“Will someone tell him to stop playing around,” I scold playfully, not at all mad.
Neither of the guys says a thing as they walk toward me and Crew.
I let out a quiet breath because there’s a shift that’s palpable when those two work as a team. And suddenly, I’m pretty sure the goal isn’t to get me on my feet. More like onto my back.
My gaze shifts between them. Their eyes are on my body at the same time, drifting over their favorite parts. I smirk before I huff a laugh. Because I’ve been in a bikini all day in front of these three, but somehow, it’s in this moment that I feel half naked. Completely exposed.
Jesus. They’re coming on stronger than they ever have.
“Or…” Nate draws out, stopping and looking down at me. “Instead of telling Crew to stop, we could tell him to keep playing around. Right, Crew? I think that’s a better plan…”
Crew looks at TJ and then Nate like they’ve suddenly developed telekinesis before TJ chuckles and squats. He runs one of his hands through the oil before bringing it to my legs and slicking it over my skin.
Oh, helloooo.
I hear Crew let out a quiet growl next to me.
“You know what this reminds me of, darlin’？” TJ grins.
“Not a clue,” I whisper before biting my bottom lip.
“Spin the bottle.”
I laugh, throwing my head back before I say, “TJ. How does me covered in oil on the floor remind you of spin the bottle?”
But TJ doesn’t answer me before he looks at Crew and smirks, taking my hand from him.
“I say we spin Eleanor, and whatever lands in front of us, we kiss. What do you think, Crew? You in?”
I smile, not minding where this is going at all.
Crew steals my hand back, gritting, “I go first.”
Oh shit. Here we go. I’m either going to throw up all over the floor, or I’m about to go to sexual heaven. The lord really does giveth and giveth and giveth.
Fucketh the taking away part.
I look up at Crew, then Nate, then TJ, but nobody is looking at me. They’re staring at each other. What is happening? If this is one of those little competitions again, my pussy may not survive, but the soldier in me wants to try anyway.
“Am I spinning myself?” I tease, biting my bottom lip as I laugh.
But Crew’s eyes snap to me, his jaw tense before suddenly, the world whizzes by. He spins me around, making me scream with laughter and land splayed out with my leg next to him.
“You’re nuts” tumbles out as he grabs my calf, lifting my shin to his mouth and kissing it softly.
I suck in a quiet breath, my body stilling as our eyes meet and he kisses it again. Something in his eyes has mine locked to him, and I can feel my chest already rising and falling with a heavier rhythm.
My lips begin to tip up into a smile, matching exactly what’s happening on his face, but the moment is broken as Nate cuts in.
“Don’t bogart our girl, Crew…”
Crew grumpily looks away as he moves over, giving Nate barely enough room to take my hand as I sit up before he spins me.
I’m laughing, squealing, “This is insane,” as I stop with my back to Nate, so I look up at him as he peers over.
He smirks. “Looks like I got lips.”
Nate bends over as he tips my head back further before his lips barely graze mine—graze because Crew’s pushing Nate to the side, which makes me fall sideways and causes Crew’s foot to catch in some oil. He slips around, too awkward for someone athletic, before grabbing the counter and huffing out his words.
“Noooo…nope. That’s not the rule…that’s cheating. You have to kiss the back of her head. That’s what you got,” he rushes out like the sexy spin-the-bottle police.
Crew motions for Nate to do that, and we both start laughing. Has he lost his mind?
“Are you okay?” I offer Crew as Nate presses a kiss to the back of my head.
Crew clears his throat and nods, getting his footing. “Yep, right as rain. I’m good. I’mmmm amazing.”
He has sun poisoning, for sure.
TJ steps up and winks at me before reaching down and grabbing my ankle.
“Fuck this—someone’s gonna break a sixty-million-dollar arm. We’re taking this one to the bedroom.”
I don’t have time to react before TJ starts to drag me like a fucking caveman, sliding me along the floor as I thunder a laugh before I scream his name.
“TJ! You’re nuts.”
TJ looks over his shoulder directly at Crew, halting our movement.
“Would you look at that…she screamed my name. Does that mean I get on her roster? Or are you paying me thirty-K?”
Oh shit. My face swings to Crew from where I’m lying, my mouth open like I wanna say, “Ooo, burnnnnn.”
Except who hasn’t frozen is Crew—who is coming right for us.
Holy fuck.
Crew wastes no time hauling me to my feet, his hand squeezing gently around my arm as his giant frame hovers over me, and those ocean-blue eyes meet mine.
“Why am I in trouble?” I grin.
His voice makes me shudder like gravel across my flesh. “What have I told you about flirting with the bench?”
My tongue darts out over my bottom lip because dominant Crew is one of my favorite versions.
“You said not to because you’re the starting lineup,” I whisper.
“Technically,” TJ interjects, leaning in next to me. “I start too.”
Crew’s face snaps to his, and I try to hide my smile as Crew barks, “Didn’t you and Nate fuck some random pussy last night? You could have gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, fucking crabs—”
My eyes are saucers as Crew looks at me. “Do you want any of those things?”
A laugh tears from me before I shove it back down because, oh fuck, he’s serious. And I get the distinct impression now is not the time to mention the various routes of safe sex. So I shake my head because, damn, TJ’s in so much trouble for that comment.
Never kick a guy when he’s down sixteen thousand.
TJ chuckles and pats Crew’s arm. “You’re right. Wow, I can’t believe I…or that we—” He motions to Nate, who’s leaning up against the counter, smirking with his arms crossed as he nods before TJ continues. “Yeah, that we didn’t consider that exact thing. Must still be all the liquor in our systems.”
TJ touches my waist, leaning in and kissing my cheek chastely.
“Guess you dodged a bullet.”
I’m smiling, but also what? I feel like I’m missing part of the conversation. Nate and TJ take their leave, but as the door closes, I stare at Crew.
“What is going on?”
He shakes his head, hands on my waist, walking me backward toward the bedroom. So I repeat myself.
“No, dude. What is going on?”
He stops in the doorway before he looks over his shoulder and grabs my hand, dragging me over to the couch and lifting me to stand on it.
He’s doing that thing again, making us eye to eye. Why is that so cute?
Crew cracks his neck. “What’s going on is that I want you.”
My eyes search his because, for the briefest moment, my heart stops. Is he saying what I think he’s saying? But then he continues, and I can breathe again.