Bending the Rules: A Brother's Best Friend Romance: The Rules Duet (The Dating Playbook Book 1) by Mariah Dietz

Author:Mariah Dietz [Dietz, Mariah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-04-13T16:00:00+00:00

“Should we take a break?” Derek asks as we wait again. It’s a nice night, drawing a crowd to the small attraction. We’ve hit a log jam, two couples already waiting in front of us. “They have snow cones over there.”

“I don’t think I’ve had a snow cone since I was six,” I tell him.

My fingers are already cold, relying heavily on me moving to remain warm, but I follow him toward the small stand, ready to relive how long my mouth with be dyed blue when I see Lincoln. He’s sitting at a table, his legs kicked out, ankles crossed as he sits across from the same blonde from the party, the one who wanted to date him. She looks prettier than I’d remembered—likely for reasons filed under self-preservation and dignity. She’s looking at him, laughing at something he’s saying, her hand on his forearm. I can’t stop memorizing each detail, the gray Henley that makes his skin look darker, the gleam in his brown eyes, the animated way he’s talking that looks so easy—it feels intimate. I pull my attention away, ducking my face and speeding up, hoping there are tables on the other side so we don’t have to sit near them.

“Derek.” The voice makes my heart stutter and my steps stop.

Derek turns toward Lincoln, surprise lifting his brow. I assumed he’d seen him as well, but I forget that not everyone pays attention to details that rarely matter in life in the same way I spend too much time doing. “What’s up?” he says, nodding.

Lincoln sits up, his attention remaining solely on Derek. “Small world.”

“Sometimes too small.”

My attention volleys between them, attempting to read each minute twitch and lift of the eyebrow, every spark that hits their eyes, and curves of their lips both north and southward.

“You guys want to join us?” Lincoln moves an empty tray off the table. “Come on. Take a seat.”

Derek remains rooted for several seconds, making me wonder if he’s waiting for me to reply, but then he moves forward, two steps ahead of me like he has been much of the night. It hasn’t bothered me—until now—because now is, of course, when Lincoln turns his full attention to me, his expression a mask of indifference. He continues staring at me as I sit down, and I again spend too much time wondering where to place my arms—my sides, the table, or linked with Derek’s like Lincoln’s date does as she moves to sit beside him.

“Nikki, this is my teammate, Derek.” Lincoln extends a hand toward Derek, and then waves toward me. “And my best friend’s sister. Guys, this is Nikki.”

Asshole.

My stomach feels tight, annoyance giving a roundhouse kick to what was left of my happy mood.

“Raegan,” I say, reaching across the table to shake her hand.

Nikki’s fingers are shockingly warm—hot even against my chilled skin, but she doesn’t flinch or make a comment about my icy touch. Instead, she smiles. “It’s so nice to meet you both.” She looks at me, her smile widening.

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