Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
The question remains, will Kiera show up? Our banter was fun, the teasing and flirting ranging from mischievous to point-blank acknowledgment of mutual attraction. I walked away from her pretty sure we were destined for a hookup but as I sip my beer and watch the clock tick away the minutes, I’m not so sure anymore.
“You seem distracted,” Hendrix says.
“You don’t,” I reply, taking in my friend. Just two days ago, he was a fucking mess, having parted ways with Stevie over a massive misunderstanding. I’m talking about betrayal, drama and intrigue, but Hendrix was being too stubborn to see past what he thought had happened. Coen, Stone and I took it upon ourselves to make him see the truth—that Stevie did not betray him—and the only way to do that was to goad him into it. We had a very loud discussion about spending New Year’s Eve in Stevie’s bar, which made him go berserk.
He called her a traitor.
We assured him she was not, finally forcing him to be curious enough to learn the truth of what happened. And now here we are, nearly the entire team hanging out to ring in the new year.
Hendrix’s gaze sweeps the bar, landing on Stevie. She’s not working tonight, but every once in a while, she steps back there if the bartenders get a little too busy. She can’t serve alcohol while she’s drinking, but she helps by cleaning glassware and cashing out customer tabs.
“It looks like you two are back on track,” I observe.
“Thank fuck she’s a forgiving soul,” Hendrix says dryly. “I was such a dick to her that a part of me still isn’t quite sure if I really have her.”
I note that Stevie has her eyes on Hendrix as she rings in a drink, offering him a soft smile. I clap him on the shoulder. “Oh, you have her all right.”
Hendrix’s expression becomes dopey as he smiles back in her direction and I roll my eyes. Never did quite understand a man getting so caught up in a woman like that, but what do I know? I’m young and still playing the field. My facial expressions range from amusement to twisted pleasure, but never that lovesick, besotted visage.
“Maybe I should make a bigger overture?” he muses.
“Bigger than getting her diary back from that douchebag reporter?”
Without taking his eyes off Stevie, he asks, “You think that was enough?”
I don’t answer him, though, because my attention is caught on something far more important.
Kiera just walked in.
Leaving Hendrix’s question unanswered, I step away, winding through the crowd toward her.
Only to veer hard left to the bar when her fucking brother walks in behind her, holding hands with Brienne.
Well, shit… that puts a crimp in my plans, which were to flirt with and seduce Kiera so we could go home together tonight. Having her brother here will make that difficult but not insurmountable.
At the bar, I order a beer and once it’s in hand, I walk over to the pool tables. Two of them have doubles games going on, but on the third, some of the guys are playing individually. I set my beer on a high-top table and watch Camden and Boone play nine-ball. Foster and Kirill join us and for the next hour, we take turns going up against each other. It’s a fun night, using this time to bond with my new teammates. We single guys are definitely congregated together with a few of them scoping out the women in the bar.
I keep half an eye on Kiera as she moves around, talking to different people. She’s clearly comfortable among the players and I wonder if she’s dated any of them. I know Drake just came to the team this season, so it stands to reason Kiera’s been here no longer than that. Truth is, I don’t know much about her other than I’m extremely attracted to her.
Attraction shouldn’t be the only thing that has me scoping her out and it’s not. Just the small verbal exchanges we’ve had have been fun, quick-witted and flirty with an underlying crackle of sexual tension. I’m fucking drawn to her beyond anything I’ve felt before and I’ve had my share of beautiful women.
Maybe it’s that she’s unattainable because she’s not falling all over me and because her brother is a roadblock. Maybe I just need to fuck her once and get it out of my system. While we teased about a date, I don’t want that, and according to her, she doesn’t want that either. I think we’re both on the same page.
Now I just need an opportunity to spend some time with her tonight.
♦
I’m watching as Foster and Kirill play a game of pool. Camden and I are chatting at the high top and fortuitously, Kiera is playing doubles with Stevie on the next table over as they take on Drake and Hendrix.