Page 89 of Ice Dance Hockey

“I have one every morning. I call it the Rhett-o-nator because it gets me going.”

I laugh. “Of course, you do.” I can’t deny how delicious it is, though, and I have to slow down, or I’ll drink it too fast.

He leans across the counter, watching me drink his creation with pure adoration shining in his hazel eyes. “As I was saying, I don’t want to win by default. I want your heart because you want to give it to me. Because I’m the best choice for you. I want to prove to you that I am the best choice.”

He’s so outrageous, I want to join in. “Convince Merc that you are. Do that and I’ll date you for real.”

He frowns. The hope deflates from his system. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am.”

“Now we’re convincing my father and your … guardian?”

“He’s not my guardian.”

“He gave you a curfew.”

“It’s the house curfew. Everyone is home by that time, or we call. It’s a courtesy.”

He doesn’t agree with my assessment. “Anyway, this is a tall order,” he says.

“If we can’t convince them both, then we shouldn’t be together. That’s the best offer you’re getting. I shouldn’t be giving you the time of day for what you did with Scott alone.”

“Bullshit,” he says. “You like me for me. Even the asshole parts of me. If I weren’t at least part asshole, you wouldn’t have given me a second glance.”

I glare daggers at him. I hate that he’s right.

“Even the reason you were angry with me?—”

“Still am, Rhett.”

“Even the reason youareangry with me has less to do with me being an asshole and everything to do with that you thought I was playing games with you.”

“Which is what an asshole would do.”

“Agreed, but that’s a different kind of asshole and I’m not that kind of an asshole. I’m a caveman and I will always be a caveman. If you didn’t like that it wouldn’t work between us, but you do and so it does.”

I blink at him. He’s right, but I don’t want him to be right. I want to like nice guys like Scott. Scott got caught up in the moment, but he apologized for it and corrected himself. Rhett continued on being a caveman.

“I’ve never had a boyfriend before. I don’t know what I like. Maybe your behavior is fun for me short term, like reading a fictional novel about it would be because it’s not real, but it will get old fast. Not to mention, we’re a fake couple and I don’t have to care about your behavior.”

“But you did.”

“And it was a mistake I won’t repeat.” I clamp my teeth together.

“We’ll see. Drink your shake, darling.”

If it didn’t taste so good, I’d throw it at his head. I drink it as he walks off down the hall. What the hell is he up to? My patience is thin, so I don’t bother chasing after him. I sip the smoothie that actually fills my belly and by the time I’m done, he’s returned with what looks like a journal and a pen.

“Your private journal?”

He nods. “Write down what your boundaries are with Scott, and I’ll tell you mine.”

“Why are we using your journal? We’ve got iPhones for stuff like this, or even a scrap piece of paper.”

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