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Game on.
3
Natalie
Amuffled sound wakes me up and takes me a minute to register what it is. I think it was a door shutting. Reaching over, I grab my phone off of my nightstand to check the time. I’ve only been in bed for a few hours. My body hasn’t processed the West Coast/East Coast time difference yet, and I feel like I barely slept at all. I stretch out and look around my room again. There is a faint streetlight filtering in through the curtains.
Judging by the way my father had this room decorated, he must think I am still in my fairy princess phase.
The space is gorgeous and would be a little princess’s dream, but I’ve outgrown my belief in those types of fairy tales. The walls are a light dove grey with elegant, white dupioni silk curtains edged in pale pink stitching stretching from the floor to ceiling on all six windows. The bed is a beautiful, king-sized, white canopy bed with gauzy, white fabric hanging from the canopy's top. An oversized white comforter that reminds me of a cloud and pale pink pillows top it off. Lucky for me, it is the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept on.
The dresser is an oversized white dresser with an ornate white mirror. There is a pale pink vanity that is fit for a queen with a small vanity stool topped with grey faux fur. Even the area rug is pale pink, white, and dove grey with hints of baby blue. It’s pretty, and I would have loved it when I was ten.
I make a mental note to get room darkening curtains or shades.
Sleep is going to be an issue tonight. After tossing and turning, I decided to head down to the kitchen for something to drink and to hunt for melatonin. Mom always has a bottle near the cold medicine and Ibuprofen in the kitchen, and I’m hoping that’s a habit Dad adopted, too. There is a muted light coming from the family room, and it looks like the guys are passed out on the couches. I pad lightly into the kitchen, not wanting to wake anyone up, but then have to muffle a scream.
Sebastian is sitting at the counter, watching me.
“Jesus Christ, Sebastian. You scared me half to death.”
“Sorry, Natalie. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m a shit sleeper. I was just getting a drink. I hope I didn’t wake you up.”
“You know, I think that’s the most you’ve said to me all night.” He looks incredibly uncomfortable right now, like I’ve caught him doing something wrong.
“I learned a long time ago that Murphy would talk enough for all of us.”
Sebastian seems like the type of guy that would get more out of watching a conversation and people’s reactions to it than being an active participant in it.
“I think I understand that.” Sebastian lifts a cup to his mouth, and I’m not surprised. “Is that chocolate milk?” My dad is always talking about what a good recovery drink low-fat chocolate milk is after a workout. He was always trying to get me to drink it. Maybe one day he’ll remember that I don’t like to drink milk.
Dipping his head to cover what I’m guessing is embarrassment, he answers, “Yeah, it’s chocolate milk. There is always some in this fridge. I should probably feel bad because Cooper never drinks it. I think it might just be me. Your dad mentioned a while ago that we should all be drinking low-fat chocolate milk in the summer, especially. Said the sodium in it would help with cramps too. I still feel like a little kid when I’m drinking it.”
“That’s funny. My dad loves chocolate milk, but it has to be the store-bought kind, not the kind you mix yourself. You guys spend that much time here? That’s got to be nice for Cooper. I was worried that senior year would suck being the new kid. It seems like Cooper has found himself a crew.”
“Not just Cooper. We’ve got your back too. You may not know us yet, but we feel like we already know you. Cooper talks about you all the time. It feels like we know you already. He couldn’t wait for you to get here. Kept saying it was wrong having you across the country. Pretty sure it was driving him nuts to have this house to himself.”
“Thanks, Sebastian. I appreciate it.” I hear someone else moving around and turn to see who.
Brady’s walking into the kitchen with low slung blue basketball shorts hanging off his hips and no shirt.
Oh. My. God. His body is incredible. It’s dark in the kitchen, but I swear I just counted eight freaking abs, and he has a light dusting of hair leading down to that elusive V that turns girls like me stupid. I’ve seen men built like this before, but none of them have made my entire body feel like it’s on fire like it does now. I’m hot everywhere, and suddenly, I am very aware that I am sitting here in a cami and booty shorts. My hair is down and probably looking like a rat’s nest after tossing and turning in bed, and I have no makeup on. Not to mention, I don’t even have a bra on. I’m not usually too worried about what I’m wearing, as I’m used to being in very little for dance. My boobs are on the smaller side, but right now, I just know that both these guys can see my nipples poking through this top.
I should have thought it through before I came downstairs.
Shit.
4
Brady
Iwas already having a hard time sleeping tonight. Thoughts of a small pixie kept drifting through my head. No doubt Natalie is beautiful, but after spending a few hours with her, it was obvious she was so much more. She had this sarcastic sense of humor that I wasn’t expecting. It was fun to watch her come out of her shell. Her answers to our questions got less rehearsed and more real. It made me want to get to know her better. I also caught myself a few times getting annoyed when Murphy would go out of his way to touch her. He wasn’t being a creep, but Murph is an overly affectionate, flirty fucker, and it bugged the hell out of me.
I didn’t want it to bug me.
I don’t date.
I don’t do relationships.
