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His eyes are dancing, and a smirk plays across his lips. “You noticed the sticker on my truck.” “Obviously.” “You’re such a little brat.” “So punish me,” I say. I undo my braid, shaking my long hair over my shoulders. “You promised me lessons. I’m ready for a new assignment.” “I’m impressed, Red,”
“You’re looking so pretty and pink like this,” he says, bending to kiss the top of my spine as I stutter out the count. “Giving yourself to me, being my good fucking girl.”
“Everything good?” I ask. “If you need to stop, tell me and we’ll stop.” “I have a vibrator in my bag,” she replies, in a tone that clearly says, I’m fine, don’t be an idiot. I raise an eyebrow. “What, you carried it around all day?” She gives me the defiant tilt of her chin that I adore. “Are you going to use it to help, or are you one of those jerks who thinks it’s cheating?” I’m already rooting around in her bag for it. “Please. Toys and I have a special understanding. What’s good for you is good for me.” She snorts. “You’re so weird.”
“You’re a menace,” I tell her. “Do you want to come at all?” “You’ll let me eventually.” “Oh?” “You like watching me come too much not to.”
“And aren’t they like, a million years long?” “We can multitask. Plus, that was intense. I was going to cuddle you either way, so if I were you, I’d just surrender.” She smiles. “What makes you think I’d even like it?” “I saw the book you were reading while you waited for class to start. It’s fantasy, right?” “Fantasy romance,”
I’m fully aware I’m a nerd where media is concerned. I’m happy to play Call of Duty with my bros, but I prefer Legend of Zelda. I’ll read Fitzgerald and Sontag and Baldwin and enjoy it, but I’d still rather read George R. R. Martin. It makes perfect sense to me that Penny enjoys a good romance novel. Judging by the couple of paperbacks I’ve noticed in her dorm room and the stickers on her Kindle, she likes ’em sexy. I wonder if that’s what she writes, too. I haven’t gotten her to admit what the book she’s writing is about, but it’s cool as hell that she’s doing it in the first place.
“You sure you’re good? Can I get you anything?” She nods, biting her lip. “More pizza?” She looks so pretty I can’t help but kiss her. I put my palm against the Celtic knot tattoo on my chest. “Ah, a woman after my own heart.”
“This doesn’t mean anything,” she says, poking me in the chest with her index finger. “I just don’t want to get my clothes dirty.” I salute her. “Yes, ma’am.” “What, no m’lady?” I grin at her. “Turn around so I can see my handiwork.”
“We could have a ceremony over the garbage can down in the laundry room.” “Or maybe we should nick a spade from the greenhouse and dig him a grave.” “Here lies Igor,” I start. “A loyal servant.” “Devoted to the pursuit of pleasure until the end,” Mia continues. I bow my head gravely. “A true hero. He will be missed.” “What the fuck,” the girl mutters with a glance back at us.
“Sorry, man, just joining my girl.” I glare at him. You let a guy spank you and then watch his favorite movie after, and he acts like it means something.
“Don’t worry,” Cooper says in a loud whisper. “He knows I’m your sexperience tour guide. Your spice coach, if you will.” Mia bursts into laughter. “No fucking way.” I try to stomp on Cooper’s sneakers, but he steps out of the way in time. “I regret teaching you that phrase. Is he always this insufferable?” “Yes,” Sebastian and Evan say at the same time. “Game days are the worst,” Evan adds.
“Can I have some?” he asks. I shake a couple into his palm. “They’re my favorite.” “Noted.” “Igor died.”
“What happened?” he asks. He waggles his eyebrows. “Did you ride him too hard?” “Don’t make me regret telling you.” His face softens. “I’m sorry. That sucks. Did you get to finish, at least?” “No,” I admit. “Ah, no wonder you’re so grumpy.” “I’m only grumpy because you’re acting way too familiar in public. What if someone sees us?”
“I think we’re in the clear,” and then I feel his hand on my thigh, and my breath stutters in my throat. “Come to the city with me tomorrow,” he says. “I’ll buy you new toys. As many as you want.” “I have class.” “So do I. Play hooky with me. I’m meeting my brother for lunch; you can meet him and then we can go to my favorite sex toy shop.”
“If you want my fries, just ask.” “I thought the swoop-and-steal method would be more effective,” she says, her hand darting in to grab another one. She dips it in ketchup—ew—before popping it into her mouth. “I’m regretting everything about my life right now.” “Cooper is usually a lot stingier about sharing his food,” James says. “You must rate, Penny.”
“You ought to know by now that if life offers you French fries, you take them.” “That’s a good motto,” she says after she takes a sip of her iced tea. “You should make that into a sticker. I’d put it on my Kindle.” “Right next to the ‘smut goddess’ one?” She nearly chokes on her drink, giving me an outraged look. “I showed you my Kindle in confidence!”
