Page 63 of Mother Pucker
My sister and I exchange a silent look with Shayla’s gaze bouncing between us, trying to glean more meaning from my cryptic statement.
I have nothing to hide and I’m not one to prolong mysteries or drama, so I turn toward her, unveiling what I always intended to tell her. Clearly, she hasn’t looked me up online because she’d have found most of it in a simple search. And since I don’t have much to hide, I’ve never really asked our PR team to bury the news.
“Five years ago, I was playing for the New York Mayors and dating a woman named Audrey. We’d been together for three years, and I thought I loved her enough to marry her.”
As if Shay can tell she’s not going to like what I’m about to say, she rubs circles over my thumb with hers.
“But the night we got engaged, I found her in bed with one of my closest friends.” My jaw tightens as the memories flood back. “He played center for our team.”
“Rowan . . .” Shay’s breath hitches, an unmistakable frown on her face. “I’m so sorry.”
“Girl was a total back-stabbing bitch! And Evan Lanthrop was a snake in disguise,” Piper chimes in as she gets out of the booth. “Excuse me a moment. I need to use the ladies’ room.”
“Is that why you moved to Boston to play for the Bolts?” Shay asks after watching my sister’s back retreat.
I place my index under her chin and turn Shay’s gaze toward me. I have a feeling she needs to hear this, even if she doesn’t show it. She’s a master of masking her vulnerability at times. “I want you to know something. I don’t give two shits about my ex;I haven’t in a very long time. But yes, at the time that I asked to be traded, my life was imploding publicly and I couldn’t work with Evan, knowing what he’d done.”
Rage flashes in her eyes. “I hate that they did that to you. And I wouldn’t wish this on even my enemies, but I hope they both develop high-fructose corn syrup addictions!”
I throw back my head, laughing before I capture her lips with mine. “God, you’re so fucking perfect.”
twenty
shay
My chest burns,even as I ogle his upturned full lips and the way his cheeks lift when he laughs. Even his sheer beauty can’t quell the ire I feel for the two people he thought he could trust, but hurt him in such a deep way.
It boggles my mind that anyone could ever hurt him. For all his cocky and overconfident displays, the man I amreallystarting to like is just a huge teddy bear with a heart made of soft wool.
An incredibly thoughtful, generous, and kind teddy bear who could be hurt, despite how strong and virile he looks on the outside.
His smile dwindles when he sees the look on my face, his eyes bouncing between mine in silent question.
I shake my head, pulling him closer by the collar and pressing my lips to his.
He doesn’t hesitate to follow suit, wrapping his large hand around my cheek and neck, kissing me like we’re not in a public restaurant. But I know we’re well-hidden, given the large partition Zach placed around our booth to keep us from being visible to the rest of the patrons.
“Oh, Jesus,” Piper huffs without a hint of the disgust she’s trying to go for. “Maybe send me a text before you guys decide to get into a lewd tongue duel next time. I’ll find ways to entertain myself in the bathroom a little longer.”
“Sorry.” I break away from Rowan, though he tries to keep me from moving too far, as heat ripples over my skin. In fact, I physically have to force my toes to uncurl, given that’s exactly what they’d done in the time his lips were on mine.
“Don’t apologize,” Rowan says, giving his sister a squinted look. “My sister is thequeenof grossing me out every chance she gets. And she’s determined to make me turn one of her boy-toys into a pretzel.”
I raise my brows. “Boy-toys? As in, the plural form?”
Piper rolls her eyes. “My brother may be younger than me, but he’s always acted like a protective jackass when it comes to the men I choose to spend my time with.”
“Yeah, because they aren’t men,” Rowan retorts, his jaw ticking. “Not one of them has been good enough for you, which is why you always have multiple assholes you’re keeping around.”
She winks. “Hey, don’t knock it til you try it.” She turns to me with a hand around her mouth like she’s letting me in on a secret. “I don’t remember their names sometimes, so I give them nicknames related to hot dogs. Like, I’m currently dating Oscar Mayer and Frank’s Uncle.”
My brows pinch. “Why do you give them hot dog names?”
“Why else?” Piper waggles her brows. “Because they’re packing well-endowed sausages, of course!”
She doesn’t even get the last word out when Rowan spits some of the water he’d just sipped, spraying his sister across the table and making me burst out laughing.
He looks like he’s going to be sick. “Jesus Christ, Piper! You just made me lose my appetite.”
