Survivor (First to Fight #2)(53)

“How’s life?” I ask Livvie as she joins us on the porch.

“Screw that, I want to hear about what’s going on with you and Jack. Can I expect a sister-in-law in the near future?” She wiggles her eyebrows.

We head over to her patio furniture and I take a seat, my stomach suddenly fluttering with nerves.

Livvie’s brows draw up and her smile melts away. “So what’s up? I was just joking about the sister-in-law thing. I know you’re trying to be friends.”

I swallow dryly. “Welllll,” I drag out the word, unable to help my smile. I haven’t really had time to enjoy it, but the flutters in my stomach are undeniable.

Livvie squeals and kicks her feet. “Hot damn. I told Ben the other day that it was only a matter of time. I want details. I know it didn’t happen the day you were sick, so spill.”

“Thanks for that, by the way. I’ll remember that the next time that you want babysitting.”

She waves that away. “Totally worth it.”

My mood sobers. “To tell you the truth, there is something we need to talk about.”

I relay the details of that night, the reason why I broke up with Jack, and the photo that brought us back together. Throughout my story, the smile on her face disappears and tears soon start rolling down her cheeks. She scoots her chair closer to mine until her arms are wrapped around my neck. I finish the last horrible bit into her hair. We hold each other for a few minutes and I realize how lucky I am to have such a great friend.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that alone. I should have been there with you. I encouraged you to go.” Her voice hitches with unshed tears.

“This wasn’t your fault, Liv. And it was a long time ago.”

“I should have noticed that something was wrong. Paid more attention. I just thought you were upset about breaking up with Jack.”

“Well, that was part of it.”

“And you already told him this?”

“It all just came spilling out.”

“So, I hate to ask, but you guys seem to be attached at the hip, so I’m assuming the two of you are giving it another shot?”

I blush wildly and laugh. “That just sort of happened. I was going to commit to his friend idea.”

“He can be very convincing.”

“Well, he tried to pull a Ben and has essentially moved himself in with me to make sure the boys and I are safe.”

Liv tilts her head. “Well, considering what happened to me that might not be such a bad idea.”

I shake mine. “I’ve barely gotten used to the idea of being home. We’re just going to have to take this one life-changing moment at a time.”

Jack comes up, his shirt tucked into the back pocket of his well-worn jeans. Maybe it’s a good thing he won’t leave me alone because I can’t seem to keep my hands off of him. “That’s the last of it,” he says. “You ladies finish…” He trails off looking around the empty porch and frowning. “What the hell were you two doing while we were loading this shit up?”

Livvie bares her teeth at him in a look that I think is supposed to resemble a smile.

“Livvie was giving me the third degree, don’t blame her,” I tell him.

“Oh, yeah? And what were you doing that you couldn’t help?”

I bat my lashes at him. “I was keeping her company.”

He takes the shirt out of his back pocket to wipe his face of sweat. He pauses with it on his chin and sends me a contemplative look. Then he smiles and it’s a bit feral around the edges. Like he sees something he wants to eat and that something…is me.

He grabs one end of the shirt with each hand and starts winding it up into a taut little rope.

“Don’t you dare,” I warn him, getting to my feet and backing away from him. But there isn’t anywhere to go and my back bumps against the porch railing. He lets the shirt go with a pop and it flicks against my legs with a sharp sting. “You *!” I shout.

He crowds me, covering me with his sweat and I push him away. “No, you can’t love on me, you dick.”

“Uh oh,” Ben says from the doorway. “Trouble in paradise already?”

Jack’s lips find my ear and he bites down. “You just wait until I get you home later,” he whispers. His breath fans over the sensitive skin there and I shiver against him. “The boys go to camp in a few weeks and we’ll have your place all to ourselves. I’ll have you in bed for as long as I want you.”

My hands are stuck between us, and all I can feel are his abs, all twelve of them. I’ll admit, even sweaty and dirty, I want to rip his clothes off. Maybe even more so.

“Okay,” Livvie says from behind him. “I’m regretting the sister comment. I forgot how into PDA you two were.”

Jack laughs against my throat and pulls away, his eyes dancing. Before he can put more distance between us, I grab him by the neck for a kiss that promises all of the things that I can’t say out loud.

“My eyes. They burn!” Livvie interrupts.

I must have misunderstood exactly what this basketball game was about because it’s not the single games in the gym. No. This is some sort of tournament that takes place at the rec fields where there are a half-dozen courts all backed up against one another. It seems like every resident of Nassau has shown up to participate. Hundreds and hundreds of people mill about and parking is a bitch.