bChapter /bb65/bb: /bbLa /bbPOV /b

    The drive home is tense and quiet.

    Al and Cade hold my respective hands as they rest on each of theirps. Al’s thumb is softly caressing the back of my hand, while rade is bdrawing /bbsta /bcircles on the inside of my wrist. I think I’d be spiraling right now if it wasn t for their gentle touches.

    Because I’m lost in my bown /blittle bubble, I don’t immediately notice that when Hunter brings the car to a stop, it’s not in front of their house de Tessa’s townhouse.

    Al grabs my attention when he slips from the backseat and holds his hand for me to take, but I still don’t notice my surroundings

    However, what does bring me out of bmy /bdazed stupor bis /bthe shing of neon lights and the sounds of gaming machines intermixed with the joyousughter of people having unadulterated fun.

    My jaw drops when I bsee /bbwe’re /bstanding in front of a gaming arcade, and my somber mood blifts /bimmediately. I look around to see where the guys went and find them standing a bfew /bfeet behind me, nervously waiting to see what my reaction will be.

    The hugeb–/bass smile bI /bgive them must settle their anxiety as bthey /be strolling closer with bresponding /bsmiles on their handsome faces.

    Al is the bone /bbto /bspeak as he bstops /bin front of me, “It was bsupposed /bto be all of us tonight, but just because Xavier decided to put his foot in it, doesn’t mean bwe /bstill can’t have fun.”

    At the mention of Xavier’s name, bI /bget a slight twinge of hurt in my heart, but I decide not to let him spoil the rest of my night with bthe /bthree men who’ve been nothing but amazing to me.

    Shucking off thest remnants of the blow–up in the stadium parking lot, I give them all a cheeky smile before saying, “I hope you boys are ready to have your asses handed to youb?/b” Suddenly, I bturn /baround and skip inside, leaving them in my wake with surprised looks on btheir /bfaces.

    It takes them ba /bcouple bof /bseconds to brecover /bbefore bI /bfeel Cade rushing up behind me, wrapping me in his arms as he whispers in my ear, “How about ba /blittle bwager/bb, /bbSunshine/bb?/bb” /b

    bTurning /bin his hold, I see the other two nking himb, /beager to hear my breply/b. “What did you have in mindb?/bb” /b

    Cade looks to them individually, and they give him a subtle nod. Looks like they nned this littlepetition ahead of time, probably thinking they’ll win by a mile. We’ll have bto /bsee about that.

    *Best out of five. We’ll choose five bgames/bb, /band bwhoever wins /bthe bmost /bbgets /bbwhatever /bbthey /bdesire, within reason, of course,” Cade says, bwith /ba naughty grin at the end.

    cing a pointer finger against my chinb, /bI fake being deep in thought. “And who gets bto /bchoose the games?

    bAl /bis the one to answer me, “We’ll do the gentlemanly thing, and let you choose.”

    Hiding my smirk behind my fingertips, I pretend to think hard about their proposal, but I’m like an Energizer bunny inside, just waiting to make them eat their words and wipe the cocky looks from their facesb. /bAny idiot can see they think they will win this challenge hands–down.

    b“/bbFine/b, but you have to remember I’m a girl and I don’t have such good ball–sense as you guys,” I slightly pout for added effect.

    “Of courseb, /bCupcake,” Al bsays /bearnestly, and I practically beam on the inside. This is going to be easier than I thought.

    “Okay, fine,” I bsay /bas I try to sound unsure of this deal I’m making.

    “What will it be, bBeautiful/b?” Hunter asks as his eyes dart around the spacious room filled to the brim with every game imaginable,

    Stepping from Cade’s arms, I turn in a slow circle as I pretend to peruse the whole room to see what is avable bto /blittle old me to bmaybe /bbwin /bthese bstrapping /byoungds.

    Unbeknownst to them. I’ve balready /bhad bthe /bbgames /blined up in bmy /bbhead /bbway /bbefore bthey /bso bgantly /ballowed me to choose. bKnocking /bthem boff /bbthat /bself- imposed pedestal they’re sofy on will be real fun.

    Chapter 65: La POV

    “Air Hockey, mini bowling. Donkey Kong, Whack A Mole, and basketball.” I reply, surreptitiouslynding at them in gauge eating grins on their faces, they think they’ve got this in the bag.

    “Are you sure, Cupcake? Al dares to ask. “Some of those can get a bitpetitive.”

    is that his way of implying that I’m notpetitive enough to go up against them and heat them?

    ying along with the obvious ‘she’s a girl, so she can’t be good at sports‘ look AJ and Cade are giving me, my only answer in lepratint amex how it goes. If it gets too much, I’ll forfeit or sit it out?”

    Hunter’s knowing grin, though, makes me suspect he has caught on to the fact that I’m being purposefully obtuse. I’ll have to keep my un

    We start with mini bowling, apparently to allow me to warm up my arm this round. I thank him kindly before beating them by andslide.

    –

    bAJ’s /bwordsb, /bnot mine. Cade has the nerve to tell me I shouldn’s Beef to f

    They chalk it up to beginner’s luck, still doubtful that I bcan /bhold my own against a bunch bof /bsporty boys.

    Hunter on the other hand, throws his arm over my shoulders as we’re heading towards the air hocky tables, and softly says in my ear over the din i? room, “My money’s on you because I’m one hundred percent sure you’re hustling the shit out of them.”

    The conspiratory smile I give him behind their backs has himughing softly. “Keep my secret, and I’ll owe you one,” I say just before we breach /bdestination.

    Looking from my eyes to my mouth, and then back to my eyes, the shit–eating grin he gives bme /bis all I need to know he will be my partner in crime. have yourself a deal, Beautiful,” he says before giving me a quick, hard, promising kiss,

    Crushing the other two bis /bgoing to be ten times more fun now.

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