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“Remember, gorgeous. Stay out of the kitchen.” He served.
“Why?” She returned it. “I’m thinking it could be my new favorite room.”
He missed again. Point two Stacey.
“You’re a cheater,” he yelled across the court.
“You need to keep your mind on the game…” She served “… and out of the kitchen, Sexy.”
Point three Stacey.
The game continued. The score was ten Tristan, eleven Stacey. She needed one more point to win. She served, and they volleyed for a while.
“Tristan.” She hit the ball. “I could really…”
He hit it back.
She returned it “Suck the juice off a large, stiff pickle.”
He missed. She won.
They met at the net. “Too bad. I’ll have to settle for a real pickle.” She grabbed his shirt, pulled him to her, and kissed him over the net.
“You’re a cheater,” he whispered against her mouth.
She smiled wickedly. “Me? What did I do? I just talked about pickles and the kitchen. Seems to me you have a dirty mind.”
He shook his head and pulled her up and over the low net and into his arms. Her legs wrapped around him as she squealed, but it was cut short as his mouth crushed hers. She held on and her body warmed. She could feel how much the kiss affected him, and it was touching right where it needed to
“Hmm. Someone’s pickle is hard.” She backed up to see his eyes. “We need to go. We need to go. Now.”
“I agree, gorgeous. I have a bet to settle.”
“What the hell?” Tristan pressed the brake hard as they pulled into the driveway, which had much more than Stacey’s car in it.
Her jaw dropped down to her chest when she saw who all was at her house. Jacob, Kristen, Elizabeth, Brady, Jessica, and Chad were sitting on the patio, deep in conversation. They all looked over as Tristan and Stacey got out of the car.
Stacey grabbed his hands. “I guess you’re going to meet everyone.”
Tristan bent to look at her directly. “Why are they here? I thought you said no one was gonna be here tonight.”
“That’s what I thought.” She stood on her tiptoes to see him better. “Don’t you worry. You’ll get a chance to pay me. I won’t let you forget.” Her lips closed on his, and his hands wrapped around her waist.
“Trust me. That’s one thing I won’t forget. That was a bet I totally loved losing.” His eyes stayed on hers, and the crease in his cheek formed. “Now, introduce me to your friends.”
They walked hand-in-hand onto the deck. Stacey quickly introduced him to Chad and Brady. “Jessica and Elizabeth, you’ve sort of met before.”
Tristan greeted them.
“Hi, Tristan. Good to see you again,” said Elizabeth.
“So,” Stacey looked around at all her friends. “What the hell are y’all doing here? I thought we were going to be alone tonight.” Stacey hoped they would get the hint.
Kristen looked up. “Yeah, well. We were at The Pizza Place talking about your party Friday night, and Grant got fussy. Elizabeth decided to put him down. We didn’t want to stay at her house and possibly wake him. Her mom said she’d watch him, so we came over here.”
Tristan pulled Stacey onto the couch next to him. “Well, it’s good to meet all of you. You said something about Stacey’s birthday?”
Kristen filled him in on the party Friday night. He joined in the conversation as Stacey looked at her friends. Her mouth gaping.
