Wow. I’ve never seen a boring conversation die so quickly. Literally, the weather. Amazing. Sophie sits in my lap dramatically. “Just … recharge me for a second.”
“How do I do that? Are you battery powered?”
“Ha. Ha.” She rolls her eyes and looks at her arms. “Am I getting red?”
“Absolutely.” I snatch the sunscreen from the table before she can see it. “You’re going to be a lobster. We’ll have to cook you up.”
She swats at me. “You’d hate not being able to touch me for more than a few minutes.”
“Lucky for you.” I take the opportunity to rub her down with sunscreen.
Her skin is hot under my hands, but the soft little moan she gives me as I massage the lotion in is even better. She pushes into my hands as I layer it over her arms and her back, then along her neck.
“Lean back for me, sweets.”
She does as I ask, and doesn’t shy away when I spread the sunscreen over her belly, then the front of her shoulders. I work on her chest and she shivers. “Fine line.”
“And thin ice. We’re a mess.” I kiss her softly.
She steals the bottle and takes care of her own legs, pulling another smile across my face. I was turning her on I’m sure of it. That’s the only reason she’d skitter away like that. She joins Valerie and they wiggle out of their shorts together while giggling.
I groan and let my head fall back. She’s killing me. Those damn string bikini bottoms are so easy to get off. Two tugs and they’re on the ground. Where they belong when Sophie’s involved. I catch Lief looking over the party and motion to a chair.
“You can sit, man. Unless you have a better view from up there.” I offer.
Roman comes over and hands me a plate with two hot dogs, exactly as I prefer – mustard instead of ketchup. I dig in and he rolls his eyes, taking the seat Sophie had for all of five seconds.
“Holden’s having fun.”
He’s managed to find some old buddies to talk to, but I see his eyes going back to Sophie again and again as she plays in the pool. I nod and Roman chews slowly.
“Sophie is too,” I say. “Are you?”
“It’s a long day.” He murmurs. “Lief, grab some food.”
Lief pries himself from the wall and gets some food and another beer. He’ll get talkative – for him – after the third one. I lean towards Roman. “Valerie’s an odd duck.”
“Be nice,” Roman says sharply.
“I’m not judging. It’s just she can be so sassy with us and Sophie but she literally talked weather to Lief. With percentages.”
Roman shrugs. “She doesn’t want to fuck.”
“You heard her last night.”
“And Sophie danced on a bar while drunk.” He reminds me. “At that level of drunk, no one is themselves.”
He has a point, but I feel like meddling. Things are going so well inourrelationship, that I need some drama somewhere. I rub my jaw. “We should set them up.”
“Gunner,” Roman warns me.
“Come on. You have those season tickets for the LA Stars. We could all go to a soccer game Thursday, get everyone comfortable, get Chase and Lief to be more fun-”
“Deflate Hunter’s ego.” Roman lists.
“He’s a delight,” I argue.
“You better get Sophie’s okay.”