He releases my arm and sighs. He gently wipes the blood from his chin. The back of his hand is covered in dry blood. He answers, “Because he was going to kiss you.”
“It was agame.”
He nods. “Yeah, I caught that part. Game of spin the fucking bottle.”
“And you thought that hitting him was going to –– what?”
“Stop him.”
I scoff, rolling my eyes.
He says, “It was Gianna setting it up.”
I stare at him, crossing my arms. I already knew this, but hearing it is different.
“She was testing me.” He runs a hand through his hair. “I fucking failed. And I’m a hockey player, babe. It’s just in me to see red and swing. You see my face? Paxton hit me back.”
My heart spins, twirls, and ends up in a knot.Babe?
He continues, “See, my sister pulled the circle together. My sister put you next to Paxton. My sister was the loudest one clapping when the bottle landed on you. Lucy, she –– she was suspicious, and now she got what she wanted.”
I look into his eyes. “How drunk are you?”
He steps forward, and I wince at his bloody face.
“I’m not that drunk, baby.”
Baby?
“Benson—”
He drops to one knee, and my heart is fluttering outside my chest. He grabs my hand, and hisI’m not that drunk, babyechoes in my head because this man is as drunk as can be. Somehow, his hands are on my hips instead of my hands. He pulls me toward him, looking up at me. I stumble over my feet. My nerves are jumbled. His hands are large and warm against me.What the hell is he doing?
“Lucy,” he says, pulling me closer. “Will you go on a date with me?”
Okay, we’re back to first names. That’s settling. But wait, what did he just ask me?
He looks up at me. “I know what I did back there was stupid. It was so fucking stupid, but I couldn’t see you kiss someone else. I’m sorry. And I promise that I was planning to ask you this tonight anyway. I’m going to talk to my sister.” He leans his head against my stomach and says, “I just really wanna take you out, baby. Will you let me?”
I don’t know what to say because his face is flush against my stomach. I’m trying to calm my racing pulse.
I pull back, grabbing his face to make him look up at me. “You shouldn’t have hit him, Benson.”
He nods. “I know.”
“Why are you fighting for me?”
“Lucy,” he pleads.
“I’m serious. We have known each other for less than a month. We kissed once. I tried to end this five hours ago and you flirted me out of it. And now you start a fight in your own house over me. With an old teammate. In front of your sister, who I live with. I want to know what you are doing. What were you thinking?”
He stares up at me. He gets off one knee, standing to his full height, towering over me.
“I liked you better on one knee,” I joke.
He drops back down and grabs my hand. My heart sinks. “Forgive me for being an idiot.”
“Okay, get up,” I whisper, ushering him up. I hear a car in the distance, and it reminds me that we’re not completely alone.
