Chapter 4
Rome
“Relax, King Bossy Pants,” Billie says, voice laced with irritation.
“Believe it or not, people go out and meet other people. Occasionally they meet members of the opposite sex. They even exchange a few words. I think it’s called conversation.
You know, forming connections, socializing with your fellow human beings. ”
“Why were you socializing with someone twice your age?” Bodi snaps.
I cut a glance in his direction. “Give me a break, dude. I’m thirty-five, not fifty.”
Billie laughs, a deep, throaty sound that makes my cock twitch.
Christ, what happens to me when it comes to her? I feel like a teenager again.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“I was at Blue Thunder with friends,” she says, shaking her head.
“A guy at the bar was being a nuisance even though I told him I wasn’t interested.
He wouldn’t back off so I jammed the heel of my stiletto into his foot and then Rome came over and politely told him to leave me alone.
We chatted for like three minutes, I thanked him, then I went home and I have no idea what he did. Geez.”
Bodi’s staring straight ahead and then he gives me a quick nod. “Thanks for that, man. But Billie, why were you out clubbing?”
The sound she makes is sheer exasperation laced with frustration and maybe a touch of impatience.
“Seriously, dude, I appreciate that you came and got me tonight, for real. It was a shitty situation. The thing is—I’m twenty-two now, not fifteen.
You did your job raising me, and a pretty great one, if I do say so myself. But I don’t need a parent anymore.”
“Except when your roommates harass you and I have to come save the day.”
She sighs. “I didn’t need a parent —I needed my big brother. There’s a difference.”
“I don’t think there is.”
“Well, you’re being stubborn and overprotective.
As usual.” She huffs. “I admit, I made an error in judgment moving in with that bunch. But I’m not a kid anymore.
I’m an adult who works two jobs between work and school.
I just need a place to lay my head for the next few months. And I’ll figure it out.”
“You never should have moved out,” he snaps.
“Oh, you just couldn’t resist an I-told-you-so, could you?” she says quietly. This time her voice is laced with hurt, and for some reason, I hate hearing it.
“Well… I did tell you so. If you’d listened, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“Because you’ve never had a shitty roommate?” Her voice is sharp, and Bodi stiffens.
“Okay, yeah, it happens. But I’m trying to prevent bad shit from happening to you. Is it so terrible that I’d like you to benefit from my experience?”
“Of course not. I just need you to treat me like an adult while you’re doing it.”
“If you acted like an adult, I would.”
“Why do you always have to say shit like that? This is exactly why I can’t live with you. You always say and do stuff that hurts my feelings. Then we fight. Then you say you’re sorry and try to guilt me into doing what you want anyway.”
Tension crackles in the air like something tangible.
I thought my sisters and I argued a lot—but these two are kind of extra.
“We’ll talk about this later,” Bodi mutters.
“There’s nothing to talk about. Give me a few days and I’ll be out of your hair.”
Bodi grunts.
The ensuing silence is awkward and lengthy, making me wish I was pretty much anywhere else.
The dynamic between these two is puzzling.
Obviously, Billie trusts and counts on her brother, but she’s also struggling to prove herself to him.
On the flip side, Bodi seems determined to act in a parental role, one that Billie clearly isn’t comfortable with.
And both of them are unhappy with the status quo.
They’re not asking for my input, though, so I’m going to keep my mouth shut and go to bed as soon as we get to the house.
“I’ll sleep on the couch tonight,” Bodi begins. “And you can?—”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Billie interrupts. “You’re six feet tall. You don’t fit on a couch. I’ll sleep on the couch. It’s probably more comfortable than my air mattress anyway.”
Another uncomfortable silence follows, but we finally get to the townhouse and Bodi pulls into the garage. We unload everything together, leaving her desk and chair in the garage and putting her suitcases in the living room.
“We leave on a road trip day after tomorrow,” Bodi says. “So you can sleep in my room while I’m gone and that’ll give you time to figure out what to do.”
“Thank you.” Billie sighs. “Both of you. I’m really sorry about all of this, I wish I hadn’t had to drag you into it.”
“I’m always going to be there for you, Billie.” Bodi squeezes her arm.
“I know.” She sinks onto the couch and then spies our abandoned Chinese food. “Is this dinner?”
“It was ,” Bodi chuckles. “Probably cold now.”
“That’s what microwaves are for,” she responds. “Can I have some?”
“I’ll split mine with you.”
“Thanks!” She jumps up, taking the bag with her.
