“Oh, yeah. That makes sense.” But Rex didn’t care. His eyes were fixated on Becky and he gestured at her. “She’s knocker, huh?” He jostled his shoulder towards Mason and thumped his chest. “I love ‘em when they’ve got rolls to hold onto, you know.”

Mason glanced at me, but I saw him fighting back his laughter. His shoulders started to shake.

Rex continued. His hair fell back over his eyes, but he never moved it back. He slid his hands in his jeans’ pockets and it slipped down an inch on his waist. His black boxers were now visibly showing. “Yeah, man, and her laugh. It’s like bugs bunny came to life for me. Smooth sailing with the buzz, you know.”

He looked up for approval from Mason, who coughed and shook his head. “I don’t do drugs.”

“Really?” He seemed amazed.

“Nah. I don’t like ‘em.”

“Oh yeah, you’re a big time athlete, aren’t you?” His head bobbed again. “Cool, cool. Hey, I hope your brother bangs my sister again. She’s a lot easier to handle.”

“He probably won’t.”

Rex lifted a relaxed shoulder. “Yeah, I understand that. She’s a bitch. All my buds want to bang her, but she’s a bitch. I wish she’d let ‘em, you know. She’d always be in a good mood, but she thinks she’s too good for my buds. I understand that too.”

“So, Rex.” I cleared my throat, though it came out strained. “Where are you taking Becky on your date?”

He shrugged. “I was thinking whatever party’s going on.” He twisted to Becky. “That cool with you?”

She giggled some more and her head jerked up and down in a spastic fashion.

Another lazy smile spread over his face.

Mason met my gaze. He couldn’t hold back his amusement. “Ethan’s doing a small party tonight.”

“Hey, you think we could go there?”

“Yeah, pretty sure.” His lip twitched and he choked back another burst of laughter.

I clamped onto Becky’s arm. “She can ride with us.”

“Ah no, dudette Sam. It’s our first date and all. I want to be the honorable guy and drive.”

I narrowed my eyes. “We’re not under the influence. She’s going with us.”

“Oh, ah!” He threw his head back and laughed. The hair fell away and his shiny blue eyes were crinkled at the ends. “Ah, no. I always look like this. My mom said it goes back to when I was a baby. I was a crack baby or something. Nah, I haven’t smoked anything since last night. I’m good to go and I wouldn’t do anything to hurt Becky. She’s my golden Labradoodle.”

“She’s your dog?”

“Nah, my best friend. They’re all full of unconditional love and shit.”

Becky couldn’t stop giggling and Rex seemed infatuated with the sound of it. He moved beside her and took her hand in his. Then he lifted two fingers towards us. “We’ll see you there. I want some alone time with my girl here.”

Another blush lit up from her neck and she waved at me before she was in the car and the station wagon left the parking lot.

We were quiet for a second. I didn’t know what to say and then Mason burst out laughing. He bent over with a hand still on my back as his shoulders continued to shake. I couldn’t hold back my own laughter and soon I had tears in my eyes. As I wiped them away and tried to contain myself, I shook my head. “I can’t believe that happened.”

“I like him.” His shoulders still shook from his silent amusement.

I opened my mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. My shoulders sagged dramatically and I threw my hands up. “I have no idea what to say.”

“He doesn’t care about me. I say he’s good to go.”

“This isn’t about you. He’s a pothead. Becky can’t date a pothead.”

He shrugged and started towards the car. “She’ll be fine. He’ll probably be good for her, help pull her away from your quarterback’s snare.”

That was true.

As I got in the Escalade, I leaned back. Mason pulled out of the parking lot and I glanced over. He seemed intent on the road with a relaxed hold on the steering wheel. His arm stretched out and the side of his face took my breath away. Was that what Becky saw when she looked at Rex?

“What is it?” He didn’t look at me.

I grinned. He never had to.

“Sam?” He looked now.

And I was breathless again. The green in his eyes seemed brighter. As another car’s headlights skimmed over him, it highlighted his angular cheekbones, his full lips, the masculine curve of his jaw, and the crew cut of his hair. He had dressed in a fitted black long sleeve shirt, tucked inside of trendy faded jeans.

I took a breath and fanned myself. Would it ever get less intense?

“Sam?” he prompted again, but the knowing smirk on his face gave him away.

“Shut up.”

He grinned back. “Were you thinking of Rex Thursto just now? Did he make you wet for him?”

I groaned.

He laughed again as he glanced back to the street. “Do you want to leave me and take your best friend down for him? Did the Rexster do it for you?”

My shoulder stated to shake. “Stop, Mason.”

“No, really.” His teeth blinded me as he flashed another smile. The enjoyment sparkled in his eyes. “Was it his glazed eyes or the pretty boy features he’s got going on? I bet you go for the glazed look. Should I start sharing bowls with him? Maybe I could learn a thing or two.”

I reached over and ran the tips of my fingers over his leg. He tensed and his leg jerked from underneath my hand. I grinned at my own power. “I think you’re doing just fine.”

“Am I?” His hand caught mine and lifted it for a kiss.

“You are.”

“Good.” And his eyes held so much more promise than that word. But then we turned onto Ethan’s street and I sat forward at the sight of thirty cars on the street.

“I thought you said this was supposed to be small?”

Mason chuckled and shrugged before he slipped out of the car. As I rounded my side to his, he threw an arm around my shoulder and pulled me close. “That’s what Logan said.”

I groaned when I spotted Cassandra’s red Fiat. There would be Academy students there. Great.