Page 20 of Just for the Plot

Her hair is parted down the middle, slightly curled, and draped around her shoulders. She’s wearing a pair of jean shorts with frayed hems, a brown belt, and a cropped, off-the-shoulder long-sleeved blouse that’s tight around her torso but loose around her chest. Her tanned skin is on full display and my mind short-circuits as she moves closer and closer, almost in slow motion.

She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear.

Her long lashes blink, scanning for me.

Her toned legs move, one step in front of the other, closer and closer to me.

And those pouty full lips glisten from the light bouncing off the gloss she applied.

Fuck.

Me.

“Shit, is that her?” Nolan asks, nodding right toward her.

“Yup.” I swallow thickly.

“Fuck, dude,” he whispers and then shifts on the couch next to me. “You are so fucked.”

Yup.

I am.

Her head turns just as her eyes connect with mine and a huge smile plasters across her face before she heads right toward me and I walk to meet her.

Security walks up to her, ready to turn her away, but before they can, I say, “She’s with me.”

They nod and step aside, allowing Bower to walk right up, loop her arm around my neck, and give me a huge hug. My arms wrap around her waist, my forearms pressing against her bare skin. Her scent of rich caramel and sweet pistachio, something I can’t place, fucking intoxicates me.

Her hand slides across the back of my neck as she pulls away and looks up at me. “Hey there, Mr. Game Winner.”

“You watched?” I ask as I keep my arm around her, wanting her close, something it seems she doesn’t mind.

“I did! Since I was coming tonight, thought I should probably educate myself.” Her fingers dance across the hair at the nape of my neck, sending chills across my skin. “Good job, Benny Boo Boo.” She smirks and then pulls away, making me have to let go as well.

“Thank you,” I answer and then stick my hands in my pockets. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“What are you drinking?”

“Just beer.”

“Then I’ll join you.” Like she always does, she takes my hand and I guide her to the back of the sitting area, where I hand her my beer and she takes a sip from it before sitting next to me on the couch.

I nod at a waiter who acknowledges me to bring another beer.

“And who do we have here?” Nolan says before I can even introduce him.

“This is my friend, Bower,” I say. “Bower, this is Nolan.”

Bower’s eyes light up as she takes in Nolan, who’s wearing a pair of pink ripped jeans, a white T-shirt with the collar torn, and a silver chunky necklace dangling at the base of his neck.

“Nice to meet you, Nolan,” she says as she wets her lips.

Yup, this was a bad idea, I can feel it already.

Nolan takes her hand in his and gives it a shake. “Hell, if I wasn’t taken, I’d be asking you to sneak back to the bathroom right about now.”

Dude, what the actual fuck?