Addicted

I glanced up from playing a game on my phone and shrugged. "Whatever is easiest."

"Burgers it is." Daniel got up and rolled his shoulders. "Come on, buddy. You know you're the best at grilling."

He tapped my foot and stepped over my extended legs.

"I think Clay should have to cook seeing that he's the only one that got laid last night." I smirked and pulled my legs down before standing up and tossing my phone onto the couch behind me. Something about Clay sleeping with Cora's best friend left me feeling far more jealous than I should. The sexy waitress from the burger hut had been a fun lay that afternoon, but I was left wanting more than she provided. Typical disappointment. I was starting to think that swearing off sex until I found the right girl might actually be a good idea.

I'd never say it out loud in a million years to my friends, but entertaining the thought kept my emotions on an even-kilter.

"Just call me grill master." I popped Clay in the chest as I walked to the kitchen.

Derek was on the phone, the smile on his face wide and a little cheesy. I couldn't help but eavesdrop.

"Naw, you don't have to do that. I mean, if you want to, I'll eat that shit up, but..." he chuckled and glanced over at me. His expression hardened just a little as the smile slipped from his lips. "I'll see you tonight, alright? We're all looking forward to it." He put the phone down and smirked. "What? She's making me a dessert."

"Who?" I picked up the plate of raw burger patties and grabbed a spatula. "Come open the door, big guy."

"Cindy." He moved up beside me and opened the door.

"The girl with red hair from Friday night?" I walked out, trying to ignore the new wave of jealousy that washed over me.

"Yeah. She's gonna be a chef. Open her own restaurant and such." He held the door and walked out languidly beside me before dropping down into my favorite lawn chair.

"Nice. Is she willing to share this dessert, or is it just for you?" I chuckled and started up the grill as Daniel walked out onto the patio.

"Are you guys talking about a real dessert or sharing a girl in bed? You know that never goes over well for you, Brody." He adjusted his glasses and handed me the salt shaker. "Don't forget to season the meat."

"Thanks, buddy." I sat the burgers and salt down, ignoring his comment as Derek stepped in to give him hell. The serenity of the water across the road from us called to me, and I tried to access the calm I needed so badly, but found myself stuck in my angst.

Going over to Cora's that night was sure to be a disaster, and part of me wanted to chicken out and just let the rest of the guys go without me. I could find someone to hang out with, and taking the boat out by myself wouldn't be a bad idea, either.

"You not with us anymore, bro?" Clay patted my back as I opened the grill and started to lay out the burgers.

"Hmmm?" I glanced over at him. "Sorry, I was reliving the quickie I had with our lovely waitress from the burger barn."

"It's called Jaspers, and her name was Lisa." Daniel chuckled and moved up beside me. "The water looks great. We should just invite the girls to come over and spend the evening on the boat."

"Speaking of..." I bent down to turn up the heat a little. "I'm thinking I'll just let you guys go tonight. I'm not much for cock-blocking, and seeing that I'm the sexiest among us…"

I laughed as the two of them started pushing at me playfully.

"Emily's only got eyes for me, buddy. You lost your chance with that hot little number." Clay smiled, his eyes lighting up in a way that I hadn't seen in a long time. Maybe this chick was more than a quick roll in the sheets for him. Good. He was the long-term kinda guy.

"She is a pretty girl." I glanced over at Daniel. "And you? You going for the lovely leader of the pack?"

"Cora? Heavens no." Daniel pulled his glasses from his face and started to clean them with his t-shirt. "I honestly think I might try to grab Dedra's attention. My parents were rather against me dating a black girl, but I just don't feel the same. She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"Very." I internally sighed with relief. It looked like Cora would be playing odd-man out with me. Good. She wasn't interested, or was working hard to hide it, and I was fighting against the need to get in her face and make my point. I wasn't the guy that had her turning her nose up at men for life, though I'd most certainly been that guy for a few girls in my time.

"Besides, I'm pretty sure the sexy brunette that keeps denying you only wants the attention of one man." Derek let out a chuckle from behind us.

I turned and lifted my eyebrow at him. "Did you see her with someone in town yesterday?"

"Nope." He pulled his hat from his face. "I've only seen a few girls in my time get pissy so fast, and having three sisters, I'm telling you that she's interested. She's pissy because she doesn't want to be interested in you."

"Interested in me? No. I don't believe it." I turned back to the grill and nodded as a large gaggle of barely-clad women walked in front of the house, stopping to turn our way. I pulled my t-shirt off and winked at one of them as they started with their cat-calls.

"We're taken men," Clay called out to them, shrugged and puffing out his bottom lip.