Bodi and I follow and the three of us warm up our dinner and then wind up splitting everything three ways. I even give her half of my egg roll, and she drowns it in duck sauce before taking a bite.
“Yum!” Her eyes twinkle with something I can’t quite identify, like she’s just enjoying the moment, all the previous discomfort forgotten.
And it’s fucking adorable.
She’s adorable.
Okay, that’s a lie. She’s sexy. As fuck.
She’s got on sweats and a hoodie, no makeup, and her hair’s in some messy ponytail—nothing like the vixen I met at Blue Thunder—but the curves are still there.
The tiny waist. Round breasts bouncing as she walks.
And a small gold hoop in her pierced eyebrow.
I’m not a big fan of body piercings but it’s different on Billie—it’s intriguing and…
sensual. It makes me wonder what it would be like to kiss and suck on it.
Then there are her eyes. Blue as the sky, with long dark lashes that indicate she might not be a natural blond.
Not that I give a shit about her hair color.
She’s simply beautiful.
But I’m pretty sure she’s off-limits, and if I’m honest, that’s fine with me. I have enough issues with my own family. I definitely don’t need to get involved in whatever’s going on with hers.
We’re standing at the counter in the kitchen, eating in companionable silence, and the tension seems to finally leave the two of them.
“I’m going to take a shower,” Billie says once she’s done. “The one I tried to take earlier was rudely interrupted. And then I’m going to read for a while. Is that okay?”
“Make yourself at home,” Bodi says. “I’m going to bed soon too.”
“Thanks.” She disappears and he starts cleaning up the remnants of dinner.
“Listen, Rome, we need to talk about something.”
Uh oh.
I already know what’s coming and I steel myself.
“What’s up?” I ask, trying to keep my voice casual.
“My sister’s off-limits.”
Ya think?
Like I couldn’t have guessed that.
“What does that mean?” I ask, just because I can be ornery sometimes.
He narrows his eyes. “You know damn well what it means.”
“Jesus, dude, I literally met her for five minutes a few weeks ago and have said about twenty words to her tonight.” Maybe a little more than five minutes the night we danced, but she didn’t offer up that information so I’m certainly not going to.
“I just mean, she’s a nice girl. A little flighty sometimes, but smart and sweet, with a good head on her shoulders. The last thing I want for her is to fall for some hockey player who’s going to use her and then toss her away.”
“I’m a little offended you’re immediately putting me in a category like that.”
“How many times have you been married?” he counters, meeting my gaze directly.
Ouch.
“Twice,” I respond. “But I didn’t toss either of them away, just to be clear.”
And they took most of my money when they left, too.
“Look, all I’m saying is, leave her alone, okay? I know she’s attractive. I know the guys on the team would be all over her if I allowed it.”
I’m not in love with his attitude but I understand where he’s coming from.
“Billie’s already had a tough time, what with the accident and everything,” he continues. “I just don’t want her to get hurt. You know?”
“I’m not looking for anything,” I say diplomatically. “And I’m probably only going to be in L.A. for the rest of the season. Chances are, I’ll either be traded again or have to retire, so you don’t have to worry about me.”
He pauses. “You think this is it for you?”
I hesitate. This isn’t a subject I like to talk about. Especially not to someone on the team.
“I’m thirty-five,” I say instead. “My days are numbered. I’d like to play a few more years but the knees and hips aren’t always on board with that idea. So we’ll see.”
He nods. “I’m not trying to be a jerk. I just don’t want my sister to become another pro athlete’s divorce statistic.”
I nod. “Understood. Don’t worry about me.
Besides, you really think an attractive young woman like her is going to be interested in an old fuck like me?
” I laugh, like it’s the most ridiculous idea ever, even though I know damn well she would have gone out with me if I’d asked that night at Blue Thunder.
Bodi laughs too. “Well, I guess there’s that.”
“You worry too much. Relax and let her do her thing. Like you said, she’s smart and has a good head on her shoulders.
You don’t have to micromanage her. I mean, first time I met her, she stabbed a guy with her stiletto.
The second time, she kneed one in the nuts.
I’m thinking she’s got her shit together. ”
“I guess when you put it that way…”
We both laugh.
Then I help clean up the kitchen before making myself scarce.
I need to stay away from the house as much as possible.
Because keeping my distance from Billie Michener is going to be a hell of a lot harder than I made it sound like to Bodi.
If I can avoid her until we leave, she’ll hopefully be gone by the time we get back.
Then I can focus on getting through what might be my last season as a pro hockey player without a blue-eyed distraction who made me want to dance.