"They're taken." I motioned toward my friends before lifting my watch to my face. "I'm free...well, look at that...for the rest of the night."
"Nope, you're not." Daniel blocked my view and tilted his head to the side. "Why don't you just try a different approach? Not all girls are into the 'drop your panties and let me use you for an afternoon' attack, right?"
"What?" I rolled my eyes and flipped the burgers. "I'm not having this conversation, guys. Cora is one girl with a bitchy attitude and a great rack. Big fucking deal. I'm not interested. It's plain and simple."
"Oh, you're interested for sure." Derek laughed, and the other guys joined in.
I nodded. "Alright. I'm telling you that I'm not, but whatever."
"He's getting sensitive. Leave him be." Daniel pushed at Clay. "He's just flesh and blood like the rest of us."
"Nope." I looked over my shoulder as I flipped them off. "I'm boners and attitude. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Dumb. Just ask the girl out, Brody. Shit." Clay dropped down in a chair beside the grill.
"Dude. I'm not interested. I'd fuck her, yeah, but I'd fuck a lot of these girls. Shut up about it already, shit." I turned back to the grill, hating how close they were coming to my thoughts. I wanted to ask her out, to work on getting to know her a little, but the truth of the matter was simple. It couldn't have much to do with her. I wasn't that deep of a guy. It was the challenge of getting her to relent, to break down and submit to me. Once I'd reached my goal and won the prize, I would move on. That wouldn't work too well if she didn't hold up all summer.
My friends seemed to be interested in her friends, which meant that I was stuck with the possibility of seeing her for the next few months. Using her and walking away would only leave everyone pissy with me. I wasn't about that life. No thanks.
She wasn't worth that.
And yet, I was nervous as hell about going to hang out with them later that night. There was no way to talk myself out of trying to get her attention, even though I knew it was damning from the start.
"How was Emily?" Daniel asked.
"She was everything a woman should be. Soft, sweet, and moaned like a kitten in heat. It was amazing." Clay moved up beside me and took the spatula from my hand. "Go get a beer, dude. You need it."
I licked at my lips and turned without another word. Weariness rolled over me, but I shoved it away. I wasn't letting this girl get under my skin. It was my last summer of freedom before having to make some hard decisions. More school or a job that didn't pay enough to cover the bills?
My kinesiology degree was fun as hell and becoming a coach was all I'd ever wanted, but there was no way to get a high-paying job without working like a grunt for little to no pay for years to do it.
The cool air in the house wrapped around me as I walked in and moved to the fridge, my thoughts moving about in different directions.
I'd been straightforward with Daniel a few days before about not caring too much about my career, but I understood quite well that any woman that might consider something with me for the long-term would want stability.
"Long-term? Dear God, please shut up," I mumbled at myself and pulled a beer from the fridge.
Clay was standing at the entrance to the kitchen with his hands on his hips, staring at me with a knowing look on his face.
"Damn, dude." I lifted the beer to my lips, drinking down half of it before continuing. "You scared the shit out of me. I'm not thinking that your new fling would be too happy with you watching me that intently. Might confuse the poor girl."
"What's up with you?" He walked to the fridge, nudging me with his shoulder. "You've been off more than usual."
"It's nothing, man." I shrugged and leaned against the counter.
"That's a fucking lie. You don't want to talk about it, cool, but don't think we don't notice." He turned to me as he popped the top on his beer.
"I can't come, alright?" I crossed my arms over my chest, feeling a little too exposed and yet knowing that Clay would keep nudging the truth from me until I spilled.
"Come where?" He took a sip of his beer as his expression softened.
"No, dude. I can't come. Like all this sex I've had over the last few years has left me, I don't know, numb." I shrugged and finished the beer before dropping it into the trashcan.
"Jack off, Brody." He stayed still, but watched me intently.
"I do, thank you very much. Still...nothing." I shrugged and let out a long sigh. "It's fucked up, alright? I'll see someone about it when we get back home."
"Yeah, you need to." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Are you shitting me? Because I know you like fucking around. You not coming sounds like one of your fucked up-”