Bennett (On the Line Book 2)(31)

I closed the message and got to work on my research. There was nothing else for me to talk to Riley about. He just wanted to interrogate me about who I’d been with and when, and that was none of his business.

I’d been working for a few minutes when I glanced over at the Sports section I’d tossed on my desk. The photo wasn’t showing, so I flipped the paper over and put it next to my mouse pad.

The boring case-law research had to happen. Might as well look at Bennett while I did it.



Bennett

The locker room was loud today. Spirits were high because we’d won our last game and had just finished a grueling practice. I’d showered and was about to go to a buffet with Killian and Liam, where I’d eat more than my money’s worth.

“The bed was knocking against the wall ’til three this morning,” my teammate Tony Karpas said to Shuck. “Did she manage to walk out of our apartment this morning or did you have to carry her?”

Shuck turned a dark shade of crimson. He was a super nice, non-womanizing guy who didn’t get a lot of women in the sack.

“Shucked her pretty good, eh?” another teammate said, laughing.

“Did you shuck her in the ass?” someone else yelled.

Shuck looked like he was about to die of embarrassment. I felt bad for the guy. I was about to go over and save him when the locker room started to quiet.

“Bennett.”

I turned my back to see Keri, our team PR person, looking at me expectantly.

“Yeah?”

Thank f*ck I had my pants on. Our new owner Sid and Keri both went in and out of the locker room with no care for whether or not we were dressed. I didn’t like it since I knew Killian was with Sid and suspected Liam was with Keri.

“I’ve got some exciting news,” Keri said. “You’ve been named one of the Hottest Men on Ice by Glamorous, a national magazine.”

The locker room went silent.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“A reporter and photographer will be coming to interview you and take photos for the article.”

The snickers started. I shook my head and shot a few dirty looks around the room.

“Is this a joke?” I asked Keri. “If Liam set you up to do this—”

Keri rolled her eyes and glared at me. “Really? Is this where you tell me you’re not that hot and I reassure you that you are?”

“No, I just wasn’t expecting anything like this.”

“It’s an honor. I’m sitting in on the interview if you don’t mind. They’ll be here Thursday.”

I pulled a T-shirt on over my head and nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine.”

“And I think we’ll do some shirtless photos on the ice.”

“I’ll freeze my balls off.”

She gave me a big, fake smile. “It’s for a great cause. You’ll have women beating down your door soon.”

Then she turned and left before I could protest further.

“This is gonna be f*ckin’ awesome,” Killian said, laughing.

“Fuck you.” I covered the few steps between my locker and his and shoved his shoulder.

Liam struck a cheesy seductive pose, looking over his shoulder and biting a fingertip.

“Fuck you, too,” I said. “You’re just jealous.”

This was nothing but a pain in my ass, but I’d have to put on a good face for the team. For once, I didn’t want women beating down my door. There was just one I was interested in.

I closed my eyes and winced. I hadn’t done that in so long—wanted just one woman. And the only other time I’d committed myself to a relationship, it had ended very badly.

It was too soon to go there. Charlotte and I were expecting a kid together and had slept together a second time. I just wanted to enjoy her without letting thoughts of the past cloud everything.

Forcing memories of Kelly from my head, I vowed to do just that.



The guy who owned the Chinese buffet was glaring at our table when we sat down with our third round of food. He’d accused us of trying to eat him out of business in the past. We worked up massive appetites at practice, though.

“So how’s it going with Sid?” I asked Killian.

He shrugged. “Good.”

I waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t. He was a moody prick, but he’d never been one to keep his relationship with a woman so close to the vest. That meant he was really into Sid.

“Who the f*ck is this?” Liam muttered, staring at the screen of his vibrating cell phone. He slid his thumb across the screen and answered it.

“Yeah,” he said after a few seconds. “I remember you, Riley.”

There was silence as he listened.

“Yeah, I found out a while back that she’s pregnant . . . No, I don’t know who he is.”

I tried to look disinterested, though my heart was pounding hard. What the hell was Riley doing calling Liam? That f*cker was old news.

“If you can find out, call me,” Liam said. “I’m dying to get my hands on the guy . . . Yeah, I know you’re a good guy . . . Wait, what? You want me to tell her she should marry you? Do you know my sister? She’s got a mind of her own.”

I clenched my hand into a fist under the table. That bastard. He’d proposed to Charlotte? That pissed me off, not only because he needed to f*ck off, but because she hadn’t told me.