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“Avery knows you. She wouldn’t tell you to.” Emerson shook his head and grinned. “But I still don’t get how you can be all buddy-buddy with a chick you fucked.”
And it started again. I tamped down on the annoyance that sparked to life when he talked about her like that.
“Yeah. I mean, if the sex wasn’t great, then fine. Maybe.” Bosco frowned. “Except if the sex was bad, I’m not sure I’d want to hang around. In case, you know, she hinted at wanting it to happen again. So yeah, I’d avoid her.” He nodded, as if making up his mind. “If it was good, I’d definitely try to hit that again. One or the other. Not this friendship limbo shit you’ve got going on.”
My jaw ticked, and my heart rate sped up, but not in a good way. I’d been hearing this for months. “I’m not explaining this shit again,” I gritted out. “We’re friends. Stop trying to make it weird.”
“That’s what makes it fucking weird, man.” Emerson laughed. “That you think you can be just friends.”
I glared at him and squeezed my hands into fists at my sides. “I should have left you at home.”
“If Avery hadn’t personally invited all of us, you’d have left us all at home.” He snorted.
“Truth. But I have a question.” Mason rubbed his hands together, grinning at me.
Fuck. With an expression like that, I braced myself for the bullshit he was about to spew.
“What if she starts hooking up with someone? How does that play into this friends thing?”
Shit stirring. The man always did this.
“She’s not dating.” I bit the words out. Because there was no doubt in my mind that I’d react poorly to her hooking up with anyone.
“Yeah.” Bosco nodded as the elevator opened onto Wren’s floor. “But dude…” He stepped out and glanced down the hall. “Dating and fucking don’t always go hand in hand. I don’t date, but…”
He didn’t need to finish the thought, and I didn’t want to hear about that shit anyway. I had no doubt that out of the four of us, I’d gone the longest without sex. I was okay with that. I didn’t want just anyone. So it was whatever. And Avery…
“She’s not hooking up with anybody,” I snapped, stepping out of the elevator behind Streaks. From the sound of the music bumping down the hall, it was easy to determine which way to go. “And drop it now, please.”
By the way the bass vibrated through the floor as we approached the apartment door, I knew this wouldn’t be my thing. But I’d made a promise, so I was here.
Though I doubted anyone inside could hear it, I pounded on the door. After several seconds, it swung open, and the sight that met me had me locking my jaw to fight the smile that wanted to take over my face.
“Blondie.”
Her short-sleeve bubble gum–pink dress highlighted her gorgeous legs. Even though we’d known each other for months, I’d never seenher hair down like this before. It was done in some kind of beach curls. My sister would know what to call them, but when she started talking about shit like that, I tuned out.
“You came!” She blasted us with a smile that matched the sparkly crown on her head. “And you followed my direction perfectly.”
As if I’d let any of the guys come along if they hadn’t followed her instructions to a T.
“Of course we came.” I angled in and gave her a quick hug. Instantly, I was engulfed in the cupcake scent that always lingered, even though she spent most of her day with birds and dead fish.
She pulled back before I was ready, but I stepped away quickly when she did so I didn’t get more shit from my teammates.
As I did, every one of them was watching me with a shit-eating grin that saidyou’re screwed.
“Hey, hotties.” Jana rounded the corner toward us. “Boston Revs in the house.” With her hands in the air, she danced toward us. She was dressed in a white bikini with a pink vest and some kind of…bubble hat? She snagged a red blob off the counter and sauntered to Kyle. “Your hat, sir.”
It looked like half a red kickball with white paper circles taped to it.
“Damn, girl, looking good.” Smirking, he flipped the stupid-ass hat onto his head.
Wren materialized from a mass of people crowding her living room. She was dressed in hot-pink shorts and a matching sports bra, as well as a hat. Hers had half a monkey head on it. “Mason Dumpty, I knew you’d crush Kong.” She swiped another monkey head from the counter and strode toward him.
“Oh! I get it!” Kyle pumped his fist and chuckled. “Damn, you all are awesome. Come on, Toadette, let’s go get a drink.” He pulled Jana away.
“I’m lost.” I assessed Avery, hoping she’d give me a clue.
