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“Hey, he cheated.” She shrugged with no emotion behind the words. Simple. Direct. 100% Charlie. “This is getting—I don’t know. I’m sorry. This wasn’t supposed to be complicated.”
“No complication. He needs his ass beat. You already did it. He’s a slow learner. I’ll finish the job.” I grabbed her collar and hauled her up under my mouth and dropped another kiss on her lips because apparently I’m racking them up now. “Go have fun… I’ll find you later.”
“You’re going to be sore as fuck.” She cupped my cheek, and I turned my head and nipped at her thumb.
“That’s what hot tubs are for. I’ll meet up with you later. We’ll talk about that reckless move you pulled up there.”
She laughed and shoved me toward the lift. “Can’t wait.”
CHAPTER7
Charlie
I’m not supposed to be catching feelings, but that was exactly what was happening.
Nick’s fault.
All of it.
For someone blindsided by our arrangement, he sure knew how to play the part with ease.
Because of course he did. Like I said, he’s good at everything.Everything.
His every reaction to any slight in my direction screamed, “She’s mine.”
Every cell in my body noticed, from my clit to my freaking stupid heart.
I loved Nick.
Now don’t go getting excited. Of course, I loved him. He’d been an annoying part of my life for forever. One more testosterone-wielding butthead to intimidate the boys I liked and be an all-around watchful eye. He and Chance starred in so many of my firsts. They taught me how to ride a two-wheeler. They took me fishing, hiking, and camping. Everything they did, for the most part, they invited me to do too.
I grew up shooting hoops with Nick, roasting marshmallows with him, and stealing the good tube every chance I got when we were out on the lake.
And he let me… every single time.
He’d been stitched into every part of my past, but what we were doing here in the present, it made me want for a whole different future.
This wasn’t supposed to happen to us.
I needed distance.
Which was why I was in an outdoor hot tub, a blanket of stars in the inky sky overhead, with the subtle hum of skiers and lifts drifting over from the mountain where night skiing was in full swing, with three guys from New York City.
Without Nick.
Hey, I left him a note. And he couldn’t say I didn’t warn him he’d need a hot tub later.
Besides, it wasn’t like I was cheating. Nick and I weren’t real, and these guys were definitely not interested in the equipment I had.
In the short time I’d been out here, I’d gotten to know them. It only seemed right sharing communal hot tub waters and all. Matt, Seth, and Seth’s husband, Landon, owned a marketing firm in the city. They hightailed it to New England as a reward for a successful year firmly in the green.
Since Seth was a Maine native, they came here. From the way they hung so close to one another, I strongly suspected Seth and Landon had an open marriage, and Matt dabbled in some kinky adventures with them.
They seemed like the audacious types who could appreciate my collection upstairs.
And if I was right, their sexy plans might be a bust if I couldn’t work the twinge out of Matt’s back he earned after a full day of black diamond runs.
“You’ve got a huge knot right here.” I pressed down with the heel of my hand and rolled along the hard ball under his skin while I held his shoulder, keeping him as still as possible.
