Page 69 of Play Your Part

Kennedy knew the truth though. I couldn’t hide the slickness of my palms from her unless I dropped her hand. I wouldn’t; opportunities to be close to her like this shrunk with each passing day.

“If it makes you feel better, she doesn’t make anything easy for me,” I said.

He jutted his chin out in pride. “Good,” he said simply, appraising my expression. Whatever he saw must have answered his questions, because he turned back to his companions. “Let me introduce you.”

The next twenty minutes turned into a series of questions for me about the season. I answered all of them thoroughly, with more enthusiasm than I mustered for the media. When Kennedy stifled a yawn, I told them, “Well, I think we’ve bored Kennedy enough.”

Her father waved a hand. “Nonsense, my daughter loves the game. She used to go to every one with her mother and Deandra. Same seats, center ice, behind the team bench. Even though they could have been in my box, that’s what they preferred.”

“I keep hoping she’ll show up to one of my games.” My gaze bored into the side of Kennedy’s face, but she refused to look at me. Dropping my hand sent the message clear enough.

“Kenny,” her dad chided.

She shrugged. “I’ll show up when he earns it.”

A chorus ofoohsrang out from the group. I elbowed the air, playing along with what only Isuspected wasn’t fully a joke. “See what I have to deal with?”

“Okay, well,thishas been fun but we really should—”

Cale interrupted Kennedy’s attempt to end the conversation. “She’s always been like this, ever since she was a kid. You remember your thirteenth birthday party, Kenny? I think I still have the video—”

“Okay, okay!” she shouted. “No one needs to see that.”

“As much as I’dloveto see that,” I said, sharing a knowing glance with her dad, “let’s not make her too angry. It’ll be a thing for days.”

“Good call. We don’t want it to bleed into the holiday.” Cale paused, deliberating his next words. “Do you already have plans for Thanksgiving, Volk?”

Kennedy’s head snapped to her father, quick as a whip. “Dad, it’s—”

He held up his hand, speaking loudly over her objections again. “I’ve never met any of her boyfriends. Clearly, you’re important to my daughter, so we should spend more time together.”

She groaned loudly and muttered under her breath, “Kill me now.”

I replied without looking at her. “Yes, sir. I’ll be there.” Then I held out a hand to Kennedy. “Dance with me?”

She wrinkled her nose in the adorable way I loved. She stared at my hand, refusing to take it. Hesitation was her power move, but it would take more than that to get me to back down. “Come on, Cole. Don’t tell me you can’t dance.”

“I can dance, smartass,” she snapped, finally slapping her hand into mine.

Cale laughed as he returned to his spot against the wall. “Have fun, kids.”

Kennedy elbowed me in the side as I pulled her to the dance floor. The hit didn’t even register, but it allowed me to tug her closer into a slow-dancing position. “What are you doing?”

I rested my hands on her hips. “It’ll be easier to talk to you this way.”

KENNEDY

“Talk to me about what, exactly?” I asked, placing my hands on his shoulders, which took a bit of stretch given his height. I said the words to his chest, not trusting myself. The desire to kiss him crowded out any rational thought.

He tipped my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. Desire pooled low in my gut, distracting me entirely from any annoyance at our last conversation, at any apprehension of what he might ask me next. All I thought about was how his tongue had parted my lips in the hot tub, his fingers running along the inside of my thigh, his groan when I slid his dick into my mouth.

My breath came quicker now, my want for him mirrored in his dilated, near-black pupils. He tightened his grip on my hips as I shuffled even closer to him.

“Fuck, Kennedy.” Alexei broke eye contact, his gaze trailing around the room. He let out a long breath, breaking the moment and giving us both time to collect ourselves.

After a silent minute, I said, “I didn’t know he was going to invite you to Thanksgiving. Does this mess up your plans?”

He smirked. “You mean with myRussianfamily, who don’t celebrate Thanksgiving?”

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