Rebound (Tryst Island Series) by Sabrina York Page B

And then some.

Chapter Nine
    When they came through the slider, Cassie already had the blender going. She had a secret recipe for knock-you-naked margaritas, which were absolutely divine. Bella and Kristi joined her in the kitchen to whip up some nachos while the guys all clomped down to the basement to watch the Mariners. As far as Kristi could tell, Lane was still in his room.
    “Maybe we should check on him.” She glanced at his door.
    Cassie shook her head. “I’m sure he’s fine. No doubt he’ll come out when he smells the food.” But he didn’t. The guys surfaced from the basement, though. Apparently the game had been lame. They all swarmed around the table and sucked down margaritas and inhaled nachos, laughing and joking and brutally teasing Drew about his new tattoo.  
    Bella started it all when he pulled up his shirtsleeve to show it—and his bulging biceps—off. She snorted.
    Drew frowned at her. “What?”  
    Bella shrugged. “I didn’t think firemen were allowed to get tattoos.”
    Drew made a face. “We’re firemen. Not slaves.”
    “Civil servants,” Holt muttered. “Close enough.”
    “I can’t believe you got a puppy.” Bella grinned. “Of all the tattoos in all the world. You got a puppy.”
    “I like dogs.”
    Bella ignored him. “Not a bulldog or a Rottweiler or a pit bull. A puppy .”
    “It’s a Dalmatian. I’m a fireman. It makes sense.”
    Cassie leaned closer. “I think it’s cute.”
    “Me too.” Holt smirked. “C’mon baby, come to papa, I’ll kiss your fuckin’ Dalmatian.”
    This, of course, was followed by a chorus of “Come out to the cooooast, we’ll get togeeeether, have a few laaaaughs...” because none of them could resist. Movie quotes were kind of a thing with them. They loved watching the classics over and over again, competing to see who remembered the most lines. They loved it almost as much as they all loved football.  
    But not quite as much.
    Because, after all… Football.
    A knock at the back door surprised them. The neighbors rarely visited.  
    Cassie was closest, so she hopped up to answer it. Lane opened his door as she passed. He looked like hell with red eyes and hair all matted to his head. There was a pillow streak on his cheek.
    Kristi heard the rumble of voices but couldn’t make out any words, but then her belly lurched. She knew who it was.
    She leaped to her feet as Rolf pushed past Cassie and Lane.   His gaze rounded the room and settled on her. Every man around the table rose as well. When Rolf stepped closer, they all bristled. His intense expression morphed into that charming mien she’d once found so irresistible. “There you are, baby. I’ve been hunting all over for you.”
    “Here I am.” It was funny how her body reacted to him, especially now. There was no excitement. No thrill at the sight of him—not like she felt with Cam. Only a vague unease.
    At the beginning, she’d thought his moodiness sexy, but it had gotten old quick. And though they’d been together for three years, the magic had evaporated long ago. Kristi didn’t know why they’d stayed together. Probably just habit.  
    A bad reason to remain in a relationship with someone you didn’t love to the depth of your being.
      Rolf stepped closer. His voice dropped an octave. “Kristi. We need to talk.”
    “There’s nothing to talk about.”
    “Yes. There is. Please. Five minutes.” He glared around the room again. “In private.”
    In private? No way. She waved toward the deck. “Outside.”
    “Okay.”
    She led the way through the slider and turned to face him.  
    He closed the door. “Kristi. Honey. It wasn’t what it looked like.”
    She crossed her arms over her chest. “Really? It looked like your white ass going to town on Savannah.”
      “Okay. I screwed up. It won’t happen again.”
    Wouldn’t it? She wasn’t so sure. “Has it ever happened before?”
    “What?” The flicker of guilt in his eyes was a dead