This is War (Checkmate Duet 1)

I look through the peephole and see Courtney standing outside with a huge purse plopped over her shoulder. I open the door, practically naked and in complete shock when I see it’s really her.

“Viola!” she squeals, wrapping her arms around me. “Surprise!” She releases me and smiles wide.

“What are you doing home already? I thought you weren’t getting in until tomorrow?”

Courtney lives off-campus in a really cute apartment right next door to a used bookstore, so she doesn’t have to go home during breaks, but flies out when she has the chance.

“I’m all about family time, but three days was plenty. I can only do so long at a Brooks family reunion.”

“Weren’t Jackson and John there?” Those are her super hot twin brothers.

“Yes, but Jackson brought his girlfriend and John was super busy showing the new foreign exchange student around the farm.” She rolls her eyes, and I laugh. “Plus, Since Toby will be back soon, so I figured I’d come back early and wait for him.

“Wait for him meaning I won’t see you until school starts because you’ll be shacked up next week.” Toby is her high school sweetheart that she bangs every chance she gets.

She drops her bag on the kitchen table and sighs. “I’ll text you when he lets me up for air.”

“Please, spare me the details.”

She purses her lips and shakes her head at me. “Sometimes I wonder how the hell you even managed to lose your virginity.” Her mocking tone doesn’t go unnoticed even though I know she’s only teasing.

“On my back with my legs behind my head, thank you very much,” I sass right back.

Her eyes trail down my body, studying me. “Speaking of being on your back, you have sex bruises all over your thighs and arms.” She arches a brow. “Care to explain?”

I pinch my lips together and turn away from her, walking toward the living room.

“Viola Annabelle Fisher,” she scowls in a motherly tone, following quickly behind me. “If you’re getting laid, I deserve to know.”

I sit on the couch and grab the remote. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She sits next to me, focusing her attention to my legs. “It looks like thumb bruises to me. So not only was it sex, it was really hot, rough sex.”

After a moment of silence and not answering her, she grabs the remote out of my hand, forcing me to look at her.

“Fine, I got laid. Happy?”

The corner of her lips curl up. “Not as happy as you should be.”

I roll my eyes and look away again.

“C’mon, I have to pee.” She grabs my hand and pulls me up with her. “You can tell me all the dirty details.”

“I’m not telling you about my sex life while you pee!”

“Oh, so now you have a sex life? I want all the details.”

She drags me into the bathroom with her, not minding that I’m right in front of her as she drops her shorts and sits.

“You know you aren’t in hillbilly country anymore.”

“Oh please. You’ve seen my bare ass before. Peeing is nothing. Don’t be a prude.”

I burst out laughing because she’s absolutely ridiculous. She flushes, washes her hands, then checks to see if anything is in her teeth.

“So what are your plans tonight?” she asks, leading us out of the bathroom.

“I’m going to watch a few bands.”

She turns and looks at me as we make our way into the kitchen. “Oh, like a date?” she inquires, digging around in the fridge. “With Mr. Rough ‘n Dirty Sex Machine?”

Courtney has absolutely no filter. It’s one of her many pleasant qualities.

“No, and it’s not a date, so you can join us if you want. It’d probably make things less awkward anyway.”

She shuts the fridge door, empty-handed. “I’d love to be your third wheel, but I’m already exhausted from flying all day. Can I take a rain check?” she asks, opening up the cupboards and shuffling cans around.

“Between two grown men, you’d think there’d be something to eat in this house.”

“There was.” I chuckle. “They scarfed it all down.”

She laughs, shutting the doors and giving up. “Well you better get dressed then. I’m starving and will stab someone soon if I don’t get some food.”

“Damn. I forgot how crazy you get when you’re hangry.”

She laughs again, following me into Drew’s room and starts chatting about her horrible flight from Dallas and the many delays she experienced. She looks at the perfectly made bed, and I hear her sigh.

“What I would give to be in that bed with your brother for just one night. I’d totally use my weekend pass on him.”

“Gross,” I say, secretly thinking about being in Travis’ bed and what happened here hours earlier. “What the hell is a weekend pass?”

“A sex pass?” She arches her brow. “A free pass to have sex with one person one time while in a relationship.”