Page 24 of The Red-Hot Stakes

“Very.” Although we both sounded anything but. We were a far cry from the casual game of cribbage only moments before. I decided to throw him a bone. “Thanks for dropping off my book.”

A teasing glint danced in his eyes. “I think I got the better end of that deal. Dinner and a show.” His eyebrows bobbed.

I snorted. “You know that’s not what your emergency key is for, right?”

He held up his hands innocently. “I was just trying to help out a friend. I didn’t know you’d be prancing around in your underwear.”

“I do not prance.”

His mouth twitched. “Yeah, you do.” Laughter burst from him.

I joined him, laughing off my own embarrassment. “You suck, you know that?”

“Just be glad I didn’t have my phone ready. You could have gone viral.”

“Yeah,” I shot back. “But then so would your ass kicking.”

He drew those full lips into a thoughtful smirk. “Yeah, probably.”

* * * *

On Thursday, before my shift, I’d planned to meet Avery, Derek and Liam at a diner around the corner from the bar for an early dinner. I arrived a couple of hours ahead of time, sipping on coffee and outlining some statistics for one of my classes.

Movement caught my eye, and I glanced up to find Liam sliding into the booth across from me. “Hey,” I said, surprised. “You’re here early.” I quickly began packing my things.

He snagged one of my pencils, turning it end over end. “Yeah, um, I wanted to talk to you.”

I waited for more as I zipped up my bag, but it never came. When I finally looked at him, tension gripped his shoulders and his lips pressed tightly together. I frowned. “You okay?”

He opened his mouth but was interrupted by the waitress asking if she could get him anything. He waved her off, saying he’d wait for the rest of our party. I leaned my elbows on the table, lacing my fingers together as I wondered what could possibly have him so worked up.

“I didn’t like you at first, Gina.”

I blinked, taken aback by the candid statement. Annoyance rushed through me, though it didn’t exactly come as a shock.

“You’re not exactly the easiest person to get to know, with that prickly exterior and harsh temper.”

I bristled at the blatant insults. This is what he wants to talk about?

Just as I was about to retort, he added quietly, “It took me a while to see that underneath all that, you’ve got a good heart.”

The words knocked the bluster right out of me as I stared in confusion. “Liam, what…?”

He leaned forward, his earnest gaze pinning me to my seat. “Avery once told me I needed a certain kind of woman, that I’d been dating ice skates when I needed cleats. Well, I think I found a pair of cleats. In you.”

I wrinkled my nose. Is that supposed to be a compliment? I looked around, desperately wishing for Avery and Derek to show up to save me from whatever the hell this was. Maybe I can flag down the waitress.

“So what do you say?”

“What do I say to what?”

He shifted in his seat. “Going out with me sometime.”

I gaped, unable to comprehend the absurd words. Me and Liam, yeah, right. Then it sank in what was really happening, and I began to chuckle. “Nice one, Liam.” I looked around, trying to spot our friends. “Tell Derek he can come out now.” They had to be here somewhere, probably filming my reaction. “You got me good.”

But Liam didn’t move. His cheeks reddened, and his throat bobbed as he swallowed. “I’m not joking, Gina.”

My stomach dropped as I tried to process what he was saying. Of course, Avery and Derek chose that moment to stride in, arm in arm. She greeted us with her normal exuberance, but I could only stare at Liam, still in shock.

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