Chapter 14 #2
She and Hammer have their heads together. I don’t like Bea’s smile. It’s the one she wears when she’s planning something devious, like pouring a water bottle down her chest while she’s wearing a white sports bra. I considered gouging Dallas’s eyes out for a second that day.
Flip makes another toast to the team, and I shoot my tequila and chase it with beer. Ashish sniffs his before knocking it back.
“The only time I like tequila is when it’s in a margarita,” he notes. He chases the shot with water.
Shilpa gives him an arched brow as she dumps her shot into a lowball glass with juice.
“I don’t know why I didn’t do that,” Ashish mutters.
Hammer and Bea rub their lemons on their collarbones, then sprinkle each other with salt.
“That would have been an even better idea.” Ashish glances at Shilpa, who’s watching the girls with a knowing smile from behind the rim of her glass.
“Those two are a problem waiting to happen,” Dallas notes.
I grunt and take another swig of beer.
They lick each other’s collarbones, shoot their tequila, and finish with the lemon.
That’s my neck Hammer is licking, my girl she’s getting up close and personal with.
Pretty sure the entire bar, except for Flip, just watched that happen.
He’s busy flirting with a bunny. I’m busy fighting with my body to stay where I am and not stake my claim.
Especially when I spot a couple of guys eye-fucking her from across the bar.
“I need a drink,” Hollis mutters and walks away.
Roman sighs and drains the rest of his beer. “Pretty sure this is payback for last week.”
“What happened last week?” My gaze returns to Bea, who’s now doing Hemi’s shot. This time she salts the webbing between her thumb and pointer finger and her eyes swing my way as she drags her tongue over her skin.
Roman snaps his fingers.
“Huh?”
“You two are about as obvious as a flashing neon sign.”
I yank my gaze away from Bea. “I’m nowhere near her.”
“You’re looking at her like you want to eat her.”
Or spank her ass while taking her from behind. She’s pushing my buttons on purpose. “Flip’s busy flirting with the bunnies.”
“Just because he hasn’t noticed doesn’t mean other people won’t. Clearly, whatever was going on still is.”
“It’s not a thing.” I drain the rest of my beer. I need him to drop it, and I need to be less fucking conspicuous. But having to stay away from her? I don’t like it. At all.
“Saying it doesn’t make it true.”
“What’s Hammer getting you back for?”
“She saw my business end by accident. It’s the second time it’s happened, and she wants to move into her own apartment. I can’t say I blame her. And changing the subject won’t make this shit go away, Tristan. The longer you go behind his back, the harder it’ll be to come clean.”
“It’s supposed to end when she moves out.” I don’t like the tightness in my chest that comes with that admission.
“Which is when?” Roman asks.
I rub my bottom lip. “When she finds a place, I guess. We’re closing in on the end of September, so there’s a good chance she’ll be living with us through October.”
Roman gives me a look. “Do you hear yourself, man?”
I realize I’m back to staring at Bea, who’s now dancing with Hammer and Hemi. I force my gaze away again. “She probably won’t find a place next week.”
“Look, man, I get that you can’t help the way you feel?—”
“I don’t feel anything. We’re just fucking.
” That sounds and feels like a big, shitty lie.
Sure, I like being inside Bea. But I also like being around Bea.
I hate when she’s upset, but I like buying her treats, even if I have to drive an hour to get them.
I love watching her eat cake. And feeding it to her.
She takes tiny bites and saves the icing for last. She makes little happy noises.
“So you’d be fine if it ended next week?” Roman presses.
“She doesn’t have an apartment yet.” My shoulders are tight.
“She’s been talking about apartments with Hemi and Peggy.”
My head snaps toward him. “What? How do you know that?”
“Because my daughter lives with me and hangs out with Hemi and Rix. And she talks to me.”
I run a hand through my hair. “Just because she’s talking about it doesn’t mean she’s found a place. I’d know if she had.” She would tell me. She wouldn’t just leave.
“Right, because aside from the just fucking, you talk about your living situation.”
I try to sip my beer, but it’s still empty.
He nods toward Hammer and Bea. “And in the same vein of just fucking, you’re totally okay that some dude bros are planning to make a move on Rix and my daughter?”
The two guys who were eyeing Hammer and Bea when they were doing body shots have moved in. Bea has her back to them, but Hammer keeps looking their way. I take a step toward them, but Roman grabs my arm. “You’re just fucking, huh?”
