Rookie Move (Playing for Keeps 1)

“Definitely. Our defense is doing great.” He stumbled to a pause as Houston stretched his arm casually along the back of his chair, then cleared his throat. “We—”

A low growl rumbled up my throat as Houston rested his fingers lightly on Ramsey’s shoulder. I pounded my chest and coughed loudly. Houston’s fingers retreated, but his smile grew by a fucking mile.

“Sorry. Bone. Gristle,” I gritted out, then grabbed my glass of water and chugged it.

“Give me your plate, I’ll get you another piece.” Mom reached out her hand. “There shouldn’t be any gristle in there. Dale, I told you to make sure there wasn’t any gristle.”

“I did.” Dad frowned.

I waved her off. “It’s fine now. I got it.”

“Mine’s gristle-free.” Houston smacked his lips. “G probably just forgot how to swallow again.”

I wanted to disown him. Could you disown brothers? I was pretty sure you could. “Believe me, I know how to swallow.”

“Not what I’ve heard,” Ramsey chimed in.

Fucking Ramsey, he could fuck right off too. I glared at his smug smile.

“Boys.” Mom gave us a pained look and then angled toward Tucker. “Hope you weren’t expecting a classy Thanksgiving.”

Tucker laughed. “Nah, you should see what it’s like at my house. Shit-talk, I mean smack-talk, all the way. Feels just like home. This turkey is awesome, by the way.”

Houston picked up the green beans, serving spoon piled high as it hovered over Ramsey’s plate. “More beans?”

“I’d love some.”

The fucker continued dancing right on the edge of obvious all through dinner until even my parents were looking between the two of them in bewilderment.

“I need to go check on some stuff at the new place,” I said. “I’ll be back later.” We’d finished helping Mom wash the dishes. Tucker had left fifteen minutes ago, and the rest of us were sprawled half comatose in the living room, watching TV.

“I should probably get going too.” Ramsey let out a jaw-cracking yawn and stretched, and I sneaked a look at his abs as his shirt lifted.

Houston snorted softly and muttered under his breath, “Very subtle.”

Okay, it wasn’t subtle, but I did fully intend on going to check out my new place. I’d put in an offer for the Cedar Grove fixer-upper three days after seeing it, and had closed on it a week ago.

“I’ll deal with you later,” I fired back, and he chuckled, completely unconcerned.

“Can I go with you?” Ramsey asked as we walked toward our cars. He checked something on his phone and frowned, then tucked it away.

“You really want to? It looks the same as last time.” But inwardly, I was chuffed he’d asked. I loved the new place even in its retro state, loved that I had something to call my own. Look at me being a real adult.

Most of the time.

Out came Ramsey’s phone again. He pressed the side button as my brows pinched together.

“You can get that, you know.”

“No need.”

“Your dad?”

“Yep. He’s been blowing me up all afternoon, and I’m not dealing with him today.” He stuffed the phone in his pocket. “Anyway, yeah, I wouldn’t mind seeing your place again.” His smile turned mischievous. “With you.”

“You realize there’s no furniture there yet. No bed.”

“Since when do we need beds?”

He had a point, and not being able to mess with him all day had worked me into a strong craving.

We dropped Ramsey’s car at his place and rode over to mine together. “This could be convenient,” he said as we wound up the drive, and once again warmth flooded my chest. It wasn’t a love declaration, but it told me he was at least into continuing our arrangement for the foreseeable future.

“Very.”

We hopped out of the car, and I unlocked the door and let us in. The air had a musty, unused tinge, but I didn’t even care. We walked through the house and stopped in front of the wall of windows overlooking the back deck.

“Damn, it really is a cool place,” Ramsey murmured, one hand sliding along my lower back. I wasn’t even sure he was aware of the casual affection, but I certainly was.

“It’s gonna be.”

“Did you call any of those contractors I sent you?”

“Yeah, got a couple of meetings lined up soon.” I leaned into the caress of his fingers. “I’ve come over here every day almost. I stand right here and look around and think about how amazing it is that I bought it outright with money I earned doing something I love, that I’m a fucking homeowner now. I wanted it, but there was always a little part of me that thought maybe I wouldn’t get it. Maybe I wouldn’t make the cut.”

I wasn’t one to emote aloud that much, and I felt kind of shy about the amount of pride I felt in a place that definitely wasn’t the palace I’d thought I’d go for. But Ramsey’s response made it worth it. His lips tipped up, the corners of his eyes crinkling with tiny lines. “You did earn it. Is it weird to say I’m proud of you too? Feels like I’ve been able to watch it happen from the start. It’s a good feeling.”