Page 49 of Penalty Shots

"You put in there that I need to date someone."

I swallow. "Yes. It's my recommendation that you distance yourself from the whole situation with Redmond by showing the public that there's nothing going on between the two of us."

He shifts uncomfortably. "And is that what you want? For me to distance myself?"

He reaches into his pocket and takes out a red lollipop—Keelan's personal vice.

I eye it. "Why are you always eating those?"

"You're changing the subject, Rina." He walks in further and leans against the wall, watching me.

"I need you to do whatever it takes so that neither of us loses our jobs, Keelan."

He pulls the lollipop out of his mouth and looks at it. Then he does this thing where he looks directly at me as his tongue laps the treat in his hand seductively before he sucks it back into his mouth.

My mouth goes dry at the sight of it—that tongue.

"My dad used to give me a lollipop after every game he played. He told me that by the time I was done eating it, he'd be done getting ready, and we could go home. And he was. Every time."

He pulls it out of his mouth and sucks it back in again.

"But… why red ones?"

A grin pulls at the corner of his mouth. "I'll give you one guess, Your Majesty."

I watch him, my body heating up from how close he is. And how alone we are.

I have a feeling I know exactly why red ones…, but I don't want to assume and feel like an idiot.

"Because cherry's your favorite flavor?"

He pushes off the wall and comes up to my bed. "Nope." He places a hand on the bed and leans in. "Guess again… beautiful."

I'm pretty sure if it wasn't so dark in my room, we'd both be able to see that I am currently the color of said lollipop. The room suddenly feels like a sauna.

My eyes trail down the length of his body. "Is it because Red Dye number 40 turns you on?"

He chuckles, low and deep. "No, Rina. Red dye doesn't turn me on."

He's so close now I can almost taste the cherry lollipop myself. He always has a damn lollipop hanging out of his mouth.

I pull it out of his mouth, and it pops past his lips. "You know these give you cavities," I say, rolling the stick around in my fingers.

"These are all-natural and packed with vitamins." He licks his lips.

"Is that so?" I say, eyeing the lollipop between us.

"Mmhmm," he hums.

I look at him and slowly slip the lollipop past my own lips, wrapping my tongue around it and sucking gently. I close my eyes as I do, a small moan escaping my throat.

When I open my eyes, Keelan's have dropped down to my lips.

"Tastes pretty good," I admit.

A single growl escapes his chest. "I can think of something that tastes even better."

I swallow the sweet taste before giving it one good lick and slipping it back past his lips.

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