From the armchair, Siobhan rolled her eyes, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. “It’s a good thing you’re pretty, Dal.”

“It’s okay to lose sometimes, Ward.” Tyler propped his legs on the ottoman, not even attempting to hide his grin.

Dallas shook his head. “I never lose.”

“Actually, I’m getting tired.” I stifled a yawn, wondering if Chase would come to bed when I did, or if he would stay up with his friends like Luke always had.

Chase shot me a glance. “Want to call it a night?”

“I think so.”

He set the game controller on the glass coffee table and stood, stretching his arms. His black T-shirt hiked up, revealing a sliver of washboard stomach that I did my best to ignore. Though after being pressed up against him earlier, I already knew his abs were spec-tac-u-lar.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’m good too. Let’s go.”

At that, tiny fireworks erupted low in my belly. We were going to bed—together.

I pushed off the couch and stood up, then made my way out of the room with Chase following close behind.

“Later, losers,” he said to the guys as we headed up the staircase. “See ya, Shiv.”

“This isn’t over, James,” Dallas called. “I want a rematch tomorrow.”

Chase laughed, the rumble low and deep in his chest. We started up the stairs, and he put a warm hand on my lower back, leaning in to murmur in my ear. “You do know Ward is going to stay up all night playing now, right?”

A tingle ran down my spine and goose bumps popped up along my arms when his breath hit my neck, but I tried to act normal. Keyword: tried.

“You’re saying he’s a sore loser?” I asked under my breath. “Gee, couldn’t tell.”

“It’s not personal,” he said. “And it’s not because you’re a girl, either. It’s that no one ever beats him. Which is what makes it so great.”

Chase let his hand linger on my back as we continued down the hall. I was dying inside in the best possible way. He followed me into his room and closed the door behind us.

As soon as it clicked shut, I was hit with a whack ton of nerves. Suddenly I was jittery—skittish in a way I wasn’t usually with him. Sure, there was always a hefty dose of sexual tension between us, but most of the time, it manifested in teasing and banter, play-fighting and flirting.

Right now, it was manifesting in me being coiled tighter than a spring.

After tonight’s kiss, everything felt different.

We’d moved out of the friendship gray zone tonight. Our mutual attraction was out in the open, and the chemistry between us had proved to be explosive.