Page 5 of Tangled Vows

Fuck. Fuck. Fuckity fuck.

Easton Walker. Seriously?Thatwas who I threw myself at that night at the bar? He looked familiar, but I hadn’t realized he was the star hockey player recently traded to the Wraiths, the team I’d just been hired to work for.

This was bad. Really freaking bad.

My heart was beating wildly as I fell into my chair, the tension slowly easing from my body. The jackass was still just as attractive as I remembered, and didn’t that just piss me off? The verbal sparring had done little to ease my still bruised ego, though I felt a surge of satisfaction at the horror on his face when I informed him he had to take my class with the rookies. Unfortunately, that meant I’d have to face him first thing Monday morning.

Groaning, I rubbed my temples. I could feel a headache coming on. This was going to be a long ass season. There would be no escaping him.

My cheeks heated at the thought of having to see him every day. Having thrown myself at him just to have him reject me—and ask me to leave once my clothes came off—wasn’t somethingI wanted to think about. But I’d been reliving that moment over and over again in my head since the second he’d stepped into my office.

You need to leave.

I pinched my eyes shut, willing away the image of his disgust that was burned into my brain. Apparently, my clothes had hidden my flaws enough to convince him to take me home, but once he saw what was underneath, he couldn’t even bear to look at me.

At this point, I should’ve been used to rejection. It started when I was young with my dad and had been a common theme throughout the entirety of my teenage years when I started dating and continued into my early twenties. But for some reason, Easton’s rejection stung a little bit more. Maybe it was because I’d so boldly propositioned him, a stranger, and he sent me packing once he saw what I had to offer. It usually took guys at least a few weeks to realize they didn’t want me. But Easton? He knew the moment my clothes started to come off.

My confidence took a major hit that night, and my pride was wounded. It wasn’t fair that he was still just as painfully gorgeous as I remembered with his piercing hazel eyes and soft lips that were still so damn kissable. I remembered the way they felt against mine, the way his mouth tasted when his tongue slipped inside. I had to remind myself he didn’t feel the same about me. He’d made that perfectly clear when he stripped me down and found me wanting.

Indignation boiled in my veins, and I couldn’t help but want to bring him down a peg or two. And that was why, despite having room in the other sessions, I decided to put him with the rookies for my nutrition class. I knew he’d worked with dieticians before and probably had the best of the best at his disposal in Boston, but he would realize I was just as valuable to this team as anyone else. I’d been disrespected enough bythe men in my life, but that stopped right here. It was time for Easton’s arrogant ass to be humbled, and I was just the girl for the job.

4

EASTON

I’d screwed up. Royally.

Shayla clearly didn’t like me, and I couldn’t exactly blame her. Not only had I sent her away when I desperately wanted to get lost in her decadent curves and sweet scent. I’d insulted her, insinuating she wasn’t qualified to do her job. I’d regretted the words as soon as they were out of my mouth. She hadn’t been able to hide her flinch. It wasn’t just that she’d been offended. It went deeper than that. When she talked about helping cancer patients, it seemed personal, like she was referring to someone she loved. A family member maybe? But she hid her pain behind a sharp tongue and calculating gaze. She would no doubt make me pay for that transgression.

And for some reason, the thought of that made me want her even more. I’d have to be careful around her. I couldn’t let her know that every time I looked at her mouth, all I could think about was having her plump pink lips wrapped around my cock or that my hands were itching to touch her again. I wanted to grab her by those lush hips and tangle my hands in her long dark hair, mussing her sleek tresses as I devoured her mouth.

But I couldn’t indulge my desires any more now than I could then. I was instructed to be on my best behavior, to keep my nose clean and my dick out of … well, anyone. My reputation, and ultimately my career, was at stake.

And now? Shayla was completely off limits for another reason. We worked together, and I didn’t mix business with pleasure. There were probably rules against that anyway. I’d have to suffer through each interaction with her knowing I’d never get to steal her breath with a kiss again or make her moan with my tongue between her thighs. She was an enchantress, but I couldn’t answer her siren’s call. It was too risky.

But that didn’t keep me from fantasizing about all the nasty things I wanted to do with her.

“Fuck,” I groaned as I tried to will my hard-on away. How was I supposed to get through the season when I’d have to see her on a regular basis? I wouldn’t make it if I didn’t do something to take the edge off. I hadn’t been laid in months. Maybe I needed to remedy that before I saw her again.

I pulled my hat low,shielding my eyes from the crowd as I entered the bar. My T-shirt and jeans were casual and unassuming, allowing me to blend in with the crowd. If someone recognized me, I was screwed. Pictures would be up on TMZ before I left the bar.

Tonight, I had one goal in mind: find a woman whose company I enjoyed—and who also didn’t know who I was—go home with her for a mutually enjoyable roll in the hay, and leave before morning. This wasn’t my first rodeo, but it would be the first time I’d done this without flaunting my hockey star status. I didn’t want to be recognized or have women flock to mebecause of my notoriety. I was just Easton, the poor kid from rural Illinois who got lucky the day he missed football tryouts and picked up a hockey stick instead.

Sauntering to the bar, I found an empty stool and dropped onto it. I ordered a beer and turned to scan the crowd while I waited for the bartender to bring my drink. It didn’t take long to find what I was looking for.

The group of women sat around a high-top table, sipping colorful drinks. A cute blonde with legs for days and plump, glossy lips caught my eye. She turned and saw me watching, and I flashed her my signature crooked grin. Her eyelashes fluttered flirtatiously as she returned my smile. She brought the straw of her electric blue cocktail to her lips and took a long draw, sucking hard enough to hollow out her cheeks.

Bingo.

My grin widened, and I locked eyes with her for a second before turning back to the bar and swiping my beer bottle off it. No whiskey for me tonight. That tended to get me into trouble.

I took a long drag of the dark lager and waited. It didn’t take long for the attractive doe-eyed bombshell to make her way over to me. As soon as the stool next to me was vacated, she slid in, brushing her hip against my leg.

“Is this seat taken?” she asked, placing her half-empty drink on the bar.

I turned my full attention to her, keeping my eyes hidden beneath the brim of my cap. “It is now,” I answered with a playful smirk.

“Are you expecting someone, or are you here all by your lonesome?” she asked in a subtle Southern drawl.

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