Page 117 of Changing Lanes

“We live together, Beckett,” I deadpan.

“Yeah, but I want to drive you back, not Cynthia.” He drops his voice for my ears only. “Just, give me this one, okay?”

He’s acting a little nervous and a lot suspicious. What is he up to now?

Beckett disappears into the tent, hopefully to put a shirt on so I can function normally again, and with a shake of my head, I move to join the guys who aren’t even pretending to eat, they’re full on gaping.

Coty recovers first once I have a plate of food, saying brightly, “good morning,” while Marc jerks his chin up in greeting, watching through dark eyes.

“It appears that way,” I draw out.

After a beat of awkward silence, we all let out our forced laughs just as Angela emerges from her and Coty’s tent, carrying a steaming mug.

“Oh, perfect timing. Here’s your chai. Beckett thought you coyote-uglied his ass but I knew you’d be back.”

My eyes grow wide as she places the milky cup of tea in front of me.

She chuckles, explaining, “As soon as he saw his phone was dead, he lost his shit and helped get the power up and running again.” Stopping to give the guys a private look, she then nods toward my drink. “He searched two stores on the way up just to find the right brand for you.”

I smile warmly, thanking her and tucking all of that away.

“It’s perfect.” And it is. Spicy yet sweet, creamy but thin, and piping hot. Exactly the way I like it.

Beckett reappears, wearing a shirt that says I like it hard, fast, and loud, and I know from experience this shirt is actually true. Beside me, he flips a chair around backward before sitting down and slinging his long arms over the back casually, saying, “For the record, I’ve never been coyote-uglied in my life.”

Angela’s response is immediate, “Only because no one’s ever lasted until morning to see your face in the light of day.”

The table falls silent and I swear I can feel four sets of eyes land on me simultaneously. My food becomes very interesting though as I keep my gaze glued to the plate.

“Are we all going to beat around the bush about this?” My eyes widen a fraction, hearing Beckett. “Fine, I’m just gonna come out and say it: who invited neighbor girl? She’s a total party pooper.”

Coty sobers from laughing at the two friends going back and forth to warn, “Hey.”

Angela shushes him saying, “I’m more fun than you three losers put together.” With a mumbled “sorry” to Coty she continues, saying to me, “Paige, would you please tell him?”

I glance up, rushing to say, “Oh, I’m not… This isn’t…”

Beckett turns my face to his, seeing straight through me. “You are. And this most definitely is.”

Our staring contest continues until Coty coughs, asking, “What time are you guys heading out? We can help load everything up as soon as we’re all properly caffeinated.”

“Speak for yourself,” Marc mutters. “I didn’t even want to bring all this shit.”

“How you liking that hazelnut latte, Marc?” Angela snaps and Marc just sips his coffee in silence, fighting a smirk over the rim.

Beckett steals a sausage link from my plate but instead of getting offended like I did when Cruz did the same thing, I lean over, snatching his hand with mine then bite the end off. Better he learns it now—what’s yours is mine, but what’s mine is still mine until I say otherwise.

He pauses then tosses the rest of the link into his mouth like it’s a mint.

“Unless Paige needs more sausage after this,” his perverted wink earns a heavy eye roll from me, “we’ll get ready after breakfast.”

I murmur “half a pound” under my breath, making Beckett full-on howl with laughter.

“I’m happy to prove you wrong, girl.” Using one arm on the table and one on the back of my chair to cage me in, he whispers against my ear, saying, “Again.”

My head shakes his obnoxious snicker away but not the pulsing between my thighs.

Cynthia and Cruz stroll over then, their movements planned and agitated, with guilt written over every inch of the both of them. Something tells me that whatever happened between them last night doesn’t hold the same shine to it now that we’re in the light of day and that it won’t be happening again.