Page 39 of Twisted Collide

I tilt my head. “Am I a water girl?”

He smirks, lifting his shoulders. “You might be.”

I pinch my lips together while I try to think of a witty rebuttal, but I’m saved by another voice. One I know far too well.

“Leave the girl alone.” Dane’s husky tone makes my knees feel weak, but then his words filter in through my brain, and my stomach turns.

The girl.

He knows just how to rile me up. I’m so damn sick of him acting as though I’m a fucking child. I’m a grown-ass woman. One who certainly caught his attention.

If steam could come out of my ears, it would.

He wants to be an ass, fine, but that just means I’ll have to come up with my own brand of torture.

My lips tip into a smile. This will be fun.

“It’s Josie. Or Josephine. Not ‘the girl.’” I turn my attention back to Hudson, batting my eyelashes and laying it on real thick. “Coming right up, Hudson.” I draw out his name seductively, knowing full well it will piss off Dane. I look at Hudson. “Anything else?”

“I’m good. What about you, Dane? You good?”

“I’m fine,” he grits out through clenched teeth.

“Doesn’t seem that way.” I smile broadly. “You seem awfully tense. Or maybe . . . constipated?”

Hudson barks a laugh. “She’s got you there.”

“Cute,” he mocks before turning toward Hudson. “I said I’m fine.”

“Very well. I’ll be back.” I walk off in the opposite direction, making sure to swing my ass and give the boys a view.

There. Take that.

One point to me. Once I’m in the back, I find the stash of water and then return. The moment Hudson sees me, he smirks, skating over to where I am. I walk to the edge of the ice and hand him the bottle.

From the corner of my eye, I watch as Dane skates around the ice.

He is so gorgeous. No one should be that handsome.

With his helmet on, I can’t see his hair, but I can see his jawline. Damn, he’s like a Greek god.

Poseidon.

Technically, Boreas is the god of ice, but Dane Sinclair is not cruel enough for that moniker.No, I prefer Poseidon, grumpy by nature but not outright evil.Plus, he has a trident.

Too bad he’s off-limits and an ass.

Sperm donor’s number one rule. No dating my daughter. Okay, he didn’t say date. He said no anything with my daughter. A wide net was thrown on what these guys can’t do with me.

I stare ahead, wondering if there’s any way around that rule, when I hear Laurie.

“Josie! Need help.”

“Coming,” I shout back, pulling my gaze away from the ice and ignoring Hudson.

I head to where Laurie is, and she’s holding a stack of towels.

“We’re short-staffed, and the guy who usually puts these in the locker room isn’t here.” She reaches out, and I raise my arms to grab them. “Do me a favor and bring these to the locker room; it’s empty now, so it’s a good time.”

---