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“It’s hard enough to get this guy out with us without your chirps, Miller,” Hayden says. “Darcy had to drag him here tonight.”
“Kit likes to go to bed early like a grandpa,” Darcy teases, and Rory gives her a big hug hello before she steps over to me, her platinum-blond hair practically sparkling under the dim bar lights.
“I didn’t know you were in town,” I tell her as we hug. We’ve hung out a few times after games but I never get to talk to her long enough. “You could have sat with me and Pippa during the game.”
“Yeah, Darce.” Hayden tips his chin at her, eyes bright. She barely comes up to his shoulder. “Then you could have seen my goal up close like Driedger did.” He elbows Kit in the gut and Kit laughs quietly, shoving him off.
“Next time,” Darcy says with a shy smile before her curious gaze swings between me and Rory. “I heard about this, but I didn’t believe it.”
Rory’s hand rests between my shoulder blades, and when he looks down at me, his smile is so gentle and handsome. He hasn’t shaved in a couple days, and a thin layer of dark blond stubble spans his strong jaw.
“It’s true.” My eyes lift to Rory’s backward baseball hat. His eyes are bright, and the tops of his cheekbones are a little flushed from the game still. With him wearing that hat, I stand no chance against Rory Miller.
People make room, and I move to sit down, but Rory pulls me into his lap. Jordan swings by with a soda water for Rory and a drink for me, and while he’s thanking her, Pippa’s eyes widen as she sips her drink, watching us with a smile.
Shut up, I tell her with my eyes.
I won’t, she says right back with hers.
I try to slide off his lap, but his hands tighten on my waist, keeping me close.
“No,” he murmurs in my ear. “You stay where you are, fire-breather.”
Another flush of heat moves through me, and I force myself to focus on the conversation at the table.
“I read an interview with a porn star,” Hayden’s saying, “and he said if he’s having boner problems, he smells the back of his female co-star’s neck.” He gestures at the back of his neck. “It’s a pheromone thing or something.”
“No way,” Rory scoffs. “That’s not real.”
“It is,” Hayden insists, making me laugh with his earnest expression.
Rory gathers my hair off my neck, moving it aside. My smile falters when his lips press against my skin, and as he takes a deep inhale, his stubble scrapes me.
Shivers run down my spine as he exhales over my skin, and something twinges between my legs.
Rory straightens up, dropping my hair.
“Well?” Hayden asks as everyone watches.
Rory shrugs. “Yeah, I don’t know what to tell you, buddy.”
Hayden’s face falls. “I’ve been telling this to everyone.” Darcy starts laughing, and he tilts his chin at her, giving her a flirty smile. “Come here, Darce. Let’s test it.”
He makes grabby hands at her and she laughs harder, swatting him away. Kit shakes his head, smiling.
Hayden’s eyes linger on her for a moment too long, beaming like she’s the best thing he’s ever seen.
They’re friends. Best friends, he tells everyone. And she’s with Kit.
Hayden doesn’t look at her like they’re friends, though.
She slides against Kit, saying something to Pippa, and Hayden takes one look at Kit’s arm around her and glances away, expression tightening.
Huh.
My thoughts are interrupted as Rory stiffens against me. I twist to look at him but he locks me harder to him, jaw tight.
“What’s going on?”
