Slightly Sweaty (Slightly Series Book 2) Read online

  “I’m pretty sure you do,” she called after him.

  Equal parts angry and flustered, Joe took the elevator to the lobby with the intention of taking a walk to clear his head. Greta was right about one thing. He needed help. Kady could be sent home any day and he hadn’t even spoken with her yet. Every time he had the chance, he lost his nerve.

  Why? Why did I cheat on Kady?

  Kady was sweet, funny, adventurous... She’d been perfect. But when Greta came around with that insane body and flirty nature he didn’t stand a chance. It wasn’t his fault. She was a trap.

  He walked outside and turned to his left, figuring he’d walk around the building once or twice to clear his head. Rounding the edge of the hotel, he stopped short.

  A couple stood there. A blonde woman was pressed against the brick wall by a dark-haired man. At first his mind couldn’t process what he saw, such was the entanglement of the bodies.

  He figured it out soon enough.

  They were making out.

  He recognized the blonde as the twin Ashlyn. She always wore pink. The man was Marc.

  Kady’s boyfriend.

  Joe felt a wave of unidentifiable emotion strike. Part of him was thrilled Kady’s new boyfriend wasn’t the sort she’d want to keep. Not if his own track record with her was any indication. She didn’t appreciate cheaters.

  Another, larger part of him was angry with Marc for cheating and worried for Kady. How dare Marc cheat on her. How would she take being cheated on twice in less than a month?

  Joe cleared his throat and Ashlyn and Marc’s attention swiveled in his direction.

  Marc grinned. “Hey Joe, what are you doing out here?” Marc’s eyes widened and he used them to repeatedly motion toward Ashlyn, as if to say, check this out.

  Ashlyn straightened her shirt. “I’d better get back to the room.”

  Marc nodded. “I’ll see you in a bit, babe.”

  They kissed goodbye, lips smooshing with such velocity and pressure Joe wondered how one of them hadn’t broken a nose.

  Ashlyn flashed a tight smile and shimmied past Joe on her way back to the hotel.

  Joe watched her leave and then turned to Marc, hissing. “What are you doing?”

  Marc’s grin grew larger, if that was possible. “I know, dude, did you see that? Is she hot or what?”

  Joe stomped his foot. “You’re cheating on Kady.”

  “What? No, I’m not.”

  Joe thrust a finger at the wall where Ashlyn had been standing a minute earlier. “I just saw you shoving your tongue down Ashlyn’s throat.”

  “Yeah...so?”

  “Look, I’m telling you, don’t hurt Kady. She doesn’t deserve it.”

  Marc shook his head. “Dude, I told Kady I was going after Ashlyn. We’re just friends.”

  “Just friends who make-out?”

  “Not Ashlyn—Kady and I are just friends.”

  Joe’s arms fell to his side as he gaped at Marc. “You and Kady aren’t a couple?”

  “No.”

  Joe expelled a breath, running his hand through his hair and feeling as if the world had been lifted from his shoulders. “Wow. I thought you guys were sleeping together.”

  “Oh, we totally slept together.”

  Joe’s head snapped up. “What?”

  Marc grinned. “I mean, we sleep together every night.”

  “What?” Joe rubbed the knuckles of his right hand across his teeth, trying not to picture Marc and Kady together.

  Joe winced as Marc playfully punched him in the shoulder. “We just don’t have sex. We sleep in the same room.”

  Joe’s shoulders slumped again with relief. “Oh.”

  Marc chuckled. “No, but seriously, dude, we thought about it. Messed around a little. Almost did it, but honestly, I don’t think she’s over you.”

  Joe’s eyes widened. “Really?”

  “No. I’m kidding. She can’t stand you.”

  “Oh.”

  “But she’s all yours, if you want to give it a shot again. I’ll put in a good word for you.”

  “Thanks. Yeah. I mean, no, don’t say anything, but thanks.”

  Marc nodded. “So you’re here to get Kady back? You and Greta...?”

