Page 38 of Tempest

I never forgot Odette. Maybe she didn’t forget everything, either.

“I know. I did try to give you tickets,” I remind her.

“I was otherwise engaged,” she says elusively, and I get the impression it was with the stuffy dude. “Maybe try again.”

“Really?”

“Why do you sound so surprised?”

“Because I’ve been trying to get you to give me the time of day for a month now and you’ve been ignoring me.”

“It’s hard to break years of practice,” she says quietly as she watches the houses we pass outside the window.

“Odette, I’m…”

“No, Gavin,” she interrupts. “We’re not talking about it.”

“Whatever you want,” I say, reaching for her hand. She doesn’t pull it away, a small win, but I’ll take what I can get. We will have to talk about it, sooner rather than later. I’ll give her more time, though, since she’s giving me some of hers.

We fall into silence for the rest of the short drive to Zander’s house.

“Stay put,” I tell her before rushing around to open the car door for her.

“I can get in and out of vehicles on my own, Vaughn,” she snarks.

“I’m aware,” I tell her, standing close enough that our bodies brush against each other when I help her out. I don’t move right away, opting to breathe her in instead, watching the way her lips part ever so slightly and the vein at her neck pulses harder.

I may not be a married man like she prefers, but I still affect her.

Game fucking on, Quinn.

“Oh, fuck. She’s here,” Lehtinen says as soon as we walk in the door of the house Zander shares with his partners, Damian and Willa.

“Is he talking about me?” Odette whispers to me, eyes wide.

“He’s a fan.”

“You’re kidding?”

“You don’t think you have fans?” I ask, and she shakes her head. “You’re gorgeous and adorable, Quinn.”

“Hi!” Lehtinen says loudly, rushing up to the two of us before we’ve barely taken three steps inside. “I’m Oliver. Olly. Or Letty. Or whatever you want to call me. Future husband, maybe?”

“Shut the fuck up, man,” I say, as both Odette and I laugh. “Odette, this is Oliver Lehtinen. Your biggest fan, evidently. And the Blades’ resident shithead.”

“That’s me,” he confirms, aggressively nodding his head without looking away from Odette.

“It’s nice to meet you, Oliver.”

“Likewise. You’re beautiful. Has anyone told you that? Dumb question, I’m sure you hear it all the time.”

“It never hurts to hear it again, though,” she says playfully.

“I’ll tell you all the time,” he says, holding out his arm to her. “Come on, I’ll introduce you around.”

What the fuck? I’m being cockblocked by my own teammate.

“Oh, yeah. Okay. You’ll catch up, Vaughn?” She hands me the bag with the wine.

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