6. JENSEN
6
W hen I open my eyes with my cheek against the sticky leather of the passenger seat, I’m greeted by the aftermath of many restless nights, but at least my head feels a little less heavy than before. I stretch out my arms to get the stiffness out of my back, glancing around the now empty car as I let out a big yawn. Wrinkles of my hoodie are embedded in my face, and I rub my stumbled jaw as I look in the side view mirror to check the damage. Sagging eyes stare back at me when I briefly lift my shades but other than that I’m not disappointed.
I’ve looked worse in my life.
I try to find a familiar face as I glance out the window, scanning the area around the gas station. When I can’t find one, I shrug my shoulders and decide to get some air while I wait for Bodi we’re not even friends. Still, I hate how reporters now know her name, igniting a primal urge to protect her from the vultures of the media. Wondering how viral we’re going, I google my name, secretly hoping it’s not front-page news already. Call it wishful thinking because the knot in my gut tells me I’m not that lucky. The picture of Rae and I is the first that pops up, giving me an answer instantly.
It’s out.
It’s everywhere.
The world knows.
Great.
I’m used to it. Being the son of a politician makes you a well-wanted subject for any story they can come up with. It’s been like this my entire life.
I’d been pretty secluded in boarding school, but as soon as I went to college, the shitstorm began, and it never really stopped. As I recall, now, eleven years later, I have knocked up about ten girls, and have been engaged at least a handful of times, but the best one has to be the story that I’m moving to Europe to lift Emily’s modeling career to another level, leaving me a devoted stay at home dad for our future children.
I laughed my ass off reading that.
Like I would ever move to fucking anywhere for any girl. Or be a stay-at-home dad— fuck no . That sounds like torture on a daily basis.
“Good morning, sleepy !” A joyful voice snaps me out of my thoughts, and I look up at the gorgeous blonde that is the source of my massive hangover. A glare forms on my face as her appearance shines brightly at me, like the sun bursting through a dark cloud.
Okay, maybe she’s not, but I’d rather blame her than take responsibility.
Sue me, I never said I was a good guy.
“What are you so chipper about?” I snarl, having no patience for her perky attitude right now.
She rolls her eyes, then glances at Bodi behind her.
“I think we took the wrong dwarf. This seems to be grumpy , but I’m pretty sure I ordered sleepy .” She cocks her head, a daring smile ghosting her lips.
Bodi chokes on his Coke, and I shoot him a menacing death stare, narrowing my eyes, then moving my attention back to blondie.
“Funny.”
“I know, I’m hilarious,” she says dryly, then holds up two bottles of Coke. “Coke or Cherry Coke?”
“Got any Jack to go with that, baby?” I step a little closer, like I did this weekend, crowding her with my body, never shaking the need to push her buttons.
It’s like a never-ending story, but since Bodi pointed out I’m basically single, it’s a bigger challenge to not cross the line I’ve been balancing on with Rae.
To see just how far I can go with her.
Her eyes grow to slits as her eyebrows pull together. “If it’s Jack you want, I can just slice you open and you can suck it out of your blood. I’m sure there is still plenty in there. Let me put these in the car, and I’ll go fetch a knife.”
“Dark.” I nod in approval, my voice throaty. “I like it.”
She moves herself away from me with both Cokes in her hand, and I quickly snake an arm around her waist, a habit I seem to be developing when it comes to her.
I pull her back, placing her side against my chest. My face is only inches away from hers, and I’m totally in her personal space. My nostrils flare when I smell her sweet scent again, and I resist the temptation to bury my nose in her hair while sparks jolt through my body. I hold still for a second to find my words as she tenses in my arms.
Like a deer caught in headlights, her eyes are wide, waiting for my next move, as if she’s wondering if I’d go in for the kill or the kiss.
Unwillingly, my attention moves to her now parted lips, looking desirable as always.
Careful, Jensen.
“Cherry Coke, I’m in the mood for something sweet.” I softly pull the bottle out of her hands before I let go and give her a gentle push to make her walk to the driver’s seat, even though my hand is itching to pull her back against my body.
She shoots me a pissed glance as she struts away, and I keep my eyes trained on her, waiting for one of her snarky comments. When it doesn’t follow, I turn my head to my best friend with a slight grin. Bodi is softly shaking his head.
