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“Maybe I like dressing up in costumes. Maybe it’s a fetish.” I narrow my eyes at him. “Don’t judge, man. This is the twenty-first century.”
“Do you, though?” Leo asks. “Do you have a secret thing for dressing up as clowns and barnyard animals?”
“Cock. It was a giant cock. Kinda like—”
“You think you know a man,” Logan interrupts, shaking his head.
“I do not have a thing for dressing up,” I admit. “I hate it and it’s a pain in the ass. I don’t have a choice, though. It’s part of my penance for partying a little too hard last year.”
“Whose idea was it? Coach’s?”
I shake my head. “Nah, he doesn’t hate me that much. Also, he doesn’t have that level of imagination. It was Rowan, my publicist. And I can’t say no.” I scowl and grab another bottle of water and down it like it’s a beer. Old habits die hard.
“I wishIcouldn’t say no to her,” Andy grins lasciviously. “She’s not hard on the eyes.”
I squeeze my water bottle a little too hard, and it squirts all over me. Everyone laughs but me. If it weren’t Andy’s house, I’d tackle him to the ground for talking about Rowan.
What the hell am I even thinking?
I’m not mad. I don’t care at all if all the guys on the team consider Rowan totally bangable. Not my business. I mean, I feel mildly protective of her, and the thought of any of them hitting on her makes me want to reach for a hockey stick and do some violence, but...
Where was I going with this anyway?
None of them should date her.
“Like really, man... what did you even do to that woman?” Beckett asks. “Why has she got such a hard-on for you?”
“Not sure that expression works for a woman,” I frown in consideration. “But anyway, yeah, I think she’s just one of Lucifer’s minions, put here on this earth to torment me. She’s punishing me for crimes I haven’t even committed yet. Thought crimes.”
“Your hashtag mentions are through the roof,” Paxton observes. “So there’s that. The coach and Mr. Hartley aren’t bitching about you anymore. The costumes must be working.”
“Don’t tell her that. I will pay you actual money not to tell her that.” I laugh. “And I will come up with painful ways to punish you if you do. Please do not give her ideas, before I end up dressed up like a cabbage patch kid or something.”
“Maybe your next costume should be a kitty cat.” Noah grins at me. “Since you’ve already been a... rooster.”
“God, I hope not. No, cats are too feminine. I won’t do it,” I scowl.
“Unless she tells you to and you can’t say no,” Paxton smirks.
“There’s got to be a line somewhere.” I shake my head. No kitty costumes.
“You fight like a bitch,” Beckett shouts. “Sorry, I’m talking about that weak ass from California, not you.” He gestures at the screen in disgust. “Anyway, carry on. I like talking about Rowan. She’s distractingly hot. Does she distract you?”
“Not in the slightest,” I lie. “I’m just trying to survive her until the season’s over. I mean, you think I want a babysitter?”
The guys immediately start making hot babysitter jokes.
“How bad would I have to be to get my own Rowan?” Logan asks.
“Yeah, when she’s done making you dress up, can you send her my way?” Andy wiggles his eyebrows.
A surge of anger shoots through me and I leap to my feet. “Bathroom,” I announce loudly, and stalk off, even though I don’t need to go.
When I come back, I head to the kitchen for a moment to clear my head. Beckett follows me in there.
“Ignore them,” he says. “You know how they are.”
“Constantly on the prowl for pussy?”
