Page 45 of Rowdy Hearts

Rowdy held my gaze for another long second, his eyes sparkling with laughter. How did he make them do that? I’d only known the man for a day, but it felt like decades.

I liked him.

I didn’t know if it was the circumstances, or the fact that he wasn’t a city guy, that he had a few rough edges, and I was sick of smooth. Or maybe it was because, for the first time in years, I felt free enough to let go, if only for a little while.

No one knew me here. I could be whoever I wanted to be. Tonight, I wanted to be just a little bit bad.

“Are we done flirting?”

Now his grin was wider than the one he’d had when he’d skated off the ice after the fight.

“Oh, hell, no. We’re just getting started.”

“Then finish it at the damn bar.”

Rebel again, but the crowd gathering behind us added their two cents. Most of which was grumbling about wanting to get a drink.

“I guess we better get out of here before the heathens get even more restless.”

Rowdy nodded, grabbed my hand, then turned to the crowd, which consisted of both hockey teams and both team’s dancers.

“Let’s go have some damn fun.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Rowdy

The driveto The Church wasn’t long enough.

I had Tressy all to myself, and I didn’t want to give that up.

Locked together in the cab of my truck, I considered reversing course and heading to my house. But I knew I had to show up at the bar for the team. My team. Still, I was already counting the minutes until I could get her alone again.

Tressy, on the other hand, couldn’t stop talking about how much she was looking forward to spending time out with other people. I couldn’t tell if she was having second thoughts about the heavy flirting in the hall, or if she was nervous about being alone with me.

Then again, she’d been flirting right back at me?—

Jesus, what the hell’s wrong with you? You sound like a fucking teenager at a high school dance.

“This is a bar?”

Tressy stared out the windshield at the only place in St. Davidthat could accommodate two hockey teams, the Angels and the Does, the Stage Run dance team, and the fans. The Tea Room, where we’d met last night, didn’t have enough space.

“Yep.”

“Wow.”

“Yep.”

Without waiting for her to say anything else, I got out of the truck and walked around to open her door. She gave me a look I couldn’t interpret before she took my hand and let me help her out. We stood there, inches separating us, her lips slightly parted, eyes staring right into mine.

Then she said something under her breath that sounded an awful lot like, “Fuck it,” and leaned forward to kiss me.

Since I was already on my way to meet her, we collided with a shock wave of heat that exploded through my body.

With my hands on her shoulders, I pulled her closer, right up against me, until the warmth of her body seeped through my clothes. Her lips were a little cool, but they moved against mine like fire. She kissed like she knew exactly what she was doing, and I was fast becoming aware that she could tie me into a neat little bow and wrap me around whatever finger she’d like.

She knew exactly how to make me beg, with her lips pressed hard against mine, like she was learning everything about me. Then her lips parted, and she flicked her tongue against my lips, looking for entry.

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