Rushing the Goal (Assassins #8)(66)

She knew it by heart, and as the music played, Sam’s gorgeous voice hitting her straight in the gut, she wrote Benji back.

Lucy: You’re playing dirty, Paxton.

Benji: Yeah. Sorry. I’m dying here. I miss you so f*cking much.

And she missed him, but no, she couldn’t.

Lucy: I can’t leave Angie.

Benji: I know. I just want you to suffer with me.

She scoffed at that.

Lucy: I was suffering before the damn video. Jerk. Now I’m dying.

Benji: Good. Wanna meet me behind the bleachers tomorrow?

God, he made her giddy. Grinning so hard, she shook her head.

Lucy: Maybe.

Benji: Yes?

Lucy: Yes.

Letting out a long breath, she smiled as she leaned back in her chair. What was she doing? Really, what in the hell was she doing with him? She was having way too much fun with him. He made her laugh, he made her smile, and shit, he made her feel things. Good things. Slowly he was knocking down her walls—but with the utmost respect. It was amazing and special. But man, it scared her to the core because people like him didn’t work out for her. But then how could she say that when she had never really tried?

And why was she trying now?

She knew the answer right away.

Because he was different.

And she wanted to see him.

So damn bad.

When Jayden came back down the stairs, his sweats hanging loosely at his waist and, of course, no shirt—the guy had never worn clothes when they were younger—he flashed her a grin as he fell into his chair.

Confused, she said, “I thought you were going to be with your wife.”

He turned on the TV. “No, I’m too wound up to sleep.”

“Hence, why you go to bed with your wife,” she said slowly because, Lord knew, if she could get in bed with Benji, they would not be sleeping.

Jayden chuckled as he shook his head. “Nope, Baylor is passed out. And you don’t wake her when she’s sleeping.”

“Such a good husband, you are.”

“Yeah, I thought so,” he said with a laugh before leaning back in his chair.

“So you’re not going to bed?” she asked and then paused. What was she doing?

“Nope, I’ll be up for a while,” he said, looking back at her. “Why? Got somewhere to go?”

She made a face and shook her head. “No, why would I?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I know I’m not the only one who just got home.”

She glared. “Are you insinuating something again?”

He feigned surprise. “Me? Never. Just saying, if you wanted to leave and go see said person we are apparently not mentioning exists, I’ll keep an ear out for Angie.”

Her glare deepened. “I’m a responsible parent. I’m not gonna leave my kid so I can go get some ass, hypothetically speaking, of course. I have no ass to get, obviously.”

He shrugged, a carefree grin on his face. “Of course, but hypothetically speaking, even moms need to get some. Maybe then they wouldn’t bite people’s heads off for suggesting said act?”

“Hypothetically speaking, this is true. But I’m not one of those moms. Hypothetically.”

“You? Bite people’s heads off? Oh no, never. I wouldn’t suggest it,” he said with a grin and she wanted to slap him.

“I don’t like you.”

Turning in his chair to look at her, he grinned. “Well, I love you, and I think you should go see the person who shall not be named,” he said, and then he chuckled. “Tell him I said that. He’ll get a kick out of it.”

He would, but her face was stone as she shrugged.

And that also meant he knew about Benji.

Shit.

Rolling her eyes, she looked down at her computer. “I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

But she didn’t miss the defeat in his voice as he muttered, “Oh. Well, then tomorrow should be a blast with your ex and your non-sexed self.”

Ugh, she did have to see Rick tomorrow. If he showed.

Shit. Tomorrow was going to suck, minus seeing her baby rock out on the ice.

And Benji. She’d see Benji at the game.

But she wanted to see him now.

Sucking in a breath, she looked at the clock on her computer and then back at Jayden. She really wanted to go, but was that right? Should she leave her child to go get some ass? It sounded so bad when she thought of it like that. She didn’t know what to do.

“Lucy, I can hear you thinking all the way over here. Angie is fine. Go.”

She swallowed hard, and, f*ck it, she was going. “I mean, I guess I could go to the store.”

“Yeah, ’cause there is so much you need at two in the morning.”

She stood, reaching for her keys. “I do need stuff for snacks tomorrow.”

“I saw the oranges in the fridge,” he pointed out.

“Oh, yeah, but I mean for us,” she said, reaching for Benji’s coat.

“True, true. Have fun picking out Skittles,” he said with a wink and she glared.

“I’m seriously going to Walmart,” she said, trying to save face, but Jayden saw right through her.

“Yeah, of course. Good thing they’re twenty-four hours, huh?” She felt her lips turn up and her dimples cut into her skin as Jayden grinned. “Have fun. Tell Benji I said he’s welcome.”