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He cringed. “I do feel bad about being a little shit in grade school. We all just wanted to make Duke go nuclear.”
I tapped my foot, waiting for him to make a move.
He sighed then moved closer to me and put his hands around my waist. I was wearing a crop top, so my skin above my shorts was exposed and his touch made goosebumps rise across my stomach. I liked feeling touched. Even though this was completely fake, I liked feeling taken for a minute… And I absolutely loved the way Duke suddenly couldn't take his eyes off me and Tyler.
Tyler dipped closer to me and whispered in my ear, “And I didn’t mean to make you feel bad by turning you down, Kessel. I just don’t wanna have to fight a hurt guy.”
I touched his scruffy cheek to keep up the act. “What is this, the dark ages where you have to duel for a woman’s hand? I am not directing you to fight him,” I said through an icy smile. “Besides, he seems fine and dandy with Daniella.”
“That’s just an act. He’ll beat up anyone’s ass who touches you,” he whispered in my ear.
My heart practically stopped, and my eyes snapped to his dark ones.
“Says who?” I demanded.
He gave me a ‘duh’ look. “Says him growing up, and I doubt much has changed over the years seeing as you two are still playing twisted mind games with each other.”
I ignored his little dig and focused on the part I wanted to know more about. “He did not say that when we were little,” I challenged.
He pulled back and looked at me with lifted eyebrows. “Well, he made it pretty clear back then.”
I grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and jerked him back closer to me. “Well, thingsaredifferent now. And you don’t want to be known as poopy pants, so play along, Jettersen,” I said tightly.
He laughed. “That is something I definitely don’t want.”
“Hold me,” I ordered.
His warm arms immediately went around my body, and he smoothed a hand over my butt and heaved a deep sigh. “If only you actually wanted me for me…” he said wistfully.
I frowned. “I’m sorry–”
“No, it’s okay,” Tyler said with a laugh. “I’m not complaining about getting to do this I guess.”
My lips twisted. “Well, I am sorry.”
“You said that. Here, let's go over to the couches.” He nodded toward them.
I looked back at the beer pong table. “But we didn’t win yet.”
He rolled his eyes. “I know you’re competitive, but let this one battle go so you can win the war, Kessel.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Point taken. Lead the way, sir.”
He nodded, then bent his knees and lifted me in the air. His arms held the crook of my back and under my knees.
“I can walk,” I muttered.
“Yeah, but Duke can’t currently do this. I know him. It’ll eat him up inside,” he said with a shit-eating grin.
I shook my head and viewed him with a bit of admiration. “You play dirty, Jettersen. I like it.”
I tried to only have eyes for him as he walked me through the crowded deck area. He really wasn’t a bad looking guy. He definitely had the look of a hockey player– I think all of them looked and walked slightly similar, and I wasn’t sure if that was because they were all a little bit Canadian or if hockey kind of molded their bodies to look that way. Tyler was currently sporting bleached hair under his hat because his minor league teammates all did that during the playoffs. His hair and eyes were naturally darker, so bright blond hair didn’t go with his coloring. I was sure he’d end up cleaning up his look in the next few weeks because he was looking to break into the NHL next season and there’s no way the big wig coaches would like that– they were all about looking clean cut.
As soon as we sat, he kept me in his lap. I started to take my arms away from where they were– looped around his neck– but he stopped me.
“Keep them there. And don’t look at Duke, it’ll ruin the effect. He’s staring daggers at me right now.”
His words made me feel vindicated. I knew Duke wanted me. I guess I just needed to give him this little push to showhimthat.
