Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 55599 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55599 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
I quit drinking halfway through my second drink, and we shopped for a couple of hours before taking an Uber home, so I’m completely sober.
“Are you ready to go home?” I ask him.
“Hell no!” Aiden walks over and puts an arm around Dane. “The party’s just getting started!”
It’s cool outside, but Jenn and Aiden have outdoor heaters on their patio. A few guys are still in the oversized hot tub.
“Put on your suit,” Dane says to me. “I want to get in the hot tub with a hot chick.”
“I don’t have a swimsuit.”
“You can borrow mine,” he offers, sliding off the barstool and stumbling.
Lucas puts an arm out to stabilize him and Dane scowls.
“I’m fine,” he says sharply. “Just need to get these off.”
He starts to pull down his swim trunks and I rush forward to stop him, trying to pull the waistband back up.
“Oh, you want to do this right here?” He grins.
“Pull your trunks back up.”
“I’m gonna...borrow ’em to you.”
I meet Jenn’s gaze across the patio. “Is there somewhere he can lie down for a little bit?”
“Yeah, use one of the guest rooms upstairs. Any of them you want.”
Dane laughs into my neck, putting his arms around me and letting me pull his trunks up all the way. “Is it nap time? Can I take a nap on top of you? Naked while thrusting my hips?”
“Aaron just threw up in a bush,” someone says. “Can someone help me carry him to the couch?”
“Let’s go,” I tell Dane, putting an arm around his waist to help him walk.
“It’s naked nap time!” he yells, pumping his fist.
Aaron is arguing with the teammates who are trying to help him to a couch. At least Dane is a happy drunk and not a belligerent one. It looks like the teammates hit the whiskey pretty hard this afternoon.
I manage to get Dane up to a guest room, where he lies facedown on the white quilt covering a king-size bed.
“Don’t violate my ass, Nosy,” he mumbles.
Shaking my head, I go to the bathroom. When I return, he’s out cold, snoring hard. I lie down next to him and get out my phone.
Everyone out back probably thinks we’re screwing, but I’m playing a crossword game while Dane sleeps it off. The truth doesn’t keep the rumor mill churning, though.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Dane
I open my eyes and then close them again, a faint headache making me groan.
“Drink this.” Josie passes me something.
Leaning on my elbow, I take the bottle of water, open it and chug half of it. There’s not much light in the unfamiliar room.
“Where are we?”
“Aiden and Jenn’s guest room.”
Right. Whiskey. Hot tub. More whiskey. I remember everything now, including asking Josie for a naked nap.
She’s reading something on her phone. I drink the rest of the water and turn to face her.
“I told you not to violate my ass.” I’m half-sorry and half-amused.
“I somehow fought off the temptation,” she deadpans.
“How was your girl time?”
She sets down her phone and turns onto her side to face me. “It was good.”
“How long was I out?”
“Four hours. It’s after eight.”
I take her hand in mine, her eyes widening as I stroke my thumb over her smooth skin.
“You’re beautiful,” I say.
She smiles. “You need to keep sleeping it off, Foster.”
“I’m sober. And you’re beautiful. Your eyes are the prettiest green; they’re like moss. And you have a cute little nose and a smile that takes my breath away.”
“This is how you do it, isn’t it?”
“Do what?”
“Charm women even though you’re an annoying asshole.”
Her tone is light and I know what she’s really doing—trying to deflect my compliments. She’s self-deprecating, always turning compliments into jokes.
I won’t stop until she acknowledges what I’m saying, even if I have to compliment every part of her until I reach her cuticles.
“You even make pajama shorts look sexy with those legs and that ass.”
She scoffs. “Are you buttering me up because you have bad news? You might as well just come out with it.”
I gently brush the hair away from her face. “I snuck a picture of you during our practice date. You were talking to our server. I look at it so much I’ve got it memorized. Your pretty pink lips and your neck drive me fucking crazy. Your hair was over your shoulder and I wanted to kiss your neck so badly, you have no idea. I could see almost half of your breasts in that dress.”
Her eyes are locked onto mine. She gives my hand the tiniest little squeeze.
“I’m not letting Lucas lay a hand on you,” I say.
“Is celibacy part of my job description now?” she asks, her voice barely more than a whisper.
“Until you realize how much you want me it is.”
Her lips curve up in a small smile. “You do realize you’re going on a date with another woman tomorrow in Chicago.”