“What?” I mouth at him.
“You’re an asshole.” He smirks, peeking his head above the open door, his brown hair flopping in front of his forehead.
“Nothing new there,” I murmur, then reach over the black metal of the hood, right before she gets to the door. “Give me the keys. I’m done sleeping. I’m driving.”
She stops, tilting her head in a way that is both slightly terrifying and captivating while a fuming glare forms on her pretty face. She blinks, then leans her arms on the other side of the hood, mirroring me.
“I’m sorry, I don’t speak dog . Can you repeat that in English?” Her eyes are on fire, and it turns me on more than it should.
I let out a deep, sarcastic sigh. “Oh, so that is why you don’t respond to any of my commands. And here I thought you were just a puppy that needs some more training,’’ I reply, sweetly.
If I thought her eyes looked livid five seconds ago, I was wrong. She clenches her jaw, and I’m sure the big SUV between us is the only reason I’m not jumped yet.
I’ve seen a look like this on her many times over the last few years, and it seems like it gets sexier every single fucking time. But this is a whole other level of rage I have triggered. It’s the level where I want to shut her up with my mouth covering hers. Putting out her fire by making her explode in my hands first.
Anything to feel her flames against my body.
“Puppy, bitch, call me whatever you want, but I will more than likely bite your balls off before I listen to any of your commands, asshole .”
“Does that mean you want your lips on my balls?” I wink.
“ARGH!” she cries out, closing her eyes for a brief moment to take a deep breath. “Fuck you. Get in the damn car,” she commands as she leads by example.
“Oh, come on, that one was a little funny,” I say while I do the same. “Besides, why can’t I drive?”
I quickly lock eyes with Bodi, who is avoiding my gaze with another reprimanding shake of his head.
He definitely used to be more fun.
Ignoring me, she puts her sunglasses on her nose, then starts the engine and moves the car back on the road. I can feel her anger flooding my way, and I tilt my head to look at her.
“Come on, baby, you can’t ignore me for the rest of the week.”
Accepting her nonverbal challenge, I throw her a smoldering look while she glances at me every few seconds. Her frustration seems to simmer down slowly, the features on her face growing less stern every time she meets my gaze.
“Baby,” I repeat.
She growls, keeping her focus straight ahead as I watch her grip the wheel a bit tighter.
“Baby, I’m sorry. You know I’m just messing with you. It’s what we do, right?” I move my hand back and forth between the two of us. “We piss each other off. I’m an asshole and you love to tell me I am. I would freak you out if I was going all good guy on you,” I joke, trying a different approach.
Part of me means it. We’ve been bickering and nagging each other for so long, I don’t even know how to not get on her nerves. I push her buttons and she pushes right back. It’s fucking fun.
She starts to shake her head, a smile now haunting her lips, encouraging me to keep going.
“Baby, talk to me,” I plead, fluttering my lashes like a damn Ken doll.
“Stop calling me baby . I’m not your goddamn baby,” she grunts.
I smile, finally getting a reaction from her. I’d rather have her bitching at me than ignoring me. It seems out of character, considering we have been bitching at each other for the last five years.
“Oh, good, you’re talking again. Tell me, why can’t I drive?”
“Are you kidding me?” she sneers, adamant, her brown eyes wide and bright. “Have you seen yourself drive? I want to get this thing to North Carolina. In one piece. ”
“I’m an excellent driver,” I huff, slightly offended by her remark.
I’ve never crashed a car. I won’t deny I’ve had a few close calls, but I’ve never actually crashed.
“Jensen, you drive like you are on Grand Theft Auto. You can do that with your Camaro, but you are not touching my car.”
“Whatever.” I roll my eyes. “How can you afford this car anyway? Isn’t it a company car? I mean no offense.”
I know being the PR rep of the LA Knights must mean good pay, but I’m guessing not enough to be able to buy such an expensive car as this.
“Offense taken, jackass,” she says, outraged, before she adds, “And yes, it was a company car.”
I wait in anticipation while I watch her tone it down a little. “But if you must know, it was a gift.”
