Page 73 of Sin Bin

It’s the image that I carry with me as I finish the game. The announcers off-handedly comment on my lack of trips to the sin bin. For once, the nickname isn’t mentioned, and I’m beyondgrateful.

The guys and I towel off in the locker room after slick showers, and I force my way through an interview with the media, so that Walter Collins will get off Zoe’s case about revitalizing my reputation. She’s doing more than her fair share of work, more than I even realized untilrecently.

I need to shape up, if for no other reason than I want to make her lifeeasier.

“You wanna go toTheBox?”

I glance up at Marshall Hunt, who’s got his towel slung around his neck and not much else on. “Nah, I’m good; thanksthough.”

Zoe and I have a date with food, and as much as I like the guys, they can’t win outoverher.

“Something tells me that your decline has a lot to do with the hot brunette waiting outside the locker room,” Hunt muses, a smile pulling at his pretty-boy features. “I don’tblameyou.”

This time, I don’t even bother with pretending that Zoe and I aren’t currently sleeping together. I offer my teammate a secretive grin, then hook my duffel bag over my shoulder. “Have a good time tonight,” Itellhim.

“You too,Beaumont!”

I ignore his cackling and head straight for home base. As luck would have it, she’s exactly where Hunt said she’d be. And, Jesus, she looks amazing in my jersey. The navy blue and silver material is a tad long, so she’s tucked part of the hem into the waistband of her skintight jeans. Naturally, stilettos accompany the look. Her hair is down, wavy and full, and I don’t bother to stop myself—I drop the duffel on the ground, sink my hands into her soft hair, and angle her lips for adeepkiss.

Her hand goes to my heart. “You played amazing tonight,” she murmurs, pulling back from me. “That assist with McDermott?Sowell-timed.”

Her enthusiasm makes me laugh. “Can you think of it now? Two years ago, you didn’t even knowwhatanassistwas.”

“Give me a little more credit than that,please.”

“I’m sorry, baby, you’re right. I saw theHockey for Dummiesbook you carried around. You were a quickstudy.”

She doesn’t react to the endearment, and I suppose that’s a good thing. Two weeks ago, she would have nailed me in the balls for daring to utter it. Now, she only hums in delight, slipping her hand into mine as we wind our way down the hallway of doom toward the parkinggarage.

As she launches into a story about Tia, her half-sister, finally gearing up the courage to ask her crush out, I can’t help but think she’s hinting that she wants more withme. I don’t do relationships. Ever. But lately, that’s what I wantwithZoe.

To come home to her each night. To slip my arm around her waist as we settle in the bed. To kiss her in the morning when her hair is a mess and her cheek has pillow imprints alloverit.

Fuck me, but Iwantthat. I want all of thatandmore.

“Dateme.”

The words are out before I can stop them, and she halts so abruptly that I lose hold of her hand. Her beautiful brown eyes are wide with shock, her mouth pursed intoanO.

“What?”

Jesus. I’m screwingthisup.

With a glance over my shoulder to check if anyone has followed us, I rake my fingers through my hair, and repeat, “Dateme.”

“I heard it thefirsttime.”

“And?”

“I guess I’m just a little shocked, that’s all,” she answers pertly. “Not to mention the fact that Mr. Collins will have my head if hefindsout.”

I tug at my earlobe. I would never ask Zoe to quit her job. The woman works way too hard just to give it up now. Which means . . . “I’ll find a new PRagency.”

This time, her brows fly up high on herforehead. “What?”

Warming to the thought, I nod my head. “Yeah, it’s perfect, actually. I mean, I won’t leave yet—you still have your trial run, and I’d never jeopardize that. But after, when they begin assigning you new clients, I’ll go elsewhere. That way, your work ethic isn’t beingcompromised—”

“Andre, do you even know how many times you’ve compromised me in the lastfewdays?”

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