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Trina saw it all. “Well, I don’t know what that look is all about, but I’m sensing some tension. So, I’ll leave you two to it. But my offer still stands.” She gave Luc a friendly slap on the back before going to the kitchen.
“I’ll give you a holler if I need you, Tri,” Luc said with a smirk.
“Dude, you need to back off this one. It’s not worth the trouble it’s going to cause. You like your job, don’t you?” When Sam set his empty beer bottle down on the table, it made a loud clunk.
“Very much. First of all, I think you’re wrong. And second, I’m not doing anything yet, just admiring from afar. She’s pretty set on the code shit, and she doesn’t date athletes.”
“So, you’re going to let this go?” Sam’s eyes were hopeful.
Luc hated to crap on his friend’s high expectations, but he did, and with a smirk. “I never said that.”
***
CHAPTER TWELVE
Kassie
Getting a text from Luc this morning surprised Kassie. When she gave him her number, she was sure he either wouldn’t call, or she’d get a creepy booty call. And she was no puck bunny, so a booty call would’ve been frowned upon. Telling him to take a hike for a booty call would’ve been too easy, and she got a more complicated, maybe even a high-maintenance vibe from him. So, getting a casual, let’s hang out text, was unexpected.
Even unexpected, reading it made her excited, almost giddy.
Luc: Meet for lunch today?
It had been five days since their uncomfortable encounter at Kaden’s house. Her body reacted to her memories with butterflies dancing in her stomach and a ball of warmth forming in her chest. The way Luc had cornered her twice. The way he towered over her. His large, muscular body, and those dark eyes staring at her.
She couldn’t deny that he was kind of cute. Who was she kidding? He was extremely good looking. He had dreamy, brown eyes and an adventurous smile, one that effortlessly turned deliciously wicked.
And that was why she should ignore him.
She typically avoided all of her brother’s teammates. Why did I give him my number anyway? It had been a momentary lapse of judgement, and probably partly the fact that his sinful grin gave her butterflies. And a momentary bit of bratty-little-sister logic that her big brother couldn’t tell her who she could and couldn’t talk to.
Knowing Luc was a Renegades player, and knowing how her brother would react to her spending time with him, was somewhat exciting. It all seemed so fun at first. But now it was looking like such a bad idea. She wasn’t a child, and she knew it wasn’t solely to get a rise out of Kaden. Luc was attractive, and he seemed to like her. Scratch that, if the way he acted at the club the other night was any indication, he was definitely into her.
She’d spent so much time taking care of her mom and concentrating on school to get her degree, that she had put her social life on the back burner. She longed for a little excitement in her life, and she kind of liked Luc, too.
And that was the exact reason she should avoid him at all costs.
But instead of listening to her instincts, she quickly typed a response.
Kassie: Meet you at the Café on Fifth at twelve thirty?
She knew it was a bad idea the second she hit send. Her stomach flipped around excitedly, while the butterflies dancing in her middle took charge of her actions. It was a ridiculous feeling. This wasn’t middle school. She was an adult, and she was just testing the waters, anyway. Trying to shake the weird feeling, she knew how this might play out, and she knew better than to mess around with a teammate of her brother.
At the thought of Kaden, nerves made her stomach ball up. Is this a bad idea? Probably. But meeting up for a bite to eat or a cup of coffee never hurt anyone. Plus, Kaden didn’t need to know her every move. He didn’t have to approve of her friends. He wasn’t thrilled with Quinn, and that never mattered. Kassie was her own person and could make her own decisions. Even if her brother did sit in the back of her mind, nagging at her.
It was fall in Pittsburgh, and today’s weather report was chilly, so she dressed in leggings, knee-high boots, an oversized cream-colored sweater, and a tan plaid flannel scarf draped around her neck. After getting ready, she stopped by the mirror to check herself out. Smoothing her hand over her waist, she decided she looked fine, cozy and warm, not to mention very cute. But then again, this wasn’t a date, so it didn’t matter. This was just a friendly lunch on a Saturday afternoon.
Her dark hair was down around her shoulders. She pulled it up into a loose bun and checked it out in the mirror, but ultimately decided to leave it down. Trying to convince herself that how she looked didn’t matter obviously wasn’t working. She hurried off to the restaurant before she decided to change one more thing about her outfit.
She still wasn’t sure why she had agreed to this. Why did he even ask me to lunch? That was even more curious. Maybe she’d said something the other night to lead him on, or maybe he was just cashing in on her saying they could be friends.
Honestly, she hadn’t expected them to be friends who hung out, more like smile and make small talk at Renegades events. Either he’d taken her literally, or this was going to be just another attempt at flirting with her.
Luc was already waiting for her at a table by the window. He looked huggable in blue jeans, tennis shoes, and a gray, hooded sweatshirt. A matching knit toque covered his hair. The sun shone through the tinted glass, illuminating the table with warmth. He nodded at her as she walked in, but went back to looking at his phone as she sat down.
Without looking up, he spoke with a head nod to her. “Hey there, sweets. Glad you could make it.”
Why does he keep calling me that? But what really irked her was his not even looking at her as he greeted her. She covered his phone with her hand. “Hi. Thanks for the invite.”