My throat tightens, and my chest does this weird thing that makes me want to rub it. “Flip will kill me if he finds out.” And he has every right to bury me in a shallow grave. I’m doing very dirty things to his baby sister. And she fucking loves it.
“The longer you hide it, the harder it’ll get,” Roman repeats. “You’re inviting all kinds of drama if you keep doing this behind Flip’s back. If he finds out, will you fight for what you want?”
I stare at him. “I’m not supposed to like her.”
But I do. And if I’m totally honest with myself, I probably always have. Sure, she was kind of annoying as a kid, but when she started high school, things changed. Though I wasn’t lying when I said I was too angry and destructive.
“But you do. You should tell him before he figures it out. It’ll still be hard, but at least you can tell him on your terms.” He claps me on the shoulder. “I’m going to cockblock those dude bros so your head doesn’t explode and I don’t punch out a kid ten years younger than me.”
He heads for the girls, and I go back to the bar.
I need to figure a way out of this pact.
Maybe we can make an amendment. Maybe the sex doesn’t have to end.
We could still see each other after she moves out.
It might even be easier because she’ll have her own place and I could go there.
If that happened, we could keep it from Flip a little longer—until we got each other out of our systems. Or she got tired of my shit. The latter seems more likely.
I end up beside Hollis at the bar. He downs a scotch, and the bartender pours him another. He motions to me. “I’ll get his too, unless it’s more shots. Then he can get mine.”
“Just a beer.” I specify the brand, and the bartender grabs me a bottle. I thank her and wait until Hollis has his scotch before I clink my bottle against his glass. “Thanks for the drink.”
“You kicked ass tonight on the ice,” he says.
“So did you.” He managed an assist.
He makes a sound. “Thanks. I spent a lot of time in physical therapy so I could be an asset to the team this year and not a liability.”
“It’s healed up good, though, yeah?” He’s playing tight so far.
“Yeah. But with injuries like this, it’ll never be quite the same.
It’s one day at a time. I’m good for now, though.
” He sips his scotch. “I know my being back screws with the starting lineup. Just remember you’re younger, in better condition, and you’re not contending with any long-term injuries.
” He tosses back his scotch. “I’m gonna head out. Have a good night.”
“You too, man.”
He glances over at the girls, maybe making sure they’re safe before he disappears into the crowd.
Bea’s not hard to find. Because she’s dancing on a table with Hammer.
For someone who usually follows orders and routine, and mostly has her shit together, Bea sure is a wildcard when she’s had a few drinks.
I search for Flip and spot him dancing with two women. All three of them are making out. It’s one of those nights. I push through the crowd to the table where the girls are dancing. Bea and Hammer have quite the audience. It doesn’t hurt that they’re both hot and rubbing their boobs on each other.
Hemi is watching them with a mixture of amusement and longing.
Roman stands beside her with his arms crossed.
Shilpa and Ashish are off to the side, completely absorbed in each other.
Which isn’t unusual. I approach the table.
Bea rolls her eyes, gives me her back, and shakes her ass at me.
Hemi glances my way and mirrors my facial expression.
“FYI, Flip’s on the dance floor making out with two women, and there’s a high probability someone is recording it for the world to see.”
“Why didn’t you stop him?”
“That’s not my job.” Flip is a grown-up responsible for his own actions. And I don’t want to get dragged into a situation that will be tough to get out of.
“Fuck you. You’re an asshole.”
I give her a tight-lipped smile. “I know.”
Hemi heads in Flip’s direction and I tap Bea on the shin and hold out a hand. “You should think about coming down before you fall and break your leg.”
“Or you could come up.”
“I’ll break the table.” I glance around the bar.
Roman is holding out a hand to Hammer. Flip is busy dealing with Hemi.
I wrap my hands around Bea’s thighs, just below her ass, and tug her forward.
She stumbles a step, and I pull her down from the table.
Her chest ends up mashed against my face for a second, and then she slides down the front of my body.
“What’re you doing? I was having fun!”
I set her on her feet, aware that I need to let her go before the wrong person—namely Flip—sees us all up close and personal, but she grips my tie and wraps it around her fist. Her eyes are hazy and unfocused.
“Isn’t this the tie you used when I was ripping out your hair?
” She tips her head back, and her eyes light up.
“The night you got your entire hand in my cock holder. It totally is. Did you wear it on purpose?” Her tongue glides across her bottom lip.