I closed my fingers over his and snorted, taking in his features since he looked like he was praying for patience or something close to it. I guess he wasn’t lying about being worried. I nudged him, ignoring the pain coming from my knees and palms. “It was pretty funny though, wasn’t it?” I used the same words he’d chosen when he’d kicked the ball at my face.

He didn’t reply for so long that I thought he really had been too worried to think that me missing the curb and falling to my hands and knees was hilarious.

Then he finally glanced up and the entire side of his mouth was screwed up high in the cutest expression I’d ever seen, and he shrugged one muscular shoulder. There was also a chance his eyes glittered. “It was pretty damn funny.”

Chapter Sixteen

"Get it off!" Julian howled, shimmying his back in front of Sacha.

Sacha was too busy being doubled over laughing his ass off to give half a shit about the fact that his friend had gotten crapped on by a bird.

For the second time in less than an hour.

We were at King's Park in Perth, the largest inner-city park in the world, the day after we’d arrived in the Land Down Under. Sacha, Julian, my brother, Isaiah and I had all caught a ride to the beautiful location late that morning. What had started with me banging on my brother’s door so he could accompany me somewhere, ended up becoming an extended invitation to the other guys during breakfast.

"Quit laughing and somebody wipe it off!" Julian was practically screeching as he made his stop in front of me, hoping I'd be his savior.

I wanted to help Julian with his issue. Really. I did. The problem was that I couldn't stop cracking up either.

“Gaby! Please! Get it off!”

It seriously took everything inside of me to get it together. I finally cleaned the gooey spot with the last napkin I’d tucked into my pocket earlier, but it took longer than it normally would have. A second later another bird swarmed overhead and made him start cursing in annoyance and probably fear. It was bad enough to get pooped on once, but twice? And in front of Eli and Sacha? There was no way Julian was ever going to be able to live it down.

"I feel like I should take a shit on you too now. What exactly am I missing out on, you know?" Eli cackled, slapping the poor guy on the back before immediately yanking his hand away and checking it with a grimace.

The same bird swooped dangerously over our heads, and I started crying, not imagining the look of pure horror on Julian's face all over again.

"You better run before they come after you again," Sacha teased him through a gulp of air. He stole a glance in my direction, and then lost it once more; this loud, belly-aching laugh that fueled my own.

I'm not sure how it happened, but Sacha and I were suddenly leaning on each other, forehead to shoulder despite the near foot in height difference. Warm breath on warm neck as we cracked up at Julian’s expense. I'm pretty sure he gave us the finger before stomping off to the exit that was on the other side of the park.

Eli and Isaiah followed after him, taunting him with threats about a bird coming for him.

When my chest finally started craving a lungful of breath, I pulled away and plopped down on the nearest bench to wipe my tears off and collect myself. "Would you laugh at me that much if I got crapped on?" I asked him.

He looked at me straight-faced, but it wasn’t serious at all, I could tell by the amusement in his eyes. "What do you think?" When I smirked at him, he winked and laughed. "I'd probably laugh harder, Princess, and take a picture to keep with me forever."

It was a little pathetic how much I enjoyed his teasing. On the other hand if the roles were reversed and it was him that got a special delivery? There's no doubt in my mind I would have documented it. "Touché. If it was you, I'd frame it and put it in front of my toilet, so every time I’m in there, I can enjoy it."