The Do-Over (The Rooftop Crew #5) - Piper Rayne Page 0,23
you say you’re over her, then I believe you.”
Her touch is soft, and I like it a lot. “Thank you.”
“And you don’t have to help me. I doubt we’re going to find her anyway. I have to figure this out on my own. And I shouldn’t be staying at your place either. You and Jax are so nice to offer, but it’s probably not a good idea.”
I don’t say anything because I’m not sure what’s right. “And you don’t have to go to the retirement party with me.”
She doesn’t look up. “I don’t mind, and I owe you for last night. But I’ll start figuring something out with the other stuff.”
“Kamea,” I say. She looks up with an expression of surprise, and I think it’s because I rarely call her by name. I actually haven’t called her anything because I’m afraid to get too close to her. “Just stay at our place until you get your feet on the ground. We have the room and we don’t need the money. Honestly, these two places were my top ideas for finding her. I’m worried you’re never going to see that bail money again.”
It’s easy to see Kamea isn’t the type to overstay her welcome. As soon as she can afford it, she’ll leave. I’m more worried she’ll leave before she can afford a place.
She sips her beer which I’m sure is still practically full. “I don’t know.”
I glance to my right then look back at her. “Wanna play for it?”
Her eyes follow my line of sight to the dartboard. “Play for what?”
“To see if you stay with us.” I stand and take the darts off the board, then I place the three red ones in front of her. “Whoever scores higher, wins.”
“I’m actually playing you to see if I get my way and can leave your apartment?”
I laugh when she puts it that way. “I guess so. What do you say?”
“Well.” She gets up. I love that she’s already game with hardly any convincing. “I should let you know that I’ve played before.”
“Well, crap then. How about two out of three?”
“Perfect.”
I put out my arm. “Ladies first.”
She steps up to the line and throws the first dart, hitting the wall instead of the board. I chuckle behind her.
“I need to warm up, it’s been a while,” she says.
I toe the line of tape that’s coming up from the dirty floor, aim my dart, and decide at the last minute to play a little game with her. I hit the board but not on any points.
She narrows her eyes slightly but steps up for her second turn. She shoots it and actually scores, a double twenty. She jumps, her eyes wide as though she can’t believe it. “Whoa!”
“Why do I feel like I’m about to be hustled?”
She falls back down to her heels and puts on a serious face. “Why would you think that?”
I laugh. She’s fucking adorable. Anyone who thinks she looks like Leilani is insane. Her personality is so different, and it’s a nice change from any girl I’ve dated recently. “I don’t know.”
I step up and don’t really try but still manage to score a triple three. Nothing that will keep me in the game.
“That means I’m winning right now, right?” She hops up to the line and leans forward with her dart poised at the board, suddenly a lot more invested.
“Yep.”
I’m not even sure she hears me as she moves the dart forward and back a couple times. She eventually releases the dart, and my eyes remain on her until she beams. I check the board. The dart sticks to the seventeen.
“I hit one!” she says.
“You did.” I can’t fight the smile from my face. I kinda wish she was mine so I could kiss her right now.
“Okay, hotshot, let’s go.” She signals for me to take my turn.
I throw the dart and I’m happy when I land a double one.
Her eyes narrow as she figures out the math, then she jumps up and down. “I won, right? I won?”
I nod, and her hips sway from side to side as her head bops. She’s so happy and I am too, even though I lost on purpose. Which I never do.
Then she stops. “We have to play again?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, loser first.” She’s still happy when the waitress comes over. “Oh, I’ll have…” She leans forward. “Do you have anything kind of girly?”
The waitress eyes me and smiles. “I’ll bring you what I drink.” She picks up the beer. “And you?