“Yeah. She’s Coach Ryder’s daughter.” “Interesting.” I scowl at him. “Why are you looking at me like that?” He huffs out a laugh and leans back in his chair. “Coop, you like her.” “I do,” I say defensively as I stab a French fry with my fork. “She’s a cool person.” “Come on, don’t bullshit me. You like this girl.” “Not like that. We’re friends.” “Do friends look at each other like that?” My scowl deepens. “Yes.” “Uh-huh.” “I’m helping her out with something.” “Something that happens to involve sleeping together?” “It’s just sex.”
“I’m not lying. She’s my friend. You know how I do things.” “I recall the rules including no repeats,” he says. “So, what do you call this?” “A favor. One that happens to be fun.” “Fine, keep lying to yourself.” He shrugs, like he’s unbothered. “Or man up and do something about it, either way.”
I don’t like Penny Ryder like that. She’s not my schoolboy crush. She’s my friend and we’re kindred spirits in the sack, but that doesn’t make me want to be her boyfriend. Even if all my wet dreams lately have involved her. Even if her laughter is so adorable, it makes my chest hurt. Even if I’ve never enjoyed sex more, and I haven’t even gotten my dick inside her anywhere but her mouth. Even if my favorite recent memory is cuddling with her in my bed while watching Lord of the Rings. “It’s not happening,” I tell him. “Even if I wanted it, which I don’t, she doesn’t.”
“You have excellent taste,” she says. “I wish I had a boyfriend to buy me fancy vibrators.” “He’s not my boyfriend,” Penny says automatically. “He’s my . . .” “Sexual educator,” I say as I put the oil on the counter too. She rolls her eyes. “No.” “What? It’s apt. I have more experience than you and I’m showing you the ropes. Like a teacher.” She covers her face with her hand. “I can’t bring you anywhere.”
“He almost said the same thing to his brother at lunch.” “Wow,” the cashier says, glancing between the two of us. “That’s kind of freaky.” “And now apparently I can’t shut up, because I’m telling you,” Penny adds. She glares at me. “Why do you make me so chatty?” “I guess you’re just comfortable with me,”
“Cooper!” I say, scandalized. The tights are one thing, but my underwear? He definitely owes me new ones. “You’re acting like a barbarian.” “I’ve had a fucking hard on since the store,” he says against my ear. “Fuck, you’re wet too. You’re such a little slut.”
“You’re my favorite taste in the whole goddamn world.”
When I went to the bathroom with Bex, she asked me if we were dating. I told her the truth—a big fat no—but now I imagine it more concretely. Would it look just like this? Day trips into the city, double dates with his brother? Mind-blowing sex and deep conversations about literature? Maybe a label would change the whole thing. Maybe it would force us into territory that neither of us is equipped to handle.
She’s wearing dark lipstick. Her mouth curves into a delectable smile as she takes in my expression. “You like it?” “Like it?” I say. My voice cracks like I’m a teenager again. “Red, are you trying to kill me?”
“You said you need to relax,” she says. I did say that, not in so many words, but she got the drift and went above and fucking beyond. “Now hurry up, I didn’t take this shower for nothing.” “Why did you?” I ask, reluctantly tearing away my gaze so I can focus on getting us back to my place in one piece. “So you can fuck my ass, obviously,” she says. I hit the brakes and practically throw the truck into park. Her eyes widen, like she really has no fucking clue what she’s giving me right now.
“Pretty girl,” I breathe. I kiss her again, long and slow, enjoying the weight of her against my chest. “Feeling more relaxed?” she asks. “I feel like I could go out on the ice tomorrow and get a hat trick.” “Good. I’ve wanted that for ages, so thank you.” She snuggles even closer. “Is it okay if I . . .” I wrap my arm over her middle. “You’re not leaving right now.” “Oh, no?” she says teasingly. “Not when we have The Return of the King to get to, finally.”
“Heads up.” I pull the bag of gummy bears out of a side pocket and toss it to her. She catches it, her eyes lighting up when she realizes what it is. “Gummy bears?” I scratch the back of my neck. “Just remembered that you like them.” Her smile makes my breath stick in my throat. “That’s sweet of you.”
“Thank you,” she says. “Even though they’re smelly. Why were they in your gear bag? I doubt my dad wants you guys eating candy on the bench.” “I always like having a snack around.” The truth is I bought them and put them in my gear bag for a moment just like this. I knew she’d smile, and I wanted to see that smile happen because of me. I got exactly that, and while I’m glad we fucked—I really do feel more relaxed, ready to buckle down and focus on beating Merrimack—it’s that smile I’ll be thinking about as I take the ice tomorrow.
