Hot Stuff

Truthfully, I’m finding this is typical Holley. Ever since she texted me with an invitation to tonight’s get-together, we’ve been gabbing via text message nearly every day. The girl is hilarious and outspoken in the best way.

“Okay, fine.” She holds up both hands and grins. “Just know, it’s obvious. Really obvious that you’ve had way too much funnel cake and cotton candy, and you’re basically getting ready to gorge on some more when your mom goes to bed.”

“Holley, sweetheart, when you have a second, come to the kitchen, would you?” Jake asks, grabbing our attention. Holley’s responding smile is huge and dreamy, and I can’t help but poke back at her a little.

I nudge her gently in the side with my elbow. “Looks like I’m not the only one having too much funnel cake and cotton candy.”

She snorts. “Oh yeah. I’m practically on a funnel-cake-and-cotton-candy-only diet. Have you seen my husband?”

She bugs out her eyes, and I laugh.

“He’s certainly one good-looking man.”

“Yeah, I am,” Garrett says, sauntering up behind us.

“We weren’t talking about you,” I correct immediately, and his eyebrows draw together. “Who, then? It’s one of those Hemsworth brothers, isn’t it? Rat bastards.”

I laugh. “Sorry, can’t tell you. Top-secret girl talk.”

“Sarah says girl talk is a myth.”

“That’s because it’s classified, and Sarah is a top-notch special agent,” Holley confirms with a laugh before squeezing my elbow and heading back to the house to meet her sweet, handsome, patient husband.

Honestly, it’s like he and Garrett have a hot, hot friends club, no regular mortals allowed.

It’s a shame they have to go through their lives like regular people, with regular jobs and everything. One would think attractive people of their magnitude would get sponsored by companies to just, like, exist and smile pretty and wink and stuff.

“I don’t know if I like how well you all work together.”

“You should,” I say sweetly. “It’s usually the rest of the secret agents who talk us into going back to you guys when you do something dumb.”

He smiles. “Have I done something dumb?”

“Not yet.”

“Wow. Your confidence in me is touching.”

I snicker. “Sorry. It’s not you…it’s just men. Generally, you all have some kind of foot-in-mouth moment. And women do too. Just, not as often.”

“I see.”

“Come on. Like you and Jake don’t gab about Holley and me when you’re on your own.”

“Only when we don’t know what the fuck is going on inside your heads. Then it’s like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. We’ve gotta call in a lifeline.”

I smile huge. “Are we that complicated?”

“Yes,” he says without hesitation, and I laugh out loud.

“Okay. I’ll try to keep that in mind.”

He wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me in to put his lips to my neck. “Nah. Don’t. It keeps us on our toes. We need it.”

“You need it?” I ask with a snort as he nuzzles the skin below my ear and hums.

My stomach tingles and my fingers pulse. God, he’s going to have to stop that soon before I can’t control myself anymore. As it is, the only thing stopping me from ripping his pants off is the smattering of children running through the yard. His are not among them or I’d have probably calmed myself down sooner, but Bethanny apparently wouldn’t let him have them before the scheduled time of seven p.m. After we’re done here, he’s going to drop me off at his house before going to pick them up.

“We do need it,” he eventually answers. “It makes us think a little before whipping out our dicks and shoving them at you.”

“I see.”

“Are you getting turned on?” he asks in my ear as I shift from foot to foot in front of him.

His semi-hard arousal pokes into my lower back, and I have to bite my lip.

“Stop,” I chastise. But even I’m not convinced by my directive. It’s weak at best.

“I like you, Lauren,” he whispers hotly into my ear. “I like you so much that all I can think about is the taste of you.”

“Garrett.”

“You’re so sexy. Sexiest woman I’ve ever known without even trying.”

A shiver runs down my spine as he presses his lips to my neck before stepping away. Cool air rushes into the space he leaves behind and makes it feel like a chasm.

I turn around quickly to see him go, up the steps of the deck, into the house, and over to Holley to help her carry out a tray of food. He winks at me, and I inhale a shaky breath.

How in the hell he had the awareness to break away from me to go help her, I’ll never know. I was firmly within a bubble-like otherworld just moments ago, and none of the many people around us even existed.

It’s only been a couple days since we last slept together, but holy hell, I feel like a junkie in need of a fix. If only dealers sold a hit of him, I’d be scouring the streets looking for one.