Page 54 of Pick Me

“Ouch. Cardio? If you wanted another round, you should’ve accepted my offer before you left.”

Another round?

“Wait. Is there something going on between the two of you?” Henry looked between us, and I sat up in my seat.

“No.”

“Yes.”

We spoke at the same time. I nearly leaped across the room and karate chopped Jackson into oblivion.What the hell was he trying to do?

“Deny it all you want, Pyro, but I can’t get that night off my mind.”

“Then you’re delusional, because nothing happened.”

“I wouldn’t call it nothing.” That smug smile. I wanted to kill him. “And how do you think Tanner is going to react when he finds out you cheated on his best friend with a hockey player?”

Cheated?

“Have you been drinking, Jackson?”

“Nope.” His eyes locked onto mine, dark and unreadable, sending heat prickling over my skin. I’d seen Jackson angry before, but this? This was something else.

“You know what? I think I should go,” Henry said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder. Unease filled his gaze as he looked between us.

“It’s not what you think,” I said, stepping toward him. “There’s nothing going on between me and Jackson.”

“Speak for yourself,” Jackson muttered under his breath.

Henry backed his way out of the door, shaking his head. “It’s all good. I’ve been caught in a situation similar to this before, and I’ve learned my lesson. It was nice getting to know you, Thea.”

Jackson growled at Henry. What was wrong with him?!

“I’ll, uh, see you guys later.” He couldn’t get out of our apartment quick enough, and skittered out like a scared dog, leaving me with Jackson and his stupid baseball cap.

“Sorry, that didn’t work out for you, Pyro.”

I closed my eyes and blew out a breath before clenching and unclenching my fists. Why, oh why was he so hell-bent on making my life difficult?!

“What is wrong with you?” I gritted out before turning on my heel and stomping toward Jackson, wagging my finger in his face. “You are not my brother, and even if you were, you don’t get to dictate who I date or who I want to bring home.”

Jackson was unfazed by my reaction. “Did you think I did that for Tanner?”

“Why else would you do it?”

He glared at me, his burning gaze prickling my skin at every point his eyes landed on.

“Why else would you want to destroy my barely existent sex life?!” Jackson’s gaze didn’t waiver, pressuring me into talking more. “I mean, how can I be a pick-me if even the guys I’m trying to take home would rather watch some hunky ball player swing a bat than look at me?”

“You aren’t the problem, Thea.” The deep tenor in his voice surprised me. It was unexpected and rough, and as much as I would never admit it out loud, it sent a shiver straight to my core.

I gulped as he stood, making his way over to me. “Do you want to know what your problem is?”

I nodded but blurted out my own answer. “You. You’re my problem. As long as you’re here, you’re going to do my brother’s bidding.”

Jackson scratched his chin and let out a low, sexy chuckle. Shit, I was really in desperate need for some if I was thinking about how sexy Jackson was.

“Nah, T. That’s not your problem. Your problem is that you’re wasting your time with the wrong kind of guys.”

---