“A gift? You got an eighty-thousand-dollar car as a gift?” I can’t hide the disbelief in my tone since gifts like that are only given by family members or rich sugar daddies. My stomach turns as something clicks in my head, reminding me of how she was doing shots with Robert Davis the other night, and I stretch my neck up high, blinking in confusion as a wave of jealousy is thrown over my body in bucketloads.
“Oh my God, Rae. Are you fucking Davis?” I screech as bile forms in my throat, disgusted just thinking about it.
“What?! No! What the fuck? Gross, you moron!” she cries, giving me an incredulous look before putting her focus back on the road.
I push out a sharp breath, feeling somewhat relieved at her words, before I relax back into my seat. I stare at her, still wide-eyed and waiting for her explanation. It might not be my business, but the racing of my heart disagrees, wanting to get all the details to change the vile image in my head.
“I got it from Johnny.”
“What now?” I snap, my eyes bulging out of my head this time. “You were fucking Johnny? Right, like that’s so much better! The guy is like fifteen years older than you!” My voice is deep and angry, roaring at her with a possessiveness that surprises me.
She slaps my arm, matching my foul mood. “No, you disgusting son of a bitch. Johnny is my uncle,” she chides. “And he’s seventeen years older.”
Uncle?
Before I can process what she’s saying, she connects her hand with my body again, this time with her fist against my shoulder.
“Ouch!”
“Besides, how dare you suggest I’m a fucking gold digger. I’m not like your little indiscretions or your supermodel girlfriend. Talk to me like that again and I will be aiming for your eyes. With my fists .” The look on her face tells me she means business as she holds her finger up in the air, reprimanding me like I’m a little schoolboy while a strand of her blonde hair flips wildly in front of her eyes. I ball my hand into a fist to resist the urge to push it behind her ear, suppressing the smirk that is dying to stretch my face.
Fuck, she’s sexy.
When I raise my hands in surrender, she turns her focus back to the road. With her hands back on the wheel, I inhale deeply, thinking about what she just said.
“Johnny Pearce is your uncle?” I rub my arm, feeling the sting of her fist connecting with it, a little in awe because of the strength she hit me with.
The girl throws a meaner punch than expected. Like she’s a fucking warrior princess.
“Yes, Johnny Pearce is my uncle,” she repeats, her voice filled with annoyance.
“How come I never knew this?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she mocks, “ maybe because every conversation we’ve had for the last five years was revolved around your little skanks . Forgive me if I don’t feel the need to tell you about my family tree when I’m doing my best to keep your reputation at a high level. Oh, or maybe it’s because it’s none of your goddamn business.” The corner of her mouth lifts in a sarcastic smile before it’s replaced by a scowl. “It’s no one's business.”
“So, it’s a secret?”
“Not a secret. Just something I don’t share unless I have to.” Her voice grows soft, the fire now missing as she speaks. “It’s hard to be taken seriously when your uncle is the big boss of the team. I couldn’t have that.”
“Does Kent know?” Bodi asks from the back.
She sighs at the mention of his name, her expression tensing within a second.
As much as I always thought I annoyed the shit out of her, it is nothing compared to the frustration that washes over her face just by Bodi mentioning his name. I tilt my head to see her face a little better, because there is something else I see there that I’m not liking one bit.
Hurt.
Sean Kent really hurt her, making me hate him even more.
Being teammates, you can’t get along with everyone in the team. Kent and I serve a common cause. A goal. Bringing the team to victory and winning the Stanley Cup every single fucking season.
On the ice? That is exactly what we are made to do, and we work like a well-oiled machine. But as soon as the skates come off, the guy irritates the shit out of me. I’ve come close to punching him in the face more than once. The noticeable hurt in Rae’s eyes brings that feeling rushing through me.
“Yeah, he knows.” I can hear the disappointment in her voice. “He was jealous of Johnny and I being so close, so eventually I had to tell him. Ironic, huh? He got jealous of his boss, even though he was the one fucking around like a stray dog.”
“I’m sorry,” I offer, and I mean it. I’m an asshole, dancing the line of flirting on a daily basis, but I don’t condone cheating.
“It’s fine. Should’ve known better. Never date a hockey player , right?”
It’s a joke.
But it still causes a pain that stabs right into my chest.