Page 68 of The Game We Played

Brock returns and grabs his ball. “I’m knocking the rum barrel loose.”

“Did you find an item you want to win?” I ask.

“Wok the Plankdonated a dinner for four, including drinks.” He frowns. “May’s parents can’t afford the donation.”

“Smuggler’s Hideaway is bewitched,” Corbin says while Brock lines up his shot.

“Bewitched how?” I ask.

“Men fall in love with the women on this island without realizing what’s happening,” he mutters.

Alaia leans forward. “Are you in love? Can I quote you inThe Siren’s Spill?”

“Not me. Everyone else.” He points to me. “Including him.”

Alaia’s cheeks darken. Is she blushing with embarrassment? Or is she excited by the idea of me loving her? What I wouldn’t do to know the answer.

An alarm sounds as a giant anchor slowly lowers from the ceiling. Everyone in the bowling alley freezes.

“What’s going on?”

Alaia doesn’t respond. For several minutes, the alarm blares. She doesn’t speak until the giant anchor raises into the ceiling again. She points to Brock. “He’s getting a gutter penalty.”

“Why?”

“You can’t move when the anchor is lowered.”

“You didn’t tell us.”

She shrugs. “You didn’t ask.”

“Remind me never to play poker with you.”

She beams at me. “Too bad. I thought we’d play strip poker later.”

My cock twitches. Alaia naked. Her miles and miles of creamy skin on display for me. Her breasts and pussy begging for my attention.

She stands and winks. “You’re not the only troublemaker in the family.”

I’m officially intrigued. Does Alaia want more than a fake relationship with me? And how do I find out?

Chapter 21

BREAKING: LOCAL BARTENDER CLASHES WITH NFL STAR’S FAMILY Witnesses report zero survivors

Alaia

“Hey, Julian,” I greet the other bartender. “You ready for tonight?”

He waggles his eyebrows. “Ready to watch women in seashell bras sing and dance? Hell yeah.”

I snort. Julian’s all talk and no play. He’s devoted to his girlfriend, who’s currently in Europe for a semester abroad. I hope she’s as faithful to Julian as he is to her.

“I’ll be happy whenMermaid Karaokeseason is over.”

I say this every summer. This summer is different. I don’t want the summer to end. The end of the summer means the end of my relationship with Tanner.

My stomach dips. I blow out a breath to ease the empty feeling.