Page 33 of Ice Bet

I lengthened my spine like I was full of confidence and followed Sutton through the maze of people. Aasher’s insult was the real reason I had come tonight, but without his eyes on me, glaring with annoyance, I wasn’t as eager to gain the stares of all his teammates.

“Get your game face on,” Sutton mused from beside me.

She was the perfect wing-woman for this sort of thing. After I told her about the bet, she went into girl-power mode.

Sully walked toward us and grinned. “Wow.” He completely ignored Sutton.

Red flag number one.

Sutton held my arm up and spun me around by my hand. “She looks hot, huh?”

“She sure does.” Sully’s voice had a little rasp to it, and I eyed him with wariness.

“Hands off, though,” Sutton barked, edging in front of me.

I was surprised at her need to protect me since this wasn’t really part of the plan we had concocted, but I couldn’t blame her. She didn’t know the old Riley. The one who would spend her entire day at the ice rink, working her body tirelessly, refusing to eat so she could belighteron the ice while she strove to fulfill some crazy prophecy of perfection and then head to campus parties with her touchy boyfriend who didn’t understand privacy.

I didn’t need protection from any of these guys.

But of course, she didn’t know that.

“Oh, come on.” Ford slid up beside us and blocked Sully. “She can dance with me, though. Right?”

“I thought there was a hands-off rule when it came to the coach’s daughter,” I joked, snatching his drink and hurling it back in one gulp.

Sully hummed as he moved over to catch my eye. He peered at me from the top of his cup as he poured the rest of whatever alcohol inside his mouth.

“Easy, Duster,” Ford warned, stealing the empty cup from my hand.

One eyebrow rose as he wrapped his palm around my waist. “Don’t let your daddy know you’re at a college party, slugging back beer like some wild party girl.”

I let Ford lead me to the dance floor, relishing the burning alcohol in my belly. I could feel everyone watching me, and I wondered if Aasher was somewhere in the crowd since he was half the reason I’d decided to come tonight.

“It’s a good thing I have Aasher here to babysit me, huh? He’s gotta make sure I don’t let you boys touch me too much and ruin the team.”

Ford dipped me so far back that I almost touched the floor. “You are being awfully naughty, Riley.” Air whizzed past my face when he pulled me back up. “What provoked this behavior?”

“You know as well as I do.”

Ford laughed.

“You’re driving him wild. It better not affect his time on the ice.”

I searched for him, hoping to make my point very clear that his insults weren’t going to stop me from doing what I wanted. I once let a guy take something from me. I wasn’t going to let Aasher take something too, even if it was as trivial as showing up at the same party and shoving a bet down his teammates’ throats.

“And what is he going to do? Put me over his shoulder and take me home like the good little boy that he is?”

“Damn.” Ford’s smile was full of mirth. “You're feisty tonight.”

“Only when it comes to a certain meaty hockey player watching my every move so he can make sure I never get laid by a hockey player.”

Ford threw his head back and laughed, but his playfulness turned serious real quick. “He’s just worried.”

The song changed tempo. Ford moved my hands to his shoulders, and we swayed like we were in middle school. “He thinks I’m some sort of temptress who is going to seduce the team and ruin your chances at a championship.” I laughed because the idea was so idiotic. Plus, I knew it was more about the bet than anything. He could pretend he wanted toprotectme, but really, he just didn't want me to let them reach the objective and mess everything up.

Ford darted his eyes away. “Partly.”

Partly?

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