Page 127 of Offside Angel

I turn back to Mira. “I don’t think they’re gonna let us sneak back to the bedroom, so I guess we should go.”

She holds out a dainty hand, her wedding ring gleaming in the hallway light. “Lead the way, Mr. Whitaker.”

48

MIRA

“Oh my God!” Jemma’s voice is slushy as she grabs my arm, shaking me even though she’s talking to the entire group. “We’re just down the street from that bar.”

She blinks at us all, waiting for someone to say something.

Finally, Reeves steps in. “My darling, we’re downtown. There are a hundred different bars. We’re actually in one right now.”

“We’re in a steakhouse that has a bar,” she argues. “That’s different. But you know the one I’m talking about. The one with the—” She wiggles her arms in the air like seaweed and then flashes her hands like a strobe light.

Miraculously, Rachelle snaps her fingers. “The cocktail lounge that has bubble machines in the floor!”

“Yes!” Jemma hugs Rachelle. “I knew someone would get it. You’re so smart.” She kisses Rachelle sloppily on the cheek and twists back to me. “Do you know the place, Mira? Have you been there? Do you want to go?”

She’s firing so many questions at me, I can’t keep up. “Oh, uh?—”

“We’ve been to that cocktail lounge before.” Zane’s hand tightens on my waist. “We had a great time. They have nice bathrooms, too. Spacious.”

Jemma is too busy making afterparty plans that she is definitely going to be too drunk to attend to find Zane’s comment weird.

“Do you want everyone here to know we had sex in a public bathroom?” I hiss under my breath.

No one is paying any attention to us, though. Jemma isn’t the only one who made good use of the open bar. The rookies are playing a very obvious game of beer pong in the back corner, despite the wall of muscle they’ve employed to try to hide it from the coaches. And everyone else is gathered around tables, sharing highlights and horror stories from the season.

Zane and I are the only ones left on this far edge of the room. The low lights have us almost hidden in shadow.

I feel the exhale of his laugh against my ear. “No, but I’m down for round two if you are.”

Heat curls low in my belly, and I have to lean into Zane’s side to stay standing. “But we’ll miss the ceremony.”

“It’s already over. Jace retired. That was the big news of the night.”

Everyone knew this would be Jace’s final season, but there still wasn’t a dry eye in the house when he stood up in front of the team and thanked them for all the good years. Davis was an inconsolable mess and muttered something about boycotting Jace’s media announcement next week.

As soon as Jace finished his speech, he huddled up with Coach Popov in a corner and hasn’t left since. I keep wondering what they’re talking about, but Zane is convinced it isn’t important.

“We should at least stay until Coach Popov dismisses us.”

“We aren’t kids in school,” he teases. “I had no idea my wife was such a rule follower.”

“And I had no idea you were in such a hurry to leave your own award ceremony!”

“I’m in a hurry to get out of here so I can get into you.” He dips his chin and takes my earlobe between his teeth. As if we aren’t standing in the middle of his work function!

My body flames and I slap my hand on his thigh, digging my nails in as a warning. I’m not sure if the warning is for him or myself.

“It feels like I’m starting to convince you.” His tongue flicks out to drag across my neck. “Come on, Mira. Leave with me. Let me take you out of here and fu?—”

Shrill feedback from the mic blasts through the speakers and everyone winces.

“Sorry.” Coach Popov taps the microphone a few times like that might help. “I’m more comfortable barking orders from the sidelines than using a microphone.”

Everyone laughs while I give Zane a smug I told you so look. He just shifts behind me and loops an arm around my chest, pinning me against his body.

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