Writing the Rules: A Fake Dating Standalone Mariah Dietz (best novels to read .txt) 📖

did it in a public setting again, where someone saw her in a compromising position. I shove my fingers into my hair. “I have to check in with Coach. He probably wants to make sure I haven’t raided the minibar.”

To my surprise, Poppy grins. “I thought that was my job?”

“It will probably take fifteen minutes, and then I’ll be up.”

The door to the stairs opens again, and Raegan and Lincoln appear. “There you are,” Lincoln says. “I was calling you, and it was going straight to voicemail.”

“My phone’s dead.”

Lincoln nods, his gaze critical as he searches for clues that I’m lying.

“You guys want to order some food?” Rae asks. “It’s freezing outside, and they said it’s taking forty minutes or longer to get a car right now, and all the restaurants are packed.”

“The heater isn’t working in the hotel,” Poppy adds.

Rae balks and then laughs. “This adventure hasn’t been anything like what Chloe and Nessie described from their explorations.”

“You realize Banks owns a chain of the nicest hotels in the world, right?” I ask my sister.

She looks at Lincoln. “I might have to trade you in.”

Lincoln laughs, reaching for her. It’s these moments when I witness their carefree and easy relationship when the discomfort of having my best friend and sister dating becomes bearable.

“My room is three-forty-two,” Rae tells me. “Two knocks, then one, then two again.”

I shake my head. “I’m not doing that.”

She grins. “Three-forty-two,” she repeats, linking her arm with Poppy’s and foiling any idea of things going any further.

24

Poppy

My entire body is wound tight as I take a seat on the couch in the living room section of the room. Desire that had been spinning tales of pleasure and relief was brought to a boiling point and then abandoned. I’m still recalling the feeling of Paxton’s hands on my bare skin, the strength of his body, and the way he reacted to every kiss and sound, there’s a pressure between my legs, in my stomach, and in my chest that has me wishing to make an excuse to escape to my room.

“What sounds good to you?” Rae asks, glancing at me from where she’s sitting on the bed beside Lincoln. The rooms are spacious, offering a mid-sized living room with a couch and desk and then a small partition that blocks part of the king-sized bed from view. The bathroom is large and tiled, and the closet is bigger than mine and Rae’s combined in our apartment. It’s not a Banks Hotel, but it’s still nice.

“I’m not very hungry,” I tell her.

Rae turns her attention to Lincoln, and they discuss several options as we wait for Paxton. Lincoln asks about our day. The two talk about tomorrow’s game. We talk about food again, and I’m about to think Paxton is pulling a Chase and ghosting me when I hear two quick knocks followed by one slower ones and then two quick bursts again.

My lips curl with an involuntary smile. Paxton has a playful side that is both refreshing and entertaining, considering so many guys seem to be trying to prove how mature they are—until they get around their friends and they turn immature and talk about the same things Dylan and his friends do. Pax isn’t afraid to be himself. He might be the most authentic and genuine person I’ve ever known aside from Rae.

I’m on my feet and three steps toward the door before I feel Rae’s attention on me, questions in her knowing gaze. I have no doubt she’s currently reading the anticipation that has hit me hard and fast with the simple knock. She offers a gentle smile that is difficult for me to read, likely because my mind is preoccupied, sorting through dozens of feelings and emotions that feel like they’re caught in a small dust storm, moving around too fast and unable to settle.

I open the door and Pax’s gaze meets mine, another silent search and silent conversation that breaks too soon.

“Everything okay?” Lincoln asks.

Paxton nods. “We were just going over plays and shit.”

“Again?”

Pax nods and pulls out his cell phone. “Do either of you have your charger? I need to get some juice into this thing. I felt like a total dick telling you it would be fifteen minutes and taking two hours instead.” He looks at me and I know full and well that it’s me he was worried about.

“Yeah,” Raegan grabs his phone and moves toward the nightstand where her charger is already plugged in.

“Did you guys decide what you want to do for dinner?” Pax asks, moving so that he’s beside me. His arm brushes against mine, and I smell his cologne. A sigh runs through my body, curling my toes.

“We already ordered because most places were saying it was going to be at least an hour,” Rae explains. “I hope Italian sounds good to you.”

Pax rubs his hands together. “Sounds great.”

I worry that things will be awkward, that Rae will start to have the very same recognition I’m beginning to face—that I have feelings for her brother. Big, complex feelings that feel woven into my life and thoughts and memories. I glance at Paxton, whose hands dangle between his thighs as he exchanges conversation with Lincoln regarding their plans for the morning, and I worry he’s changed his mind and is regretting our stolen moment in the stairwell.

His blue eyes shift to mine, and I have to force myself not to look away as my nerves ratchet even higher. He moves a hand to my thigh, combing his fingers softly but firmly against the denim, through my skin and straight to my soul. I feel him so intensely that it seems impossible. “Are you okay?” His words are too soft for the others to hear over the TV.

I swallow audibly and offer a small nod that his watchful eyes read as he takes a fresh inventory. His brow pinches, reading my lie. He glances toward Rae and Lincoln, who are watching a show and laughing