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“Sweet.” Brad’s grin spread, huge and dirty. Dex wanted to pound his fist into the wall. Even more, he wanted to pound all the assholes gathered in the lounge a few times. Struggling to calm down, he tried reason first.
“I can’t believe you guys are still doing that betting thing,” Dex said in an offhand, jovial tone. His look conveyed the same impression as if he’d said he couldn’t believe they were still doing homework and keeping curfew.
“It’s good times,” Brad said with a shrug. “Everyone still likes to play, old buddy. Except you, I suppose. Still not willing to bet with us?”
Irritation was clear in Brad’s overly affable smile. The other guy had always been frustrated that Dex had caught on to his game and closed up his wallet. It wasn’t the football player’s brains or skills that had really made him a leader in school. It was because, one way or another, everyone owed him something—everyone except Dex.
“Nah, I’m not a betting guy,” Dex said. He grabbed a bottled water and let himself enjoy Brad’s annoyance as he untwisted the top.
“Once a chicken, always a chicken,” Brad taunted.
“Is this where we all pull them out and compare?” Dex joked. Brad shut up when the other guys laughed, but a shrewd look settled on his face. Dex realized he probably should have played it a little mellower, but years of calling his own shots had ruined his ability to play beta to anyone.
“It’s all harmless fun. And hey, the girls always thank me for their part in these bets,” Brad bragged.
“Why don’t you set your sights on another cutie this round?” Dex suggested easily. His smile was affable, his words casual. “You’re still big dude on campus. Why not chase down one of the gals you’re always saying are so hot for you?”
“I say Zoe Gaston’s hot for me. And I’m gonna win the bet.” Brad gave him a mocking smile, one that clearly said this was his way of drawing the line in the sand. As he smiled, he stepped forward, fists clenched and shoulders pulled back menacingly.
Fight? Hell, yeah. Nobody was screwing around with Zoe. Not this time around.
Dex curled his fist tight. Screw this. Years of frustration, irritated competition and this asshole winning Zoe without Dex even having a chance to step up to the plate boiled over. Before he could swing, a husky, oh-too-familiar voice called out a greeting.
“Gentlemen.”
8
THEY ALL JUMPED. Adrenaline surging like an electrical storm, Dex forced himself to relax his fingers. One last glare at Brad and he turned slowly to see Zoe standing in the lounge’s double glass doors, a bright smile on her face and a few bags of chips in her arms.
Her smile dimmed, a crease settling between her eyes when she got hit by the tension in the room.What the hell was she doing here? Was Brad right? The green-eyed monster blurred his vision for a second as he shot a calculating look between the two of them. Was she still chasing the jerk? Wasn’t Dex, albeit in his masked form, enough for her? Zoe’s gaze flicked between the two men, her frown deepening. Then, as if realizing every set of eyes in the room were pinned on her, she wiped her expression clean and held up the snacks.
“I heard you were partying in here and needed something to go with the beer.”
“Great timing,” Brad said in a jolly tone. “Dex and I were just talking about you.”
“Really?” she asked slowly, her tone as suspicious as the look she shot Dex. “Care to share the details?”
“Just talking about what a great reunion queen you’ll make,” Brad said with an evil glance at Dex.
“Right,” Zoe said, her sarcastic tone making Dex grin for the first time since he’d walked in.
Brad started to sling compliments at Zoe, but she just stared at him as though he was a science puzzle she was trying to work her way through.
“What’d you come in here for, again?” Dex interrupted, not caring that he was being rude. He wanted to leave and he wanted Zoe with him.
She narrowed her eyes, then indicated the snacks. “I ran into your grandmother in the lobby. She said she was delivering these, but needed to take care of something. I told her I’d bring them in.”
Dex frowned. He’d thought his grandmother was safely tucked away at her weekly Reiki session. No matter. He strode forward, took the bags of chips from Zoe and tossed them at Brad and his buddies. Jocks that they were, they caught each one. Even though Brad’s was aimed directly between his eyes.
“Enjoy,” Dex said. “The room is yours for the next hour, compliments of Drake Inn.”
With that, he pressed his hand to the small of Zoe’s back in unspoken command.
