Page 31 of Heartsmashed
We were separated by a line of pillows that felt like the thinnest barrier in the world. It would be too easy to remove the obstacles and reach for him, but I wouldn’t do that.
No, I’d lie here, thinking about it until I passed out, though I had a feeling sleep wasn’t going to come easy tonight.
Not for either of us.
10
SAWYER
ISHOULD’VE KNOWN when our moms told us we’d be doing a “fun, casual” obstacle course this morning that they were full of it.
This wasn’t going to be some peaceful bonding or some let’s-enjoy-nature activity where we all cheered each other on. Hell no. This was a setup. A carefully orchestrated, emotionally manipulative, sibling-baiting setup designed to bring out every competitive instinct the Montgomery sons possessed.
It was working, too, because while our moms were trying to hide their grins over their coffees, Hudson was on one side of the starting line, rolling his shoulders back like he was about to enter a boxing ring. Rome was stretching like he’d just been cast in another action film, God help us. As for me, I was laser focused on scanning every inch of the course, looking for weak spots.
“Nice form,” Drew said, admiring Hudson from behind before moving in beside him. “Too bad I won’t be seeing much of it when I’m kicking your ass.”
Hudson glanced at him and scoffed. “You’re about to eat mud, Edwards.”
“I do seem to remember the last time we rolled around in the mud together. Pretty sure I came out on top.”
“Oh my God,” I muttered, scrubbing a hand over my face. “You two are insufferable this early.”
Rome snorted. “No, they’re insufferable always. Also, I’d just like to point out that I’m the only one here with actual stunt training, so if you’re thinking you have a chance here, you don’t.”
“Please.You played a vampire with a wire harness,” I said. “Let’s not pretend you scaled Everest.”
“If you knew how hard it was to be in a harness strangling your balls and chafing your ass for fourteen-hour days, you’d be apologizing to me right now.”
“Boys,” Mama called out from the sidelines, shielding her face from the sun with her hand. “Try not to kill each other before lunch. This is supposed to be fun.”
“No promises,” Hudson said under his breath as he waved at them.
I turned his way, a retort on my tongue, but my attention got caught on the crowd of people gathered, including two men standing near our moms, and I snapped my mouth shut.
Peter stood off to the side with Alec, who looked perfectly content to stay right where he was, coffee in hand and sunglasses on like this was some spectator sport. Peter, on the other hand, had always joined in on these competitions, and he was watching us with a look that said he’d rather be participating than sitting this one out.
“Aw, looks like Peter’s old man won’t let him come out to play,” Rome said, following my gaze. “Too bad. Would’ve been fun to trample his ass.”
“Yeah.” I blew out a breath and turned back to the course, shaking off the way one look at Peter threw me off. It was weird, not just his being here, but watching us. Not being beside me but beside another man.
Last night had opened my eyes a bit, though, because the Peter I knew never would’ve talked to me the way he did. Hell, the Peter IthoughtI knew wouldn’t have done the dickhead move of showing up here at all.
Or, you know, breaking up with me in the first place.
“How’s your shoulder holding up?”
I turned to see Beckett returning, having changed into one of the resort’s fitted athletic shirts, and the white material clung to him in an almost indecent way.
Or maybe that was just my line of thinking after feeling his hands on me last night. Magical freaking hands.
“Um.” He’d asked a question—what was it?
Oh. Right. Shoulder.
“It feels fine, actually,” I said, rolling it a bit, and nope, no pain. Only the tiniest bit of soreness from where he’d worked out the knot. “You should insure those hands, though, because I was definitely feeling it last night.”
“Yet here you are.” His gaze traveled over the course and he shook his head. “This a good idea?”
