On The Rebound (Steinbeck U #1) - L.A. Cotton Page 0,38
hair. “There’s plenty of me to go around. And maybe if you’re lucky, you’ll get more than just a kiss.” He winked at a petite blonde who turned to her friends and giggled.
Jesus, the place was about to become a hunting ground. Girls loved this shit nearly as much as the guys.
“Okay, guys, if you’ll step forward please.” A couple of Vic’s friends appeared with a box. They began handing out black eye masks. I hung back, hoping to avoid being thrust into the line of fire. But, of course, Vic came over to personally make sure I was ready.
“A little heads up would have been nice,” I gritted out as I snatched the mask from her.
“If I’d have told you, would you have come?” Her brow lifted and I hated that she knew me so well.
“How long do you expect me to do this shit?”
“As long as people keep paying.”
“People? I’m not kissing any guys.”
“It’s for charity!”
“I’m serious, Vic. Don’t you dare—”
“Relax, it’ll be girls. Mostly.” She snickered before grabbing my arm and moving me into position.
“This is bullshit,” I complained.
“Way I see it,” Saul said, “It’s a good way to sift out the frogs.”
The guys all laughed but I was too pissed to join them.
“Who’d they get to come to these stupid things anyway?” I kept my voice low. Vic was busy explaining the rules to everyone.
No touching.
No peeking.
No seconds.
Tongue was optional.
Fuck that.
I didn’t intend on tonguing anyone.
“The sorority sisters, other girly societies. Anyone got any Chapstick?” Joel asked around a strained smile. I wasn’t the only one dreading the kissing booth. “We might need it.”
“Ugh, this is a fucking joke.”
“Nah, man, it’s school spirit. I heard they did this once way back before our time, and some of the guys ended up with enough numbers to fill his calendar for the year.”
“I’m not sure that’s the point, Saul.”
“If some chick wants to ram her tongue down my throat and give me her number all in the name of charity, I’m here for it.”
“Okay, ladies.” A low rumble of snickers and giggles filled the air. “Will the first four guys, Saul, Brad, Cooper, and Dev step forward.”
A sigh of relief slipped from my lips. At least, I didn’t have to go first.
“Masks on,” Vic ordered. “Now ladies, if you’ll please form an orderly line. Payment goes in Cadence’s bucket, collect your masks from Kira. And remember, in the spirit of the kissing booth, you shall not reveal your identity to one another until after I end the round. Happy kissing!”
“Come to daddy.” Saul smacked his lips together and a huddle of girls all shrieked with delight.
Jesus. I rolled my eyes.
Twenty minutes later, twenty-four girls were all thoroughly kissed, and Cadence’s bucket had at least two hundred bucks in it.
“What do we say to our first volunteers?” Vic said, and the room exploded with applause. “Give it up for Saul, Brad, Cooper, and Dev. Next up, we have Joel, Tyrese, Kaiden, and Andre.”
The guys moved forward and applied their masks.
“Girls. You know the drill by now. Get those dollars ready and join the line.”
I noticed some girls sneak back into the line and I smirked. Sure, it was for charity, but still.
A commotion beyond the room caught everyone’s attention and a new group of girls appeared. “We heard there was a kissing booth?”
“You heard right.” Victoria grinned. “We were just getting started on our second round.”
“Sign me up.” One of the girls said, licking her lips. It wasn’t until they moved deeper into the room that I spotted her.
Calli.
What the fuck was she doing here?
She caught my eye, but instead of cowering, she lifted her chin in defiance. Disbelief burned through me as I watched her and Josie join the line, laughing and giggling with the other girls.
Joel was up there.
Calli was going to pay money to kiss one of my teammates... and fucking Joel was up there.
White hot fury exploded in my veins as I watched Calli inch closer to the front of the line. She was up with Josie and two other girls. Masks in place, they let Vic and the other girls line them up in front of their guy. Obviously, Josie couldn’t go with Joel, so she got Andre. One of the other girls got Tyrese, leaving Joel and Kaiden, Calli and another girl.
Vic caught my eye and smiled. I didn’t think anything of it until she started to position Calli in front of Joel. But there was no way she could know.