Page 39 of Puck Yes

“I’ll drink to that,” Stefan says.

Ivy considers the topic while country music plays overhead, a tune about a guy who lost his pickup truck. “It’s important because proper dick care leads to pretty dicks.”

Dev spits out his beer. “Dicks aren’t pretty.”

“Maybe you haven’t seen the right dicks.” Briefly she casts her gaze my way, a bit of flirt in her voice.

Is she thinking about the night I met her, when she watched me on the rooftop? That look in her eyes heats my blood.

Ivy takes a drink, then adds, “But dick aesthetics aside, I still think Stefan’s story is highly suspicious.”

The team captain parks his elbows on the table and deals her a hard glare. “Don’t make me show you all the pics.”

He’s playing to win, upping the ante tonight, and I don’t have it in me to stop him. It’s too fun to watch him move chess pieces around.

Normally, I wouldn’t think a naked skating story would be a come-on. But I have a hunch he’s not leading with the goods but with his gusto. That’s his style. Me? I’m subtler. A flirty word. A dirty look. It’s our one-two punch.

Except…nope.

I’m not hitting on her tonight. I’m not pitching her on a threesome, especially with Dev here and with Kana and Brady in the next room. I’m just celebrating.

Ivy sets down her glass, shooting Stefan a dubious look. “Pics? Now Ihaveto call your bluff.”

“Well, I had socks on. I don’t put on skates without socks,” Stefan says, stretching his arms out across the back of the booth. “And yes, I have pics. My buddies took them.” He grabs for his phone in his back pocket.

Dev laughs, shaking his head. “No one wants to see that much of your naked ass.”

But it’s too late. Stefan scrolls and then slaps down his phone, and…oh shit.That’s some birthday suit on skates. I jerk back, covering my eyes. “Dude.”

Ivy blinks. “Holy shit.”

Dev drops his jaw. “Whoa.”

Stefan smiles smugly. “Thank you.” Picking up his phone, he regards the photos like an art appraiser. “It is a pretty dick, come to think of it.”

I crack up. “That was not a dick compliment. I can’t believe you carry that pic.”

“I can’t believe you showed it to us,” Dev seconds.

“I can’t believe you took the dare,” Ivy puts in, each of us in escalating disbelief.

“Pictures don’t lie,” Stefan says, then shoots me a stern stare. “And since you doubted me, you can pick up the check here. I’m ready for a change of scenery.”

Dev nods, big and long. “When you score an assist in one game and a goal in the other two, you gotta treat the vets, Hayes.”

“No problem.”

I don’t mind footing the bill, especially considering what Dev just called me. I’ve gone fromHey YoutoNew Guyto my name in one day with him, and he’s the kind of athlete who sets the tone with the team. I’m glad, too, that I didn’t need my longtime friend to be my cheerleader. My skills led the way to this first sign of…acceptance.

I rein in a grin so it’s not obvious to everyone that I’m stoked. I reach for my wallet and raise a hand for a server. When a man wearing an apron and sporting a goatee signals from a few booths away that he’ll be right with us, I turn back to the guys across from us.

There’s a gleam in Dev’s eyes I can’t read. He shifts his gaze to Stefan, but Stefan looks away, like he’s deliberately ignoring Dev.

Hmm. Not sure what’s going on with them, if anything. But maybe the liquor’s messing with my head. When the server comes by, I hand him my credit card and tell him we’ll take the check.

“All right. I’ll be right back with that,” the server says and once he leaves, Stefan’s phone buzzes.The Great Daneflashes across the screen.

He instantly switches to serious business owner mode. “I need to take this.”

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