Page 23 of Playboy

Gabby shook her head. “He’s so full of shit.”

“Yes, he is,” Playboy admitted, laughing again.

“So, what about you? What brings you up here tonight?” She asked, changing the subject.

“Duke and his girlfriend are back. So, the team is throwing them a little welcome home dinner.”

“Ah! I did hear something about that. Oliver and Leo were talking about them earlier. Wasn’t there some guy after her or something like that?”

Jesus. Word did travel fast around this place.He thought to himself.

“Yeah, but thankfully, that ordeal is over. The threat was neutralized, and they are both okay.”

“Well, that’s good to hear, and I’m glad they both can put that trouble behind them.”

It was rare to see Gabby at Bayside alone. She usually had a friend with her. “Did you come alone, or are you meeting one of your friends?” He asked, hoping he could steal some one-on-one time with her.

“I’m flying solo tonight. Luna was going to come, but a friend of hers called and asked her to go to some party thing in the woods.”

Playboy, of course, knew Luna. In fact, most people at Bayside did. Not only was she Gabby’s friend and roommate, but she also believed that she was a wolf shifter. She even wore grey wolf ears and sometimes a matching wolf tail. She also had fangs specially made for her teeth. He wouldn’t lie, the whole wolf thing had sort of freaked him out the first time he saw her when she walked into Bayside with Gabby one night.

“A wolf party?” Playboy guessed with a raised eyebrow. He was trying to keep his composure, but he could feel his smile breaking through his serious expression.

Gabby snorted a laugh as she nodded. She then looked up at the sky.

“It’s a full moon tonight.”

Playboy followed, looking up at the moon that illuminated the area with its powerful glow.

“According to Luna, during full moons, wolves have celebrations to honor some sort of moon goddess.”

Playboy bit his lip, trying his best not to laugh out loud at how ridiculous that sounded. But then Gabby started to giggle.

“I love my best friend, but sometimes I wonder about her,” she said laughingly.

Playboy laughed along with her. “Hey. To each their own, right?”

Gabby smiled at him. “Absolutely.”

He knew he needed to head inside because it was just a matter of time before his teammates would start calling or texting him, asking him where he was. However, he was enjoying spending time with Gabby and didn’t want it to end. But then again, maybe it didn’t have to end. He had his opening. Now, he just needed to act on it before he lost his courage.

He nervously slipped his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

“Since you’re alone, would you like to join me and my team for dinner?” He asked her, holding his breath as she appeared to think about it.

“I don’t want to intrude on a team thing,” she said, but Playboy was quick to respond.

“You won’t be. It is a very casual dinner. I wouldn’t be surprised if Nails had his flavor of the week with him,” he responded with a roll of his eyes.

His comment about Nails made her laugh. “I’ve heard about his reputation.”

“Yeah, one would think he would’ve received the nickname ‘Playboy.’”

Gabby looked up at him. “I would actually love to hear how you got that nickname.”

He rolled his eyes playfully. “That is a story for another time. But I can assure you that it isn’t what you think it means.” God, he hated his call-sign. Everyone he met always thought it meant he slept around.

She raised one of her eyebrows. “Now, you have me intrigued.”