Page 94 of The Next Lie

He sighs. “Fine, although I am compelled to point out Deacon’s starts with a D. Seniority?”

“You lose that too.”

“Well, technically, I was there first.”

Reva gets to her feet, hair tangled, cheeks flushed, mouth swollen. She takes one of the coffees from Shiloh as she passes him. “What about no schedule and everyone stops playing tug o’war?”

Shiloh looks at me. I look at him. Then we both look at her, Shiloh with a shit-eating grin on his face.

Her eyes narrow. “Absolutely not.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Shiloh says.

“You thought something very loudly.”

“I think many things.”

“Think quieter.”

His grin turns wicked. “I’m just thinking there are options besides a schedule.”

I cross my arms. “Careful.”

Reva looks between us. The blush climbs higher on her neck, but she doesn’t look away.

“I can make the next joke for you. We don’t have to take turns…we can just tag team!”

Shiloh goes still—only for a second, but long enough. Then he smiles.

“Joke,” he says. “Sure.”

Reva drinks her coffee like she did not just throw gasoline into the room. “Men are exhausting.”

Shiloh’s gaze stays on her mouth. “So I’ve heard.”

I step between them before his thoughts get any louder. He laughs, but the look in his eyes stays.

It’s fine. Some things need time to become inevitable.

Reva points at the heavy bag. “I’m not training anymore this morning.”

“No,” I say. “You’re done for the day.”

Her shoulders loosen.

Shiloh hands her the paper bag. “Pastry?”

She takes it. “You are my favorite for the next ninety seconds.”

He looks delighted. “I’ll use them wisely.”

I pick up the abandoned gloves and toss them onto the crate. The heavy bag hangs still now. Reva stands between us with coffee in one hand and breakfast in the other, looking tired, embarrassed, and steadier than when I found her.

That’s enough for this morning.

Shiloh leans beside me while she takes a bite of the pastry.

His voice drops. “Tag team.”