Page 37 of Dirty Pucker

Aww Dirty Del is cute when he’s smitten

I slide off the jacket I’m wearing, leaving me in a sleeveless top and jeans. It’s a pleasant sixty-eight degrees today, so I shouldn’t feel hot. But those comments, combined with the memory of how Del looked at me when I filmed him the other day, have me burning up.

Because that’s exactly how it felt when he looked at me—like he was eyefucking me.

My skin tingles at the memory of his gaze gliding along the length of my hair, that ridiculously hot half-smile he flashed, how he winked at me as he skated off.

I clear my throat and look at my best friend. “He was just being a little flirty,” I say after a moment.

“A little?” Maya laughs. “The chemistry between you guys is fiery hot. Even strangers on TikTok can see it.”

I open my mouth to protest, but I don’t. Because she’s right. Del and I are attracted to each other, no question.

“We’re just friends, Maya.”

Her head falls back as she laughs again. “So? You can be friends and still fuck each other’s brains out.”

I tilt my head at her.

She blinks her big brown doe eyes. “You can.”

I almost laugh at her insistent tone. “Maya, we work together. I’ve had this job for a total of one month. This is my first real, legitimate job where I’m working for a company that’s not owned by my family. I’m not going to screw up the biggest professional opportunity of my life by messing around with one of the players on the team I work for.”

Maya sighs. “Okay, fair point. Maybe I was being a little crude by suggesting a straight-up friends-with-benefits arrangement. But it’s not like everything is off-limits. You could date him. Xander and Sophie worked out, and they started off in a similar dynamic as you and Del.”

I think about what Maya says. She’s right. There are no official rules for the Bashers team organization when it comes to dating. Sophie, the team doctor, and Xander, the star player, have been in a serious relationship for months and everyone associated with the team is fine with it.

A sliver of doubt lingers in the back of my mind though.

What if Del and I dated and it didn’t work out? That would make working for the Bashers insanely awkward. If we couldn’t get past the awkwardness, I’d probably end up having to quit…and then I’d be known as the spoiled rich girl who couldn’t keep a normal job.

“You shouldn’t write off Del completely,” Maya says. “It could turn into something amazing.”

“What’s amazing?” Theo says as he walks up to her and slinks his arm around her waist. He pulls her in for a quick kiss.

She grins at him and holds up her glass. “This sangria. So amazing.”

I shoot her a grateful smile for not bringing up Del. Even though Del defended Theo during their last game, I know Theo still doesn’t like him. He’d give me an earful if he knew just how into Del I am.

Theo grabs Maya’s glass and takes a sip. “Damn. That is good. Hey, who made this?” he turns and hollers to everyone at the barbecue.

“I did,” Del says as he stands by the massive grill a dozen feet away from us.

Theo’s expression instantly sobers. “It’s decent.”

Maya and I elbow him at the same time. “It’s delicious, Del,” Maya says.

I smile at Del, my tummy tingling as he aims his dark gaze at me. “Really, really good,” I tell him.

The corner of his mouth twitches as he looks at me, then Maya. “Thanks.”

I make my way over to him and try not to stare at him too much. I can’t help it though. He looks positively edible in the gray henley and jeans he’s wearing.

“Hey.” I bite back a smile.

His mouth is a straight line, but the heat in his gaze is crystal clear. “Hey.” He takes a sip from his beer bottle. “So you like my sangria?”

He runs his tongue along the seam of his thick lips. My tongue tingles, wishing I could kiss him.

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