The Consequence of Loving Colton (Consequence 1)

“Not the most brilliant lie you’ve ever come up with,” Max said after a few minutes of silence.

“I blame the dehydration from the three-hour Ping-Pong tournament.”

“Badass, tell me you won.”

“Off night,” I grumbled.

“Aw, baby.” Max laughed and pulled me to a sitting position. “Don’t worry, I’ll help. Plus, I actually look like competition so it should be easy.”

“No offense, Max.” I patted his leg. “But you’re just—”

“What?”

“I mean, I don’t see you like that, so—”

Max threw his head back and laughed. “I’m a guy. I don’t care how you see me now, the way you see me over the next three days is going to change. I don’t turn it on around you—mainly because I don’t give a shit what you think.”

I laid my hand over my heart and heaved a dramatic sigh. “Such a sweetheart.”

“Shut it.” He picked up his coffee and tapped it against mine. “Jealousy is the easiest way to get someone to admit feelings. Believe me, by the end of this weekend he’s going to be begging for another kiss.”

“And if he doesn’t?” I slumped and took a huge swig of coffee like it had whis in it.

Max tilted my chin toward him. “Then he’s an asshole who doesn’t deserve you in the first place.”

“Truth?” My voice wavered.

“Truth.” He smiled that same blinding smile that I’m sure had made the Starbucks lady start stripping. His wide mouth and deep dimples were enough to make anyone stare. Maybe it would work—it had to work. Because if it didn’t, well, that just meant I was one of those girls, the desperate kind, who had no idea when to quit.

“Okay.”

“Now.” Max stood. “Let’s get you dressed and ready for breakfast. We’ve got a man to trap.”

I laughed. And he wonders why I pegged him as uninterested when we first met?

CHAPTER SIX

MILO

“Remember what I said,” Max coached as we walked down the stairs holding hands. “If I kiss you, you can’t push me away . . . and don’t do the laugh.”

“The laugh?” I squeezed his hand harder. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“When you get super nervous and awkward you giggle like a toddler. It’s cute as hell, but he knows you really well—he’ll see right through it. Besides, it kind of hurts a guy’s feelings when a girl giggles after he has his tongue down her throat.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re so romantic, Max.”

“So, we clear on the whole laughing thing?”

“Yeah,” I grumbled. “Clear as—”

Max’s mouth covered mine in an instant. I fought the urge to push him away. It had to be for a reason, right? Like Colton was around the corner, and—

Holy mother of sin. What was he doing with his tongue?

Max stepped back, his full lips curved into a smile. “That’ll do, pig, that’ll do.”

“Please tell me you’re movie quoting and not calling me fat.”

“The only fat you have on your body is that of your inflated head whenever you play competitive sports.”

“Nice.”

“Good kiss.” Max squeezed my hand.

“Wait!” I turned around, then smacked him on the shoulder. “What was that for?”

“I had to test you before the real thing.”

“That was a test?”

“Yup.” He dragged me toward the kitchen.

I dug my heels in the carpeting. “Well, did I pass?”

Max turned around, his steel-gray eyes looking me up and down. “I may have to do another test run.”

My mouth dropped open as my best friend turned into the player every single girl on campus wrote home about. My heart started racing as every inch of my skin tingled from the expression on Max’s face. Even the way he walked made me want to actually kiss him again.

He strutted into the kitchen, pulling me against his body as he did so, and then kissed me again.

Right in front of Colton and Jason.

With a grunt he pushed me up against the same fridge I’d nearly cried into last night and then released me. “You taste sweet,” he murmured, his lips meeting mine again.

“And . . . appetite gone.” Jason swore. “Mind introducing us to your—” He shook his head. “Friend?”

Max turned around, his eyes sizing up both my brother and Colton, who had fallen completely silent during the exchange.

Too bad I’d never really gotten into Instagram—the picture of the three of them glaring at one another was enough to go viral in seconds.

I’d never noticed how tall Max was. Same height as Jason, about an inch shorter than Colton.

“Boyfriend.” Max held out his hand. “And you must be . . . Jason?”

“Right.” Jason held out his hand.

Max angled a perplexed stare at Colton as though struggling to figure something out. I had to hide my laugh. He knew exactly who Colton was. “And . . . Carlton?”

“Colton,” he said through clenched teeth. “So glad you could make it.”

“Well,” Max pulled me to his side. “What kind of boyfriend would I be if I abandoned the love of my life during her time of need?” He squeezed my shoulder, while I pinched his side.