Page 170 of Branded
But…I didn’t mind going with Beth.
Hell, I’d gotten off on thinking about her wearing those boots she’d bought, the panties and nightgown.
I didn’t mind schlepping her shit because I knew she was okay, knew she was eating and drinking enough, knew that she was with me.
Trouble.
I was in so much fucking trouble.
And I didn’t mind that either.
“Hey, dopey.” Smitty punched me again, and I realized a bunch of the guys were moving out of the main locker room, having tossed their gear in the various bins and cubbies, their jerseys in another. I was still fully dressed, only having dropped my stick in the rack outside the door. “Pull it together before Beth sees you being a dumbass on camera.”
Unfortunately, Smitty was right.
I’d had a good game, had already been given the high sign that I was going to have a few interviews. At least one of those would probably be on camera, so if I didn’t want to look dopey sitting there in my full gear, including my helmet, I should probably get moving.
So I did.
First my helmet then slipping off my jersey, shoulder pads and ignoring Smitty when he mouthed, “Beth.” A toss had the jersey in the bin, a twist had my pads hung up, my helmet on the shelf, and I had just enough time to plunk a hat on my sweaty-ass hair before the press came in.
Most of the questions were the same typical shit—how’d it felt to get a win, why we got it this time and not before, what was the outlook for the rest of the season.
But there was a new woman asking questions that were smarter and a hell of a lot more fun to answer than the typical stuff.
From what I knew of Eva Moreno, she was a blogger and podcaster, and had recently been picked up to do some commentating for a local sports show.
I could also see that she was gorgeous and smart…
And her eyes kept drifting toward Theo as I talked.
Maybe I should be offended, considering Theo seemed to be deliberately avoiding any and all eye contact with the pretty blond reporter, but instead, my spidey senses were prickling.
Hmm.
Watching that showdown was definitely more fun than being on the receiving end of Smitty’s attention about Beth.
Plus, Theo needed a good woman.
“Right,” Eva said, hitting the button to stop the recording app and tucking her cell away. “Thanks for your time.”
I nodded. “Of course.” Then couldn’t resist adding, “Though Theo might have something more to say about it.”
A flash in her coffee-colored eyes, maybe annoyance, maybe trepidation, but she didn’t back off like I half expected. Instead, her chin came up, and I watched her shoulders straighten as she pulled out her cell again. Then she marched over to Theo.
Whose eyes flared with something that had me knowing a showdown between him and Eva definitely would be fun to watch.
Yeah, so much more fun being on this end.
And yeah, just call me Smitty for all my nosiness and matchmaking tendencies.
Grinning, I moved in through the door and down the hall to the private locker room, where the guys could cool down, shower, and dress without the risk of cameras catching anything…or in actuality, without the cameras catching Smitty’s naked ass strutting through the room “air-drying” because he couldn’t be bothered with a towel.
Like right then.
Because seriously, I entered the space and immediately saw Smitty.
Naked and coming out of the shower.
