Author: Nyrae Dawn

"Yeah. We're starving here," I throw in so it's not obvious I might swallow my tongue.

We go outside and jump into the Explorer. Priscilla reads off the address and Sebastian puts it into the GPS. A few seconds later we're driving down the road and I'm hoping my body doesn't start to react to Priscilla's legs and how one of them is right up against mine. Nothing says lame like a surprise woody over something you shouldn't get that excited about.

The drive isn't too long and I manage to keep myself in check. A few minutes later, we're piling out of the car. There's a bit of a line, but we knew there would be so we chill in line for about twenty minutes before they let us in.

I collapse in a chair when I notice Sebastian pulling one out for Aspen. Yeah they're together and Priscilla and I aren't, but I suddenly feel like an ass for not thinking of it.

"Such a gentleman.” She gives me the eye. I'm about to come up with some excuse to defend myself, but then she says, "But then if that makes you like Bastian... I'm not sure."

"Hey! What do you mean? I'm the shit.” Bastian replies and everyone at the table rolls their eyes because, half the time, that’s all you can do when it comes to him. Granted, I'm usually involved, but whatever.

"Please, you have nothing on me.” I dust off my shoulder even though that's old as hell. "One of these days you'll catch up, man. Don't worry too much."

Sebastian doesn't have time to answer because the waitress comes up to ask if we want anything to drink. The place is packed and loud just like Priscilla told us it would be.

I order my Cherry Pepsi, Priscilla gets water. I don't get how she can drink so much of it. I mean, it's water. It's not like it tastes good, but it's always what she picks.

After a few minutes she comes back to take our order. Priscilla and I are on one side of the table and Sebastian and Aspen on the other. Bastian orders, then Aspen, and when they get to our side I tell Pris to order first. It's such a little thing. Half the reason I did it was just to show Sebastian up, but the smile she offers me gives the gesture a whole new meaning.

It's stupid but I wonder if Bastian feels like this when Aspen smiles at him. If it makes other guys feel almost...I don't know...high when they make a girl happy. Does it make them feel invincible? Like they can take on the freaking world or something? Make their blood run hot and their body tense everywhere?

"Show off," Sebastian sneezes and says at the same time. I hold up one hand to shield the other while I flip him off.

"Maybe you should take some lessons." Aspen tells him.

Sebastian's eyes get all wide. "What? I got your chair. That's way sweeter."

By the way the waitress is looking at us, I can tell she's getting annoyed. Whatever, though. This is our epic trip and I'm going to take every laugh where I can get it.

***

We're walking back into the house when Aspen looks over her shoulder and says, "Hey, Jaden. The portable DVD player isn't working. You want to look at it for us?"

I shrug because it's no biggie. I like taking things apart and putting them back together again. Any kind of electronics. "Sure. I can't promise anything, but I'll check it out."

Priscilla's hip bumps mine and I really wonder if she's trying to kill me. "Whatever. You'll fix it. You always do."

Okay, okay. I have the bizarre urge to thump my chest and tell her damn right. I'm the man and I can do anything. Really, I'm just in awe she has that kind of faith in me. Which makes me feel like a loser. I mean, it's a cheap, little DVD player probably anyone could fix... or no one. I don't know yet, but I like that she thinks I can do it.

But the guy in me wins. Not sure if it's because he really won or because he's easier to let out. "Well, yeah. I mean, I know I'm good, but—"

This time she punches me. "You have such a big head."

"So I've been told," I tell her, biting back my laugh. When she swings at me again, this time I'm ready. I grab her wrist, and damn is her skin soft. How do girls have such soft skin?

We're sort of wrestling around, her trying to pull her hand free and me holding on when I forget there's a step behind us. I trip, going down fast and taking her along. Priscilla falls on top of me as I hit the hardwood floor. I half try to catch her, one of my hands ending up on her waist and somehow under her shirt a little bit.

Talk about soft. Holy crap. I groan because, yeah, she feels good.

"Serves you right if I'm too heavy."

She tries to pull away again, but I don't let her. I use the excuse we're wrestling and I want to win and I feel like an idiot for falling, but really, it's the way she's laying across me. The vanilla scent and the smooth skin.

"Let me go!" she says, but seriously, she's not fighting me that hard. Or maybe I just want that to be true.

Get it together, Sinclair, I keep telling myself.

"Why? I thought you were tough? You tried to be a few minutes ago." It's hard to keep the laugh out of my voice. If there's one thing she doesn't like it's for someone to get the best of her. She's strong like that.

"I can kick your ass!" She's really trying, now. I'm laughing my butt off as we roll around on the floor. It's way too hard, but I don't care. She's pulling away from me and I'm holding her tight and I don't know or care where Sebastian and Aspen are.

Somehow we scoot over so my ass is on the step and when I fall down it, she does too, and her knee comes down hard in my crotch.

"Oh shit!" I let go of her now. My hands are needed somewhere else. It hurts and that's the last place I want any serious damage done.

I'm on my side, away from her.

