Page 85 of Ice Dance Hockey

He smiles too gleefully, knowing I’m full of shit. He’s going to play this up, isn’t he? Yep. He brings my knuckles to his lips, pressing a kiss there. “Won’t you get cold without your jacket on, dearest?”

I do regret changing out of Jack’s hoodie and into a T-shirt before the walk, but I was okay in my rain jacket. I don’t get to answer. In whirls Scott, with his hair neatly cut and a pair of shades on his head, even though there’s no sun to be seen. Though he’s clearly spent his time in the little sun we’ve had, or maybe a tanning bed, because his skin has a fresh bronze layer.

“Hey, Logan. Oh, Rhett. Didn’t know you’d be here, too.”

“Neither did I,” I mutter under my breath. “That, okay?”

Scott looks between us. Rhett still has my hand firmly in his and I’m not ready to let go either, if I’m honest. I’m still pissed at him, but he’smymisbehaved gorilla and everyone else can back right off. Whatever Scott sees doesn’t bother him at all. “This’ll be good. Let me get my coffee and prepare for the inquisition.”

He leaves, and I lean toward Rhett’s ear. “Donotembarrass me.”

“But sweetheart, Scott knows exactly what this is.”

“A pissing contest?”

“Precisely.”

“Fun, but I should warn you, you’re at great risk of?—”

“Having my nuts carved off with a spoon? Go ahead. At least you’ll be touching my nuts.”

As I’m silently vowing not to speak to him for the rest of eternity, Scott slides into his seat smoothly, amusement playing on his face. “So? Am I finally getting the ‘keep your hands off my boyfriend’ talk?”

Rhett sits up, and the poise of the man who raised him takes form. He’s about to enter a business deal and apparently that business deal is me. It gets more ridiculous by the second. So much so that amusement suppresses some of my anger. I’m not certain of how deep Rhett’s feelings go. I’m still not sure that it’s not just a passing fancy. I could merely be the first glimpse of a feeling he’s gotten since Jack that he’s decided to latch onto.

But while we might not be real, Rhett’s possessive nature is, and that lights me up like a scoreboard. Fuck, he really hates sharing, doesn’t he? This is hard for him and the suffering is palpable.

I sit back to enjoy the show. I hope the rest of this joint is watching, too. Um, maybe not too closely though. The others probably shouldn’t know the details of what we’re discussing.

“No,” he says with grit teeth and a tight jaw. “This is me giving my formal consent, but there are rules. Discretion is important, understand?”

“Yeah, I get it. Probably wouldn’t look too good for the mayor’s son to be in a relationship that others will view as risky. What are the rules then, Elkington?” Scott says.

“Shouldn’t you two be asking me?” I ask.

“No,” they both say at the same time.

Really?Crossing my arms, I give them both the death stare. Scott ducks his head. At least he has the decency to show some chagrin.

“Sorry. Got carried away there. You’re right, Lowey. Of course, we should be asking you.”

Rhett says nothing.

The door opens and a cool breeze blows in. A shiver runs up my spine and my teeth chatter. I should put my jacket on, but it’s wet and gross from bearing the elements for hours. I rub my bare arms.

“What are you doing without a jacket?” Scott says.

“Letting mine dry.”

“Ah. Here, take mine,” he says.

I accept the jacket with Rhett seething beside me. He doesn’t have a jacket to offer me.

The rest of the coffee “date” is awkward, and I pray for it to end. Scott, sensing the same, begs off. “See you on the ice tomorrow,” he says to me.

As soon as we’re in the car, Rhett turns on the heater. “Take that off.”

I shrug out of the jacket, not in the mood to argue about yet another thing because I have too many other things to address. “You’re the world’s biggest asshole and if you think I’m going to comply with whatever rules you come up with for me and Scott, you’re wrong.”

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