  Joe shook his head. “Hell no. Not anymore. She’s a demon spawn. I just came to maybe win some money—”

  Marc reached out and grabbed Joe by his neck, tucking Joe’s head under his arm and rubbing a knuckle into his skull.

  Joe fought to pull away. “Ow, cut it out.”

  “Come on, admit it. You’re here for Kady.”

  “Stop it. Fine.” Joe jerked away and fell backwards, catching his balance against the wall. “Fine. I messed up with Kady. I’m trying to get her back.”

  Marc grinned. “You thought I was cheating on her and tried to protect her. That’s so cute. Though, I don’t know if you’re the guy to throw rocks at me on that one.”

  “Stones,” muttered Joe, rubbing his head where it felt as though Marc had dug a trench with his knuckle.

  “What?”

  “It’s throwing stones. Not rocks.”

  “What’s the difference?”

  Joe thought about it. Is there a difference between a rock and a stone? “It’s how the saying goes from the Bible: ‘Let he without sin be the first to throw stones.’”

  “What about the glass houses?” asked Marc.

  “What?”

  “The bit in the Bible about the stones and the glass houses.”

  Joe sighed. At this rate, it was going to be a long evening. “There were no glass houses in the Bible. There was no glass. You’re thinking, People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”

  “Why would anyone throw stones in a glass house? That would be stupid.”

  “Yes, though technically that saying works in this case too. Anyway, you mean to say I shouldn’t throw stones not rocks.”

  Marc’s expression grew smug. “But rocks break glass too, so I’m totally right.”

  “What? Yes, but...” Losing his thread, Joe stopped and shook his hands in the air to wave away the nonsense. “Never mind. Why are we talking about rocks anyway?”

  “You said stones.”

  “Whatever.”

  Marc shrugged. “I don’t know. You’re the one all hung up on rocks.”

  Joe sighed. “Just don’t say anything about me to Kady. Okay?”

  “Sure.” Marc slapped Joe on the shoulder as he headed back to the hotel entrance. “I gotta go find Ashlyn. You want me to ask her about her sister for you? As a fall back for if the Kady thing doesn’t work out?”

  “No.”

  Marc held his hands in the air as he walked away. “Your loss.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  After lunch, Kady entered the lobby of the hotel and headed for the bank of elevators that would take her to her room. She pressed the button as a woman she recognized as one of the show’s assistants began moving towards her.

  “The next challenge is in a half an hour. Meet down here in the lobby. Wear jeans and long sleeves if you have them,” she said as she jogged by.

  Before Kady could ask a question, the woman turned the corner and disappeared.

  The elevator doors parted and she stepped inside. A moment before the doors sealed, a hand thrust through and sent them bouncing back open.

  A man stepped inside.

  Joe.

  He seemed shocked to see her.

  “Hey,” she said.

  He bobbed his head. “Hey.”

  Joe stood beside her and turned to face the doors as they closed.

  “I just saw Marc,” he said.

  She nodded. She’d seen Marc too, on his way outside with Ashlyn. She knew they were looking for a spot to be alone. She didn’t mind. While the idea of starting a steamy new romance with a model-hot guy had seemed like a good idea a few days ago, she just couldn’t get past the fact that the hot body was attached to Marc.

  Marc was so...Marc.

&
nbsp; In the beginning, she’d thought the unique spelling of his name—with a c instead of a k—was cool and, strangely, a sign of sophistication and intelligence. Now she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he just spelled it wrong. Not to mention, the man was a dog. Emily had done the right thing, never allowing her relationship with him to move to the next level. He was fun to hang around with—sort of like having a big, goofy, sloppy Labrador retriever by your side —but that was all.

  It was nice of him to go outside with Ashlyn, where cameras were scarce. He was fun as a friend, but she suspected a nightmare as a boyfriend.

  Speaking of nightmare boyfriends...

  She glanced at Joe, fiddling with his fingers beside her in the elevator.

  Stupid cheater.

  She sighed. Joe hadn’t been all bad. She missed having someone around to share everything. Someone to be comfortable with. She knew Joe so well. For instance, something about his tone when he mentioned Marc told her he’d seen Marc with Ashlyn and was dying to tell her.