“You got what you wanted. We don’t . . . have to continue doing this. Don’t feel obligated when I’m sure there are, like, half a dozen girls at Lark’s right now, just waiting for you to come in.” He’s quiet so long I almost repeat myself, but then he shoves his hands into his jacket pockets and looks at the frosted-over ground. “Is that what you want?”
He swipes his hand through his damp hair. “Penny, why are you lying? What happened?”
“I wonder what it’s doing here, it’s cold.” “There’s no tag?” “Nothing.” “Weird,” he says, brushing his hands on his knees before straightening up. “Should we like . . . bring it to the firehouse or something?” I raise an eyebrow as I stand. “Isn’t that for babies?” “Probably.” He eyes the thing like he expects it to start howling like a banshee. “Be careful, Pen. It could hurt you.” I laugh. “Cooper, it’s a three-pound kitten. Hardly threatening.” “I don’t trust it.” “Stop being such a baby. Look, it’s cute.”
“Dogs are perfectly adorable animals,” he says. “Cats are magical beings with malicious intent.”
“Can it stay at your place tonight?” He wrinkles his nose. “Fine. Let’s take it back to the house. It’s not like we can bring it to the bar.” I bundle the kitten inside my coat, which it must appreciate because it rewards me with a purr. “I think it’s a her.”
“Can I give her a bath in your sink?” “Sure, sweetheart.” I swallow. “Callahan.” “I don’t want to change things, Penny.”
“We started something, and I want to finish it. I don’t want to sleep with anyone else right now.” I bite my lip. “What happened to one-time hookups?” “I changed the rules for you.”
“Tell me you really want to stop, and I’ll respect that, but if you’re asking, I want to keep going.”
“Fine, but we’re not dating,” I manage to say. “I know.” He rubs his thumb across my cheek. “There’s so much more I want to do with you.” “Show me,” I whisper.
“Besides,” he says, “I need us to be good. We’re cat parents now.” When he stands, I follow. He hands the kitten off to me, clearing away the sink and running the water. “I thought you didn’t even like cats,” I say. “I don’t,” he says. “I like this cat. We’re going to take it to the vet tomorrow, and if it doesn’t belong to anyone, we’re keeping her. So buckle up, because you’re Mommy and I’m Daddy.”
“If we’re her parents,” I say, trying to keep my voice even although I’d really like to let out a happy scream, “she needs a name. The cat I had when I was little was named Lady.” For some reason, that makes him snort. “Sorry,” he says, checking the water temperature with his finger. “Just makes me think of Game of Thrones. Which we’re watching next, by the way.” “Um, no. I was going to suggest Twilight.” “We’ll watch both.”
“Tangy?” He kisses me. “Yeah, like you. Your taste, anyway.” “Cooper.” He grins. “What?” “You’re the worst.” “Sure,” he says, his eyes practically sparkling with amusement. “Get over here, Mother of Cats.”
“All right,” he says. “If it’s just between you and Daddy, that’s cool.”
“Dad,” she says. “Seriously, I’m fine. I’m taking my meds. And rereading a series I like doesn’t mean I’m about to go off the deep end again. It’s not like that was even why I . . . whatever. I’ll talk to you later.”
I told her last week we’re not dating, and I’m going to hold on to that as long as I can, but with every second that passes, my feelings march into territory I’ve never felt before.
I know I’m not supposed to feel this way for her, and maybe I’m reading this whole situation wrong, but she can’t be feeling nothing. It’s in my chest like a breathing, palpable thing. Not friendship. Something deeper. Eventually, I won’t be able to contain it, and I’m terrified that the moment that happens, I’ll lose Penny for good.
When I lift my head, I almost let out an ill-timed curse. Nikolai is standing right across from me . . . with a “C” on his jersey as well. That hadn’t been there on Halloween. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. His mouth twists into a smile. “Looks like we both got upgrades, Callahan.” “Go back to the KHL, Volkov.”
Penny meets my gaze. She smiles, and it knocks the fucking air from my lungs. She’s goddamn perfection. The only thing that would make it better would be if she was wearing my sweater. I want everyone in the whole arena—even her father—to know she’s mine.
I can only hope that one day she lets me have her. Not just in bed, and not just as friends. I want all of her, every bit—the ones I know and adore already, and the ones I don’t, but hope to one day. I’m earning her trust one little puzzle piece at a time, and while I don’t have the whole picture, I know that when I do, I’ll love it.
“Watch your fucking mouth,” I say quietly. “Don’t talk about my sister or my girl.”
I’m playing for my family. My father. But most of all, I’m playing for my Lucky Penny.
