Page 22 of Sour Notes

I hastily open it back up again to make sure.

Killing it.

“Jeez, and you guys call me dramatic.” Kim laughs, shaking her head.

“Ok, I get that. It might be tricky, but what if it didn’t blow up? What if he’s the guy you’re looking for and you’re wasting all this time dating MatchNote creepers instead? Look at me and Axel. We were best friends, now we’re engaged, and it’s perfect.”

“Uhhh yeah, if we overlook the big gap in the middle that was a huge fuck-up. I don’t get the luxury of avoiding him if things go south for me. Besides, I’m not looking for a guy. I don’t want to date anyone. MatchNote’s more about finding someone for right now… just to get this fucking wedding out of the way. You guys know this. It’s bad enough evading my mom’s meddling, so don’t you two start too.” I huff out a sigh with a glare. I’m not sure how I expected them to react, but I didn’t think they’d be team MiaSway.

Well, look, that doesn’t even go together.

“Ok, ok, keep your panties on—literally in your case.” She chuckles at her own joke, before continuing. “Sooo, what you’re saying is, you do think he’s hot, you enjoyed both rides on his pogo stick, and now you need our help to avoid falling on it again since you’re living with him?”

“Haven, for fuck’s sake. No. Did you listen to a word I just said?”

She smirks across the table at me.

“I agree with Haven. That’s exactly what you’re saying, you just don’t want to admit it.” Kim shrugs.

“I’m so glad I told you two. This has been sooooo enlightening.”

“What’s enlightening?”

I jump, slamming my laptop closed again as the deep baritone voice trails over my shoulder. Looking up, my eyes clash with Swayze’s steely blue-gray gaze, a whisper of a smile on his face. The other guys walk up behind him, Axel slides in beside Haven, leaving Lucas and Swayze to sit on either side of me.

Well that’s just fan-fucking-tastic. Now I have to feel his hard thigh pressing against me while he manspreads under the table.

Perfect.

“Hey sugar, I missed you last night.” Lucas, aka Baby Thor, pulls me into a hug, squishing me into his broad chest.

“Hey. Let me go, you big lug. You didn’t miss shit. I saw you tongue-tangling Morticia Addams in the corner.”

A wide grin splits his face. “Fuck yeah, she was hot. I might have to see her again. What sauciness you workin’ on today, Mia Monroe?” Lucas nods toward my laptop, using my pen name. My friends are the few people in my life who know what it actually is. My family knows I write for a magazine, but I haven’t told them anything else, much to my mom’s disappointment.

I sure as shit don’t need them reading my tips on how to squirt—spoiler alert: not everyone can, but stay hydrated, my dudes—or what sexual position gives you the most O’s.

Friday night dinner would get super awkward when the topic of work came up.

I open my laptop and turn the screen toward Lucas.

“Dickonomics, huh? I’ve got a degree in that. Need any sources to quote?” He winks, sweeping a long blond lock off his face, looking every inch the god of thunder.

“Ha, no thank you. Your sources would be enough to fill the column for years, but we’re not that desperate yet.”

“Mia, you wound me.” He pounds a fist to his heart, splaying across the diner table sending us all cackling.

I ignore Swayze while we eat our breakfast. We’re careful not to talk to each other directly, and I haven’t even let myself side-eye him for a single second. It’s going brilliantly until Haven asks if I’m free to hang at her apartment tonight since Axel’s about to start an overnight shift.

“Ugh, I can’t tonight, I’m so sorry. I’ve got a stupid date,” I mumble, not looking up from my plate, in the hope that it slips by unnoticed.

“What date?” Swayze’s tone is sharp as he turns his whole body to look at me, drawing all eyes to us.

Because of course he wasn’t distracted enough by his conversation with Axel.

What's his freakin’ deal?

What part of leave me the fuck alone was unclear to him?