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“HEY CODY! IS THIS A TEAM OUTING OR WHAT?” I whip my head around to find my team captain glowering in our direction. Shit. Are rookies not supposed to club off-season?
Perspiration forms on my forehead as I see my chances of winning rookie-of-the-year slip through my fingers. I should have followed Nico’s example and stayed home tonight. I’ve never seen Cody look so harsh. And the guy’s got ajawlinefor crying out loud.
“Hey, Trip. I was checking on my pups to see if their leashes needed to be reined in.” I try not to flinch as I meet Cody’s unforgiving gaze. Thanking my lucky stars, I swiftly register that Cody isn’t looking at me, but rather over my shoulder. I turn, following the flickering embers of death his stare leaves in its wake.
Dancers, more dancers, Hunter lip locked again, dancers… Wait. My gaze shoots back to Hunter and the girl he’s playing tonsil lacrosse with. Well, would you look at that. Hunter’s tongue has found its way down Stella’s throat.
For the record, there is nothing wrong with a good game of taste mingling. I’m all for sharing the love whenever and wherever the need arises. But looking at Cody’s expression, he does not feel the same. Although it is strange that Hunter’s sexual prowess at the house party the other night didn’t bother him. Unless… oh.Oh.
Someone call me Sherlock because I just cracked this shit wide open.
The captain’s got a thing for Trip’s feisty roommate.
Feeling smug about my mental boy plus girl calculations, I’m about to crack a joke when Cody heads straight for his lip-locked Juliet.
Crisis mode: Do I run to the convenience store for popcorn or call the ambulance for Hunter’s soon-to-be dead body?
Turns out, I don’t even have time to grab my phone for a video because in the blink of an eye, Cody grabs Stella mid make-out – the saliva trail was there, believe me – and throws her over his shoulder, fireman carrying her to the exit. Her kicking legs whack a few people on the way out and after recovering from my shock, I snag Trip’s hand and we follow the fuming couple outside.
The exit door bangs open with a wave of cold air and fresh oxygen. Man, you don’t realize how muggy it gets on the dance floor until you’re back outside.
Finally putting Stella back on the ground, the furious freshman whirls around and lays it out on my captain.
Upper chest punch. “How dare youthink,”torso punch, “you have theright,” abdomen punch, “to carry me like some sort ofpet.”Big yikes. That one was borderline pelvic bone. Protect the balls my man, protect the balls.
Finishing off her impressive boxing career with one last shot to Cody’s stomach, I make a mental note to never get on Stella’s bad side. Even my abs aren’t hard enough to take that beating.
Cody remains silent and still, patiently waiting for Stella to finish her pummelling. Only once the raging pixie finishes does he hold up his hands in surrender, “Look Stel, I’m sorry for making you feel like a pet. But I'm not sorry for getting you away from that creep.”
The chest punches must have given him a concussion because the creep in question is one of the rookies Cody personally pickedfor the roster this year. Talk about awkward.
“I made a promise to your brother when he made me captain. I promised him I would look out for you, keep you out of trouble. What do you think Mo would have said if he saw you tonight?”
Hold up. Did Cody just sayMo? As in Taber lacrosse royalty,TheMighty Mo? He's Stella’s older brother? Shit, I didn’t even know there was more than one O’Brien prodigy.
“That’s not up to you, Cody. And if Mo were here, he couldn’t say a damn thing about my situation because his wild streak lastedfour years.” She’s not wrong. Mo isn’t known for being mighty only on the lacrosse field. Rumour has it the guy was the hardest partier Taber has ever seen. Apparently, he ran the naked mile along University Drive after hitting four funnels and beating a bunch of frat guys at beer pong his freshman year. And that’s just the tame stuff. When it came to girls? Left, right, and centre. There was no ‘some Mo didn’t try out. The man is alegend.
Sighing, Cody runs a hand through his fauxhawk. “You’re right, I may have overreacted. I’m sorry if I ruined your night.” And there’s the even-headed team captain I’m used to.
No matter how pissed or how tired Cody may be, there’s never been a time when I haven't seen him smooth things over with his natural peacemaker tendencies. Except for the fireman carry – which, for the record, looked hella sick – Cody is the politest person I know. Even when he’s being painfully honest, he always manages to deliver it in a way that leaves a positive impact.
Basically, he’s the master of the compliment sandwich: Outer slices lathered with compliments while criticism is cleverly stashed in the middle.
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: the man is white Gandhi.
Silence descends the group as Cody’s apology hangs in the air. With a sigh, Stella pats him on the arm, “I know you mean well. I’m sorry for punching you. But the next time you lift me off the ground like a damsel in distress, my fists of fury will aim lower.Muchlower.”
The threat has me instinctively shifting to cover my package but Cody just tilts his head with a smile. Jesus. The guy must have balls made of vibranium.
“We’re good?”
Stella replies with a sigh, “Ya, we’re good.”
I make eye contact with Trip and raise my eyebrows in question. Shrugging, she mouthsGym Brosas if that explains the assault charges we just witnessed.
Chapter 8
Lou
