16. June
Ican’t help but gawk at everything. The boys’ apartment is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. There’s a sense of grandeur and sophistication that’s evoked by the many unique art pieces displayed on the walls of the expansive loft-style open space. A skylight with retractable shades floods the area with natural light.
As I walk past the dining area, which holds a twelve-seater table in solid wood and colorful chairs, and into the great room, the gourmet kitchen equipped with state-of-the-art appliances, double sinks, and a large island comes into view.
“Wow,” I say.
“Not too shabby, huh?” Ryan chuckles.
“Not at all. This place is amazing.”
“And you haven’t seen the rest yet,” Lachlan chimes in.
Jake joins us in the living room. He’s changed into jeans and a sweater, making me even more aware that we’re all wearing last night’s clothes. My wrinkled party dress feels like a neon sign flashing to the word that I did bad things.
“Hey, I called Mrs. Carpenter, but she didn’t answer. We’ll try again later. In the meantime, you can stay here,” Jake tells me.
“You have to be somewhere, don’t you?”
He rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, we have practice. But we should be back in a few hours.” He looks at Lachlan and Ryan. “Aren’t you changing?”
“Right,” Ryan says, but keeps staring at me.
Lachlan smiles and then veers toward a hallway to my left. Ryan follows him. Shit. I’m totally imposing and don’t know what to do with myself. I could still ask Katrina for help, but then I’d be imposing on her too. What a fucking mess.
“I need to walk Winston. Feel like joining me?” Jake asks.
“Uh…” I glance at my dress.
“Here. You can wear my sweatshirt.” He offers me a big and warm navy sweatshirt that I know will look like a dress on me. Perfect. It’ll cover my cocktail dress and make this outing feel less like a walk of shame.
“Thanks.”
I put it on, and not only do I get swallowed up by the fabric, but also Jake’s heady scent envelops me. It’s fresh, all-male, and giving me serious goose bumps. My stomach flutters as I recall his mouth on my body, doing the dirtiest and most delicious things to me.
Control yourself, June.
I return to the here and now and find Jake staring as if he read my thoughts. Shit. I hope my expression wasn’t obvious.
“I’m ready,” I say.
We head out together, and once again, I’m trapped in an elevator with one of the boys. Mercifully, it’s a short ride down to Mrs. Carpenter’s floor. There are four doors in this hallway. Jake turns to the left and stops in front of the first with the key in hand.
No sooner does he open the door than I smell his neighbor’s menagerie. It’s not unpleasant per se, but you can definitely tell many pets live inside. Winston, the half-blind dog, is a grey mutt that comes running toward Jake and jumps on his legs in excitement. He reminds me of Benji.
“Hey buddy, are you ready to go out?” Jake rubs the dog’s head affectionately.
He barks in response, then turns his attention to me. I drop into a crouch to properly greet the cutie pie. “Hello, Winston. I’m June.”
Jake hands me the leash. “We’d better get going, or he might do his business here in the hallway.”
I wrinkle my nose. “We don’t want that, do we, Winston?”
The dog is super excited, but I manage to attach the leash to his collar without getting my face licked. When I unfurl from my crouch and turn, I catch Jake watching me so intensely that it makes my heart skip a beat. I was going to ask about the other pets, but I rush down the corridor with Winston. I need fresh air, stat.
The more time I spend with June, the more I want to get her back in bed, with or without the guys. I’m not quite sure yet why I’m so drawn to her. She’s hot, cute, and sweet, a combination proving to be irresistible to me. But there’s more to it, and I haven’t figured out what yet.
I let her handle Winston, since she’ll walk him when I’m not around. When I’m in town, I plan to join her. I could say Mrs. Carpenter’s pets are still my responsibility, but deep down, I know I just want to spend more time with June.
“Too bad there isn’t a park in this area,” she says.
“True. The loft is convenient since it’s only ten minutes from the arena, but the neighborhood lacks green spaces. I never stay here off-season.”
“Where do you go?”
“I have a house in Birchen Beach, North Carolina.”
“Oh, I bet it’s beautiful. Are you originally from there?”
I snort. “I wish.”
I keep my eyes straight ahead. The sidewalk is busy with people hurrying to their offices, and I don’t want to bump into anyone. But I sense June’s gaze burning a hole through my face, so I glance at her. “What is it?”
“Where are you from then?”
“I think you’re the first person I’ve talked to in a long time who doesn’t know that.”
She averts her gaze, and her cheeks turn pink. “I don’t follow sports.”
“It’s okay. It wasn’t a critique, just an observation. I’m not a narcissist asshole who expects everyone to know who I am.”
“But you mostly deal with people in the business or who follow hockey, so they all know everything about you.”
“They think they know everything about me.”
She tilts her head. “I’d love to get to know the real you, not the image you project to the world.”
Warmth spreads through my chest. I didn’t expect June to say that, or my reaction to her words.
Before I can reply, my phone rings. I fish it out, betting it’s either Ryan or Lachlan. My mood sours when I see my brother’s name flash on the screen. There’s no chance in hell I’m going to answer that. I decline the call quickly. Those conversations are never pleasant. Gregory only calls me to criticize me, just like my father does. He’s learned from the master.
“What’s wrong?” June asks, looking at me with her big, bright, curious eyes while Winston does his business on a corner.
“Nothing.” I start to put my phone away, but then Ryan calls me. Perfect timing. “Hello?”
“Where are you?”
I glance at the traffic. It’s already going at a snail’s pace. We might arrive late for practice. “Walking Winston. We’ll be back in a minute.”
“All right. See you soon.”
When I turn to June, she’s unfurling from a crouch, holding a small bag. “All done. We can go back.”
“Good. Winston was quick today. It can sometimes take ten minutes before he’s done. You need to keep that in mind.”
“Noted. I’m usually an early riser. I’ll walk him first thing in the morning.” Her expression grows serious, and she bites her lower lip, drawing my attention to her mouth.
I lose focus. It hasn’t been a day since I feasted on those luscious lips, and I’m already craving another taste.
“What about during the day? I don’t get off work until four,” she continues, dispelling my lust haze.
I shake my head. “Don’t worry about it. I’m the one who agreed to watch Mrs. Carpenter’s pets. I’ll make arrangements for during the day.”
“But it doesn’t seem fair that I’ll stay in her apartment, and you’ll still have to pay for a dog walker.”
Her eyes are troubled, and usually, I’d use only words to lessen her worry, but I feel compelled to do more. I touch her shoulder and squeeze. “It’s okay. You have a job, and you’ll be helping plenty.”
She glances at my hand and then back into my eyes. As much as I’d like to keep the connection, I pull my hand away. June doesn’t seem convinced, but as long as she doesn’t make other living arrangements, it’s okay with me. I don’t want her going anywhere.