  “You saw Marc with Ashlyn,” she said.

  Marc sagged as if some pent frustration had been released.

  “Yes. I didn’t know if you knew.”

  “I knew. We’re not a thing.”

  “Good. I mean, he said as much, but I wanted to be sure—”

  “—be sure he wasn’t cheating on me like you?”

  Joe grimaced. “Yes.”

  “He’s not.”

  “Good.”

  The doors opened and they exited. They had no choice but to walk together down the ugly carpeted hallway.

  Joe clapped his hands together. “So...Marc and Ashlyn seem like they’d make a good couple.”

  Kady nodded. “When he found out they were hot twins he nearly collapsed with happiness. Called them the Holy Grail of Hookups.”

  “So he’s only after her because she’s a twin?”

  “No. They actually get along really well, as scary as that seems.”

  Joe chuckled. “Still, I think you made the right call dumping him.”

  Katy stopped in front of her door. “I didn’t dump him. It was never really a thing.”

  Joe paused. “Did you hear we’re due in the lobby in half an hour?”

  “Yep. Long sleeves and jeans. Sounds ominous.”

  “Yeah, no kidding.” Joe thrust his hands in his pockets and rocked from foot to foot. “Well, I guess I’ll see you down there.”

  Kady nodded and put her keycard in the slot as Joe turned to leave. She paused. “Hey.”

  Joe stopped and turned. “Yeah?”

  “What’s going on with Greta?”

  “We’re not dating. That’s been over forever.”

  “No, I mean, what is she up to? Why is she here?”

  Joe frowned. “Come on. I just told you she and I aren’t a thing. You know why she’s here.”

  “She’s trying to get Sebastian back?”

  “Or at least break up him and Emily, yeah.”

  “Do you know what she has planned?”

  He took a step toward her. “No. But I can try and find out.”

  “That might be nice to know.”

  He nodded. “I’ll let you know anything I can find.”

  She smiled and opened her door. “Thanks.”

  Kady stepped inside and then paused. She backed out and stared down the hall at Joe’s retreating form. Her jaw opened and she inhaled—only to exhale without calling his name.

  Stop it. You can’t go back because its comfortable.

  She stepped inside and let the door shut behind her.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  With the Camo Couple gone, the Minefield teams were down to The Chefs, The Prepperonis, The Twins, Sebastian and Emily, Marc and Kady and the pair known by the latter two groups as The Cheaters—Greta and Joe.

  They gathered on the edge of a wooded park, the contestants and a row of camera operators, including one female camera operator flanked by Marc. Kady saw he had her giggling at something.

  She rolled her eyes. A tiny part of her had thought he’d been serious about Ashlyn.

  That’s it. It’s official. I’m destined to be a relationship idiot for the rest of my life.

  Nicole found her place at the front of the pack and pointed at Marc. “Uh, could you join the other contestants?”

  Marc stabbed his index finger between the mounds of his pecs. “Me? Oh, sure.”

  He moved in to squeeze beside Kady. She elbowed him in the side.

  “Ow. What was that for?”

  “Could you maybe keep it in your pants long enough to not make me look like an idiot?” she hissed.

  Marc scowled. “What are you talking about? You said we weren’t a couple anymore.”

  “That’s not the point. The people watching this show know we arrived as a couple. If you’re caught on camera whoring around, you’ll make me look like an idiot.”

  “I went outside with Ashlyn.”

  “I’m talking about the camera lady.”

  He shook his head. “I wasn’t hitting on her. I was seeing if she could make a reel of me and Ashlyn I could give her as a surprise.”

  Kady blinked at him. “Wow. That seems wildly romantic for you.”

  “Yeah.” Marc stared dreamily at the sky. “She won’t be able to keep her hands off me after that.”

  Kady hung her head. “And there it is.”

  Nicole raised her arms in the air and the familiar rumble of Minefield’s sound effects filled the air.

  “Welcome to Egg Wars!”

  A chicken cackled at top volume.

