The Kiss (Playboy Pact #1) - M. Robinson Page 0,1

him to have a place we could all hang out. We were on the other end of his parent’s land. We could literally do anything and they’d never know. Leo was an only child and he was spoiled because of it.

We called it a treehouse, given it was surrounded by tons of trees. It was bigger than a treehouse but still kind of built like one. It was about six hundred and fifty square feet. When you walked in, you felt the vintage vibes Leo wanted. He had an appreciation for the retro era. The cabin was a big open room and the kitchen was to the left from the front door. Vintage turquoise metal cabinets and an island shaped like an aircraft wing that Leo pulled inspiration from a 1950’s plane was what caught your attention first. There was a full-sized stove and oven, mid-sized refrigerator, and microwave. The kitchen was fully stocked with everything we’d ever need, from pots and pans to dishes and silverware.

The living room was in the middle of the open space and it was just as colorful as the kitchen with wood walls, colorful decorations, and accents. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree in the Hawkins genes, Leo had an eye for building like his father, grandfather, and great grandfather before him. He came from a long line of carpenters. A flat-screen TV was above the gas fireplace and the couch was a day bed that converted into a queen-sized mattress with a coffee table in between the couch and television.

To the right of the front door, there was a bathroom and a bedroom next to it that had its own flat screen TV and queen-sized bed which would be the hook-up room I was sure. This place would definitely be a party pad.

One of my favorite spots in the treehouse was the ladder that was to the right of the television. There was a small nook area above with a bed and window that overlooked the forest that engulfed the cabin. The glass doors that led to the porch, hot tub, and lower deck was another one of my favorite places. It was smack dab in between the bedroom and living room, you could once again see the woods that were just as scenic as the treehouse itself.

Leo built a firepit with five green lounge chairs to host bonfires and make s’mores. It felt like you were camping when you went outside. Beside it was a swing he said was for me. I had a jungle gym we grew up playing on, built off my back porch, and Leo spent hours pushing me on those swings.

It was our thing.

“His parents are getting a divorce, Lala. That’s like a swift kick in the balls.”

He’d been calling me Lala since we were in diapers together. He couldn’t pronounce Mila when we were babies and Lala stuck.

“Yeah…” I sighed. “I feel bad for him.”

“We’ll get him laid tonight, it’ll help smooth it over.” He jolted to the left, hitting the button on his controller for more ammunition to blow on the television screen.

I shook my head. “So, sex solves everything?”

“For a minute it does.”

“A minute? That’s all you can hold out, Leo?” I shook my head again, smiling wide. I could see him looking at me through the corner of his eyes with amusement in his gaze.

This was how we were with each other. No one at our school understood our friendship. Everyone thought we were hooking up behind closed doors, but it wasn’t like that for us. We were neighbors and grew up together. Our moms were pregnant at the same time and bonded over that fact. Since then, we’d spent most of our time together. I didn’t know a life without Leo in it.

We were best friends.

“A minute is about the average time it takes for a male to think of something sexual, so yeah. That sounds about right.” He grinned at me and I rolled my eyes.

“I honestly don’t know who’s worse out of the four of you.”

“Well…” he hesitated, concentrating on his task at hand. Shooting three opponents in the face before he continued on, “It depends on who you ask. If you ask any female in this region of Tennessee? It’s definitely me.” He paused again, muttering under his breath, “Cocksucking bitches,” referring to his game. “Now if you ask guys from our opposing high school, then it’s Cain, because everyone knows he fucks anything that walks.”

“Bro,” Cain interrupted,