the right, and I locked eyes with Duke.
“What are you doing here?” I shouted as I ran across the room and jumped into his arms, plastering kisses all over his face.
His arms wrapped around my tiny body and hoisted me up, kissing me back. “I thought we had a date?”
Megan appeared from inside the closet. “What the hell, Duke. Way to ruin our night out with random guys.”
Duke huffed. “That’s what we were afraid of, hence me being here.”
My body slid down his as he placed me on the ground, and I leaned against him, looking into his eyes. “Well, I better get out of this outfit if we’re staying in.”
I heard Megan groan from behind me, and in that very moment, Tripp walked into the room to join us.
“What the fuck, babe. You’d rather go hook up with some stranger than let me have my way with you tonight?”
A grin spread across her face, and she ran and jumped into his arms. “Of course not! Take advantage of me right here, right now.”
Duke and I laughed aloud at Megan. “Please. Not in my bedroom!” I yelled as Duke pulled me tighter into his frame, leaning down to speak into my ear.
“Change, now,” he demanded.
CHAPTER NINE
Dinner in had been just what the four of us had needed. Duke and Tripp had grilled, and we’d all pigged out on blue-cheese-stuffed turkey burgers, corn on the cob, asparagus, and fruity margaritas for the girls.
After Megan and I cleared the patio table of the dishes, I summoned everyone over toward the dock. “Boat time!” I shouted, excited for a night out on the water with the three of them.
Duke swiped the keys from my hand. “I’ll be the captain tonight. You’ve been drinking a bit too much to steer this ship.”
I glanced up at him, scrunching my nose. “My father always says you never let another man steer your ship.”
A gaudy laugh came from behind me as Tripp chimed in, “Your dad is a smart man, but tonight his rules don’t apply. You want a night out on the boat? Duke drives. Otherwise we stay in.” Tripp’s hands gripped my waist and hoisted me up, over the edge of the boat. He set me down next to Duke, who was already in the boat checking everything before we left.
Halfway around the bay, our boat was cut off by a smaller speedboat. It was filled with way too many people, and, from the looks of it, they were all drinking.
Tripp, of course, started in on them. “Damn kids, trolling the waters in their parents’ boat, not paying attention. Call the coasties, man.”
I sat down on Duke’s lap and reached for the radio, pretending to call for help. “Come in coast guard. There are a group of young kids having way too much fun in the waters of Tampa Bay. Come arrest them right now and add their fancy boat to my collection.”
Megan laughed and added in her own message. “If any of them are legal, send them to my house. I’m taking applications for boyfriends.” She winked at Tripp before falling into his lap and kissing him.
Seconds later, the boat flew past us again, and I could tell by the grimace on Duke’s face that he’d had it. He lifted me off his lap and pointed to the seat next to him.
I rolled my eyes and sat down, sipping my margarita as he took off after them. When we finally caught up to them, I stayed in the chair, trying to avoid being seen by the poor kids whose night was about to be ruined by Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick, Dr. Watson.
Our boat came to a complete stop, and I heard Duke begin in on the kids.
“Look, I’m all about a good time, but that’s the second time you’ve almost sideswiped my boat. You need to get yourselves under control, or I am going to call the coast guard to come out and deal with this situation.”
I listened in, curious as to what their response would be, when I recognized one of the kids’ voices. I stood to see if I knew them and was suddenly face to face with a group of my students. “Son of a bitch,” I whispered under my breath as our resident class clown
“What are you doing here?” I shouted as I ran across the room and jumped into his arms, plastering kisses all over his face.
His arms wrapped around my tiny body and hoisted me up, kissing me back. “I thought we had a date?”
Megan appeared from inside the closet. “What the hell, Duke. Way to ruin our night out with random guys.”
Duke huffed. “That’s what we were afraid of, hence me being here.”
My body slid down his as he placed me on the ground, and I leaned against him, looking into his eyes. “Well, I better get out of this outfit if we’re staying in.”
I heard Megan groan from behind me, and in that very moment, Tripp walked into the room to join us.
“What the fuck, babe. You’d rather go hook up with some stranger than let me have my way with you tonight?”
A grin spread across her face, and she ran and jumped into his arms. “Of course not! Take advantage of me right here, right now.”
Duke and I laughed aloud at Megan. “Please. Not in my bedroom!” I yelled as Duke pulled me tighter into his frame, leaning down to speak into my ear.
“Change, now,” he demanded.
CHAPTER NINE
Dinner in had been just what the four of us had needed. Duke and Tripp had grilled, and we’d all pigged out on blue-cheese-stuffed turkey burgers, corn on the cob, asparagus, and fruity margaritas for the girls.
After Megan and I cleared the patio table of the dishes, I summoned everyone over toward the dock. “Boat time!” I shouted, excited for a night out on the water with the three of them.
Duke swiped the keys from my hand. “I’ll be the captain tonight. You’ve been drinking a bit too much to steer this ship.”
I glanced up at him, scrunching my nose. “My father always says you never let another man steer your ship.”
A gaudy laugh came from behind me as Tripp chimed in, “Your dad is a smart man, but tonight his rules don’t apply. You want a night out on the boat? Duke drives. Otherwise we stay in.” Tripp’s hands gripped my waist and hoisted me up, over the edge of the boat. He set me down next to Duke, who was already in the boat checking everything before we left.
Halfway around the bay, our boat was cut off by a smaller speedboat. It was filled with way too many people, and, from the looks of it, they were all drinking.
Tripp, of course, started in on them. “Damn kids, trolling the waters in their parents’ boat, not paying attention. Call the coasties, man.”
I sat down on Duke’s lap and reached for the radio, pretending to call for help. “Come in coast guard. There are a group of young kids having way too much fun in the waters of Tampa Bay. Come arrest them right now and add their fancy boat to my collection.”
Megan laughed and added in her own message. “If any of them are legal, send them to my house. I’m taking applications for boyfriends.” She winked at Tripp before falling into his lap and kissing him.
Seconds later, the boat flew past us again, and I could tell by the grimace on Duke’s face that he’d had it. He lifted me off his lap and pointed to the seat next to him.
I rolled my eyes and sat down, sipping my margarita as he took off after them. When we finally caught up to them, I stayed in the chair, trying to avoid being seen by the poor kids whose night was about to be ruined by Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick, Dr. Watson.
Our boat came to a complete stop, and I heard Duke begin in on the kids.
“Look, I’m all about a good time, but that’s the second time you’ve almost sideswiped my boat. You need to get yourselves under control, or I am going to call the coast guard to come out and deal with this situation.”
I listened in, curious as to what their response would be, when I recognized one of the kids’ voices. I stood to see if I knew them and was suddenly face to face with a group of my students. “Son of a bitch,” I whispered under my breath as our resident class clown
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