Page 41 of Pucking the Team
Dylan gave a huff of amusement. “Sure does, Pip.” He kissed the round of my shoulder.
No one called me Pip. I just didn’t tolerate it, but hearing it from Dylan, in his deep voice and with his breath warming my skin, it was the sweetest endearment.
“I cannot believe this.” Eduardo flung his arms high and then let them slap to his sides. “You swore off one-night stands after that rink bunny squealed to the press, and now this…you are your own worst enemy, Dylan.”
“What happened with the rink bunny?” I asked with a frown.
Dylan shrugged. “The last one I hooked up with got paid by a reporter to spill the details of our night together and, well, it wasn’t exactly vanilla.”
“Ah, I see.” So Dylan knew what it was like to get bad press. And perhaps that was why he’d said it had been a while since he’d fucked.
And not exactly vanilla? Now I was really intrigued.
“And what do you guys know,” Dylan was saying. “Maybe this ain’t a one-night stand.”
“Are you fucking mad?” Theo tapped the side of his own head. “She was marrying some other dude two days ago. This is rebound.”
“Hey.” I didn’t like having my actions judged, but he did have a point. I had practically bounced into bed with Dylan.
“Oui,it is,and we met Steven, what abâtard.” Eduardo balled his fist and smacked it into his palm. “I would have liked to slam him into the Plexi a few times. Shown him who is boss.”
“I think you did show him,” I said, reaching for a glass of water on the bedside table.
“Not as much as I would have liked.” Eduardo glared at his balled fist.
Ben checked his Apple watch. “You both need to get up and dressed, flight in three hours.”
“What?” Dylan turned to the bedside clock. “Shit, I really slept in.”
“That’s why we are here.” Eduardo rolled his eyes. “To get you up out of your lazy bed. You did not answer your phone.”
My heart sagged. I had been expecting it, but it had happened just the same. These guys were about to get on a plane and cross the Atlantic Ocean. I’d never see them again. And that was a damn shame when they were all crazy hot, and truth be told, I’d have had a great time with any of them last night.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. What was the matter with me?
“You, too,” Theo said. “Pippa, you need to get dressed and packed, too.”
“Of course, yes, I’ll get out of the room.”
“No, not because of the room,” Theo said, “You’re coming with us.”
“What?” My jaw dropped; I could feel the air rush into my mouth. Had I heard him right?
“You’re coming with us.” Theo gestured at the door. “Brick’s concussion has grounded him for seventy-two hours, which means there’s a spare seat in Business, a spare seat for you.”
“But…but…I can’t…”
“Of course you can.” Ben smiled at me in that reassuring way of his. “We’ve cleared it with Gina, she’s cool about it, she just needs your details to change the name on the booking.” He shrugged. “You wanted a ticket far away, and here it is. Fate or destiny or whatever it is you believe in has delivered.”
“You guys…” I looked between Theo, Ben, and Eduardo. “You’ve already done so much and—”
“Some more than others.” Eduardo rolled his eyes at Dylan.
Dylan ignored him.
“You need to get as far away from Steven as you can,” Theo said, almost spitting the name Steven. “We won’t rest if we leave you in the same country as him.”
“That’s all very sweet and thoughtful of you, but—”
