Chapter 1 #2
Eyes snapping to me, Chloe straightens. “Really? Will you talk to him? Ask him if he’ll introduce me to the guys?”
“Is this a line item on some kind of weird bucket list I don’t know about? First you were searching for a baseball player, then it was basketball. Now hockey.”
“Different guys, different flavors.” She winks at me.
I pretend to gag, and it only makes her laugh.
“Go,” she urges me. “While you chat them up, I need to check my email. My boss has clearly forgotten that my workday is over.”
I stand and slowly head to the Thunders’ table.
Roman turns when I’m a few feet away and breaks into a warm smile.
“Privet! Kakimi sud’bami?2” He scoops me into his arms and presses me to his chest. Then he leans away, his deep turquoise eyes fixed on me. “Ochen’ zhal’ naschet turnira. Nev i ya tak zhdali ego. Hoteli za tebya pobolet’ kak obychno3.”
“Podruga vernulas’ s komandirovki, i pozvala menya na uzhin. Reshila soglasit’sya. Skol’ko mozhno uzhe handrit’?4” I give him a smile and step back. “A naschet turnira—budet sleduyushyi v sleduyushem godu. Mozhet togda povezet5.”
“Kogda ty na korte, ty neveroyatnaya. Povezet obyazatel’no6.”
Heart full, I say, “Spasibo7, Rom8.”
Warmth courses through my veins, making me feel weightless. He’s six years older than me, and he’s always treated me like his little sister. I adore him like I would a brother. But truthfully, I keep up with Nevaeh more than Roman.
When he leans in and whispers that Nevaeh is pregnant again, I feign surprise and give him a quick hug. There’s no way I’ll admit that his wife spilled the beans just before I was set to leave for Doha.
Roman and I chat, and the conversation is easy, grounding. It feels good to just talk, to not have to perform.
I smile, my posture relaxed. That is, until a voice cuts in, snagging our attention.
The man’s tone is low, his voice a lazy drawl. “We’re in America. Maybe switch to English so the rest of us don’t feel left out?”
What the hell?
Annoyed, I turn toward the source of the shitty comment, and I’m instantly met with familiar crystal blue eyes and that smirk.
“What’s your problem?” I ask the disgustingly good-looking man.
“My problem? You’re speaking a language I don’t understand. For all I know, you’re insulting the rest of us,” he taunts, clearly pleased with himself and his bullshit.
I frown. “Do you really have such little faith in your teammate?” He sobers quickly, and the reaction is priceless, but I don’t back down. “You think he’d be insulting you behind your back?”
“Yeah, Hayes,” Roman chimes in with his arms crossed over his chest. “I’d love to hear the answer to that too.”
Jaw clenched, Hayes glares at me. When he focuses on Roman again, his features soften. “Sorry, man. I was just trying to tease your friend. Clearly, the joke didn’t land. You know I respect you. It wasn’t a jab at you in any way.”
“Do better next time,” Roman grunts. “There are a thousand ways to get a girl’s attention without insulting her.”
Hayes huffs. “Her attention is the last thing I want.”
I shouldn’t care about the words that leave this asshole’s mouth, but the comment hits too close to home.
“Just like I don’t want yours,” I state. “The next time you’re eavesdropping, you’ll know you’re being insulted when you hear ‘Idi na huyi,’ since that means ‘go fuck yourself.’ Have a nice day.”
The whole table bursts into laughter.
I’m biting my bottom lip, fighting a grin, when I lock eyes with the guy sitting beside Hayes.
I swear this man walked straight out of a surf ad.
He’s all sun and waves. Blond hair that refuses to stay put, sun-kissed skin, and honeyed brown eyes.
He’s huge. Way bigger than Hayes, who’s on the leaner side.
Broad shoulders, muscular chest, the kind of bulk that belongs in a weight room.
The feature that catches my attention, though, is his genuine smile.
Goodness. What am I doing?
I blink, cutting eye contact, and sneak a glance at Hayes. His cheeks are red, and he’s chewing on the inside of his bottom lip, staring straight ahead.
The blond beside him continues assessing me.
I peer over my shoulder, checking on Chloe. She’s still at our table, her focus fixed on her phone screen. I return to my conversation with Roman, asking if he’d mind introducing her to the team later, and he agrees.
When I get back to the table, I discover our meals have already arrived. As I hover beside my chair, my skin tingles, and my pulse picks up. Once again, someone is watching. As I lower into my seat, I peek over my shoulder. Sure enough, I find eyes on me. But not just one set.
Not only is the handsome blond looking at me, but so is Hayes.
They couldn’t look more different, yet each is gorgeous in his own right.
Their attention makes my heart skip and my cheeks warm.
When my pussy flutters too, I know I’m in trouble.
I leave for Tahoe in two weeks, where I plan to hide away in a cabin in the woods so I can get my mind right for Australia.
No distractions. No detours. And definitely no hockey players.
At least that’s what I tell myself.
1 A short version of the name Roman
2 Hi! What are you doing here?
3 I’m very sorry about the tournament. Nev and I were very excited about it. Wanted to root for you as we always do.
4 My friend is back from her business trip; and she invited me to dinner. I decided to agree. For how long can I be moody?
5 As for the tournament—there will be another one next year. Maybe I’ll be lucky then.
6 When you’re on court, you’re incredible. You will be lucky, I’m sure.
7 Thank you
8 Rom is a short version of a short version Roma of the name Roman