Page 45 of Her Greatest Mistake

I only manage to take one step toward them before Brody pushes himself in front of me and leans in close enough I can smell his beer breath before singing, “Nope. Not happening.”

“Oh, it’s happening.” I step to the side, but he follows me. A harsh exhale parts my lips. “Get out of my way.” I sweeten my tone. “Please.”

He laughs. “Nah. You need to chill. It’s one girl. There are at least ten of them here that would love a trip around the sun with Maddox Hutton.”

I wince. “No thanks.”

As far as my team and everyone else knows, I’m far from a virgin, and I plan to keep it that way. They would never let me live it down if they knew the truth.

Tossing his hands up, he jostles the liquid in his red cup, and it spills over the lip and onto his shoes. He groans. “Look what you made me do, Madman. This is a sign from God himself. Don’t go over there.”

“I’m going over there,” I declare before extending my arm and pushing my beer against his chest. He grabs it from me.

“Want me to save this for you, or . . .?”

“Drink it, dump it. I don’t care.”

He shrugs and lifts it to his lips before tipping it back. I pat him on the back and leave him there as the movement has him choking on the warming froth and coughing a couple of times.

My pace is hurried, and my blood burns hotter and hotter the closer I get to the two of them. Sure, Collins is sitting on his own beanbag, but if he’s in talking distance, he’s still too fucking close to her.

“I actually have an Australian shepherd. She’s a big cuddler. I think she would love you,” Collins says, all easy confidence.Jackass.

My jaw is so clenched I’m waiting to hear the telltale crack of broken bones.

“Awe, how old? Shepherds are my favourite breed of working dog,” Braxton replies, grinning.

“I don’t know about working, but Collins is quite the dog,” I interrupt. “You should hear his locker room talk.”

Braxton’s eyes fly up to meet mine as she quirks a brow. Collins, on the other hand, glares at me like he wishes I would fuck right off. The feeling is mutual, so I only grin in response.

“Got room on that thing for me, Curly Fry?” I ask Braxton, but I’m already on my way over and squishing myself beside her on the beanbag before she can reply. It’s clear there is not enough room for both of us like this, but there’s an easy solution to that.

With one arm around her back, I slip my hand beneath the thigh pressed to mine and lift her onto my lap. She stiffens briefly, but I kiss the back of her head, and she relaxes. I adjust my arm around her so I can lay my hand on her thigh as I stare at Collins with a possessive look that I’m not the least bit ashamed of.

“That’s better,” I murmur.

He rolls his eyes and folds his arms across his chest but doesn’t say anything. If he did, it wouldn’t end well.

First day on the team, I warned them away from my girl—my best friend—and told them what would happen if they went around me and tried something. He’s lucky having Braxton in my arms has made it impossible to follow through with the repercussions.

Later.

I curl the hand on her thigh into a fist to keep from stroking it with my fingers and softly bump her cheek with mine.

“I’m sorry I was gone for so long. Brody is a needy birthday boy,” I mumble.

She laughs softly. “It’s fine. Collins was good company. Don’t be a jerk to him.”

“I wasn’t a jerk.”

“You were.”

“He knows better,” I whisper against the back of her ear.

Fuck. I think she just shivered. No, she definitely did.

“Knew better than to what? Converse with your best friend? Protective much?” she asks, voice strained.

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