Page 6 of Dirty Play

Cade… jealous?

I’d pay to see that.

After spending the afternoon with Sawyer, we head back to her place to get ready for tonight, where she proceeds to squeeze me into a pair of skintight jeans that make my ass look fabulous, and a crop top that’s making sure the girls are front and center.

If this doesn’t get me laid, I’m never going out in anything but sweats and a messy bun. No use in trying if I’m still the only one touching myself.

As much as I hate the idea of walking into work like this, I won’t have time to get ready after my appointment, so I don’t exactly have many options. Everyone at work is used to seeing me in scrubs, so I feel uncomfortable walking into the hospital all dressed up.

Especially if Dr. Dickhead is there.

He hasn’t always acted like a douche, only after I turned him down at the bar before I knew who he was. I didn’t need to know who he was to know he wasn’t my type. He has the clean-cut, preppy boy look going on, which is fine and all, but mixed with his slightly pretentious attitude, I had to pass.

I knew it was the right call when he said I would regret my decision, all niceness immediately dissipating.

I think it was him who ended up having regrets when he walked into the hospital I work at that very next week, only to realize we’d be working together for the foreseeable future.

Chapter 3

Cade

“What’re you having?” the bartender asks as he walks past us, drinks in hand, working both ends of the bar like a boss.

“Just a water for me,” I say, looking at Rex who’s staring back at me like I’m insane. Doesn’t surprise me; they’ve been living it up tonight. The ladies are currently on the other side of the bar shooting tequila like there will be zero repercussions tomorrow. I was all for a night out getting drunk with the group, until I heard she would be here.

Gwen is the reason I don’t drink much when I’m out with everyone, but it’s purely a personal choice. Anytime I’m around that woman, I crave her, even if I’m constantly fighting it. Give me a little alcohol and all common sense flies out the window while the desire to claim her increases exponentially. Every second I’m here tonight just brings me that much closer to fucking around and finding out just how sweet she’d taste—consequences be damned.

“Yeah, fuck that idea. I’ll take an Old Fashioned and a margarita on the rocks with extra salt, please,” Rex says to the bartender before turning back to me. “That girl loves a good margarita, but damn, she gets feisty if they don’t give her that extra salt, so I always double-check. For some weird as fuck reason, it’s her favorite part of the drink—well, that and the tequila.”

“Sawyer likes what she likes, can’t fault her for that.” I shrug, watching the bartender make our drinks while flirting with the two blondes who’ve been trying to sneak up to the bar to get a drink, skipping the line growing behind Rex and me.

Spoiler alert: they got two shots of vodka and two long islands before we got our drinks.

Grabbing our drinks, we head back to the group as I do my usual scan of the room to make sure everyone is accounted for. It’s hard keeping track of our whole group when the bar is busy, but I always feel like I need to know where everyone is, that I need to make sure everyone is okay. Tonight, it’s a little easier since some people have already left.

We’re all out for Ellie’s birthday, something Trevor had setup to surprise her. They didn’t stay too long, though, to the surprise of no one. After some grinding on the dance floor, the two of them high-tailed it out of here like two high schoolers in love.

Finishing my scan, my gaze stops on a set of bright green eyes and a head full of dark chocolate brown hair belonging to the beauty across the room from me. I home in on her like she’s my target, my priority.

You just care that she’s safe. Nothing more.

My jaw clenches as I watch the girls out on the dance floor. Gwen and Natalie—who is Ellie’s best friend—are out there dancing around, obviously becoming fast friends. Their slight buzz from earlier this evening is slowly evolving into full-on tipsy as they grind on each other to some 90’s R&B song by Usher, like a drunk couple in love. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hot as fuck, but I think just about anything Gwen does is hot as fuck. I’d kill to switch places with Natalie, even for just one night. One hour, even… although I’m not sure that’d be long enough to do what I’ve been dreaming about.

Rex and Max are both standing around, watching Sawyer and Cassie out on the dance floor, having a good time, just being silly and ridiculous. This is why my eyes keep bouncing back to Gwen, who is rolling her body, practically fucking in the air, and dammit, I feel myself hardening in my pants.

Fuck.

I know I’m not supposed to think about Gwen like this. I promised myself when I first met her I would never cross that line. One thing life has taught me is if you make a promise—especially a pinky promise—you should always keep it. Even if the pinky promise is only with yourself.

But she’s making it so fucking hard. She’s having the time of her life—smiling and dancing around—while I’m standing here staring at her like some creep trying to hide his erection. She’s having the best night, and I’m jealous. Jealous of how carefree she is, how happy she looks, and jealous of everyone who gets to be close to her. Even Natalie is on my shit list right now.

Most of all, I'm jealous she’s having this much fun, without me.

But I can’t go out there. She sees right through my armor, my facade. I’ve spent years building up these walls, and it feels like she’s slowly breaking them down. Breaking me down, and dammit, I want to let her, and that scares the fuck out of me. It feels like she sees the real me, but if she saw the scars I’ve buried deep down inside—if she saw the darkest part of my life—she would never look at me the same. She would see the truth, run for the hills, and never talk to me again.

Which is why I’m keeping my distance, standing here with the guys just watching, and ignoring her presence even if it does calm me. Being around her is the only time I’ve been able to take a deep breath in the last ten years. Except for when I'm out on the ice, that’s always been my space.

Gwen is unique—her personality is a mixture of hot and cold, a bit of sugar, and a lot of spice. She’s like a grown-ass Sour Patch Kid. Starting off a little sour, but once you get to know her, she’s one of the sweetest, most genuine people you’ll ever meet. Then the second you get comfortable with her, she sucker punches you with her fucking sass.

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