Play With Me (Playing for Keeps, #2)

by Becka Mack

She’s soft and sweet, eager and hesitant at the same time, and my pulse hammers the longer I explore her.

Lieutenant Johnson?

Barf

“Are you gonna let me take care of you tonight, sunshine? ’Cause it’s all I can fucking think about.”

His head bobs as he claps his fist into his opposite hand. “Amazing. Good.” He backs toward the door, pointing at me with two finger guns. “We should do that again sometime.”

Why so awkward

“Good night,”

“Night.”

“...

“Have a good sleep, Jennie,” he whispers, and then, for real this time, he leaves, footsteps thudding down the stairs, the front door closing behind him, the beep that tells me he’s locked up for the night.

Cuutttiiieeeeee

I’d like to eat her cookie.

Omg noo ahahaha

Maybe stop sending me mixed signals.”

Naaaahhh you didn't just say that

“I guess, but I like kissing you, so it’s not a big deal as long as you’re cool with it. Unless you’re not cool with it. If you’re uncomfortable, then I will…stop.”

eyes wide like he has no clue what he’s doing.

Aaahhh he's so adorable

“Whether you’re drunk or sober isn’t gonna stop me from sitting on your face and coming all over your tongue.” She looks my way with a dazzling grin as I leave the car idling on the street, slack jawed, and she squeezes my thigh, right next to my cock.

I wasn’t ready.

Understandable

The last thing I remember before my eyes close is Garrett’s lips at my ear as he promises I’m safe with him.

This makes me emotional

I bump my fist off his. “Gets ’em every time.”

Omg slaaaaayyyy ahahahaha

He clears his throat and goes for it: word vomit, my favorite of his specialties.

Word vomits are too cute

“I missed you. Way more than you missed me.”

Aaaahhh cutie

“On a scale of one to ten—” “Twenty.” “And are you opposed to violence?” “Not at all.”

“Hey, Kevin?” she asks, syrupy sweet.

Her fist connects with his nose with a crack that echoes in the chilled air, along with the collective gasp from onlookers passing by.

Omg slaaaaayyy

She wipes the blood off her knuckles. “Go fuck yourself.”

Queen Emily I guess

Despite that she’s slept with the man I’m falling for, I actually…like Emily.

You kinda have to after that

He blinks at me, once, twice, and then the words come rushing out. “My sisters hate me. They need me, and I’m here, and I’m failing them, just like my dad failed me. And I can’t…I can’t get a hold of him. And no one is answering their phone, and you…” His beautiful eyes swim with pain as he looks at me. “I called you because I-I…I needed you. And you weren’t there.” The words are jagged, broken fractures that let me peek into this man’s big heart.

This makes me sad

“You said he wanted me too.”

Honestly, the blame is on yourself girly

Her head lifts, revealing the deep shade of lipstick that matches her dress, and the sadness etched in her eyes rocks me to my core as she stares out at the audience.

Because when they stop on me, everything changes. The lines in her face ease, her shoulders drop, and she stands a little taller. The grief in her eyes fades as the music starts, the familiar chords of her favorite song making me grin.

I almost miss the way his mouth covers hers as he sears her with a kiss for their grand finale.

Noooooo Simon wtf

A clinking sound draws my attention, and I watch curiously as Garrett scoops his ice from his unused glass, wrapping it in the cloth napkin from his lap. Turquoise eyes meet mine, and he takes my hand in his beneath the table, pressing the covered ice to it, curling my fingers around it.

Aaawww bby

“I thought maybe she fell out in the moving truck. I called the company and they let me go through the lost and found bin, but it wasn’t there. I went by the house one day and looked everywhere. Up and down the street, in the garden…I found her in the bushes by the road, half-buried in a pile of snow. She was all muddy, so I washed her up for you, and I hope—”

I need someone like Gare bear in my life ASAP

“I love when you ramble.”

Girl same

“Is in a cake an option?”

Omg now I want a cake as well

“I didn’t know,” Cara whisper-yells at Emmett, arms in the air. “Okay, I knew, like, a little bit.” She points at Adam and Jaxon, who followed Garrett in. “But they knew too!”

Ahahahaha

“She’s spent her life feeling overshadowed by you, thinking all she had to offer anyone was being Carter Beckett’s little sister. She was finally realizing she had people in her life who wanted to be there for her, not for you. She found love, after everything she’s gone through, all the fucking heartache, and what do you do? You leave her. You tell her she can’t have it.”

Ollie said I wasn’t being fair. Made me sleep on the couch.”

As she should've

“You have, like, three spare bedrooms.”

Oop

“Four. She said I didn’t dese...

Slay Ollie

“Then we’ll figure it out. But to be honest, I don’t even think she wants that job. I think the only reason she’s considering taking it is because she thinks you don’t want her here now, and that without you, she’ll lose everyone else she loves.”

“Shit. I fucked up.”

No shit Sherlock

“Oh, Carter.” I clasp his hand tightly, stepping closer. “You are, and you always will be. But Garrett is, too, like Olivia is for you. When I found Garrett, really found him…I felt so lucky, like I finally found what you and Olivia had, something I thought was never meant for me. Don’t you think I deserve to be loved the way you love Ollie?”

“Do you love him too?” “So much.” I grin. “He punched Simon for me.” His eyes light. “He did?” “Twice.” His chest puffs. “I woulda done it three times.” “It’s not a competition,” I remind him gently.

Everything is for Carter Beckett

Carter spins away from us. “Ollie! I need help!” “Do your breathing exercises, babe!” she shouts back. His footsteps thud so quickly down the stairs it’s a wonder he doesn’t faceplant. “I don’t remember how!”