Page 21 of Puck Off, She’s Mine

I know he's still standing there. I feel his eyes burning a hole through me, begging me to look at him. But I can't. I think I might cry if I do. He and Corey just came to blows in front of the entire team.

I want to throw up.

Actually, I want to kill Corey, and then I want to throw up.

What is wrong with him?

Iwait around long enough to find out, haunting the parking lot where the players park like a freaking wraith. An hour after the rest of the team trickles out, Corey comes jogging out, looking like he went three rounds with a bear.

He spots me standing beside my car and slows to a walk. For a split second, something a lot like guilt crosses his face before he plasters his signature arrogant grin on his face.

"Hey, beautiful," he says, loping toward me, the sun glinting in his hair.

I cross my arms, glaring at him. "Does that hurt?" I ask, nodding at his split lip and black eye.

"A bit."

"Good," I sniff. "You deserved it."

He throws his head back, laughing. And then he winces, rubbing his ribs. "Shit. Don't make me laugh. I think he kneed me in the fucking ribs. You here to read me the riot act?"

"Yes. No." I glare at him. "Undecided."

"Would you let me off the hook if I told you that I took full responsibility in there?" he asks, nodding toward the arena.

"You did?" I blink, suspicious. "Why?"

"I started it, didn't I?" He shrugs like it's not a big deal. "I shouldn't have said what I did."

"No, you shouldn't have," I agree, glaring at him. "You're a jackass for that."

"I'm aware."

It's hard to be pissed at a man taking full responsibility for being a jerk. But I am still pissed. "I'm not sleeping with you, Corey."

"I think we've established that already."

"If you were serious back there…"

"About which part?"

"Any of it," I say firmly. "It's not happening."

"Noted," he says, his green eyes flicking over me. "Want to hear a secret?"

"On or off the record?"

"Obviously off the record."

"Fine."

"I was engaged once," he mutters, looking at the ground. "She was the love of my life."

"Seriously?" I gape at him. "What happened?"

"My best friend happened. While I was focused on my career during my rookie year, he was convincing her that I was fucking around on her. I got home from a game one day to find all of her shit gone, with a note saying that she'd moved in with him."

"Corey," I gasp, stunned. "That's…"