Page 74 of Rule Breakers Fall Hardest

Like he can feel my gaze, he looks over. His eyes glide over me and land on Bertie. Instantly, he sits up straighter and looks away. But a moment later, he covertly glances back and gives her a quick once-over.

“Luke Covey is looking at you again,” I tell her.

“Who?”

I try to hide my smile. “The same hockey player who was checking you out by the locker room the other night.”

“Which one is he?” She angles forward so she can peer at the group occupying the booth.

“Hold on, this will be easier.”

I bring up my social media account and type in his name. Nothing comes up. I put in the handle for the Aldridge hockey team instead, then scroll until I find a picture of him.

“This guy.” I pass my phone to her.

Her jaw drops. “Him?” A pink hue rushes to her cheeks. She sinks into the booth, shoving my phone back at me like it’s a snake.

“Yeah. Why are you so freaked out?”

She leans forward, keeping her head low, and hisses, “I hooked up with him.”

My jaw drops. “When?”

She exhales shakily. “Freshman year. It was before I met Tommy. Obviously.” Her hand trembles as she tucks a strand of blond hair behind her ear.

“I need details. How come you never told me about this?”

She takes a sip of her margarita and holds it out in front of her, surveying it. Wrinkling her nose, she goes in for another sip that turns into a gulp. “It was at the very beginning of the year. One of the first parties we went to. We weren’t really friends yet, and after I met Tommy I just… didn’t think about it anymore. It’s not like we exchanged names.”

“Was the sex bad?”

She snorts. “Far from it. It was…” The color in her cheeks darkens. “Phenomenal. Best I’ve ever had.” She sinks down slowly in the booth.

“Wow.” I lift my margarita glass and tip it toward her. “Good for you. It seems like he might be interested in revisiting it—fuck, he’s getting up.”

“What?” Bertie practically shrieks, her eyes going wide with horror.

“He’s coming this way,” I warn.

She looks one way, then the other, sinking lower, like she wants to melt into the booth behind her.

Luke stops beside our table and shoves his hands into his pockets. He tips his head at me in greeting before setting his eyes on Bertie. “Hi.”

His voice is deep and sensual. As that one word settles over Bertie, her shoulders lower and her throat bobs with a swallow. “Hi.”

“You wanna dance?”

I’ve been here at least a hundred times, and not once have I seen Luke pay any attention to a girl, let alone ask one to dance.

Bertie, bless her, points at herself. “Me?”

He chuckles, blue eyes sparkling. “Yeah. You.”

“Go.” I mouth the word at her.

“I … okay.”

I grin at her, my heart practically floating as she slides from the booth. Luke puts his hand on the small of her back, guiding her over to the dance floor. As much as I want to watch, I don’t want to put that kind of pressure on my best friend, so I pull out my phone to distract myself.

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