My Rebound (On My Own #2) - Carrie Ann Ryan Page 0,3

I’m about to freeze my balls off, not my bollocks.”

“Whatever words you boys think you need to use, that’s what we’re going to freeze off.” Pacey waved him off.

I shook my head, ignoring the two of them as they continued talking about balls. Guys. I gave out everyone’s assignments. They nodded, and we got busy. It was heavy work, strenuous, and soon, no one was freezing anymore. We were all sweaty and trying to ignore the chill.

By the time we got the furniture in and set up, I was glad that I had ordered in lunch. We had Chinese food delivered for everybody and dove in while still unpacking some boxes. We wouldn’t get to everything tonight, and I didn’t expect the guys to help us with that, but they were great at reaching things that we couldn’t.

They moved in couches, beds, and all the other random, assorted furniture we had gathered over time. Most of it was Natalie’s. Her family had furnished the house they’d lived in prior, and they had most everything they needed, though Natalie didn’t like to talk about it. Considering I enjoyed sitting on the couch instead of on the living room floor, I didn’t mind. The set was comfortable, made well, and I had a feeling far more expensive than anything I could afford.

“Okay, lunch is over. Let’s get back to it,” Miles announced and blushed as we all stared at him.

“Look at you, taking the reins,” Pacey said, and the other guy flipped him off.

“I can take the reins just fine, Pacey. I just tend to be quieter than the rest of you.”

“I don’t know, Miles, if you’re going to be taking control like this, I should be on my knees or something,” Tanner said, and I groaned as the girls threw some throw pillows at them.

I looked over at Pacey, who sat next to me on the couch, and shook my head. “How many sex jokes do you think we go through a day?” I asked.

Pacey raised a brow. “Probably far more than you even realize. But we’re guys. It’s what we do.”

“You say that as if girls don’t make as many sex jokes as you do.”

“Oh, really? You should tell me then. I’ll let you know if they’re dirty or not.”

My stomach tightened. “Are you flirting with me, Pacey?”

“Maybe. It is the way of my namesake, after all.”

I frowned. “Who were you named after?”

“The dreamboat from Dawson’s Creek, of course,” he drawled.

“Wait. But you’re British. I didn’t know it was a huge thing over there.” Not that I knew anything about what was popular in the UK in the late nineties and early two-thousands.

“My mother was an American teenager during the heyday of Dawson and Pacey.”

“Oh, wow. I didn’t realize the show was that old.”

“Please never mention that to my mother. She will hurt me for telling you the story.”

I laughed. “Deal.”

We got to work again fairly quickly, cleaning up our mess and continuing to put things on walls as we unpacked. While I had it in my mind that we would get a lot done today, I hadn’t honestly expected the guys to stay for as long as they did. I was grateful, yet I wasn’t sure how we would be able to repay them.

I ended up in the office area, a small nook with a bay window and four small desks that we could make into a study library, and found myself alone with Pacey.

“You need to stop looking like that.”

I frowned, taking in my jeans with holes and the bright red leggings peeking through. It was cold, but I still wanted to be somewhat fashionable. I had on a cream-colored sweater that had seen better days, but it was perfect for moving day and was off-the-shoulder and layered with a long-sleeved shirt and two tank tops underneath. The house had decent heating and quality insulation, but I was still cold, even with all the moving around. Hence, the layering. I had piled my dark hair on the top of my head and long since sweated off any concealer and powder I’d had on earlier.

“How do you think I’m looking?” I asked, a little weary.

Pacey cursed under his breath, that accent of his doing things to me I’d rather not think about. I didn’t want a guy, at least that’s what I kept telling myself. But there was just something about Pacey. Probably because he was safe. He didn’t want a long relationship, and he was straightforward about it