Misadventures of a Rookie (Misadventures #11)(11)

“I wouldn’t want anyone to see that either. No wonder you wouldn’t tell me your name!”

“Oh, shut up!”

His eyes were wild. In another world, I’d say he was adorable.

“Bocephus? As in Hank Williams Jr.? That’s just cruel.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“Jesus, do your parents even love you?”

I glared. “Shut up. They do! They’re big fans.”

His eyes widened, and his shock was actually charming. “So, my parents are big M?tley Crüe fans, but my name isn’t M?tley!”

“Like Gus is any better!”

He feigned hurt. “Hey, Gus is a man’s name. A strong name. Plus, it rhymes with Bus, which works well for my career.”

I pursed my lips in aggravation. “So you’re telling me your parents wanted to call you Gus ’cause they knew you’d play hockey and you’d be the Bus?”

He curved his lips and slowly shook his head. “No, actually, my name is August, but my mom has called me Gus since I was a baby. It stuck.”

It was obvious he loved his mom. His cheeks reddened a bit, and his lips turned up in such an innocent way. Watching his face, I couldn’t help but think he looked like an August. Which knocked me right back into reality. He was the rich kid I was supposed to hate! He was probably carrying all his daddy’s credit cards and all his bills were being paid on time, but not by him. Shit, all he was missing with that stupid tight shirt and even tighter shorts was his silver spoon.

“Awesome. Information I’ll never need to know again.” Pushing the tab forward, I took a long swig of my water and then set it down. “Yeah. So this was fun—not.”

I went to turn but his arm came around my waist and he pulled me against his chest, hard with muscle. His hips pressed against the small of my back, and I swore my pussy came to attention. Breathless, I closed my eyes as his lips grazed my ear.

“But when I do see you again, should I call you Bocephus? Or do you go by something else?”

Swallowing hard, I struggled against him, but his grip was ironclad. If I was honest, I wasn’t fighting that hard. I loved the feel of him against me. The way his thighs pressed into my ass and how I swore I could feel the length of him. Tomorrow, I would be angry with myself that I allowed him to touch me like this. But tonight, I’d let it happen for a second more.

His lips pressed into my ear. “What’s your middle name? Surely, you go by that.”

His laughter had my skin breaking into gooseflesh as I gasped for breath, and when I stepped forward to put some space between us, he took ahold of my hand, lacing his fingers with mine. My gaze moved from our entangled hands to his gaze. His green eyes were dark, like emeralds, and everything went blazing hot.

“Maybe I go by Bocephus.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “No, you don’t, and even if you do, I don’t think I can moan that without laughing extremely hard afterwards.”

He wasn’t funny. He wasn’t, yet I found myself fighting back my laughter as I looked away, my hand on fire in his. Swallowing hard, I looked up and shrugged. “I think it would be hot.”

That had him laughing more as he pulled me closer to him, and I found myself not fighting him. I wasn’t even drinking. How was I getting even more drunk? What the hell was wrong with me?

“Give me something to call you.”

I shook my head. “No reason to.”

“Sure there is.”

“Give me one good reason,” I demanded.

“So when I see you, I don’t have to call out ‘Howdy, Bocephus!’”

I rolled my eyes. I didn’t want him doing that since no one knew my real name, so I shrugged. “It’s Bo.”

“Bo?”

I nodded. “Yeah, when I was younger, I went by Bo Jane. BJ for short.”

His eyes lit up. “So what you’re really telling me is that you’re amazing at BJs?”

My smile dropped, and I pulled my hand away. “And I’m out.”

“Wait!” he called, taking my hand once more, but I pulled it away as he followed me through the bar. “Let me take you out.”

“Drop dead.”

He laughed. “You say no, but I know you mean yes!”

“I hope you die slowly.”

His laughter followed me out and into the easy breeze that I had started to love more and more since moving to California. As I pulled out my phone to request an Uber, he came up beside me.

“Are you really gonna blow me off?” he asked.

“Sure am.”

“But we were getting along so well.”

“Go step on a Lego, please.”

He laughed. “I think we’d have fun.”

“If I wanted fun, I’d fuck someone else. Promise.”

He made a face. “So you’re telling me you’re not attracted to me at all.”

“Exactly. Not even in the slightest.”

He just laughed. Hard. “Liar. Everyone is attracted to me.”

I didn’t react as I requested the Uber and then opened my Facebook. “Well, I am not everyone.”

“I am seeing that. How can I get you to admit you want me?”

“Won’t happen. Go on, we’re done.”