Misadventures of a Rookie (Misadventures #11)(29)

I cracked up and continued. “As I was saying, I went out there, naked as the day I was born, but of course, a lot more hung.”

She nodded, holding her hand out. “Of course.”

I held back more laughter. “I peeled my clothes off the ice, put my boxers on, and left.”

She was holding her belly, giggling hard. “You weren’t even the least bit embarrassed?”

I thought that over for a moment. I’d been only sixteen and already the best in town. Everyone thought I pissed gold, and I wasn’t going to correct them. Nor was I going to allow my team to try to bring me down from my high. “Nope, but let me tell you, my balls stuck to those shorts, and boy, did that hurt.”

More laughter, and I couldn’t hold back, joining in with her as she leaned back in her seat, shaking her head. “I am floored. I would have been so embarrassed!”

“Eh, I learned very early that other people’s thoughts of me can’t bring me down. Only I can.”

Her light mood eased a bit as she eyed me. “Yeah?”

“Oh, yeah.” I took a bite of pizza and talked around it. “I was the best early on, and really fast. I had that raw natural talent people just want so bad. With that comes the nasty jealousy. Everyone hated me. They hated my mom and soon my dad, when he started coming around, especially since he was loaded.”

She held up her hand, confusion evident on her beautiful features. “Huh?”

I took another bite. “Huh, what?”

“Your dad ‘came around’? I’m confused. Back up a bit.”

I grinned. “No way. That’s my deep dark secret!”

Her face lit up. “Not fair! You have to tell me.”

“I don’t have to tell you anything,” I shot back.

Her eyes narrowed, and she pointed a finger at me. “I have been sitting here with you—”

“Um, excuse me, Bocephus, but I sat with you.”

“After you broke my ankle!”

“Beside the point. I sat with you, and I bought you food.”

She bubbled with laugher. “I don’t care! Tell me your ‘deep dark secret’! I know darn well it isn’t!”

I held her gaze. “It is!”

“Please. You’re an open book.”

She wasn’t wrong, but I wanted to know more about her. This was an opportunity to get her to open up, even if I wasn’t really giving her personal info. “Either way,” I said. “I’ll give you some if you give me some.”

Her eyes turned to storm clouds, her cheeks dusting with color. The flush trailed along her throat, and within seconds, I was hotter than hot. I couldn’t see straight. I wasn’t even sure how those words and those eyes brought on the kind of lust that was rattling me at that moment, but it was happening.

I wanted her.

Bad.

“You make everything dirty,” she exclaimed.

I laughed out loud. “Me? That’s all you! You’re giving me the sex eyes.”

She sputtered, shaking her head. “I am not!”

“You are. Your face turns red and then your neck, and I know those tits are all red and splotchy! It isn’t fair.”

More giggling as she waved her hand. “You are insane.”

“Maybe,” I said with a shrug, mostly to calm myself. I couldn’t take her here. I knew I couldn’t. Not with the team doctor coming to check me out. Chet ran his mouth a lot. Lived for the drama, and I didn’t need people knowing I was caught banging an ice girl at the ER. Not because I would be embarrassed, but I was sure Bo would be, and I couldn’t have that. “But nonetheless, you gotta give something up if I’m going to.”

She eyed me, her eyes swirling with all things hot as she shook her head. “Fine.”

“Fine?”

“Fine,” she answered before she blew out a breath. “I’m sure I’ll regret it though.”

“No, you’ll love it.”

She shook her head and reached for another piece. She liked to eat, and I loved it. Usually girls I went to dinner with ate absolutely nothing, which I thought was bullshit. Especially when they sucked down two bottles of wine. Sex with a drunk chick wasn’t fun. I was all for her eating. Plus, I loved the way her mouth moved when she did.

“Can you stop staring at me?” She leaned back and crossed her legs. “And tell me about your family, please?”

I wasn’t feeling the least bit guilty. “Maybe I love staring at you.”

She flushed. “Gus.”

“Bo.”

She set me with a look as she chewed. “Start talking, or I’m zipping my lips.”

I could have fought with her on that, I really would have liked to, but instead I reached for another piece and slathered it in ranch before I took a bite. “Okay, so,” I started before I chewed and swallowed. “My mom got knocked up at like fifteen, maybe? By my dad.”

She widened her eyes. “Oh. I thought they were married and stuff like that.”

I laughed. “Oh God, no. I think my mom wished that was how it played out because she didn’t even like my dad at first. They were just friends who got drunk at a street party back home and then afterward they found themselves banging.”

She tried to hold in her laughter but couldn’t. “She told you that?”