"Holy crap! I'm sorry!" She rolls me over so I'm facing her. She looks down where my hands are cupping myself before her eyes shoot back to mine. "Umm...are you...?"

"Injured for life? I think so." Yeah, I might be playing it up slightly. Of course it hurt, but it's also nice to have her worry about me, too. "You may have just killed my chances at making little Jadens."

My eyes find hers, ready to lay it on thick again to score some sympathy points, but that caring look is off her face. Priscilla shakes her head, Spanish flying out of her mouth a million miles an hour. Despite the pain, I laugh a little because I should have known I couldn't pull one over on her. No one can.

"Don't make me laugh. It hurts!"

This time she pushes me before standing up.

"Ouch! Seriously. I'm telling the truth. You maimed me." I'm half-smiling, half-grimacing.

"Good!" She crosses her arms in that sassy way that is so hot, a little smile curving her lips.

"That's cold, Pris. Seriously."

"Wow... and here I thought you were this big, strong man. Does poor little Jaden need help up?" She's using her fake-sweet voice.

Okay, time to re-plan. I definitely don't want to come off as soft. "I am a big strong man. That's why it hurts so bad.” I wink at her. Sure, I'm lying on the floor which probably kills the effect, but whatever.

Priscilla opens her mouth, closes it again, and then huffs before she stomps away.

"Wait," I call, scrambling to my feet. Sebastian and Aspen are nowhere in sight. They must have gone upstairs to their room and I don't want Pris to go lock herself in hers too. "I'm kidding. Well...not about the big part but—" I let my words get cut off by the sharp dagger of her eyes.

"I'm just sayin'," I add.

She totally looks like she's trying not to laugh, but she'd never give in like that. She won't let me see that she thinks I'm funny.

"I'm thinking you owe me a favor. I mean, I'm seriously injured here. That at least means I deserve a movie." The words jump out of my mouth before I have time to think about them. I'm glad. Right now, I don't want to think. I just want to react.

By the way she's biting her bottom lip, her eyes all wide, I can tell she's surprised. Guilt tries to push its way in again. She shouldn't be shocked I want to watch a movie with her.

"Umm, sure. Yeah. That'd be cool." Priscilla wrings her hands together like she's nervous. It's so weird—this change with us. I don't want it to be there.

I want to kiss it away, which is all kinds of dumb.

"Cool," I tell her, not able to think of anything else to say. I'm apparently really good with words right now.

"I'm going to change."

She turns and runs up the stairs, like she's going to be late for something. A little confused, I head to the kitchen and grab us each a drink, before I fall onto the couch in the living room and put my feet on the coffee table.

A few minutes later, she comes back down. She's wearing a pair of short shorts and another little tank top thing and man is it hard not to stare at her. "I got you a drink." I nod at the table so I have an excuse to look somewhere else.

"Gracias."

Suddenly, I'm not in the mood for a movie as much anymore. "Want to play a game or something first? I'm kind of feeling like kicking your butt at something."

She picks up one of the couch pillows and smacks me in the head with it. "You're worse than Bastian sometimes. I'm pretty sure I'd beat you, and weren't you trying to be a gentleman earlier?"

I shake off the Sebastian comment. "I am a gentleman. They're honest, right?"

This earns me an eye-roll. "I think we have cards here. That's probably all."

I groan. Yeah, I want to play something, but cards don't sound that exciting. "Eh. I guess."

Then, Priscilla jumps up, as though my words electrocuted her. "I have an idea." Her bare feet carry her to the kitchen and I follow behind. Priscilla grabs a stool and reaches high in one of the cabinets. I've seen this kind of scene in a movie before. Usually it's some woman cooking dinner and she reaches real high and the guy about dies from lust. I used to shake my head and laugh, but right now, I could totally die from the desires shooting through me.

Her shirt pulls up a little, giving me a glimpse of what it's covering. It's all dark brown and cinnamon and I'm totally craving something spicy.

Unlike those movie girls, Priscilla steps down with a bottle of Vodka.

"What are we playing?"

She gets down from the stool before she answers. "Go Fish."

"What?" She's already heading into the living room again and I'm right there with her. "Sort of ironic, don't you think?"

"That we're playing a kids' game with alcohol? Absolutely."

She sits on the floor at the coffee table and I fall in next to her. She's so freaking down to Earth. That's what I love about her. The girl could have anything she wants, but she's sitting on the floor with a bottle of Vodka, no cups, and about to play go fish with a guy with a pierced face who just got a cast removed that he got from punching people.

I wish I could tell her.

"Should we grab Sebastian and Aspen?" I ask her.

"No. I'm sure they're enjoying whatever they're doing much more than this."

Yeah. She's probably totally right on that one.

"What are the rules here, you card shark?" Last time we played, she kicked all our butts at poker. I'm hoping I have better luck at go fish.

"You ask for a card and if the other person doesn't have it, you draw a card and take a drink." She smiles before she starts to shuffle the deck.

"I think I'm liking this game." I rub my hands together. "We might not like it when we're in a car all day tomorrow, but for now, it's bomb."

Once she has the cards dealt I tell her to go first. See? I can be a gentleman.