Revel
By the time taco night actually starts, Reign and Lena’s new house already looks significantly less new.
There are shoes kicked into a pile by the front door, empty beer bottles collecting beside the sink, somebody’s hoodie thrown over the back of the couch and at least three people who have been told to use a coaster and are very clearly not using one.
The back doors are open to the ocean, music rolls through the house with the breeze, and the kitchen island is covered in enough food to feed the entire team twice.
Lena keeps insisting she didn’t make too much.
Which is a total fucking lie, not that I’m complaining.
“You realize there are only like nine of us, right?” I ask, lifting the lid off another container and finding more taco meat underneath.
Lena slaps my hand away with a serving spoon.
“Stop picking at it before everyone gets a plate.”
“Chill, I’m just checking quality.”
“You’ve checked the quality four times.”
“Consistency is important.”
Reign looks over from where he’s opening a beer beside her.
“You’ve been here twenty minutes and you’ve eaten enough for a full meal.”
“That sounds judgmental for somebody hosting taco night.”
“It’s not taco night. It’s our housewarming.”
I look around at the island covered in tortillas, meat, cheese, salsa, guac and chips.
“Feels pretty taco-night-ish.”
Lena laughs while Reign gives me the finger, and I steal another piece of chicken while he’s distracted.
Across the kitchen, Echo is perched on the counter with a margarita, one boot hooked around Thorne’s thigh while Draygon stands beside them stealing chips from her plate. She catches him taking another and smacks the back of his hand.
“Seriously?”
“You’ve got a full bowl.”
“It’s my bowl.”
Draygon looks down at the giant serving bowl in her lap.
“Pretty girl, that is literally for everyone.”
“Then everyone should’ve gotten here first.”
Thorne reaches over her shoulder, grabs a handful and immediately steps back before she can hit him too.
“See? Sharing.”
“You’re both fucking annoying.”
“Still love us though,” he says around a mouthful of chips.
Echo rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling.
Sayshen is by the speaker arguing with Talon because Talon keeps trying to skip songs halfway through, while Bex stands between them telling both of them to stop touching her phone. Nobody listens. Obviously.
Cece walks into the kitchen with an empty margarita glass, and my eyes go straight to her.
Every fucking time.
Black cutoffs with a cropped tank, and big gold hoops.
Hair twisted up messy with a few strands loose around her face.
She looks like trouble without even trying, which tracks, because half the time she opens her mouth I want to either laugh, kiss her, or piss her off just enough to make her eyes flash.
Usually all three.
She starts mixing another drink at the island, swaying a little with the music while she pours, and I watch her lick salt off her thumb before reaching for the lime.
My cock gives one very unhelpful twitch.
Yeah. Great.
Cece catches me staring and immediately narrows her eyes. “?Qué?”
I grin.
“Nothing.”
“Then stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like a fucking creep.”
I push off the counter and wander closer because the irritation in her voice does absolutely nothing to discourage me. If anything, it makes me want to poke harder just to see what else she’ll give me.
“You’re mean tonight, mami.”
Her head snaps toward me
“No me digas mami.”
“See? Mean.”
“I’m warning you.”
“Well, it sounds really fucking hot in Spanish. Say it again.”
“Revel.”
And there's that little bite in my name.
My cock twitches again, because apparently I have issues.
I grin wider and stop on the other side of the island from her.
“You know, getting annoyed every time I talk to you only makes this more fun for me.”
Cece takes a slow sip of her margarita, eyes locked on mine over the rim.
“Qué sorpresa. The annoying man enjoys being annoying.”
“I’m very consistent.”
“You’re a pain in my ass.”
“Been thinking about your ass too, a lot actually.”
She almost chokes.
Almost.
Then her eyes narrow into a glare sharp enough to peel paint.
“Ay, Dios mío. Do you ever shut the fuck up?”
“Not when you look at me like that.”
“Like I want to kill you?”
“Exactly.”
She sets her glass down with a little more force than necessary and steps closer.
“You have a very concerning idea of flirting.”
“I’m not concerned.”
“You should be.”
“Why? You gonna hurt me?”
“Maybe.”
My gaze drops to her mouth for a second.
“Promise?”
Cece scoffs and shakes her head, muttering, “Pinche idiota,” under her breath.
I laugh.
“I know that one.”
“Good. Saves me explaining.”
She turns away like she’s done with me, and I reach past her for the tequila bottle even though I don’t need it.
She immediately looks over her shoulder.
“What are you doing?”
“Making a drink.”
“You’re holding a beer.”
“I contain multitudes.”
“You contain bullshit.”
“I mean, that is also true.”
I’m close enough now that I can smell lime, tequila and whatever perfume she’s wearing. Cece notices the distance too, because her shoulders go a little tighter even though she doesn’t move away.
Interesting.
“You’re in my space,” she says.
“Your space seems nice.”
“Move.”
“Why? You could move.”
Her eyes flick to mine.
There it is again.
That little hot-cold thing she does, where she acts like she wants me gone while standing perfectly fucking still.
I lean in just enough to make her lift her chin.
“Thought so.”
Her brows rise.
“Thought what?”
“That you like me right here.”
She smiles, but it's not sweet.
No, it’s dangerous.
“Keep thinking that, papi.”
My cock practically fucking salutes.
She sees something change in my face and her smile gets worse.
Oh, she fucking knows.
I swallow once.
“You’re playing dirty now.”
Cece picks up her margarita
“You started it.”
“Yeah, but now I’m interested.”
“You’ve been interested.”
“Obsessed, maybe.”
She pauses for half a second before recovering, eyes narrowing like she refuses to give me anything for free.
“Sounds like a you problem.”
“Definitely.”
“Good.”
Then she walks away.
I watch her go.
Obviously.
And just before she disappears back into the living room, she glances over her shoulder at me.
Quick and smug.
Checking whether I’m still looking.
Surprise, I am.
Cece’s mouth curves before she turns away again.
Yeah.
This woman is going to fucking ruin me, but fuck if that don’t make my dick harder.