirk back.

Harley fake scoffs, placing a hand on his chest. “Ouch.”

We move to the first hole. The first group has already moved on, with the second group having their last player go.

“Best to beat is two,” a girl whose name I can’t remember tells us over her shoulder as the group moves on.

“Watch and learn, kids,” Brennon says.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. It’s gotten to the point that anything he says, even if it is completely normal, frustrates me. I’ve had to bite my tongue several times to not start an argument. I can’t stand him. Never have, and probably never will. But for Belle’s sake, I try to keep a lid on my anger.

Brennon lines himself up and swings, hitting the ball way too hard. It bounces across the green, and over the edge. He curses.

“Did you mean to teach us whatnotto do?” Harley drawls, striding up to the spot.

He readies himself before gently smacking the putter against the ball. Seamlessly, it rolls directly into the hole, with a definiteclink.

He swings the stick and blows on the putter, as if it is a lit match.

“And that’s how it’s done.”

“Beginner’s luck,” Brennon mutters.

Belle goes next. As she steps up to the spot, Harley falls back, standing so close our arms brush.

“How badly do you want to ditch this whole thing and go back to my room?” he whispers.

Every hair on my body stands, his smooth voice blasting a hot wave over me.

“Pretty fucking bad.”

He makes a sound deep in his throat. “That can be arranged.”

My body is on fire by the time I take my turn. I’m shocked that it only takes me two hits to get the ball in, considering my nerves are shot.

Once we’ve moved to the next hole, I fold my arms over my chest, watching Brennon. Harley lightly plays with the end of my hair. I try my hardest not to think about how close he is, and all the things I want to do to him. And him to me.

He grazes past me when it’s his turn.

“The sexual tension between you and Harley is making me uncomfortable,” Belle whispers. “It’s hard to breathe around you two.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Getting through all eighteen holes seems to take the entire night, as there were so many people trying to get through. I’m relieved when we reach the end, calling it a night. I’m desperate to escape back to my room, to have a cold shower and sleep off this overwhelming feeling of lust that is trying to take over my body.

When I crawl into bed later that night, I feel exhausted. I pull the covers over me, sinking into the stiff pillows.

“You’re going to fall in love with Harley,” Belle whispers, rustling in the bed beside me. “I can see it.”

Swallowing, I close my eyes.

I think it’s already happened.