Chapter 8 #2
Air explodes through Gina’s lips, and she leans forward in Dove’s direction with her mouth open in a laugh. “Sweet little Dove is a badass. You’re my hero.”
My head tilts to the side, and I look over at her. “Not sure how I feel about that.”
Does it mean I’ve been friend-zoned?
“I’m sorry, Maverick.” Her smile turns guilty, and she blinks up at me. “I shouldn’t have said that. I had no right. You shouldn’t pass up someone like that for—”
“Hey.” It’s my turn to interrupt her. “I had zero interest in making that connection.”
“She was just so obvious, and I guess…” Dove holds up her hands. “You’re a grown man. You can look out for yourself.”
“It’s okay.” I pat her shoulder. “I know what she wanted.”
“I think it was about ten minutes of your time.” Owen’s deep laugh joins the conversation.
“Good thing y’all have us now.” Gina smiles, putting her hand on her fiancé’s forearm.
“Who wants shots?” Dove bounces from her seat, holding up her hand. “Me, Gina? Owen?”
“I’d better take it easy,” Gina starts, but Dove waves her away.
“You can do one shot.” Her hand goes to my arm again, and she gives me a gentle pull. “Come on, we need to celebrate my first hockey game and your big win!”
She doesn’t have to ask me twice. “Let’s do it!”
I’m on my feet, following the tiny woman with the big Murphy 74 across her back through the growing crowd. Her shoulders are straight, and she smiles and waves at Sax and Akers like she’s already part of the group. In my mind, she is.
I’m pretty sure she almost said I shouldn’t have passed up someone like June for someone like her, and if she had, it’s very possible I would’ve said I’d pass up anyone for her.
We stop at the bar, and she puts her elbow on the shiny wood. I stand facing her, guarding her from the rowdy group. We order shots of tequila, and as we wait, she looks up at me.
“I bet you get that a lot.” Her lips curl, and her blue eyes are so pretty. “I saw all the girls watching you warm up before the game, and they were into it.”
Her hair is up in a ponytail now, but a few soft curls frame her pink cheeks. I want to pull her closer, but I can’t get a read on how she feels about that.
Dove has always been sweet to me, but she’s never given me any indication of more. Tonight was the first glimpse, but was that interest or protectiveness?
“Do you care?” I lean down so I don’t have to shout.
“Why Maverick, whatever do you mean?” She puts a hand on her chest dramatically, batting her lashes.
I study her full, glossy lips. Music plays overhead and some people are dancing. It causes the occasional sway of bodies around us, pushing us closer together. Another sway, and I reach out to put my hand on the bar beside her, bracing myself.
It cages her against my body, and with my head bowed, our lips are agonizingly close. The people around us fade away, and my entire focus is on her. “Would you care if I dated someone?”
Our bodies sway closer; her soft breasts press against my arm.
She lifts her chin to speak louder, closer to my cheek. “Is there someone you want to date?”
Another push, and I reach down to put my hand on her narrow waist. “There might be.”
“What’s stopping you?”
My eyes study hers, looking for any sign of encouragement. “I’m not sure how she feels about it.”
“You should ask her.”
My lips part, and I’m about to do just that when the bartender slides a plank of wood with four shot glasses on it across to us. “That’ll be twenty.”
Dove takes the tray while I dig in my pocket for cash, then she seems to think better of it.
“We’d better carry them in this crowd.” She grabs two of the glasses and nods at me. “Get those and come on!”
And just like that, she’s heading back to Gina and Owen, leaving the question hanging in the air.
The string of soft-yellow globe lights lining the front porch of our bungalow is the only illumination when we climb out of the rideshare in front of the house.
“Night, lovers!” Gina calls, waving and leaning heavily on Owen’s arm as they leave us to walk the half block to their new home. “Carla said she’d have the puppy over this weekend. Let me know if you need any help.”
“Night, Gigi!” Dove calls after her, following me up the steps as I enter the code on the lock.
I feel around for the light switch when we step inside the door, and Dove leans heavily against me.
Everything about this night has been one long edging session, thinking about what she said, watching her and Gina do another shot of tequila, watching them dance and sing along with the music in the bar.
