Page 98 of Pucking Revenge

“Did you guys bang in the arena or something?” Lennox teases. I’m glad that, for once, she can’t read me and figure out every little thing we did.

I desperately want to work through all the emotions whirling inside me, but more than that, I want to protect Brooks’s privacy.

“We’re taking it slow.”

Lennox slumps against her bed and pouts. “I can’t believe you still haven’t fooled around with him.”

“I didn’t say that. He did go down on me in the announcer’s booth. And he forced me to describe everything over the speaker,” I admit, tossing her a bone.

“Shut up,” Ava hisses, slapping the cushion beside her. “What if someone had come in?”

“Then they’d have heard Brooks score three times.” The laughter bubbling out of me is light and loud.

Beside me, Ava goes pink, but Lennox is cackling. She’s flat on her back with her legs in the air, kicking them in excitement.

“Okay, enough,” I pant, slapping a hand to my chest. “We’re making Ava uncomfortable.”

“You’re not,” she insists. “But seriously, aren’t you worried about getting caught? I mean, in the act?” She won’t even say the word, and suddenly I’m wondering if Brooks is the only virgin employed by Langfield Corp.

Lennox, the hussy, barks out another laugh. “It’s called cunnilingus, Av, and why are you acting all virginal? Please tell me you aren’t saving yourself for War like Brooks has been saving himself for Sar.”

My stomach drops and my mouth falls open. How the hell does the woman do that? I thought her supernatural talent was limited to positions. Not a person’s lack of sex, period.

Lennox waves a hand. “Secret’s safe with us. Even if your face hadn’t just given it away, I assumed. When I dated Aiden in high school, Brooks was still a virgin. If the man held on to his virginity through college and then when women literally threw themselves at him when he was drafted, it’s a given that he was until he met you. He’s never dated, and the guy’s a romantic. He wasn’t just giving that shit up.”

I’m speechless. Not that I have anything to say anyway. Protecting my best friend’s secret and his privacy are my top priorities.

“I’m not a virgin,” Ava says quietly, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “And the last person I’d have sex with, let alone give my virginity to, would be Tyler Warren.”

The way she says his name, filled with animosity and distaste, makes me giggle.

“Talk about one person we all know isn’t a virgin.” Lennox sighs. “He’s got that whole bad boy with a back story thing going for him, Av. And I bet he’s amazing in the sack.”

Ava gasps, her jaw going slack, and both Lennox and I dissolve into giggles at her reaction.

“Why do you put up with us?” I ask.

She shakes her head and huffs out a breathy laugh. “Someone needs to keep the two of you in check.”

“True. Lord knows I’m not that person,” Lennox admits. “So, how are we feeling about Seb now? Is operation make-him-quit getting anywhere?”

“I don’t know.” I slump back against the couch. “He almost ruined my relationship with Brooks, and I’m worried that Brooks will do something rash if Seb pushes him again.” I pick up my coffee and take a slow sip. “Brooks has it in his mind that he needs to protect me. Like he thinks I’m heartbroken over Seb. But we were never like that. The relationship was so shallow. How could it not be when he insisted it stay a secret? We flirted in the beginning and fooled around a few times. But looking back? The only thrill I felt was because of the sneaking around. Not because of Seb. And that got old quick. By the time I found out about his wife, I was already over it. I just hadn’t ended things because I was holding out hope for more. Like maybe if we could date out in the open, my feelings would grow. I guess I was still wishing he was more. And now that I know what more looks like…” I huff. “God, I can’t believe I wasted any time on him.”

Ava smiles. “It’s like that saying. ‘If he wanted to, he would.’”

“Yes!” I slap my thigh and sit up straighter. “That exactly. Finally experiencing what it feels like to be chosen, not daily, but hourly, by the minute, puts it all into perspective. Brooks is still upset that we fooled around in public, but it felt incredible to know that he wasn’t embarrassed to be seen with me. To think that maybe he couldn’t help himself. He had to touch me, kiss me, make me come.”

The pink stain on Ava’s cheeks moves to her chest, and she’s focused on a spot on the coffee table in front of us now.

I cringe. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” She shrugs. “I was raised that it wasn’t okay to talk about this stuff. But believe me, living in this building has opened my eyes.”

Lennox giggles. “And yet you still haven’t boinked a single hot hockey player.”

Ava’s eyes widen and she pulls back. “How do you know I just haven’t talked about it?”

With a scoff, I shake my head. “Don’t even try it. She has this weird ability to tell when a person has had sex, down to position.”

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