Page 38 of What About Us

Ivy nods, and I glance over at Easton, who’s watching me.

Fuck you, I say with my face.

My brother smirks.

“Are you supposed to be eating all these tacos and chips and shit?” Easton asks me. “Won’t you get in trouble?”

“Cassie’s been filling my fridge,” I reply with a shrug. “She feeds me well, so this won’t hurt anything.”

“I burn this many calories during one workout,” Cooper agrees.

“How is Cassie?” Easton asks, not meeting my gaze.

I narrow my eyes on him. He used to have a thing for the personal chef, way back in the day, but life took them in different directions.

“Seems good. I don’t see much of her, she just cooks my meals and fills the fridge, like a little chef fairy. She’s the best.”

“Babe, we really need to hire someone for that,” Britney says to Cooper. “It would be a huge help. I’ll look into it when we get back. I’m sure some of the other WAGs have connections.”

“Excuse me,” Ivy says as she stands up. “I’ll be right back.”

She walks away, toward the restrooms, and I watch her go. My name and team number are on her back, and fuck if I don’t like that.

I like it a lot.

“Oh my God, I like her,” Britney says when Ivy’s out of earshot. “She’s just cute as a button, and sweet, and gorgeous. Her mother is fucking blind if she thinks that girl is anything but beautiful.”

“Spiteful bitch,” Easton grumbles, shaking his head. “I wish I could arrest her for that.”

I grin at my brother. “Me too.”

“Can’t you be more than professionals?” Britney asks. “I mean, come on. I see the way you look at her, like you’re starving and she’s a buffet of barbecue ribs and corn on the cob.”

“Sure, mention my favorite food, Brit.”

“I’m just saying.”

“I can’t make her do anything, and for all I know she’s not interested. I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. I have to work with her.”

Brit leans over and smacks me on the shoulder, making me cower back like it hurt.

Spoiler alert, it didn’t.

“Ouch. Coop, put a leash on your out-of-control wife.”

Cooper laughs and Britney narrows her eyes. “Don’t sleep deeply tonight, X.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

The truth is, I love seeing Ivy here with my friends. She’s loosened up since this afternoon, and she’s laughing and talking more. She fits in here. But I can see that she’s still skittish and unsure, and I want to make sure she feels safe.

I also want to lay her out on my bed and see if she has freckles all over that delectable little body and trace them with my tongue before I eat my fill of her.

But, one thing at a time.

I’m saved from saying more as Ivy returns to the table, and then I settle the tab, after ripping it out of Coop’s hand, and we leave the restaurant.

“Let’s get ice cream,” Britney suggests. “I saw a little place down the street.”