Page 11 of Tiger Lilies and Tight Ends

“You know you can’t leave me hanging like this.” He chuckles. “This is the best distraction ever for me right now. Come on, tell me, who is she? After all, you don’t even have any female friends,” he teases.

And I don’t. On purpose. Well, at least not any that I have to worry about.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a full red-blooded male. I love female company just as much as the next guy, but I never allow them more than a few days here or there, and I have never invited one back to my house.

“I have female friends.”

“Who?” he asks.

“Camille,” I tell him proudly. Because I do consider Reid’s wife a friend.

“Fine, I’ll give you that one, but you know what I mean. What female friends do you have who aren’t married?”

I let out a deep sigh. There’s no getting out of this, and he’s right. Eventually, he’s going to figure it out because my gut says she isn’t staying just a day or two. It’s going to be a bit longer than that.

“Lance’s sister, Lily. She’s staying with me for a bit.”

Visions of her on my couch swim through my mind. Hair all messy, no makeup, headphones on, her legs pulled in and crossed, tiny shorts. It’s disturbing how good she looks there.

“The sister who’s dating Dean Davis?”

I shoot him a look and see he’s now frowning. He shares my sentiments on Dean Davis. In fact, I think most of us in the league do. How he’s convinced the general American population that he’s the dream boy next door, I will never understand.

“That’s the one, although they're apparently not together anymore.”

I would still like to hear this story. They had been together for so long, and Lance and I pretty much thought they were a done deal.

“Hence needing a place to stay,” he says, nodding his head like he now understands. “And you’re okay with this?” he asks, again knowing how I am.

I tell him the same thing I told Lily, and I’ve been telling myself, “I’d do anything for Lance.”

“Interesting,” he says, studying me like I’m some strange animal in the wild.

“Why is this interesting?” I ask him, glancing his way. He’s now got a shit-eating grin, and I don’t like it. “And why do you look like that?”

“She’s very pretty. Don’t you think?”

I shoot him a look, telling him exactly how I feel about him noticing that she’s pretty. And of course I think she’s pretty, who wouldn’t? Beautiful skin, bright blue eyes, lots of freckles, and don’t get me started on her hair, but there are a lot of pretty girls in the world, and I don’t make it a point to mention that every time I see one.

“So?”

His grin grows larger. “I look forward to meeting her.”

Chapter 4

Team Chat

Sully: All right, everyone! New season, new restaurant.

Darius: No.

Jonah: Pass.

Sully: What do you mean, no? This is the perfect time to try someplace new.

Darius: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Sully: No one said anything about it being broken. Don’t you want to share the love with other establishments in Tampa Bay?