  “You will be provided with these specially made egg guns. First couple to have both members struck by eggs will be out of the competition. You’ll have a ten-minute head start to spread out in the park before you begin hunting. Any eggs shot before you hear the starting siren will not count. And remember, you only get a dozen eggs. Don’t waste them.”

  A pair of Minefield assistants moved down the line handing a carton of eggs and a strange, large-barreled air-gun to each contestant.

  Kady tucked her eggs in the provided sling and secured it over her arm. By the time she turned around, Marc was laughing about something with Ashlyn. Kady reached into her pack, fingers curling around an egg.

  She lobbed it at the back of Marc’s head.

  “Ow,” Marc’s hand shot to his skull and he turned. “You’re not supposed to hit me.”

  “What did I just tell you?” Kady gestured at Ashlyn.

  Marc followed her direction, looked at Ashlyn, and then turned back to Kady. “Oh. Right. Sorry.” He flashed a grin and winked at Ashlyn before moving back to Kady’s side.

  “I hope that didn’t count,” he mumbled.

  Nicole hit the air horn.

  “Go! Ten minutes to hide!”

  Everyone scattered into the woods.

  “You wasted one of our eggs,” said Marc as he and Kady ran into the trees.

  Kady scowled. “Let’s split up.”

  “We already did.”

  “No, I mean let’s split up and hide. So we don’t get shot one after the next.”

  “You don’t want me to protect you?”

  “I think it would be better if you go around shooting people and I’ll just try and hide. Sort of split our chances.”

  Marc stopped and Kady did as well, panting and grateful for a moment’s rest. He grabbed her hand and stared into her eyes.

  “Godspeed and be safe, soldier.”

  She rolled her eyes and jerked her hand away from his. “You’re an idiot.”

  Marc ran to the left, whooping about how he was about to slaughter everyone.

  Kady spotted a fallen tree hung up atop a pile of logs. She crouched behind it and loaded her egg gun. Nearby, a twig snapped and she looked up to find her assigned cameraman standing twelve feet away, his lens pointed in her direction.

  She released a sigh of relief, certain she’d been about to catch an egg in the forehead.

  “You
can’t stand there,” she said.

  The cameraman lowered his lens. He looked to be her age, with sandy brown hair and large eyes. She couldn’t tell the color, but she imagined them green.

  “What?” he asked.

  “I’m trying to hide. You’re going to give me away.”

  “Oh, right.” He looked around and then refocused on her. “I’m, uh, Blake.”

  Kady loaded another egg. “Hi, Blake.” She looked up. “You’re still here.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, I, uh, I wanted to tell you something. That guy you’re with, Marc. He’s, he’s not a good guy.”

  Kady scowled. “What?”

  Blake lowered his gaze and drew a line in the pine needles with his toe. “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but he’s been—”

  “Flirting with another girl.”

  “Yes. You knew?”

  Kady nodded and returned her attention to her gun as she tried to figure out how it worked. “Who was it? One of the twins? Ashlyn?”

  “Yes. I think. I don’t know which is which. I’m sorry, but I saw him kissing her.”

  “Did you film it?”

  Blake tucked in his chin. “What? No, wait, should I have? So you have evidence?”

  “No. We’re not a couple. I mean, we sort of were, but not really. It was all rushed for the show. In the end, he turned out to not be my type.”

  Blake seemed relieved. “No? What’s your type?”

  She grinned, her face suddenly feeling flush. “I don’t know...”

  “Well, how about, what’s wrong with him?”

  “He’s...I guess you could say I like guys a little more bookish.”

  “Nerds.”

  She giggled. “Not nerds. Not necessarily. Just not total jock-heads, if that makes sense. Maybe a little more artistic.”

  He nodded. “Makes sense. You mean, like, a film maker?”

  “Sure.” She squinted at him. “Do you make films?”

  He put his hand on his chest. “Who me? Why, funny you should ask. Yes. When I’m not working for Channel Six I make my own films.”

  “That’s neat. Do—”

  The air horn blasted, signifying the beginning of the competition.

  “Shoot. You have to get out of here.”

  He jerked a thumb behind him. “I’ll go back in the woods and film you from afar.”