Page 43 of Unrivaled

Max’s mouth dropped open. “What? Come on. They don’t make shampoo that costs that much.”

El looked at him with a pitying expression. “Oh, honey.” She touched his hair, which was perfectlyfine, thanks.

But then Max remembered the last time someone else touched his hair… and put the pieces together. “Oh my God. I know who this is from.”

“You do? Because you should commend them on their good taste. I’m jealous.” Then her tone turned suspicious. “Wait a minute. Is this from Bud?”

Bud was Max’s code name for Grady, since he didn’t want to tell El his real name and talking about him without one had gotten annoying. “Probably. He was here before the season started and he definitely made a comment about me using bodywash on my hair.”

“Max Lockhart! You donot!”

“What?” She sounded as scandalized as Grady had been. “It gets the job done!”

“Oh my God.” She put her hands over her face like she couldn’t bear to face the reality of Max’s hygiene decisions. “Tell me that after you’ve used this stuff for a week.”

Max started to scoff—she couldn’t think he’d actually bother using shampooand conditionerwhen he was perfectly fine doing what he’d always done—but then he remembered they played in Philadelphia this week.

Andthenhe started thinking about driving Grady crazy because his hair smelled like the products Grady bought him.

He wanted to know how Grady would react to that.

Damn it, he was definitely using the fancy shampoo.

“Anyway, I thought you said your thing with Bud is just sex.”

“It is,” Max assured her. “Very hot, very casual sex.”

El seemed skeptical. “Uh-huh. And this guy is either very loaded or very judgmental?”

He swallowed a laugh. “Oh, definitely both.”

“Well, remember to thank your sugar daddy properly next time you see him. And tell me about it.”

That reminded him. “Speaking of telling people things….” He gestured.

She tucked her legs up into the chair with her. “I know, I know. I’ll tell him soon. I just… Is it bad that I want him to notice? I mean….” She made a gesture Max interpreted asThese boobs, am I right?“He brought home my favorite bottle of wine tonight and didn’t even blink when I said I didn’t want a glass.”

“Are we sure he doesn’t think you’re a body snatcher?”

“I have no idea what he thinks.” She shook her head. “Orifhe thinks. Maybe he’d notice me if I wore hockey gear around the house. Ugh, that’s the hormones talking.”

“Bad?” Max asked.

El snorted softly. “While you were gone, I teared up because Gru put a hole in his baby. You know, the toy you keep three extras of on hand at all times because of how fast he goes through them.”

“Gru,” Max chided as he scratched under the dog’s chin. “Did you make Auntie El cry?”

“It definitely wasn’t his fault. Poor guy was very concerned about me. I got a lot of kisses.”

“Good boy,” Max crooned.

Gru’s tail stump swished against the couch.

“Anyway, speaking of the hormones.” El waggled her eyebrows. “Any more salacious stories for me? Do you have another appointment with Mystery Man?”

“Not officially.” Max was pretty sure they were going to hook up again after the game this week, but he couldn’t give El too many details. She already knew Bud was a hockey player. There were enough teams in driving distance from Newark that she wouldn’t be able to narrow it down yet, but if Max’s stories all started lining up with Firebirds games…. “He called me while I was in Vancouver, though.”

“Calledyou. Not even sexted. I’m intrigued.” El propped her head on her arms. “How’s his phone sex game?”

---