Watching her hips twist, her full breasts bounce…
I do my best to tear my eyes away. I’m not that guy…
Only, shit. I’ve always wanted to be the only guy for Dove.
She took off my jersey because it was too hot in the bar, so now she’s wearing black leggings and a thin white turtleneck that leaves little to the imagination.
“I can’t wait to meet Kelani!” Her cheek is against my shoulder, and I flip the switch, turning on the large lamps on end tables beside the couch. “I miss having a dog to greet me when I get home, don’t you?”
I turn to brace her shoulders, helping her stand. She wobbles a bit before smiling up at me.
“You’re drunk.” It’s as much of a tease as a disappointed observation.
“I am not!” Her voice goes high in that way that confirms she totally is.
“Hang on—drink this before you go to bed.” I take her to the kitchen, her feet scuffing as she walks.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, so I take it out and put it on the counter. My cousin Knox’s name and a picture of him holding a football and making a face is on the screen.
Why is he texting me at… well, I guess it’s 6 am where he is.
“Lemon lime or orange?” Her brow furrows, and I hold up the box of electrolyte packets. “It’ll help with the hangover.”
“I’m not hungover.” She lifts her chin and points up at me.
“Not yet.” I catch her shoulders again, holding her straight.
That shirt is tight around her body, and little points pierce the fabric. I lift my chin, groaning internally. I would’ve tested the waters with her tonight, but not when she’s like this.
“Come here, let me tell you something.” She waves me closer, and I lean down. “I probably shouldn’t have done that second shot.”
Her lips brush against the shell of my ear, and her fingers sink into the side of my hair. A charge sweeps through my entire body, and I swallow the thickness in my throat.
“Probably not,” I whisper back.
She takes a heavy step back, looking up at me. “You are a very good hockey player.”
“That’s what I hear.” I take down a glass to mix up the lemon-lime flavor.
“And you don’t stink.”
“Thanks.” I stir it with water in the glass then hand it to her. “Drink this.”
She takes the glass, shaking her head. “That’s not what I meant. I meant, people always say hockey players stink. You always smell really good.”
A grin pulls the side of my mouth. “We have people who deep-clean our gear after every game. They clean the uniforms, too.” I move to the other cabinet and take down the bottle of ibuprofen and put two pills in her hand. “Take these.”
Standing in front of me, she looks at the glass in one hand and the pills in the other. “You take very good care of me, too. Thank you.”
Exhaling an amused breath, I lean my back against the counter, resting my hands firmly at my sides. “It’s my pleasure.”
“It is?” Her head tilts to the side, and a sweet smile curls her lips.
“Yep.” I nod, watching her standing there, utterly clueless and absolutely adorable.
She takes a wobbly step forward, holding out the glass and reaching up for my neck with her pill hand.
I bend down as she pulls me in for a hug, putting my hand on her waist and holding her at a safe distance so I don’t wrap both arms around her and consume her like my primitive brain has wanted to do all night.
Soft lips press against the side of my cheek and she leans back slightly. Our faces are close. Her eyes lower to my mouth, and my lips grow heavy. I memorize the profile of her nose, the small dip in her upper lip, the feel of her breath against my skin.
Everything stills, and it would only take the smallest move, the slightest lean, a little closer to kiss her. Instead, I summon every ounce of strength to straighten, to pull back and break the spell.
“You’d better get to bed.” Before I forget my mamma raised me right.
“Okay,” she whispers, turning slowly.
She does a little wave with the hand holding the caplets and turns to walk a crooked trail to the stairs.
My brow furrows as I watch her. “Do you need help getting upstairs?”
“Nope!” She calls back to me, waving over her head. “You’ve done enough for one night.”
She has no idea. “If you do, call me. I’ll be awake a few minutes longer.”
Taking up my phone, I read the texts on the screen.
Knox
Haddy says you’re all alone, so I’m coming to keep you company.
Scrubbing a finger over my chin, I think about telling him Dove’s here, not that it makes a difference. We’ve all known each other since we were kids. He’ll just give me all the shit in the world.
Maverick
I’m out of town next week.
Knox
Noted. I’ll bring a cousin or two.
Maverick
Sounds great.