Page 32 of Playing with Forever
“Oh my God, of course you have.” Andrea rolled her eyes, but she was still grinning at me.
I grinned back, feeling something shift inside of me. Loosening and relaxing in a way that felt dangerously close to falling for her. Jesus, I was becoming a fucking sap where Andrea was concerned.
Ford came up to the two of us while we watched Violet learn to control her body position within the airflow.
“So, how long have you and Chase been…friends?” Ford asked Andrea conversationally.
I appreciated Ford’s tact. I hadn’t introduced her as my girlfriend to everyone, since, well, we weren’t dating and girlfriend signified exclusivity, which we’d never established—though I had to admit I’d probably fucking break any man’s arm who dared to touch her in any kind of intimate way. But I honestly didn’t know what other damn word to use for what we were.Hey this is the girl I’m doing BDSM withjust sounded crass, sofriendsit was.
“We met back when we both lived in San Diego,” Andrea said as Violet whooped and hollered during her turn and Austin shamelessly egged her on while Tate filmed on his phone. “We’re all kind of interconnected in a friend and family sort of way. My sister, Madison, works for Chase’s mother, Jillian, at her interior design firm.”
Ford grinned. “Ahh, the brilliant women behind all those specialty fantasy rooms at The Players Club. I gotta say, I’m kind of partial to the medical themed one. I’ve never tried it out, but I’m definitely…intrigued.”
Andrea blushed adorably. “Not really my thing, but I’m sure there’s some woman out there who has a kink for that.”
“Your turn, Andrea!” Violet called as her time in the wind tunnel ended.
Andrea exhaled a deep breath as she glanced up at me, sudden anxiety flickering in her eyes. “Okay, wish me luck.”
“You don’t need it,” I assured her. “You got this.”
She grinned at me and then hurried over to the instructor. Violet walked over to Ford and me, removing her flight suit right in front of us while Ford stared at her as if she’d just done a strip tease for his eyes only. Violet arched a brow at him as if to say,what the fuck are you looking at?, and he quickly glanced away.
I swallowed back a chuckle. I could see the immediate push-pull between these two, and it was comical.
We watched as the instructor positioned Andrea, and she let out a shriek when he released her and the gust of wind lifted her up, suspending her in the air. She glanced my way, grinning, and I gave her a thumbs up sign.
“So, you and Andrea have been seeing a lot of each other,” Violet said, her tone direct.
I met her gaze, just as direct. “Wow, I knew this interrogation was coming, but you really don’t waste time, do you?”
“Nope.” She crossed her arms over her chest, which was great for Ford’s benefit since it enhanced her cleavage in the low cut halter top she wore. “You know, Vegas was founded by the mafia and people say that organized crime still has a pretty big hold on this city. They used to drive people out into the desert all the time. All that empty red ground is really full of unmarked graveyards. Basically impossible to find the bodies once you’re out there.”
I arched a brow at her. “Are you insinuating that you have mafia friends who’ll take care of me if I hurt her?”
She made a scoffing sound. “Why would I ask the damn mafia to do something that I can do perfectly well myself?”
Ford had a coughing fit to cover up his laughter. Violet looked over at him and deadpanned, “Something funny?”
He cleared his throat. “No, no. Not funny at all.” Ford looked fucking delighted by her.
Oh, boy. “I like and care about Andrea,” I told Violet honestly. “Even more, I respect her, and I would never do anything to hurt her.” Which was precisely why I would never enter into a proper relationship with her. She deserved far better than what I could give her.
Violet pursed her lips and nodded, seemingly satisfied. “All right. That’s a pretty good answer.”
“Thank you,” I drawled, just a little sarcastically. “Anything to spare my life.”
She rolled her eyes in a way that definitely reminded me of Andrea. “No wonder she likes you,” she muttered. “Smartass.”
“You’re a bit of a smartass yourself,” Ford chimed in.
She shifted her attention to him, her expression annoyed. “I didn’t realize this was your conversation?”
Ford smirked, completely unfazed by her caustic tone. “I mean I could pretend to be deaf if you want me to.”
Andrea’s time in the wind tunnel ended, and I decided this was my chance to leave Ford and Violet to their…whatever that was.
“Hey!” I said as she jogged toward me, her face flushed and her eyes bright from the adrenaline rush she’d experienced. “You looked like you had a blast.”
